NHTSA Complaint #10574598 — 2003 TOYOTA RAV4

MY 2003 RAV4 DEVELOPED A VERY HARSH SHIFT TAKING OFF BETWEEN FIRST AND 2ND GEAR. I TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER (BERGLUND OAK RIDGE TOYOTA> LYNCHBURG, VA) AND THEY CONFIRMED A DIAGNOSED STORED TROUBLE CODE P0755-SHIFT "B" MALFUNCTION. THEY QUOTED ABOUT $4700.00 TO REPLACE THE ECM AND PUT IN A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. NO FINANCIAL HELP FROM THE DEALER, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR THE 2001-2003 RAV4'S. TOYOTA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY A FEW YEARS AGO TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICH EVER CAME FIRST. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, NOT AWARE THAT THIS WAS A DOCUMENTED AND EXPECTED PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER SUGGESTED I CONTACT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AT 1-800-331-4331 AND ASK THEM TO CONSIDER COVERING ALL OR PART OF THE COST. THE VEHICLE HAS A VALUE OF $7500.00 PER KBB. I CALLED AND GOT CASE # 1403130959. I SPOKE TO RASHINE . IT TOOK A FEW DAYS BUT THEY GOT BACK TO ME AND SAID BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED THE 10 YEAR WINDOW (2003-2013) THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE COSTS. I PLEADED THAT I HAVE WELL UNDER THE 150,000 MILE MARK AND THAT THEY READILY SAY 80% OF ALL TOYOTA'S ARE ON THE ROAD FOR 20 YEARS. THIS HAS ANOTHER 10 YEARS TO GO. THEY KNOW THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A FACTORY DESIGN FAULT PER ALL THE RECORDED PROBLEMS. I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $4700.00 IN REPAIRS FOR THEIR DESIGN FAILURE. IN THEIR 1.2 BILLION $ RECENT SETTLEMENT,THEY SAID" PUTTING CUSTOMERS FIRST", "WANT TO EARN OUR TRUST", "SERVE CUSTOMERS" "TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY". WOW, WHAT A LIE AND LET DOWN. HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS? IT HAS HAPPENED TO COUNTLESS 1000'S OF PEOPLE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THIS A RECALL AND FIX FOR 0$. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IS AND WILL STALL IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE ACCIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. PLEASE HELP ME AND HOLD TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE FOR A TERRIBLE DESIGN FLAW. *TR