NHTSA Complaint #10682359 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

OIL CHANGED AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AT 83036 MILES. AT 87750 MILES, OIL LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER AND ENGINE STARTED SMOKING DUE TO LOW OIL SOON AFTER. ADDED 3 QUARTS OF OIL AND HAD OIL CHANGED AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 6/30/14 AT 87829. CONTINUED TO CHECK AND ADD OIL-NEXT ROUTINE OIL CHANGE: 11/19/14 AT 93035 MILES AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, CAR WAS STRUGGLING UP HILLS AND SOUNDING LIKE IT WOULD STALL. EMERGENCY OIL CHECK-LOW OIL AT 94709 MILES. LOCAL MECHANIC HAD TO ASSIST TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. RECEIVED AN "EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION" NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ON 2/6/15. PROTOCOL TO ADDRESS MALFUNCTIONING ENGINES IS TO HAVE TOYOTA VERIFY "EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION". CUSTOMER MUST PAY FOR OIL CHANGE IN ORDER TO BEGIN PROCESS, REGARDLESS OF PAST EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CLAIMS OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. DANGEROUS, FAULTY ISSUES WITH ENGINES SHOULD NOT BE THE DRIVERS' RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVE. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE OWNER HAS MAINTAINED ALL RECORDS TO DEMONSTRATE PROPER CARE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR