NHTSA Complaint #10533324 — 2008 TOYOTA RAV4

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY DIED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER THOUGH THE BATTERY FINALLY TURNED ON. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOOK THE ENGINE APART AND SAID A VALVE SPRING BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE VALVE TO DROP DOWN AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE #4 PISTON, BREAKING IT COMPLETELY APART. (IT ENDED UP IN THE OIL PAN.) MY ENGINE IS RUINED AND MUST BE REPLACED. THEY QUOTED A PRICE OF $7000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE THAT WOULD CAUSE THE SPRING TO BREAK LIKE THAT OR CAUSE THAT KIND OF DAMAGE. MY VEHICLE IS 9,000 MILES OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY (THOUGH STILL WITHIN 6-YEAR TIME FRAME OF WARRANTY). MY CAR HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT. *TR