NHTSA Complaint #10713575 — 2006 TOYOTA RAV4

1/30/14 RECALL PART - REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARM REPAIRED BY HANDY. SHORTLY AFTER (1-3 MONTHS) I NOTICED SWERVE/SWAY DURING HARD RIGHT TURNS. I SUSPECTED BAD OR UNDERINFLATED TIRE ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR. CHECKED ALL TIRE INFLATION AND LUG NUT TIGHTNESS BUT THE SWERVE/SWAY CONTINUED. ON 10/16/14 I HAD (4) NEW SNOW TIRES INSTALLED AT SUMNER TIRE IN NEWPORT/DERBY, VT. I THOUGHT IT WOULD ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM BUT THE SWERVE/SWAY CONTINUED. ON 10/21/14 I HAD LOCAL MECHANIC PERFORM A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT MAKE THE ADJUST BUT CONFIRMED DRIVERS SIDE REAR WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. ON 1/16/15 I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT HANDY TO RESOLVE THIS AND OTHER ISSUES. HANDY OFFERED FREE LABOR IF I PAID $309.43 FOR PARTS TO REPLACE THE FAILED RECALL. WITHIN A FEW DAYS I CONTACTED NATIONAL TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE TO [XXX]. REF #CAN'T BE ENTERED AS IT FLAGS AS A SS NUMBER. [XXX] CALLED BACK TO STATE THAT HANDY SHOULD BE CONTACTING ME BY END OF THE WEEK CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. RECEIVED A ON-LINE SURVEY ONLY IN WHICH I MADE CLEAR THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A FAILED RECALL ITEM THAT WAS NOT FIXED PROPERLY. I CALLED NATIONAL C.S. AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER TO REPORT THAT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY CONTACT FROM HANDY. AFTER THAT CALL, STILL NO CONTACT WAS RECEIVED. I CALLED HANDY (3) TIMES ASKING TO SPEAK TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, [XXX] , WHO WAS ALWAYS BUSY. I FINALLY RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM A SERVICE TECHNICIAN, [XXX], WITH A LOWER OFFER FOR THE COST OF THE PARTS TO FIX THE RECALL OF $226.03. I CALLED HANDY BACK STATING THAT I FELT THEIR OFFER WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND THAT I WOULD BE FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB FOR ASSISTANCE. MY POINT IN ALL OF THIS IS THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PART AND THE RECALL FAILED AND SHOULD NOT BE REPAIRED AT THE CONSUMER'S COST. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN OF MINE AS WELL AND LIMITS THE USE OF MY VEHICLE FOR LONG TRIPS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR