NHTSA Complaint #10381196 — 2006 TOYOTA RAV4

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I SENT THE BELOW LETTER DIRECTLY TO TOYOTA AND RECEIVED A NOTE BACK STATING MY ISSUE IS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL. HOWEVER, I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE COVERING THE REPAIRS. I HAVE A 2006 RAV4 THAT ENCOUNTERED AN ISSUE FEB 2010. I TOOK IT INTO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS LEFT REAR SPEED SENSOR AND HARNESS. SINCE THE ESTIMATE WAS A LITTLE OVER $1000.00, I WAS NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THE REPAIR. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PICKED UP THE CAR, THE ABS, TRAC AND VSC LIGHTS WENT OFF AND STAYED OFF UNTIL DEC 2010. WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON, I STARTED TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE AND CAME UP WITH A "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB)" EXPLAINING EXACTLY THE SYMPTOM I AM EXPERIENCING. THE TSB STATES THAT SOME 2006 MODEL YEAR RAV4 VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN ABS M.I.L. "ON"............ THE TSB GOES ON STATING THE REAR WHEEL SENSOR HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION. MY VIN NUMBER ACCORDING TO THIS TSB SHOWS THAT MY RAV4 IS ONE OF THOSE VEHICLES THAT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY OF A POSSIBLE FAILURE. THE WARRANTY INFORMATION STATED THE REPAIR IS COVERED UNDER THE TOYOTA COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY OF 3 YEARS OR 36,000 MILES. THE WARRANTY APPLICATION DOES ALSO STATE THE REPAIR IS LIMITED TO CORRECTION BASED UPON A CUSTOMER'S SPECIFIC COMPLAINT. I DROVE TO A DEALER IN MY AREA AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE AND SHOWED THEM THE TSB. I ALSO CALLED YOUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER. UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COOPERATION CONCERNING MY ISSUE. MY RAV4 IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAD AROUND 48,000 MILES (THE FIRST TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURRED) - JUST OUT OF THE "COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY". I PURCHASED A TOYOTA FOR ITS RELIABILITY AND SAFETY. NOW, BOTH OF THOSE REASONS ARE HINDERED BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT IN 2006 THAT UNFORTUNATELY OCCURRED ON MY VEHICLE JUST OUT OF THE WARRANTY. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO SOMEONE THAT CAN MAKE A REASONABLE AND CONSCIOUS DECISION CONCERNING MY COMPLAINT. *TR