NHTSA Complaint #10328900 — 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

THE CHECK ENGINE, VSC, TRAC-OFF LIGHTS APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD OF MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ON OR AROUND MARCH 7, 2010. ON MARCH 9, I WENT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHOSE TOYOTA DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE INFORMED THEM THAT SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAD UNDER 80,000 MILES - IT WAS STILL COVERED BY MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH SUNRISE TOYOTA, IN OAKDALE, NY WHERE I PURCHASED THIS HIGHLANDER. AFTER SHOWING SUNRISE TOYOTA SERVICE REP: CHARLES SALVATO THE DIAGNOSTIC PRINTOUTS - HE REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS MECHANIC INADVERTENTLY CLEARED THE WARNING LIGHTS. THEY WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE DIAGNOSTIC PRINTOUTS AS PROOF OF A PROBLEM NOR WOULD THEY AGREE TO CHECK-OUT OR RE-RUN THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST. AFTER FORMALLY COMPLAINING, I DID HEAR FROM A BOB JOHNSON AT SUNRISE TOYOTA WHO ASK ME TO STOP IN. WHEN I DID STOP BY, I WAS TOLD HE WAS AT AN ALL DAY MEETING. MY DISTINCT FEELING IS THAT THEY ARE HOPING TO LET THE CLOCK RUN OUT (LET THE MILEAGE GO OVER 80,000) SO THAT NOTHING HAS TO BE DONE. I AM ASKING FOR NHTSA'S ASSISTANCE WITH THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY CONCERN. A CONCERN, I FEEL,TOYOTA IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. *TR