NHTSA Complaint #10535855 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

MY 8 MONTH OLD BABY WAS AUTO- LOCKED IN THE CAR ON AN 80 DEGREE SUNNY DAY! I DOUBLE CLICKED THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON MY CAR'S KEY FOB ON APPROACH, OPENED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND PUT MY CHILD IN THE CAR SEAT AND PUT MY PURSE (KEYS ON TOP) IN THE FLOOR WITH THE DIAPER BAG. ENTIRE CAR STILL UNLOCKED, I CLOSED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND WALKED AROUND TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE TO GET IN. THE CAR BEEPED ALOUD BEFORE I COULD GRAB THE DOOR HANDLE TO GET IN, LOCKING ALL DOORS OF THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY THERE WAS A MECHANIC ON THE SAME STREET I WAS ON, BUT IT STILL TOOK 15 MINUTES START TO FINISH TO FINALLY GET MY CHILD OUT. UPON READING THE OWNER'S MANUAL, IT STATED THAT THERE IS A 30 SECOND TIMER FOR THE AUTOLOCK FEATURE THAT AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IF A DOOR IS NOT OPENED IN THAT TIME AFTER BEING UNLOCKED. I HAD, HOWEVER, OPENED THE REAR DOOR TO PLACE THE CHILD IN HIS SEAT. THERE IS NO WAY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN ERROR ON MY PART AS I WAS NOT ONLY OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN IT LOCKED ITSELF, BUT THERE ARE NO LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTONS IN THE CAR EXCEPT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHICH I HAD YET TO ENTER. SO I COULD NOT HAVE EVEN HIT ONE BY ACCIDENT. *TR