NHTSA Complaint #10953793 — 2009 TOYOTA CAMRY

MY SON, DRIVING TO BACK TO SHOOL, WAS LEFT IN THE ROAD WITH OUR 2009 CAMRY 5 SECONDS AFTER THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. (EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE KNOWN BY TOYOTA - AUGUST 11, 2011, TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB TO DEALERS) WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM OR WE WOULD HAVE ADVISED HIM TO CHECK THE OIL EVERY GAS FILL UP TO PREVENT PROBLEMS. THE CAR IS A COMPLETE LOSS, BUT WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST IS THAT HE WAS ON A COUNTRY HIGHWAY WITH MILES OF OPEN SPACE BETWEEN TOWNS. LUCKILY HE WAS JUST ENTERING BEDFORD VA AND MADE IT TO THE ENTRANCE OF A SHOPPING CENTER BEFORE THE CAR DIED. SINCE HE WAS BLOCKING THE SHOPPING CENTER ENTRANCE 'SOME RANDOM GUY' HELPED HIM PUSH THE CAR INTO A PARKING AREA. HAD THIS HAPPENED BETWEEN TOWNS AND HIS CAR BEEN STUCK ON THE HIGHWAY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. BOTH THE SHOP WE TOWED THE CAR TO AND THE COMPANY THAT LAST CHANGED THE OIL INVESTIGATED WHY THE OIL RAN DRY AFTER ONLY 1500 MILES. THEIR CONCLUSIONS MATCHED IN THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF FAULTY MAINTANANCE FROM THE OIL CHANGE NOR ANY SIGNS OF OBVIOUS LEAKS. TO LEAVE PEOPLE IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS BECAUSE A COMPANY DOES NOT WANT TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY OR DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT NOR DO THEY WANT TO NOTIFY OWNERS THAT THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE IS BEYOND CONTEMPT. THIS IS PURE NEGLIGENCE ON TOYOTA'S PART NOT INFORMING THE CAR OWNERS OF THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT TO DO WITH A 'DEAD' CAR.