NHTSA Complaint #10287168 — 2006 TOYOTA RAV4

THIS PAST WEEKEND WE HAD JUST DRIVEN OUR 2006 RAV4 WITH A V6 ENGINE OVER 150 INTERSTATE MILES AND PULLED OVER FOR A REST STOP. WE SMELLED OIL ON EXITING THE VEHICLE AND WHEN WE OPENED THE HOOD WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS OIL SPRAYING ON THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE OF THE ENGINE. ON CHECKING THE DIPSTICK WE FOUND THAT IT SHOWED NO OIL. NO WARNING LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE ENGINE HAD NOT MADE ANY UNUSUAL SOUNDS. SINCE WE WERE CLOSE TO OUR DESTINATION WE ADDED 3 QUARTS OF OIL AND MADE IT ANOTHER 30 MILES TO THE END OF OUR TRIP. UPON ARRIVAL I CHECKED THE DIPSTICK AND FOUND AGAIN THAT IT SHOWED NO OIL. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE IT TOWED FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT AN OIL LINE SUPPLYING THE VALVE HEAD HAD BROKEN AND THAT HE HAD THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. WHEN I ASKED IF THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, THE SERVICE MANAGER (THIS IS A SMALL DEALERSHIP) SAID THAT HE STOCKED PARTS IF HE HAD 3 OR MORE INCIDENTS IN 12 MONTHS THAT REQUIRED SUCH A PART. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE OR HAVE A FIRE AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS VERY ACCOMMODATING. THE TOWING AND REPAIRS COST US $500. IN DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH, BOTH ON THIS SITE AND IN OTHER LOCATIONS, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM OCCURRING IN ANY OF THEIR LINES (AVALON, CAMRY , RAV 4, ETC).WITH THE V6 ENGINES AND THAT TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT IT AND THAT THEY HAVE MODIFIED THE OIL LINE FOR NEWER MODELS. *TR