NHTSA Complaint #10631307 — 2001 TOYOTA AVALON

DROVE VEHICLE TO WORK IN AM. NOTICED KEY DIDN'T "CATCH" FIRST TIME, THOUGHT IT WAS HUMAN ERROR AND WROTE IT OFF AND DROVE TO WORK. WENT TO LEAVE WORK AND TURNED KEY IN IGNITION, LIGHTS AND RADIO LIGHT UP BUT KEY FREELY TURNED LIKE BUTTER AND STEERING FELT TIGHTER THAN NORMAL. COULD NOT START VEHICLE. HAD MECHANIC REMOVE IGNITION ASSEMBLY ON SITE TO DETERMINE THAT THE LINKAGE IN BETWEEN THE LOCK CYLINDER AND IGNITION SWITCH HAD A BROKEN METAL PIECE STUCK OFF INTO THE SWITCH. THIS LINKAGE IS CONTAINED IN A METAL HOUSING UNIT WITH 3 HOLES. WENT TO TOYOTA DEALER AND ASKED FOR THE LINKAGE PART, WAS SHOWN THE HOUSING UNIT IT WAS CONTAINED IN, ONLY AVAILABLE FROM TOYOTA. WAS TOLD BY EMPLOYEE THAT THE PIECE HE WAS SHOWING ME CAME OFF A CAR LIKE MINE THEY HAD JUST REPAIRED BECAUSE OF A RECALL ON THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THIS PIECE IS CONNECTED TO THE PIECE THAT I NEED TO REPLACE. I FEEL MY ISSUE OCCURRED BETWEEN DRIVING AND PARKING AT MY WORK AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THE RECALL ON THIS PIECE. CAR IS NOW AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, SO FAR THEY HAVE PICKED UP THE TOWING BILL BUT GIVEN ME GRIEF THAT I HAVE A "13 YEAR OLD CAR" REGARDLESS OF THE CAR'S AGE I FEEL THAT IF THAT PIECE I NEED CAME OFF A REPAIRED CAR DUE TO RECALL, THEY NEED TO COVER THE BILL FOR THIS REPAIR. *TR