NHTSA Complaint #11244249 — 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

2008 HIGHLANDER, ENGINE OIL COOLER PIPE FAILED, DROPPED 4 QTS OF OIL ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH LED TO A SLIPPERY SITUATION, I PULLED OVER BUT A CAR BEHIND ME SKIDDED THROUGH THE OIL AND REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM DUE TO THE OIL LEFT ON THE ROAD IMPACTING THEIR SAFE STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS FAILED PART WAS A RUBBER HOSE HOLDING HOT MOTOR OIL NEXT TO THE CATATLYTIC CONVERTER, TERRIBLE DESIGN, TOYOTA REPLACED THIS ORIGINAL RUBBER HOSE WITH PART 04004-29131 THAT WAS METAL PIPES NOT HOSES. THIS PART WAS ELIGIBLE FOR A TOYOTA EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE (TOYOTA WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT ZE2) TILL 2016 OR SO, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED VIA MAIL OF THE ISSUE, THEREFORE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL AFTER MY CAR BROKE DOWN. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED ISSUES OF THIS PART FAILING, AND ALSO MANY DOCUMENTED ISSUES OF TOYOTA FAILING TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS DUE TO THEIR INABILITY TO LINK VIN TO MAILING ADDRESS PRIOR TO 2014. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA DIDN'T NOTIFY ME PROPERLY, WHICH CAUSED AN UNSAFE SITUATION FOR ME AND OTHER MOTORISTS. HAD THIS BEEN A RECALL, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN OBLIGATED TO MORE FORMALLY NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THIS HAZARD, AND WOULD HAVE TO FIX THEM ALL, VS. THE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER THAT THEY DID FIX. I CALLED TOYOTA MOTOR CORP CUST SERVICE, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY NO LONGER HAD ANY FINANCIAL OR NOTIFICATION OBLIGATION FOR THIS DESIGN & SAFETY DEFECT AS THE 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT' HAD EXPIRED. PLEASE REQUIRE A RECALL! THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CARS ON THE ROAD TODAY WITH THIS UNSAFE CONDITION READY TO CAUSE PROBLEMS!