2004 Toyota RAV4

TOYOTA SENT OUT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE ON 13 MAY 2015 ABOUT THE FRONT DRIVER AIRBAG INFLATOR, UNTIL TODAY THE 25 JUNE 2015 THE REMEDY IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY OWN SAFETY DRIVING THIS CAR AND/OR THE ROAD SAFETY. SINCE IT IS THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG THAT HAS PROBLEM, I HIGHLY DEMAND TO HAVE ALL THE 2004-2005 MODEL YEAR RAV4 COLLECTED BACK TO TOYOTA FOR A FULL CHECK UP OR REPLACEMENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF ANTIFREEZE THAT LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE CITY STREETS OF BOSTON, MA AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND VSC LIGHT CAME ON. I CALLED OUR LOCAL DEALER TO SEE IF THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND I WAS TOLD THAT AS LONG AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT BLINKING IT WAS OK TO DRIVE THE CAR. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY TO GET TO OUR HOUSE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WHEN THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AND WE LOST ALL OUR COOLANT. WHEN WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO OUR DEALER WE WERE TOLD THE ENGINE WAS RUINED AND IT WAS GOING TO TAKE $5000+ TO FIX.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

THIS 10 YEAR OLD CAR HAD BEEN GARAGED ITS ENTIRE LIFE. IT WAS DRIVEN 4 OR 5 TIMES A WEEK IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION AND HOLDS THE WHEELS ON RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THERE WERE LARGE HOLES IN THE FRAME. TOYOTA OF BUTTE MONTANA AND TOYOTA OF WENATCHEE WASHINGTON BOTH REQUIRED THAT I SIGN A STATEMENT THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE FRAME MEMBER WAS TOO RUSTED. TOYOTA OF WENATCHEE DID NOT WANT ANYONE EVEN STANDING UNDER IT. TOYOTA OF WENATCHEE OFFERED $1000 TOWARDS $2900 IN REPAIRS BUT REQUIRED THAT ALL THE REPAIRS BE DONE THROUGH THEM. I HAD THE CROSS MEMBER REPLACED AND THE OTHER REPAIRS DONE ELSEWHERE FOR $1200. TOYOTA CORPORATE REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE AND SEES NO NEED OF A RECALL. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES IN HIGH SALT AREAS (LIKE NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE). I HAVE PICTURES OF THE CROSS MEMBER. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WITH ~1 CAR LENGTH BETWEEN ME AND ONE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND THE CAR AHEAD BEGAN TO MOVE, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND MOVED IT TO THE ACCELERATOR AS USUAL. AT THAT POINT, MY CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT. MY BRAKES WOULDN'T ENGAGE AND MY CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. I HAD TO SWERVE AROUND THE CAR I HIT WHILE MY CAR CONTINUED AT HIGH SPEED THROUGH TWO STOP SIGNS IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. DURING THIS TIME, I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ONCOMING CARS. ALL THE WHILE I WAS TRYING TO APPLY BRAKES, BUT THEY WOULDN'T ENGAGE AND MY SPEED DIDN'T DECREASE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE, THE BRAKES FINALLY ENGAGED AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE INITIAL LOW SPEED.

MY CARS CHECK ENGINE AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I THEN PUT IT IN DRIVE AND PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT SOMETIMES THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. MY HUSBAND HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR AND I HAD TO FOLLOW HIM HOME B/C THE CAR WAS SO UNPREDICTABLE. HE WOULD HAVE TO PUSH DOWN HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IT WOULD HESITATE BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD THEN JERK FORWARD. HE WAS TERRIFIED THAT HE WOULD GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION! I FOUND AN ARTICLE ONLINE ABOUT HOW TOYOTA PROVIDED EXTENDED WARRANTYS TO 2001-2003 RAV4 VEHICLE OWNERS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. PLEASE SEE ARTICLE: HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2010/02/18/TOYOTA-OWNERS-COMPLAIN-THIS-TIME-ABOUT-THE-RAV4/?_PHP=TRUE&_TYPE=BLOGS&_R=0 PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS! ITS NOT FAIR THAT PEOPLE WITH A 2004 OR LATER CAN'T BENEFIT FROM THIS! I ALSO CALLED TOYOTA AND LEFT A COMPLAINT. *TR