NHTSA Complaint #10704454 — 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

I PURCHASED A QUALIFIED PRE-OWNED 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SPORT FROM RICE TOYOTA IN GREENSBORO, NC IN FEBRUARY OF 2013. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE PROPERLY SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND RETAINED ALL SERVICE RECORDS. ON OR ABOUT MARCH 31, 2015, WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON I-40 (65 MPH INTERSTATE HIGHWAY), THE ENGINE IN MY HIGHLANDER SUDDENLY STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I COASTED INTO A REST AREA (LUCKILY) AND WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION IN GREENSBORO. A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE VALVE SPRING. EVERY MECHANIC I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE INDICATED THAT A VALVE SPRING SHOULD NOT BREAK ON A 2008 TOYOTA WITH AROUND 100K MILES. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT TOYOTA HAS RECALLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CERTAIN LEXUS MODELS, INCLUDING MODELS FROM 2008 WITH THE SAME 3.5 LITER V6 ENGINE AS IS IN MY HIGHLANDER, FOR FAULTY VALVE SPRINGS THAT RESULT IN SUDDEN ENGINE STALLING. RICE TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE, AS HAS TOYOTA CORPORATION. FURTHER, TOYOTA CORPORATION HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VALVE SPRING IN MY VEHICLE AND/OR ANY INDICATION IF THE SAME VALVE SPRING WAS IN THE RECALLED LEXUS MODES. I HAVE SEEN CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS FILED AGAINST TOYOTA FOR CONCEALING ISSUES WITH VALVE SPRINGS. THIS DEFECT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AS THE VEHICLE STALLS SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. I NEED ASSISTANCE TO MOTIVATE TOYOTA CORPORATION AND RICE TOYOTA TO CORRECT A CLEAR DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT CAUSED A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ENGINE STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. *TR