NHTSA Complaint #11015396 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

MY 2007 TOYOTA RAV 4 WAS TAKEN TO NORTHERN LAKES AUTO IN HAYWARD WI FOR AN ALIGNMENT, AT WHICH WE WERE TOLD THAT THE REAR TOE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER. THE RECALL WORK DONE IN 2014 AT A TOYOTA DEALER IN COLORADO SPRINGS CO INVOLVED APPLYING AN EPOXY THAT MADE THIS PART NO LONGER ADJUSTABLE. ON 7/28/17, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE TOYOTA DEALER, WHICH FAILED AN ALIGNMENT CHECK AT THE REAR TOE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY COULD NO LONGER PERFORM A REAR ALIGNMENT DUE TO THIS RECALL "FIX" THAT PERMANENTLY SEALED IT INTO ONE PLACE. WE WERE TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR BACK INTO ALIGNMENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE REAR TOE BAR FOR A COST OF 600 DOLLARS. WE CONTACTED THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND WERE OFFERED NOTHING TO FIX THIS ISSUE. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED WITH AN ADJUSTABLE REAR TIE ROD, AND TOYOTA'S SOLUTION TO AN ENGINEERING FLAW IS TO MAKE THE REAR TIE ROD NO LONGER ADJUSTABLE, THUS COSTING THE CONSUMER HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX A SIMPLE ALIGNMENT ISSUE. IT IS NOT FEASIBLE OR FAIR TO EXPECT THE CONSUMER TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE, WHEN TOYOTA CREATED THE ISSUE WITH THEIR "FIX" INSTEAD OF CREATING A REPLACEMENT REAR TOE THAT IS ADJUSTABLE LIKE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED WITH WHEN I PURCHASED IT. THE CAR IS WEARING OUT THE TIRES IN THE REAR CUPPING BOTH OF THEM ON THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE, AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME AND MY WIFE AND MY 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. I WAS FORCED TO PAY KARI TOYOTA $500 TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND APPLY THE EPOXY AGAIN TO PARTS THAT ARE TO BE ADJUSTABLE AND NOW ARE NOT....I WOULD LIKE TO BE REMBERSED FOR THIS A MOUNT ....WHY SHOULD THE I THE OWNER PAY FOR TOYOTAS BANDAID INCORRECT FIX?