2004 Toyota RAV4

I WOULD LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO TOYOTA'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PROVIDE EQUIVALENT RENTAL VEHICLES FOR CUSTOMERS WHOSE VEHICLES ARE DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE DURING THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALLS. A CUSTOMER CANNOT BE REASONABLY EXPECTED TO MEET THE SAME NEEDS A RAV4 SERVES (IN MY CASE, DOG TRANSPORT) WITH A COROLLA OR SIMILAR SEDAN RENTAL. TOYOTA CORPORATE "RULES" CITED TO THWART THE DELIVERY OF EQUIVALENT RENTAL VEHICLES ARE NUMEROUS (REFUSAL TO PROVIDE LOT VEHICLES, LOANER VEHICLES, VEHICLES OF ANOTHER MAKE, VEHICLES FROM NON-PREFERRED RENTAL AGENCIES, VEHICLES THAT COST MORE THAN $35/DAY TO RENT, OR VEHICLES RENTED DIRECTLY BY CUSTOMERS). FURTHER, DEALERS AND MANUFACTURER CONTINUALLY ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY TO EACH OTHER IN WHAT SEEMS A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO DODGE RESPONSIBILITY ALTOGETHER BY EXHAUSTING THE CUSTOMER WITH AN ENDLESS RUNAROUND, LEAVING THE CUSTOMER LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE A SEVERELY DANGEROUS VEHICLE UNTIL A FIX IS IN PLACE (WHICH IN TOYOTA'S CASE IS SAID TO BE MONTHS AWAY). THIS VIOLATES THE VERY PURPOSE OF THE RECALL, WHICH IS TO KEEP CONSUMERS SAFE. THIS MY REPORT FROM THE FRONT LINES OF THIS RECALL, AND I WANT TO ALERT YOU THAT THIS COMPONENT OF THE REMEDY IS FAILING, FAILING SPECTACULARLY, AND AS SUCH IS PUTTING US CITIZENS AT GREATER RISK OF INJURY AND DEATH. I APPRECIATE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION YOU CAN APPLY.

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.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SLID FORWARD AND PROCEEDED TO CRASH OVER A CURB AND INTO A POLE. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH, SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING AND PAIN TO THE LOWER BACK. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND WAS LATER DISCHARGED WITH NO MAJOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER ADVISED THAT THE CRASH DID NOT OCCUR IN BETWEEN BOTH DOORS SO THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENGINEER STATED THAT THE FRONT BUMPER PUSHED THE ENGINE BACK AND FRACTURED THE TRANSMISSION LINES, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD. AS A RESULT, THE FAILURE RESULTED IN A FIRE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO MELT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ANOTHER A VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. IT WAS BADLY DAMAGED, AND SO WAS THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT HAD THE SEAT BELT ON . THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE CONTACT HAD PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK

DURING A HEAD ON COLLISION INVOLVING THE PASSENGER FRONT ENDS OF BOTH VEHICLES TWO OF THREE SEATBELTS DID NOT ENGAGE, CAUSING TWO PASSENGERS TO COLLIDE WITH THE DASHBOARD AND THE REAR OF THE FRONT SEAT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AS WELL. THE RAV 4 WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH, THE OTHER VECHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40-45 MPH.*AK