2006 Toyota RAV4 Limited review from North America

I was specific in wanting a vehicle with the Tow Prep Package, which is said to include heavy-duty radiator, alternator and fan clutch, and pre-wiring.

The dealer quoted a price of $450 for a hitch, plus labor. I was able to get one installed for less than $200 but was told I'd have to get the wiring adapter from the dealer. Okay, it's already pre-wired, all I need is a pigtail to plug in and hook up the trailer, right?

The Toyota parts dept ordered it and I went to pick it up and plug it in, but I was presented with a box of pieces and parts and a wiring harness with four or five plugs - and a pigtail- service tech says thats all I need, plug and go - except no one can find what it plugs into.

Bottom line: the interior of the PRE-WIRED vehicle has to be pulled apart to install this wiring harnass that they didn't have sense enough to put into a tow vehicle while things were still apart. This means another trip to the dealer and several hours of labor and fingers crossed that all of the interior panels of my new vehicle still fit tightly when they're through ripping them out and reinstalling them. This is expense and inconvenience that I thought had been eliminated when I insisted on the optional tow prep package. Bad enough that I didn't know about this, but shame on Toyota for the service people being in the dark, too.