NHTSA Complaint #11374185 — 2014 TOYOTA RAV4

PURCHASED A USED 2014 TOYOTA RAV4 ON 01-2018 FOR THE PURCHASE PRICE OF $12,000. IT HAD 36,198 MILES AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASE, NOTICED A SHUTTERING WHILE AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. LOOKED INTO RECALLS AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THESE SYMPTOMS. CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY TOOK MY CAR'S INFORMATION. THEY SAID THAT MY CAR WAS 'ELIGIBLE' FOR THE REPAIRS TO BE DONE. HOWEVER, TOYOTA CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND SAID MY CAR DID NOT QUALIFY BECAUSE IT WAS A 'TOTAL LOSS' VEHICLE. I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THIS AS I PURCHASED IT WITH A BLUE TITLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE VEHICLE HAD HAIL DAMAGE AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY OPTED TO ISSUE A TOTAL LOSS CLAIM BUT DID NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO BADGE THE TITLE AS SALVAGE. I FILED COMPLAINT WITH TEXAS BOARD OF INSURANCE BUT THEY HAVE BEEN NO HELP. MY QUESTION TO NHTSA IS HOW CAN TOYOTA REFUSE TO PERFORM WORK ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS A BLUE TITLE? IT HAS NEVER BEEN DEEMED OR BADGED AS SALVAGE AND YET I AM LEFT TO CONTINUE DRIVING A POSSIBLY UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT I PAID FULL MARKET PRICE FOR.