NHTSA Complaint #10260389 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

MY WIFE WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF AN INTERSTATE WHEN OUR TOYOTA 2007 RAV4 V6 HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF AN OIL HOSE WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ALMOST ALL THE OIL IN THE ENGINE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. THE 3.5L V6 ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE IS IDENTICAL TO THE V6 IN THE TOYOTA AVALON WHICH IS EXPERIENCING A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF FAILURES SUCH THAT A TSB WAS ISSUED. THE AVALON STARTED USING THIS ENGINE PRIOR TO THE RAV4. I WAS TOLD BY A PARTS MANAGER THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OF THESE FAILURES THAT OWNERS ARE WAITING 6 WEEKS FOR THE BACKORDERED REPLACEMENT PART AND THAT 2500 PARTS ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. TOYOTA KNOWS THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS WITH THE V6 RAV4 SINCE THE ENGINE IS IDENTICAL BUT REFUSES TO PUT OUT AN ASSOCIATED TSB FOR THE RAV4. THIS FAILURE IS DANGEROUS IN THAT IT CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP ON THE HIGHWAY POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. TOYOTA IS "QUIETLY" REPLACING THE FAILING HOSE WITH A METAL HOSE ONLY AFTER A FAILURE HAS OCCURRED.(A DEFECT ADMISSION OF A DESIGN FLAW). A RECALL IS COMPLETELY WARRANTED FOR THIS DEFECT. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED NO SUCH RECALL. *TR