1996 Toyota RAV4

WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, MY FRIEND (WHO WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND LIKES TO SIT WITH HIS KNEES UP) ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS IN THE PASSING LANE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HAD NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS I COULD. I FEARED THAT IF I PUT THE GEAR SHIFTER BACK INTO DRIVE, THE CAR WOULD DRASTICALLY LURCH (FASTER OR SLOWER). AFTER THIS HAPPENED, I NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT IS ACTUALLY LOCATED CLOSER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE THAN THE DRIVER SIDE AND EASILY BUMPED INTO NEUTRAL. I CALLED A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND ASKED THAT THEY FIX THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL CARS ARE DESIGNED TO BE ABLE TO SWITCH INTO NEUTRAL SHOULD YOU BE SLIDING ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. AND THAT THEY THEREFORE COULD AND WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ ONLY GREAT THINGS ABOUT TOYOTAS BUT AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE, I PLAN TO SELL THIS CAR AND NEVER GET ANOTHER TOYOTA. THIS, I THINK, IS A VERY, VERY SERIOUS SAFETY DESIGN FLAW. PEOPLE WITH KIDS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT MUST HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO THEM ALL THE TIME. I THINK THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED. NO AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT SHOULD BE EASILY ACCIDENTLY TAPPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.*AK

I NOTICED A GRINDING NOISE TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE CAR. A SHORT TIME LATER AN ADDITIONAL SOUND OF SOMETHING ROLLING AROUND FREELY IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS HEARD. I SUSPECTED BRAKE TROUBLE AND TOOK THE CAR TO SEARS AUTOMOTIVE WHERE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORKED ON 1 MONTH PRIOR. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANICS NOTICED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE FRONT AXLE SNAPPING AT THE WHEEL. THE SOUND WAS THE BROKEN OFF PIECE AND NUT ROLLING AROUND. THE BROKEN AXLE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BRAKE PAD AND CALIPER AND FRONT-END ALIGNMENT. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICS, THE AXLE HAD A MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE BOTH AXLE PIECES IN MY POSSESSION. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXAMINE THEM OR IF THERE IS MORE INFORMATION NEEDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. - DARRYL ROBB. *AK

5/7/96-FRONT WHEELS CLEANED OF BRAKE DUST; 3/5/97-MILEAGE-14118: FRONT BRAKE JOB DONE(BRAKES GRINDING); 9/13/97 BRAKES SQUEAKING-REAR BRAKES CLEANED AND ADJUSTED.; 12/1/97-FRONT BRAKES WORN OUT-REPLACED; 12/98-FRONT BRAKES GRINDING-PADS REPLACED AGAIN; 10/16/99-FRONT BRAKES REPLACED AGAIN. I REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM TOYOTA AND MET WITH THE CUSTOMER SVC MANAGER, KAREN SEARS SEVERAL TIMES AND PRIOR TO THE REPAIR IN DEC. 98 I DID CONTACT TOYOTA AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO AND I WOULD NEED TO REQUEST ARBITRATION. I REQUESTED ARBITRATION AND THEY DID NOTHING BECAUSE I TOOK IT TO A NON TOYOTA FACILITY FOR REPAIR. I HAD TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND REFERRED ME TO ARBITRATION AND I OBVIOUSLY COULD NOT DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH GRINDING BRAKES. THE ONLY WORK DONE WAS THEY REPLACED THE PADS AND ALSO TOLD ME THE ROTORS AND CYLINDERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN DEC. 1997, BUT I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BRAKES SHOULD NOT BE WEARING OUT THIS SOON ON A NEW VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS BRAKE SYSTEM SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE BEGINNING WITHT HE BRAKE DUST ACCUMULATION. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO-I HAVE ASKED TOYOTA TO REPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND I HAVE ASKED THEM TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE, I HAVE REQUESTED ARBITRATION AND I HAVE APPEALED THE ARBITRATION DECISION. I AM HOPEFUL YOU CAN HELP ME BECAUSE THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE. ALSO WHEN I HAD MY BRAKES CHANGED OVER THE WEEKEND I MET A MAN WHO ALSO HAD A 2 DOOR RAV4 , WHO ALSO TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, HAVING TO CHANGE BRAKES PADS AND SHOES OFTEN. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE IS HAVING A PROBLEM BUT I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS EVERY 6-9 MONTHS AS I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND I CANNOT AFFORD THE $600-$1000 WORTH OF BRAKE WORK THE VEHICLE NEEDS. AT THIS POINT I TRULY BELIEVE I WAS SOLD A LEMON WITH A FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM. I AM ASKING FOR YOUR HELP. *AK

I CONTINUE TO HAVE SQUEAKING NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS/BRAKES. THESE NOISES OCCUR AT ALL SPEEDS WHETHER BRAKES ARE APPLIED OR NOT. DESPITE NUMEROUS SETS OF REPLACEMENT BRAKES, THE SQUEAKING PERSISTS. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, GRINDING NOISES ARE AUDIBLE, ESPECIALLY AS THE CAR NEARS A STOP. THESE COMPLAINTS PERSIST REGARDLESS OF THE AGE OF THE BRAKES AND NO MECHANIC HAS OFFERED A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION.