NHTSA Complaint #10149344 — 2003 TOYOTA RAV4

ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2006 WHILE DRIVING FROM RHODE ISLAND, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON - IMMEDIATELY I PULLED OVER TO THE NEXT EXIT TO A GAS STATION. I PUT ONE QUART OF OIL IN THE ENGINE BECAUSE THAT IS ALL IT STATED IT NEEDED. AT WHICH TIME THE OIL LIGHT WENT OFF. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON - THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER A FEW MINUTES A CLICKING SOUND STARTED - SO IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. I TRIED TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN - HOWEVER IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED AAA TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THE CAR WAS TOWED FROM RHODE ISLAND TO NORTH CARY AUTO. THE MECHANIC TRIED STARTED THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NO GOOD. I ASKED HIM TO CHECK THE CAR OVER TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS THE CASE. HE STATED THAT AFTER CHECKING THE CAR - HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE THE CAR HAD PLENTY OF OIL. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED IRA TOYOTA AND THE TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE AT WHICH TIME THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO BE BROUGHT IN TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. ON FEBRUARY 2 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:45 P.M. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM CHARLENE TO INFORM ME THAT IT WOULD TAKE $10,000 TO REPAIR THE CAR BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS GONE. SHE STATED THAT A ROD BROKE AND WENT UP INTO ENGINE WHICH CAUSED IT TO SHUT DOWN. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO HER MANAGER, CATHY KITIK, WHO ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS "GUNK" IN THE ENGINE. AT WHICH TIME I INFORMED HER THAT IT WAS SLUDGE AND IT IS KNOWN THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE V4 AND V6 ENGINES. SHE STATED THAT IT NEVER OCCURRED IN THE TOYOTA RAV 4. AT WHICH TIME I ASKED HER "IS IT A TOYOTA ENGINE" AND SHE CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS. SHE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT A ROD BROKE AND WENT INTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED IT TO SHUT DOWN. I INFORMED HER THAT I HAD RECEIPTS WHICH SHOWED THE OIL WAS CHANGED APPROPRIATELY. *NM