NHTSA Complaint #10070440 — 1996 TOYOTA AVALON

THE ENGINE CUT OUT/STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY WITH NO WARNING. PULLED TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE, TURNED ENGINE BACK ON AND ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON FOR FIRST TIME. TOWED CAR TO DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATES IT IS OIL SLUDGE DUE TO FAILURE TO CHANGE OIL FREQUENTLY ENOUGH. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 4000 MILES. GETTING NO SATISFACTION FROM DEALER, WHO INDICATES MINIMUM REPAIR COST WILL BE $3300 - $3500 FOR REBUILT ENGINE. MADE COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA CORPORATE, WHO ALSO ARE NOT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE AT THIS TIME. GETTING RUN AROUND AS COMPLAINT WAS FILED, WHICH IS BEING SENT BACK TO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR HANDLING. REGIONAL OFFICE ALREADY INDICATED THAT THEY PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE 1996 MODEL ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE OIL SLUDGE RECALL ON 1997 - 2002 MODELS. ENGINE HAS JUST OVER 63,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ONE YEAR OLD WITH 29,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY 34,000-35,000 MILES HAS BEEN PUT ON THE CAR IN THE LAST SIX YEARS OF MY OWNERSHIP. I FEEL VERY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, AND PLACED NOT ONLY IN HARMS WAY BY A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, BUT WITH A FINANCIAL BURDEN NOW AS WELL.