NHTSA Complaint #10412972 — 2006 TOYOTA RAV4

A WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATING AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. I CALLED TOYOTA SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THE CAR REQUIRED A REPAIR, AND THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT FUNCTION AT ALL UNTIL THIS REPAIR WAS DONE. TODAY THE TOYOTA TECH TOLD US A "SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY HAD GONE BAD." HE SAID IT WILL COST $514.00 TO MAKE THIS REPAIR, AND AGAIN, THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK UNLESS IT IS DONE. I ASKED IF THIS WAS A RECALL ISSUE WITH TOYOTA AND THE SERVICE MANAGER REPLIED, "I HAVE NO IDEA." I ASKED IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND HE REPLIED, "WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME IN RAV3'S AND TUNDRA'S." I INDICATED THE CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD WITH JUST OVER 60K MILES, AND THAT I HAVE NEVER (EVER) HAD AN AIRBAG FAILURE IN ANY VEHICLE UNTIL NOW. HE AGAIN SAID, "WELL, WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME WITH THIS MODEL." THIS SURELY APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW THAT IS VERY COSTLY TO AN AVERAGE CONSUMER. CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS? PLEASE HELP! (THANKS MUCH-)