2003 Toyota RAV4

ON THE SUBJECT DATE I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, WITH CARS ON BOTH SIDES OF ME. THERE WAS A CURB AND AN ISLAND, WITH A TREE IN IT, IN FRONT OF ME. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE; I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP AND WAS ABOUT TO PUT IT INTO PARK WHEN THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT THE TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS BUT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. I HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH THE TOYOTA COMPANY HOLDING THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION BASED ON PREVIOUS INCIDENTS WITH THIS SAME YEAR AND MODEL CAR. I AM SEEKING, AT THE VERY LEAST, REPAIR OF MY CAR. BASED ON THE PREVIOUS HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR CAR, I FEEL THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRING THIS MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE WHICH THE NHTSA CAN GIVE ME REGARDING HOW TO PROCEED WITH THIS MATTER. THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY BEING EXAMINED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TOYOTA COMPANY. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ANY ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE WHICH YOU CAN GIVE ME IN THIS MATTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE K-FRAME AND THE CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE K-FRAME AND CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

EXPERIENCE A HARD SHIFT JERKING MOTION WHEN DRIVING MY CAR AND ALMOST GOT HIT TWICE DUE TO THE CAR JERKING AND IMMEDIATELY SLOWING DOWN. I TOOK IT IN TO KENDALL TOYOTA OF ANCHORAGE RIGHT AWAY AND THEN READ ONLINE THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AND ENHANCED WARRANTY OF 2001-2003 TOYOTAS BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE! TOYOTA KENDALL SAID IT WOULD BE $6,000 TO REPLACE BOTH THE ECM AND TRANSMISSION AND THAT TOYOTA WOULD ONLY PAY HALF BECAUSE THE CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENHANCED WARRANTY HAS BEEN EXTENDED TWICE DUE TO COMPLAINTS WITH THE COURT. I DID NOT GET MY CAR FIXED BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD IT AND I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD PAY THE FULL 6K TO FIX IT. I'M AMAZED AT HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA FIRST ISSUED A RECALL AND WAS SUED IN COURT BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SERIOUS MALFUNCTION OF THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

I BACKED UP IN REVERSE AND THEN PUT 2003 RAV 4 INTO DRIVE EXPECTING TO GO FORWARD WHEN MOTOR BEGAN TO RACE AND CAR FLEW BACKWARD OVER 12-FOOT HIGH EMBANKMENT INTO WOODS WHILE ENGINE CONTINUED RACING. CAR DID NOT ROLL OVER BUT SWUNG AROUND 130 DEGREES IN A FLAT AREA AND CAME TO A STOP FACING A TREE 4 FEET STRAIGHT AHEAD. A SECOND OR TWO LATER THE CAR THEN LEAPED FORWARD INTO THE TREE WITH ENGINE ROARING, CAR CONTINUED TO RACE AT HIGH RPMS WITH FRONT BUMPER WRAPPED AROUND TREE. THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP THE HIGH REVS WAS TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. I INJURED MY BACK. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4. FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW THERE HAS BEEN A SQUEAKING/CRUNCHING NOISE IN THE DASHBOARD THAT NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET RID OF. MY MECHANIC HAS PUT PACKING BEHIND MY RADIO AND IN THE VICINITY AND FOR THE FIRST DAY THE NOISE IS GONE BUT IT ALWAYS RETURNS. IT IS HORRIBLE IN THE WINTER IN THE MIDWEST WHEN EVERYTHING IS COLD AND STIFF BUT GETS A LITTLE MORE TOLERABLE WHEN ITS HOT AND HUMID. *TR