NHTSA Complaint #10874501 — 2011 TOYOTA RAV4

I HAVE A DEFECTIVE VVT-I GEAR ON MY 2011 RAV4. UPON RESEARCHING THE DIAGNOSIS FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER (DAVID MAUS TOYOTA), I DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ENGINEERING FLAW SINCE 2010 AND HAD PUT OUT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (T-SB-0146-10) SO THAT DEALERSHIPS WOULD KNOW HOW TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. MY VEHICLE'S VIN # IS SPECIFICALLY LISTED ON THIS TSB AS AN EFFECTED VEHICLE. ALSO, THERE ARE MANY OF FORUMS, ONLINE, OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THESE PARTS FOR OWNERS. THIS IS NOT A WEARABLE PART. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR (APPROX. $2,000) WITH NO DISCOUNTS. I SHOULD MENTION THAT I HAVE BEEN DILLIGENT WITH MY CAR'S MAINTENANCE AND CAN PULL MOST (IF NOT ALL) OF MY OIL CHANGES, IF NECESSARY. APPARENTLY, THE SAME ISSUE WAS DISCOVERED WITH CERTAIN LEXUS MODELS, BACK THEN, AND THEY DID A RECALL FOR THOSE VEHICLES BUT NOT THE TOYOTA MODELS (CAMRYS, HIGHLANDERS, RAV4S, SIENNAS, AND VENZAS WERE ALL AFFECTED FROM THIS PARTICULAR FACTORY FROM THE YEARS OF 2009-2011). I FILED A CASE WITH TOYOTA'S CORPORATE OFFICE (CASE # 1606011778) AND THEY OFFERED A $400 REFUND AFTER I PAID FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE, IN MY VIEW. YES, THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL BACK IN 2010 WHEN THEY DISCOVERED IT AND DITRIBUTED THE TSB. I OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE PART (AT TOYOTA'S COST) IF THEY COVERED THE LABOR (THAT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE COST TO THE REPAIR), BUT THEY WOULD NOT BUDGE. IT IS A TIME SENSITIVE ISSUE, AS WELL, BECAUSE I AM A SINGLE MOTHER. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH A MALFUNTIONING VVT-I GEAR IS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. I AM ATTACHING THE TSB WITH THE LISTED AFFECTED VIN #S.