NHTSA Complaint #10925189 — 2014 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS COASTING AT A STEADY SPEED ON A STRAIGHT ROAD (~30-40 MPH), A SLIGHT ROARING NOISE CAN BE HEARD FROM THE ENGINE BAY WHILE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER, NORTHSIDE TOYOTA OF CHICAGO, INSPECTED THIS VEHICLE ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2016, AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AND WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. HOWEVER, THEY CLAIM THAT, DUE TO A "COLLISION IMPACT" (A VEHICLE WHICH SCRAPED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT BUMPER AND WHICH MIRACULOUSLY DID NOT IMPACT EITHER THE ENGINE OR THE BODY FRAME), A LEAK HAS BEEN CAUSED FROM A "CLIP" THAT IS "MISSING," AND BASED ON THESE GROUNDS, THE DEALER IS REFUSING TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. INSTEAD, THEY HAVE TOLD US WE NEED TO EITHER REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF POCKET ($6000.00 - $7000.00) OR GO THROUGH OUR INSURANCE. THIS KIND OF PROBLEM MIGHT BE NORMAL FOR AN OLDER VEHICLE, BUT WHAT IS UNUSUAL ABOUT THIS CASE IS THAT THIS HYBRID AVALON IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND BARELY CLOCKED 16,000 MILES. IT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR SUCH A MAJOR COMPONENT OF A NEARLY-NEW VEHICLE TO FAIL SO SOON AND THE DEALER IS WAVING IT OFF AS NOT A DEFECT.