1996 Toyota 4 Runner

THIS FORM IS TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH A CARSEAT.... MANUFACTURER: EVENFLO, PRODUCT: ON MY WAY INFANT CARSEAT, #[XXX], MANUFACTURER DATE 2/28/2000. THEY PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE CARSEAT IS WITH THE STRAPS. WHEN I WET TO TIGHTEN MY SON AFTER HE WAS BUCKLED IN, PLASTIC PIECE WHICH HOLD THE STRAP CAME UNSCREWED. I WENT TO TIGHTEN THE SCREW AND SINCE THE SCREW SCREWS INTO THE PLASTIC, THE PLASTIC WHOLE WAS STRIPPED AND I COULDN'T GET IT TIGHT. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO EVENFLO AND I AM GETTING A REFUND FROM THEM. I WOULD LIKE THIS SEAT TO BE TESTED FURTHER. WHEN I WENT TO BABIES R US, THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM, SO I KNOW I'M NOT THE FIRST ONE THAT THIS HAPPENED TO. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

THIS COMPONENT HAS FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST 4 YEARS, REQUIRING 7 TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PART REPLACEMENT 3 TIME. THE LAST TIME THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE MAIN FAILURE IS IN A CHEAP PLASTIC BUSHING THAT CONSTANTLY FALLS APART. THE CLUTCH PEDAL WHILE WORKABLE DOES BECOME SOMEWHAT JERKY IN ITS WORKING AS WELL AS NOISY AFTER THIS PART BREAKS.

MY ENGINE CATASTROPICALLY FAILED AT 71K MILES. MY VEHICLE HAD MAJOR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS. THE FAILURE OF A CONNECTING ROD IN MY ENGINE ENDANGERED MY LIFE AND THOSE OF MY WIFE AND SON BY CAUSING MY ENGINE TO SEIZE UP IN TRAFFIC. THE TOTAL TIME ELAPSED FROM WHEN MY ENGINE WAS PROPERLY FUNCTIONING TO WHEN WE WERE COMPLETELY MOTIONLESS WAS 45 SECONDS. WE NARROWLY ESCAPED BEING HIT BY LARGE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET TO THE ROAD SHOULDER. TOYOTA WAS OF NO ASSISTANCE TO ME IN THIS MATTER. SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF THE 60K WARRANTY, THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING MY CONCERNS. MY BILL TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE EXCEEDED $5100.00. I STILL POSSES THE FAILED BLOCK AND COMPONENSTS. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THREW AWAY SOME OF THE COMPONENTS THAT I ASKED THEM TO SAVE (OIL PUMP, ETC.). I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE NHTSA HAS INFORMATION IN SIMIALAR TOYOTA DISCREPANCIES, AND IS THE AGENCY INTERESTED IN VIEWING THE FAILED TOYOTA COMPONENTS (BLOCK, RODS, PISTONS, ETC.) THAT I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION. I WAS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA'S RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS A LIFE ENDANGERING EVENT FOR MY FAMILY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT MY PROVIDED PHONE NUMBER. I WILL GLADLY PROVIDE COPIES OF COORESPONDENCE CHRONICALLY MY SAGA. *AK