NHTSA Complaint #10713184 — 2002 TOYOTA RAV4

PURCHASED THE 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 FOR $6000 FROM A 'REPUTABLE' MECHANIC. HIS NEPHEW OWNED IT. MECHANIC DID ALL THE WORK ON IT WHILE IT WAS OWNED BY NEPHEW. NEPHEW OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. I PURCHASED IT IN MAY 2014. FEBRUARY 2015 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THROUGH MUCH RESEARCH & DIGGING FOUND A RECALL ON IT. TOYOTA STATED THEY FIXED IT IN 2007. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOW 2001 - 2003 RAV4'S ARE A PIECES OF JUNK. THIS CAR WAS TAKEN IN FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER TO HAVE THE 'SHIFTING ISSUES' LOOKED AT IN MARCH 2012. SAID NEPHEW OWNED IT AT THAT TIME. NOONE CAN TELL ME THE MECHANIC & THE NEPHEW DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS GOING TO BE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. FEBRUARY 16, 2015 THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HAD TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, WE WILL CALL HIM [XXX]. [XXX] SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, HE COULD TAKE THE TRANNY OUT & SEND IT TO HIS TRANSMISSION GUY FOR REPAIRS. TOTAL ESTIMATE: $ 3800. CALLED THE PREVIOUS OWNER, HE 'OH, I'M SORRY'. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, APRIL 27, 2015. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE MECHANICS FOR 2 1/2 MONTHS. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT. HAD TO REPROGRAM THE ECM. HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 ECM'S, THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEARS. [XXX] & THE TRANNY GUY TELLS ME IT IS THE COMPUTER. COMPUTER COMPANY SAYS IT IS THE TRANNY. SO MY CAR JUST SITS AT MY MECHANICS SHOP. IT CAN RUN BUT IF I RUN IT I RISK RUINING THE TRANSMISSION & IT NOT BEING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. UP UNTIL THIS POINT I HAVE FORKED OUT $4100 FOR THE REPAIRS. (DOESN'T INCLUDE THE LOAN I HAD TO TAKE OUT FOR THE CAR). TODAY I AM GOING TO TAKE THE CAR IN & DEMAND IT GETS FIXED BY THIS WEEKEND, IF IT DOESN'T I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT TO GET MY MONEY BACK SO I CAN HAVE IT REPAIRED PROPERLY. THE TWO PEOPLE I AM DOING BUSINESS WITH ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THEM TO COURT BUT THEY ARE FORCING MY HAND. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR