NHTSA Complaint #10328086 — 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V6 BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT OIL SLUDGE HAS CLOGGED MY ENGINE AND I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $6000. I WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE I ALWAYS GOT MY OIL CHANGED WELL BEFORE THE SUGGESTED 7500 MILE MARK. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND OUT MY CAR WAS PART OF A RECALL AND CLASS ACTION SUIT. THEY NEVER SENT A RECALL NOTICE. WE PURCHASED THE CAR WHEN IT WAS 2 YEARS OLD. I CONTACTED TOYOTA USA AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS OIL SLUDGE BUT SINCE A WAS A COUPLE MONTHS BEYOND THE CLASS ACTION SUIT OF 8 YEARS. I ARGUED THAT THEY NEVER SENT US A RECALL NOTICE. THEY PRETTY MUCH SAID TOUGH LUCK. I WAS LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY ( MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE BACK). I DON'T FEEL TOYOTA MADE ENOUGH OF AN EFFORT TO LET THE CUSTOMER KNOW OF THESE ISSUES.. I FEEL THEY WERE INTERESTED IN PROTECTING THEIR REPUTATION ABOVE THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY. I WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY GOTTEN THE CAR FIX IF THEY HAD SENT THE RECALL NOTICE. I WILL NOT PAY $6000 FOR SOMETHING THAT TOYOTA SHOULD. THESE CARS ARE DANGEROUS AND THIS COMPANY IS WRECK-LESS. *TR