1997 Toyota RAV4

THE SUBJECT IS "IMPROPER CIRCUIT DESIGN CAUSED SELF IGNITED FIRE TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRIC ABNORMALITY WITHIN THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR" . THE TIME THAT HAPPENED THE MOTOR WAS OFF AND CAR IN PARK IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. VEHICLE IS A 1997 TOYOTA RAV-4 MANUFACTURED IN APRIL 1997 BY THE TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AT THEIR ASSEMBLY PLANT IN MOTOMACHI-THARA, JAPAN. AT THE TIME OF ITS FABRICATION , THE VEHICLE WAS ASSIGNED UNIQUE PUBLIC IDENTIFICATION NUMBER [XXX]. COMPUTERIZED SCRUTINY OF THIS NUMBER RELATIVE TO CHECK DIGIT"4" AND SEQUENCE NUMBER "056588" HAS CONFIRMED THE VEHICLE IDENTITY. THERE WAS INVESTIGATION BY THE HARD FACTS INVESTIGATIVE ENGINEERING REPORTED ON JANUARY 01, 2003. I WILL BE ABLE TO SEND COPY OF THE WHOLE REPORT. I FILED A COMPLAINT TO THE COMPANY AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:TOYOTA MOTORS SALES , U.S.A.,INC. 19001 S. WESTERN AVENUE,P.O. BOX 2722, TORRANCE,CA 90509-2722 TO [XXX]. , CLAIM ANALYST ,LEGAL DEPARTMENT, ON 12/23/2002. THE CASE ID #[XXX]. THE ANSWER WAS THE CAR IS OLD AND THE VEHICLE ODOMETER INDICATES A REGISTERED 49,851 MILES ROAD UTILITY. CASE IS CLOSED. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY RAV 4 - 57348 MILES. IT STARTED MAKING A TAPPING SOUND IN THE ENGINE AND IT HAS MAKES A METAL ON METAL VIBRATION UPON ACCELERATION AND ESPECIALLY WHEN I MAKE A GRADUAL LEFT TURN AND DECELERATE. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER. THEY SAY IT MAY BE THAT THE LIFTERS ARE A BIT WORN AND THAT THIS WILL NOT HARM ANYTHING. THIS IS ODD BECAUSE A NEW ENGINE WAS PLACED IN THE CAR AT 49,000 + MILES. THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT THE VIBRATION NOISE WAS AND SAID THAT IT IS POSSIBLY A ROCK IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I KNOW WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE AND STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THEIR ANALYSIS. THE NOISE IS DEFINITELY COMING FROM THE ENGINE. *NLM

THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH ALLOY WHEELS BUT THE SPARE TIRE HAS STEEL RIMS IN WHICH THE EXISTING LUG NUTS DO NOT FIT SO THE SPARE TIRE CAN NOT BE USED. I THINK THE COMPANY SHOULD PROVIDE A USABLE SPARE TIRE. I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT THAT BUT THEY SAID THAT YEAR, THEIR RAV 4 CAME WITH STEEL RIMS SO THEY GAVE ME SOME LUG NUTS TO USE BUT THEY ARE TOO SHORT AND CANNOT LOCK THE TIRE IN PLACE. THE EXISTING LUGS ALSO CANNOT LOCK THE TIRE IN PLACE AND THE TIRE RATTLES. ONE OF THE MANAGERS TOLD ME TO USE THESE IN AN EMERGENCY ONLY BUT I DO NOT WANT TO DAMAGE THE TREADS ON THE BOLTS WITH THE TIRE SLIDING ON THE BOLT. I THINK IF THEY SOLD THE TIRE AS A SPARE, IT SHOULD FUNCTION AS A SAFE SPARE AND I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PURCHASING ANOTHER RIM, LUG NUTS, OR TIRE JACK SO I CAN USE THE SPARE TIRE SAFELY. THIS SHOULD APPLY TO ALL '97 RAV 4 OWNERS. I DID NOT CATCH IT EARLIER BECAUSE I DID NOT NEED TO USE THE SPARE UNTIL NOW.*AK

EACH TIME YOU STOP AND THEN PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL IT STICKS. YOU MUST PUSH HARDER THAN USUAL TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE. BUT THAT MAKES THE CAR LURCH FORWARD AT A GREATER SPEED THAN YOU WOULD LIKE. IN TRAFFIC THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FUEL INJECTORS , BUT I THINK IT,S IN THE LINKAGE OR THE WAY THE PEDAL WAS MADE THAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

IT WAS RAINING, NOT HEAVY, THOUGH. I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO BRAKE BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME WAS SLOWING DOWN. THE CAR STARTED LOSING CONTROL AND I COULDN'T BRAKE AND STOP THE CAR AT ALL. THEN THE CAR STARTED MOVING TOWARDS THE LEFT QUICKLY AND SPINNED FOR ABOUT 2 OR 3 TIMES. THE REAR END ON THE RIGHT SIDE FINALLY HIT THE MIDDLE BARRIER ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR TURNED OUT TO BE FACING THE INCOMING TRAFFIC. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WASN'T HURT TOO BADLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T HIT ANY OTHER CARS (LUCKILY) AND IT WAS THE REAR END THAT GOT HIT. I GOT A BIG BRUISE ON MY THIGH AND MY WHOLE BODY WAS SORE FOR 3 DAYS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A DEFECT WITH THE BRAKE OR THE WHEELS OR NOT, BUT I THOUGHT I'D REPORT THIS FOR OTHER OWNERS TO BE AWARE OF. *AK