NHTSA Complaint #10418008 — 2006 TOYOTA RAV4

I TOOK MY 2006 RAV4 INTO THE LEITH TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN RALEIGH, NC FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RECALL. SERVICE MANAGER CALLS ME AND SAID THAT THERE IS A BANGING VIBRATION AND NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. (THIS DID NOT EXIST BEFORE.) THE MANAGER SAID THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE MANUFACTURERS DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND THAT FAILURE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS REPAIR IS NEARLY $400 AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL NOR MY NOW EXPIRED WARRANTY. WHEN I NEXT DROVE THE RAV4 THE BANGING WAS SO STRONG THAT THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER COULD FEEL IT. I CALL TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM, WHO CONFIRMED THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BUT SAID THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE ABOUT THEM PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED AND THAT TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE WOULD CONTACT ME AS TO WHAT FURTHER WOULD BE DONE. AFTER WAITING MORE THAN 60 DAYS FOR TOYOTA TO CALL ME, I CALLED CUSTOMER CARE AGAIN ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT NOTHING MORE WOULD BE DONE. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR, BUT NONE WAS AVAILABLE. I WAS TOLD THAT A SUPERVISOR WOULD CALL ME BACK WITHIN 24 HOURS. 30 HOURS LATER TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE LEFT A PHONE MESSAGE FOR ME TO CALL THEM BACK. I HAVE ALSO HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE CAUSED THIS RAV4 TO LOOSE POWER AND STOP WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE BATTERY GOES DEAD ABOUT EVERY TWO MONTHS. *TR