NHTSA Complaint #10762007 — 2010 TOYOTA RAV4

I WENT TO ROTATE THE TIRES FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MY 2010 RAV4 2.5 V6. I HAD NEVER HAD THE TIRES OFF BEFORE. THE ONLY TIME THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN OFF WAS WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS TO HAVE THE FRONT 2 WHEELS RE-BALANCED BECAUSE OF A SLIGHT SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER WHEN I WENT TO ROTATE 4 TIRES, 2 OF THE FRONT LUG BOLTS BROKE. WHEN I INSPECTED THEM I COULD SEE THAT A COUPLE MORE LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE ALSO STRETCHED BETWEEN THE THREADS, MOST LIKELY FROM OVER TORQUING. KNOWING THAT THEY WOULD LIKELY BREAK ALSO, I DECIDED TO REINSTALL THE WHEEL ANYWAY AND SEE AT WHAT TORQUE POINT THE OTHERS WOULD BREAK. THE ONES THAT ALREADY WERE STRETCHED BROKE AT 85 FT LBS. 2 OTHERS THAT WERE NOT VISIBLY STRETCHED BROKE AT 90 & 95 FT.LBS. I'VE WORKED ON AND RESTORED CARS FOR 50 YEARS. I KNOW WHAT WHEEL STUDS WILL TAKE BEFORE THEY BREAK. I'VE NEVER HAD 13 MM OR 1/2 INCH WHEEL BOLTS BREAK AT THIS LOW TORQUE. THE REPLACEMENT BOLTS, WAGNER BRAKE BRAND, ARE MARKED AS A METRIC 10.9 STRENGTH BOLT, EQUIVALENT TO A SAE GRADE 8. THESE ARE RATED TO TAKE +/- 100 FT. LBS. TORQUE. THE STOCK TOYOTA BOLTS HAVE NO MARKINGS AND THEY RECOMMEND 80 FT LBS AS THE AMOUNT TO TIGHTEN TO. I BELIEVE 8.8 ARE STOCK STRENGTH BOLTS WHICH WOULD TAKE 80 FT LBS, BUT THESE ARE INFERIOR IF THEY ARE 8.8 AND LEAVE NO MARGIN FOR ERROR (OVER 80 FT LBS). SOMEONE USING AN IMPACT WRENCH COULD EASILY OVER STRESS THESE INFERIOR BOLTS. I HAVE SAVED ALL 20 BOLTS I REPLACED. I BELIEVE IF THEY WERE INDEPENDENTLY TESTED IT WOULD SHOW THAT THEY ARE UNSAFE FOR THESE CARS. FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND ON THE INTERNET, THIS SEEMS TO BE WIDE SPREAD ON MOST 2009 AND 2010 RAV4 CARS. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THESE 2 YEARS BOLTS TEST AT COMPARED TO THE 2012 AND LATER MODELS. IT MIGHT SHOW THAT TOYOTA KNEW THEY HAD A BREAKAGE PROBLEM.