NHTSA Complaint #10268781 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

MY RAV4 V6 2007 37,887 MILES HAD A V V T OIL LINE RUPTURE AND EXTENSIVE LOSS OF OIL. THE OIL SPRAYED THE UPPER ENGINE AND LEAKED ON THE GROUND. THE CAR WAS CREATING A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND THE OIL LIGHT FLICKERED THEN WENT OUT. THE SERVICE STATION WHERE I PULLED IN REFILLED THE OIL AND THEN FOUND THE LEAK.THE CAR HAD TO HAVE 5 QUARTS PUT INTO IT, IT HOLDS 6. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. A REQUEST TO EXAM THE VALVES AND DROP THE OIL PAN TO EXAM FOR METAL FILINGS OR ANY DAMAGE HAS BEEN DENIED. THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACED THE HOSE ACCORDING TO THE WARRANTY. THIS DEFECT WAS KNOWN BY TOYOTA ,TSB EG064-05, ON THE AVALON 2005 (SAME ENGINE). RESEARCH SHOWS THIS PART WAS STILL ON THE 2006-2008 RAV4 V6. THIS HOSE WAS REDESIGNED ON THE 2009 RAV4. THE OIL WARNING LIGHT ON THE RAV4 V6 DOES STAY LIT UNTIL AFTER ALL THE OIL IS GONE AND CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE OCCURS. TOYOTA BUILT IT WITH THIS DEFECT AND HAVE NO MECHANIC DEVICE TO WARN AND PROTECT THE CONSUMERS OF THE LEAK. I WAS TOLD SERVICE REPLACED AN ENGINE ON ANOTHER RAV4 RECENTLY, BUT MINE WAS NOT RUN UNTIL THE ENGINE STOPPED. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT CHECK THE VALVES OR BEARINGS FOR FURTHER DAMAGE. THEY RAN THE CAR, BUT WOULD NOT DO A VISUAL OR PHYSICAL INSPECTION AS WE REQUESTED. *TR