NHTSA Complaint #10275633 — 2004 TOYOTA RAV4

ON JUNE 1, 2009 I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH 121K MILES WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT HOT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT & VSC TRAC LIGHT CAME ON. DISCOVERED COOLANT LEVEL WAS LOW. TOOK TO DEALER NEXT MORNING WHO QUOTED ME A "HEAD GASKET" REPAIR FOR $1500 OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. AFTER A MONTH OF NOT DRIVING IT (TO COME UP WITH FUNDS FOR REPAIR), I RETURNED TO DEALER ON JULY 1, 2009. DEALER ADVISED AFTER TAKING IT APART THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND THE BOLTS WERE "STRIPPED" AND I ALSO NEEDED A NEW ENGINE BLOCK WHICH WOULD RUN ABOUT $6,000+. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE UNTIL THIS INCIDENT & COMPLETED GENERAL MAINTENANCE REGULARLY. DEALER CALLED TOYOTA WARRANTY WHO AGREED TO PAY FOR ENGINE BLOCK (PARTS & LABOR FOR EVERYTHING BELOW THE HEAD) BUT THAT I STILL HAD TO PAY THE ORIGINAL QUOTE OF $1500 FOR THE HEAD GASKET, WATER PUMP & S BELT. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH SAME EXACT PROBLEM, OBVIOUSLY SINCE TOYOTA AGREED TO PAY FOR PART OF THIS THEY KNOW SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE BUT WILL NOT MAKE A RECALL. I FEEL THEY OWE ME THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR AS WELL SINCE IT IS ALL PART OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND WILL FILE A PRODUCT COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA. *TR