NHTSA Complaint #10169490 — 2006 TOYOTA RAV4

THE VEHICLE HAS FREQUENT PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION - ESPECIALLY FROM STANDING STILL. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS WHEN TRYING TO ENTER TRAFFIC FROM MY DRIVEWAY, OR FROM OTHER PLACES. I WILL STEP ON THE GAS, BEGIN MOVING, THEN THE ENGINE WILL BOG DOWN AND I WILL HAVE NO ACCELERATION AT ALL. HAVING CHILDREN, I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BASED IN LARGE PART TO ITS SAFETY FEATURES. THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER, PRACTICALLY NEGATES ALL OF THAT. IF I STEP ON THE GAS I SHOULD EXPECT RELIABLE ACCELERATION SO I CAN SAFELY MERGE WITH TRAFFIC. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY DEALER, AND THEIR EXPLANATION HAS BEEN THAT THIS IS AN INTENTIONAL THING, TO BE SURE THE LUBRICANT IN THE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE TRAIN IS OF SUFFICIENT TEMPERATURE BEFORE ALLOWING HARD ACCELERATION, THUS REDUCING WEAR ON COMPONENTS. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME, EVEN AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE - I DO NOT ACCEPT THIS REASON, NOR DO I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE WAY TO DEAL WITH COMPONENT WEAR. I SHOULD HAVE ACCELERATION AT ALL TIMES. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO DRIVE INTELLIGENTLY AND NOT GUN THE ENGINE WHEN IT IS COLD, POSSIBLY DAMAGING THE ENGINE. BUT IT IS TOYOTA'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE ME WITH A VEHICLE THAT WILL RESPOND TO MY DEMANDS AT ANY TIME. MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILY'S DEPENDS ON THIS. *NM