NHTSA Complaint #11144162 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

WE HAD RECALL GOV ON MY TOYOTA RAV4 ON 1/18/18 81000 MILES. AT THIS TIME I ALSO HAD NEW FRONT STRUTS AND REAR SHOCKS INSTALLED WITH A FRONT AND REAR ALIGNMENT. THEN 8000 MILES LATER AFTER THE FIX IN OCTOBER I NOTICED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR NEW REAR BRAKES AND AN ALIGNMENT. AT THAT TIME 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. 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. THIS FIX HAS CREATED A NEW SAFETY ISSUE WITH TIRE WARE AND HANDLING ISSUES. BEFORE THE FIX I WAS EXPERIENCED NEITHER OF THESE ISSUES.