NHTSA Complaint #10871483 — 2008 TOYOTA RAV4

DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT ABOUT THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT OF 75 MPH, PART OF THE PLASTIC WHEEL WELL COVER ON THE UNDERSIDE CAME LOOSE AND CAUGHT BETWEEN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE/WHEEL AND THE CAR BODY, AT FIRST SOUNDING LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE A FLAT TIRE. I PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT THE PLASTIC COVER WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE TIRE AND THE CAR BODY. I HAD TO UNSCREW THREE SCREWS TO REMOVE THIS PIECE. IT EXPOSED SOME OF THE CAR BODY AND WHAT MIGHT BE OPENINGS INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WE TURNED AROUND TO HEAD HOME. AS WE PROCEEDED, DRIVING MORE SLOWLY BACK THE WAY WE CAME ON THE INTERSTATE, WE COULD HEAR SOME SCRAPING NOISE AROUND THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. AS I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY, ANOTHER LARGE PLASTIC UNDERSIDE WHEEL WELL, (AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT?) COVERING FELL OUT BESIDE THE SIDEWALK AND STREET. UPON PARKING IN MY GARAGE, I COULD SEE THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL EXPOSED LIKE THE OTHER WHEEL AREA AND WHAT MIGHT BE UP INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SEVERAL PLASTIC PINS USED TO HOLD IT IN PLACE HAD FALLEN OFF BY THE SIDEWALK. FOR THIS SET OF PLASTIC PIECES TO COME LOOSE, CREATING A HAZARD, WAS VERY CONCERNING. PIECES POSSIBLY COULD HAVE FLOWN AWAY ON THE HIGHWAY, HARMING OTHER CARS OR DRIVERS. WE WERE GRATEFUL WE WERE NOT HURT AND DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS APPEARED TO HAPPEN ON ITS OWN, WHICH REVEALS POTENTIALLY SHODDY MATERIALS AND ANCHOR MECHANISMS FOR THIS SET OF UNDERSIDE PIECES. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I WONDER IF OTHER RAV4 OWNERS HAVE HAD THESE PIECES COME LOOSE OR FALL OFF.