2007 Toyota RAV4 2.2L Diesel · WJ57 VVL

The 2025-11-07 MOT pass at 101,959 miles is recent, yet the advisory load tells a different story. The maintenance trend is worsening. A September 2025 failure at 101,620 miles exposed a fractured offside rear coil spring, insecure suspension arm, and a non-functioning central seat belt buckle. The subsequent November pass confirms these were rectified, but the underlying pattern is one of reactive repair rather than preventative upkeep. Recurring advisories for corroded rear brake pipes, corroded ferrules, and play in the steering rack inner joint persist across multiple tests. These are not fresh defects. They represent long-standing deterioration that has been monitored rather than properly resolved. The mileage profile is unusual. The vehicle covered roughly 9,652 miles between October 2022 and October 2023, then just 339 miles in the eleven months leading to the November 2025 pass. That final recorded figure, 101,959 miles, is identical to the November test date, strongly suggesting the vehicle has effectively stood still since late 2024. Low annual use at roughly 5,366 miles per year over its nineteen-year life is genuinely low, but prolonged standing carries its own risks. Brake components corrode without regular use. Tyres develop flat spots. Seals dry out. The rear brake pipe corrosion flagged repeatedly from 2023 onward is entirely consistent with a vehicle that sits unused for long periods. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on the rear suspension and braking system. The fractured offside rear coil spring in September 2025 was a serious structural failure. Both rear coil springs have shown corrosion since at least October 2022, and the nearside front suspension arm was flagged as insecurely attached during the same failed test. Have a technician check the condition of all coil springs, the security of suspension arm mounting points, and the condition of the subframe for corrosion or cracking. The rear brake pipes and hoses require close examination. Corroded pipes covered in grease or other material have been noted at every test from October 2023 onward. Grease on a brake pipe is a masking technique, not a repair. Inspect for pitting, bulging, or active weeping at all rear brake line connections. The steering rack inner joint play has appeared as an advisory in both the September 2025 failure and the November 2025 pass. Combined with the insecure front suspension arm flagged in the same period, there is a clear picture of front-end wear that demands a proper rack and suspension inspection on a lift. The seat belt buckle fault and weakened webbing from the September failure were clearly replaced for the retest, but verify the operation of all three rear belts and the central buckle mechanism. Check the offside rear reflector, which has been deteriorating progressively since 2022, and confirm the windscreen damage noted in 2023 has not propagated into the driver's primary field of view.