NHTSA Complaint #11157206 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN ARROW HWY IN THE RAIN WHEN MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. I LOST POWER FROM BOTH MY ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY INTERMITTENTLY. I WAS COASTING DOWN TO AN APPROACHING INTERSECTION WHEN I MADE THE DESCISION TO TURN RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION. THE STEERING WAS SO HARD THAT I NEARING HIT THE CENTER DIVIDE. MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE BARELY WORKING AND MANY OF MY DASH ICONS WERE COMING ON RANDOMLY. THROUGH IT ALL, MY ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AND I MADE TO THE NEXT STREET THAT TURNED INTO CONDOS THAT HAD PARKING SPACES. I SHUT MY ENGINE OFF AND TRIED A RESTART. THE ENGINE,OF COURSE,DID NOT START. AFTER BEING HAULED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN ALTERNATOR THAT SHORTED THE BATTERY. HAVING A LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN THIS ELECTRICAL AREA, I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN BUT WITH PROPER DESIGN IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THE BATTERY WAS SAVED AFTER RECHARGING. HERE IS MY POINT; I DON'T WANT ANY ONE THAT I KNOW AND LOVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT I HAD TO. THOSE THAT DRIVE THIS CAR SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH A CAR EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRICAL STEERING. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SEVERE IF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE STALLED; WHICH, BY THE WAY WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN A SHORT TIME.