NHTSA Complaint #10487613 — 2002 TOYOTA RAV4

THIS PAST SUMMER THE 2002 RAV 4 STARTED GIVING INDICATIONS THAT SOMETHING MIGHT NOT BE RIGHT. THE CAR HAD ALWAYS GOTTEN ITS REQUIRED MILEAGE MAINTENANCE WHICH WAS ALSO DUE AT THE TIME. SO THOSE THINGS WERE DONE. HOWEVER, OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS THE FOLLOWING STARTED: --THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN OFF; --THERE WAS HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING/ A HARSH JERK AND SHIFT WHEN CHANGING GEARS --THE VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES SLIP BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND STALL WHILE DRIVING THREE INDEPENDENT TOYOTA-CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, SO WE TOOK IT TO DARCARS TOYOTA WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. THE TECHNICIAN THERE CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS BUT SAID WE NEEDED TO CONTACT THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT DEPARTMENT. AFTER PLACING ME ON HOLD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, SHE TOLD ME THAT THE CAR HAD EXCEEDED THE TIME FOR THE WARRANTY BY ABOUT 3 MONTHS AND THEREFORE NOTHING COULD BE DONE. IS TOYOTA WILLING TO JEOPARDIZE THE LONG-TERM CUSTOMER LOYALTY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS, JUST BECAUSE THE CAR CHOSE TO DISPLAY ITS PROBLEMS 3 MONTHS LATER? *TR