2006-up Toyota RAV4 V6 Spark Plugs

[Nick T]

Any experience with removing the ignition coils and/or spark plugs on a V6 RAV4?

I'm the manager of the tip system in OnDemand5.com/ShopKey5.com and it came up over there. Toyota's procedure requires removing the engine to get the rear plugs out but supposedly it can be done without doing that. Same for the water pump. Step one is "Remove engine".

We can't change the procedure unless Toyota does but can add a tip to the system to save tech's time. We do have an inquiry into Toyota to get clarification.

Thanks, Nick.

[John C.]

We have an 07 V6 in the lot, tech just went out to take a look, and said, if he removed the plenum he would have no trouble getting the plugs, and thinks he could do it without removing the plenum. He's pretty sure that removing the rear plugs would be even easier than removing the rear plugs from a Camry V6.

As for the water pump, there he's not sure.

We have more than a few customers with these, but they're too new to have replaced either plugs or water pump.

Sorry, but that's all we can give right now.

[Nick T]

John,

That's helpful anyways. Would it be possible to get a picture showing the rear head in relation to the firewall? Especially with the dress-up cover removed. I assume this is where the conflict is as you'd have to be able to get the coil assembly out without hitting the firewall.

Nick.

[John C.]

Nick,

All we have here for a camera is iPhones, but even with a good camera tech (Mark) says it wouldn't be at all helpful to you, just not enough room for an informative picture.

Mark just took the cover off, removed one of the front coils and reached to one of the rear ones with it, and said it shouldn't be a problem, unless for some odd reason the rear coils are a lot longer than the front ones.

Mark repeated, if the plenum were removed there would absolutely be no problem.

What Mark wants me to ask you is, why on the labor guide it says 17 hours for the plugs, but the warranty time is .8?

And this is pure Mark, one of the best employees to ever walk the earth, he said if he knew this earlier in the day (and had the time) he would have pulled one of the rear plugs for you.

[Nick T]

Our labor time is based on the OEM repair procedure. Toyota recently upped their labor time to 1.1 hours but haven't changed the procedure, the same all the way up to 2009.

This is why this came up. A tech was concerned that in the future one of his customers was going to have a big repair bills to change the plugs. A couple dealers said it could be done in the car by pulling the plenum but that it wasn't easy. I doubt the coils are different front to back so it's probably just an error on their part when writing the service info. I also found on a couple Toyota forums that the water pump can be removed without pulling the motor but that it's also really tight clearance. Real in the field hands on info is always better than guessing.

I really appreciate the info. I'll add it to the post in OnDemand.

Nick.

[John C.]

You're welcome.