NHTSA Complaint #11513444 — 2020 TOYOTA RAV4

In preparing for a trip, the automatic tailgate went out of alignment and would not close. A local body shop diagnosed the issue as a bent hinge. There was no incident that caused this - the hinge appears to be insufficiently sturdy for a heavy tailgate. The body shop temporarily hammered the hinge back into place, but the seal of the tailgate is imperfect, allowing exhaust fumes to enter the cabin when driving at low speeds. This may also have been true before the gate failed to close, but was not noticed. This is beginning to show up on other RAV4s. The local Toyota dealer would not accept a warranty claim for the issue. A permanent repair is scheduled, but will require several weeks due to scheduling.