NHTSA Complaint #10617696 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

THE EXTERNAL OIL PRESSURE LINE TO THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD BUSTED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO COMPLETELY DUMP ALL 6 QUARTS OF MOTOR OIL ONTO THE HIGHWAY. FORTUNATE FOR ME I WAS ONLY 0.8 MILES FROM AN EXIT WITH A SAFE PARKING LOT. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE OIL FROM MY VEHICLE CAUSED ANY WRECKS ON THE INTERSTATE, HOWEVER THE POTENTIAL FOR A MOTORCYCLE WRECK OR ANY VEHICLE THAT HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN SLOW DOWN OR QUICK MANEUVER WOULD BE AT A HIGH RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. NOT ONLY DID THIS PUT MY ENGINE AT RISK FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY AVOIDED. TOYOTA IS NOT ONLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT HAVE PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO FIX THE HOSE WHEN IT RUPTURES. ITS NOT A MATTER OF IF THE HOSE WILL RUPTURE, BUT WHEN WILL THE OIL HOSE RUPTURE. IF I HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE NEED TO REPLACE THE HOSE I WOULD HAVE GLADLY HAVE HAD THE HOSE REPLACED. THE LEAST TOYOTA SHOULD DO IS SEND EVERY OWNER OF THIS TYPE OF ENGINE WITH THIS TYPED OF HOSE A LETTER EXPLAINING WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO PREVENT THIS VERY PREVENTABLE PROBLEM. *TR