NHTSA Complaint #10308143 — 2005 TOYOTA RAV4

I HAVE A 2005 RAV4 NOW WITH 35,000 MILEAGE AND I EXPERIENCED AN UNUSUAL MECHANICAL ISSUE THAT MAY HAVE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS! IN DECEMBER 2009 I WENT TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES ON MY VEHICLE AT A SEARS AUTO SHOP AND HAD REQUESTED THE RECOMMENDED WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE MECHANISMS ON THE VEHICLE THAT FACILITATES ALIGNMENT WAS INOPERATIVE AS IT WAS FOUND TO BE SEIZED UP, FOR BOTH FRONT AND REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENTS! SEARS INFORMED ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MY TOYOTA DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT DOES ALL MY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SINCE I BOUGHT THE NEW VEHICLE FOR THEM TO DO THE ALIGNMENT. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO DO THE ALIGNMENT FOR THE SAME REASON SEARS WERE UNABLE TO DO IT. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE MECHANISMS AND THAT THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE TO GET TO THE ALIGNMENT MECHANISMS AND TO REPLACE THE MECHANISMS. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THEY HAD BEEN SERVICING THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THEIR RECOMMENDED SERVICING SCHEDULE AND THEY SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THE CONDITION OF THE MECHANISM. THEY SAID THE CAR HAS TOO MANY PARTS AND THAT THEY COULD NOT CHECK ALL THE PARTS; AND MOREOVER, THE ALIGNMENT MECHANISMS, THEY SAID, ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM AN UNDERCARRIAGE INSPECTION. WAS THIS DEFECT A SAFETY MATTER? HAS THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT ALIGNMENT MECHANISMS FOR TOYOTA VEHICLES? *TR