NHTSA Complaint #10443954 — 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

I PURCHASED A USED 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FROM A FERNELIUS DEALERSHIP IN MICHIGAN IN APRIL 2011 - IT WAS IN MINT CONDITION WITH 56210 MILES ON IT - THOUGHT I HAD MADE THE BEST DEAL EVER - THEN THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING WHILE DRIVING IT OVERHEATED. THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A HEAD GASKET ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE THREAD BOLTS ON THE SHORT BLOCK HAD STRIPPED OUT AND LEAKED RADIATOR FLUID EVERYWHERE CAUSING IT TO OVERHEAT. AT THAT TIME THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME TOO BAD I BOUGHT A USED VEHICLE IF I WANTED TO TOW IT TO THEM THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. I THAN CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATION ONLY TO BE TOLD PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING, SINCE I WASN'T THE ORIGINAL OWNER THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HELP ME EITHER. SO NOW I'M STUCK TRYING TO FIND AN ENGINE BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP CAN ONLY OFFER ME ONE WITH 58000 MILES ON IT INSTALLED FOR ABOUT $7,000, AND FROM WHAT I'M READING ON THE INTERNET THEY HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE REACHES RIGHT OUT OF THE WARRANTY AT 60,000 MILES. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATION WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX THE ENGINE OR AT LEAST OFFER SOME ASSISTANCE. WHY SHOULD THEIR FAULTY ENGINE PART BE MY PROBLEM? NOW OF COURSE BEING JUST A WORKING STIFF AND RETIRED MILITARY MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES AND I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE, SO I HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. I WON'T BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN SINCE THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR OWN PRODUCT, BUT I'M STUCK WITH THIS ONE FOR NOW. *TR