1996 Toyota RAV4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WOULD DROP, THE DOORS WOULD SHUT ABNORMALLY AND THE LOCKS WOULD MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY WARM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXAMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 367,000.

I GOT THE CAR OFF OF MY BROTHER FOR $4,000.00, IT LOOKS GREAT, NEVER EVER BEEN WRECKED, PAINT GREAT, BRAND NEW TIRES, NEW EXHAUST, NEW BRAKES, ETC. I WAS WAITING ON HIM TO GET THE TITLE NOTARIZED AND HE BROUGHT IT OVER TODAY, BUT THIS MORNING WHEN I SHUT THE DOOR IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE FUSE BOX BURST INTO FLAMES, BOTH WINDOWS CAME DOWN AND LUCKILY I HAD A LARGE FIRE EXTINGUISH IN MY HOUSE AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, OTHERWISE IT WAS PARKED BETWEEN 3 BUILDINGS WORTH 1/2 MILLION $$$ AND SURELY WOULD HAVE BURNED ALL 3 DOWN IF I HAD NOT HAD THE ABILITY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE FLAMES WERE AS HIGH AS THE WINDOW AND THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS AS ALL THE WIRING BURNED UP IN LESS THAN 2 MINUTES IN THE FUSE BOX AREA. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, I AM SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS AND AT THE VERY LEAST THE ENTIRE CAR WOULD HAVE BURNED UP. I AM 55 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS THE VERY FIRST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED THAT CAUGHT FIRE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. OIL AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT; HOWEVER THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC NOTICED A HOLE THAT WAS BLOWN THROUGH THE ENGINE.

NOTE: TOYOTA CALLED AND SAID THAT SINCE I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED, THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING.....I SAVED THE PART. I AM WRITING NOW BECAUSE I SAW A TV NEWS STORY ABOUT THE ROLL-OVER CONCERN WITH SUV'S. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC ROLL-OVER IF NOT FOR THE LOCATION AND LOW SPEED. DEAR TOYOTA (EDITED FOR SPACE), IT IS RARE THAT I WOULD TAKE THIS STEP UNLESS I THOUGHT NOT SPEAKING UP COULD BE FAR MORE TRAGIC OR DISASTROUS. LAST WEEK, AS I WAS SLOWLY TURNING THE CORNER DOWN A SIDE STREET AT WORK (I WORK ON AN ARMY INSTALLATION), I HEARD AND FELT A TREMENDOUS CRASH. MY RAV-4 DROPPED ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE TIRE INSTANTLY BLEW. MY MOMENTUM WAS STOPPED BY A LARGE CONCRETE BARRIER OR I MAY HAVE HIT SOMEONE. AFTER I WAS TOWED (THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE), THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED WHAT I WAS TOLD BY SOME OF THE ENGINEERS - SOMETHING SNAPPED (COMPLETELY SEVERED) UNDERNEATH ("IN A WEIRD SPOT")....THAT SOMETHING WAS PART OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE. AS I TRAVEL ROUTE 80 IN NORTHERN NJ, I AM VERY GRATEFUL WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT IF I HAD BEEN ON A HIGHWAY, I WOULD HAVE FLIPPED, POSSIBLY SEVERAL TIMES, AND, OBVIOUSLY, WOULD NOT BE WRITING TO YOU NOW.....I BOUGHT MY RAV-4 IN 1996 WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT. ALTHOUGH IT COST ME $1800.00 IN REPAIRS, THE MONEY IS LEAST IMPORTANT IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS. I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE ROAD SURFACE TO AVOID ANY BUMP....BRAKING INAPPROPRIATELY, BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. I WOULD NOT BE THIS UPSET IF THIS WAS A SMALL CAR, BUT THIS IS A SUV AND I EXPECT IT TO HANDLE THE RIGORS OF A NJ WINTER. EVEN A TOYOTA MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED...TO PARAPHRASE HIM....'THESE TRUCKS ARE BUILT TO LAST FOREVER'. COULD THERE BE A FLAW IN THE PART? I TOOK A DIGITAL PHOTO OF THE PART THAT WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED (AND NO, IT IS NOT THE BALL JOINT). I CANNOT ATTACH IT TO THIS E-MAIL. TELLING ME A BOUGHT THE CAR IN '96 AND HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER. THANK YOU, CELESTE GOODHART. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE OWNER HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE SWERVED ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER GO INTO 5TH GEAR. THE 4TH GEAR ALSO BEGAN SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER 40,000 MILES THE EXACT SAME FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE 5TH GEAR FAILING. THEY ARE NOT CLAIMING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. *JB