NHTSA Complaint #10492661 — 2004 TOYOTA AVALON

2004 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR POWER STEERING AND WHEEL HUB REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE EXPERIENCED STEERING FAILURE, TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER WENT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, BECAUSE THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WAS TOO FAR TO DRIVE TO FOR THE REPAIR. UPON SUBMITTING ALL THE REQUIRED PROOF, TOYOTA REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT STATING THE REPAIR SHE PAID FOR WAS NOT THE REASON FOR THE RECALL. THEREFORE, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE CORRECT REPAIR, WHICH SHE FELT HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. LAST FALL, THE CONSUMER STARTED TO HEAR A WHIRRING NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM THEN, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND AGAIN, SHE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. AT THAT TIME, THE NOISE WAS DIAGNOSED AS A WHEEL HUB THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT A COST OF $ 750 PER WHEEL PLUS TAX TOTALING OVER $3,000. THE LEAD MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING ONE REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHT REAR HUB, NOT ALL FOUR. *JB