NHTSA Complaint #11113398 — 2017 TOYOTA RAV4

ON THE EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2017, MY 88-YEAR-OLD FATHER, DIED OF ACCIDENTAL CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. HIS DEATH RESULTED FROM HIS NEW TOYOTA RAV4 KEYLESS CAR NOT TURNING OFF, ULTIMATELY FLOODING HIS APARTMENT WITH THE DEADLY GAS. HE WAS FOUND IN HIS BED, DEAD, ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, AROUND 10:25 A.M. HIS TWO CATS HAD ALSO EXPIRED. THE TOYOTA RAV4 WAS STILL RUNNING ' 14 HOURS FOLLOWING HIS RETURN HOME FROM A FAMILY DINNER. THE CARBON MONOXIDE READING INSIDE HIS CAR WAS 330. THE RESIDENCE REGISTERED AT 53. MORE THAN TWO HOURS AFTER DISCOVERING MY FATHER'S BODY, THE CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS IN THE HOUSE WERE STILL 30. THIS AFTER DOORS AND WINDOWS WERE OPENED AND A LARGE FAN PROVIDED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS USED TO PUSH THE AIR THRU THE RESIDENCE. THE CARBON MONOXIDE TRAVELED TO THE NEIGHBOR'S ADJOINING GARAGE AND THRU HER APARTMENT WALLS. MORE THAN ONE HOUR AFTER MY FATHER WAS DISCOVERED, THE NEIGHBOR'S APARTMENT CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS WERE STILL 40 ' REQUIRING A HOSPITAL VISIT. THE DETECTIVE ON THE SCENE FOUND THE TOYOTA KEY FOB ON THE DINING TABLE ' JUST YARDS FROM THE ATTACHED GARAGE WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED. THE CAR WAS LEASED IN JULY OF 2017. IT WAS DELIVERED IN MID-AUGUST 2017, BY TOYOTA DEALER. AT NO TIME DURING THE SALE OR UPON DELIVERY, WAS IT IMPRESSED UPON MY FATHER THAT THE KEYLESS CARS PRESENTED A CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY CONCERN. AT NO TIME WAS MY FATHER OFFERED AN OPTION FOR A 'KEYED' CAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING SYSTEMS ON THE CAR TO SUGGEST THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. IT SEEMS INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH ADDITIONAL WARNING DEVICES FOR DRIVERS, AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF AFTER A SET TIME, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, BE REQUIRED TO EMPLOY A POLICY THAT SUGGESTS A KEY IGNITION WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR SENIOR DRIVERS. FYI: LOCAL POLICE/EMT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. A REPORT WAS FILED. *TT *TR