NHTSA Complaint #765169 — 1996 TOYOTA AVALON

I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA AVALON WITH 53K MILES ON IT. IT STARTED CONSUMING OIL AND BLOWING SMOKE ON COLD STARTS OVER THE WINTER. I HAVE DONE NUMEROUS MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. BEFORE THEN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 15MONTHS AGO SO I ASKED MY TOYOTA DEALER TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THEY DID SOME MINOR CHECKS AND TURNED THE LIGHT OFF. CURRENTLY MY CAR HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS "ENGINE INTERNALL DAMAGED NEEDS ENGINE" BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER MIKE AND THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED SLUDGE IN ENGINE THAT CAUSED DIAGNOSED ENGINE PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RESOLVE WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE PERSONELL AS I BECAME AWARE OF THE 1997-2002 TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED BY TOYOTA UNDER THE "SPA CAMPAIGN" THAT TOYOTA SAID THEY WORKED OUT WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION. I HAVE BEEN OFFERED 50% REPAIR FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE DESPITE BEING ACCUSED OF NEGLECTING MY VEHICLE(I PROVIDED TOYOTA WITH ALL OF MY SCHEDULED MAINTENEANCE AND OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS AT WELL WITHIN THEIR RECOMMENDED TIME/MILEAGE INTERVALS. I AM AWARE OF MANY OTHER 1996 TOYOTA AVALON OWNERS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HE SAME PROBLEMS/FALSE ACCUSATIONS AN GRIEF FROM TOYOTA. SOME HAVE RECEIVED FULL PAYMENT FOR THEIR ENGINE REPAIRS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OIL GELLING(SLUDGE) PROBLEMS MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES ARE HAVING. I FEEL THAT MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND I ARE AT RISK OF SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY DUE TO THE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS 6 CYL ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME AND WHY 1996 AVALONS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE "SPA" PROGRAM WHEN IT IS THE SAME ENGINE AND SAME ENGINE PROBLEMS OCCURRING. PLEASE HELP. MONICA AT TOYOTA SAID IT WAS WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION, GUIDANCE AND APPROVAL THAT THE CURRENT "SPA" CAMPAIGN WAS IMPLEMENTED. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STAND UP TALL AND SUPPORT THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD. IT IS WAY TOO EASY TO BE A "FAIR WEATHER FRIEND" . NOW WE ARE "NEGLECTFUL OWNERS" HMMM.*AK