2022 Toyota RAV4

I am submitting this complaint to report a known and widespread safety defect involving the door lock actuators on my Toyota RAV4. My vehicle’s door actuators have failed at approximately 39,000 miles, just outside the 3‑year/36,000‑mile warranty. This failure prevents the doors from locking and unlocking properly, which poses a significant safety hazard while driving, especially in emergency situations. When I brought the issue to Beechmont Toyota, the dealership refused to repair the defect under goodwill or warranty consideration. I spoke with Stacy Meyer, Assistant Service Manager [XXX] ), who stated that the refusal was directed by Rodney Wetenkamp, Service Director. Despite the well‑documented nature of this defect, the dealership declined to assist in any way. This is not an isolated incident. There is an active class action lawsuit in Texas regarding defective Toyota RAV4 door lock actuators, demonstrating that Toyota is aware of the widespread nature of this problem. Source: Toyota Facing Class Action Lawsuit Over Allegedly Defective Door Lock Actuators I also contacted the Toyota Brand Engagement Center, which opened Case #260508001469. Toyota advised me to work through the dealership, stating that the dealer should escalate the issue through their internal channels. However, the dealership refused to do so, leaving me without support despite this being a manufacturer‑related defect. Door lock actuator failure is a serious safety issue. When the locks fail: Doors may not lock while driving, exposing occupants to risk Doors may not unlock in an emergency Children and passengers may be unable to exit the vehicle quickly The vehicle becomes vulnerable to theft and unauthorized entry Given the known defect, Toyota’s awareness of the issue, and the dealership’s refusal to escalate or repair the problem, I believe this represents a failure of manufacturer responsibility and a potential violation of safety standards. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5