NHTSA Complaint #10861053 — 2004 TOYOTA RAV4

FEB 2016 - WHILE CHECKING FLUIDS I NOTICED THE ANTIFREEZE LEVEL WAS LOW. SANSONE AUTOMALL NJ WAS NOTIFIED AND TOLD ME WHAT TO BUY AND FILL IT UNTIL MY APPT ON 2/27. DURING SERVICE CHECK THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. NOW, APRIL 2016, MY CAR OVERHEATED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK TO SANSONE WITH THE HEAT ON HIGH ON TO KEEP IT FROM OVERHEATING. NOW I'M BEING TOLD I NEED THE HEADGASKET REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ENGINE ($1950 FOR HEADGASKET AND $4500 FOR USED ENGINE) OH AND THEY MADE IT A POINT TO TELL ME THAT THE 25 POINT INSPECTION WAS FREE THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE. SINCE I REFUSED SERVICE, THEY ASKED US TO LEAVE THE CAR, THINK ABOUT IT AND COME BACK SATURDAY TO SPEAK TO THE MECHANIC AND DIRECTOR. WE SHOWED UP BUT NO ONE WHO INSPECTED THE CAR WAS THERE. WE REFUSED SERVICE AND HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR SERVICE AND FOR TOYOTA FOR NOT BEEN PROACTIVE IN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE WHICH SEEMS TO BE GROWING AS I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING AND FOUND MANY OTHERS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA RAV WITH ONLY 76,970 MILES WHICH REALLY WAS A GREAT CAR- NEVER ANY ISSUES. I PURCHASED THIS 'CERTIFIED USED' CAR IN 2007 AT SANSONE AUTOMALL WHICH CAN NOT BE DRIVEN...COST TO FIX IT WILL BE USED TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW NON TOYOTA VEHICLE. IN CONCLUSION, TOYOTA NEEDS TO WORK ON THIS ISSUE AND THEY ARE LOSING LOYAL CUSTOMERS AND WE ARE SPREADING THE WORD.