NHTSA Complaint #10403667 — 2006 TOYOTA RAV4

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE, VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AT 78,000 MILES AND THEY FOUND A ENGINE COOLANT LEAK AT THE REAR OF ENGINE AND THEY CLAIM ENGINE MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. HAVE HAD NO INDICATIONS OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE, NO OVERHEATING, NOTHING. ESTIMATED COST OF ENGINE THAT MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED IS $8,000 THAT DEALER CLAIMS TOYOTA WILL PAY HALF. I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS SHOWING THAT I COMPLAINED OF A SMELL OF COOLANT AT 4,000 MILES AND THE DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS UNDERCOATING BURNING OFF. SAYS THAT THE COMPLAINT AT 4,000 MILES IS NO WAY RELATED TO MY CURRENT PROBLEM AND WILL NOT HONOR MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT AS ANYTHING RELATED TO NEW ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN THE AREA OF MY VEHICLE WHERE THE COOLANT IS LEAKING AND IT IS AT THE VERY SAME SPOT THAT OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES ARE HAVING ISSUE WITH THE BOLTS CORRODING DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND LEAKING COOLANT. TOOK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR SECOND OPINION AND HE SAYS VEHICLE IS IN MINT CONDITION AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AT ALL. WHY IS TOYOTA WILLING TO PAY 50% IF THERE IS NOT A LEGITIMATE PROBLEM? *TR