2012 TOYOTA RAV4 Complaints

I WAS TRAVELLING NORTHBOUND ON I-85 IN THE CITY OF ATLANTA AT AROUND 55 MILES PER HOUR. A CAR FROM THE HOV LANE ABRUPTLY CHANGED LANES AT HIGH SPEED AND HIT ME ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS WAS A BIG IMPACT AND DUE TO THIS MY CAR SWERVED TO THE RIGHT LANE AND HIT ANOTHER MOVING TRUCK ON ITS DRIVERS SIDE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY CONCERN IS THAT, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE IMPACT THE AIR BAGS OF THE CAR SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND THEY DIDN'T. THIS I THINK IS A LAPSE IN THE SAFETY OF THE CAR AND IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON 10/17/2015 AROUND 7:30 AM ON I-85N IN THE CITY OF ATLANTA. I HAVE ATTACHED THE POLICE REPORT FOR REFERENCE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE SAME.

THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT THREE TIMES. WHEN I AM STOPPING THE CAR WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVS UP AND I HAVE TO REALLY EXERT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM LURCHING AHEAD. AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF BRAKING, THE ENGINE STOPS REVVING.

THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW WELL DRIVING. THE VISOR SEEMS TO BE DEFECTED OR POORLY MADE.

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKES, THE CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES: 3 TIMES GOING DOWN A BRIDGE, TWICE ON THE INTERSTATE, AND THE REST IS WHEN I'M GOING DOWN A HILL AND PUT MY BRAKES ON TO STOP. MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN WITH ME ON THREE OCCURANCE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. SO FAR I'VE BEEN LUCKY AND NOT HIT THE REAR OF ANOTHER CAR, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE.

WITHOUT CAUSE OR REASON, THE "BRAKE ACTUATOR" CIRCUIT MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE CRUISE CONTROL, ABS, ANTI-SKID AND SPORADIC TAIL LIGHT PROBLEMS (LIGHTS WILL STAY ON OR COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED). I BROUGHT IT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY, THE ROADS WERE SNOW COVERED AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION CAUSING THE CAR TO SKID INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, AFTER THE BODY WAS REPAIRED, THEY LOCATED THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT WOULD COST $2900 TO REPLACE. BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, THE WIRING CAUGHT FIRE, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE TAILLIGHTS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES DURING THE NIGHT, AS THEY OCCASIONALLY DID (WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION). THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHO ESTIMATES UPWARDS OF $10,000 FOR REPAIRS TO THE COMPUTER AND WIRING SYSTEM. THE TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER RECOMMENDS WE SELL THE $19,000 CAR FOR "WHOLESALE." INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGE AS IT WAS A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. TOYOTA CORP. IN CALIFORNIA, CONSUMER EXPERIENCES DEPARTMENT, WILL NOT GIVE ME ANY HELP AS THE CAR IS 21,000 OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. HOW OR WHERE CAN I GET A LAWYER OR CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO HELP ME?

NEW RAV4 PURCHASED 2/2013;BOUGHT EXTENDED PLATNUM WARRANTY. 5 SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION 2/14/2015-5/25/2015-HAD PASSENGER IN CAR EACH TIME.1ST- TRAVELING S I-79 WARRENDALE PA 60 MPH SPEED DROPS TO 50 MPH CAR IN FRONT HIT BRAKES TO SLOW I APPLIED MY BRAKES TO SLOW RAV4 STARTED TO ACCELERATE ENGINE STARTED TO REV LOUDLY PASSENGER SAID SHIFT TO NEUTRAL THEN I HIT BRAKE AGAIN TO SLOW. 2ND-LOCAL TRAFFIC 30 MPH APPLIED BRAKE TO SLOW INSTEAD CAR ACCELERATED PUT INTO NEUTRAL TO SLOW ENGINE REVVING. 3RD-DRIVING FROM OAKLAND-NORTH HILLS PA IN TRAFFIC 30 MPH HIT BRAKE TO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT INSTEAD RAV ACCELERATED ENGINE REVVING LOUDLY PUT IN NEUTRAL TO STOP. 4TH-TRAVELING 20 MPH AT LOCAL PARK 3/7/15 APPROACHING STOP SIGN CAR IN FRONT APPLIED BRAKES, HIT MY BRAKES & CAR ACCELERATED PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL ENGINE REVVING LOUDLY THEN APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP-DROVE DIRECTLY TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ADVISOR CHECKED FLOOR MATS STATED WERE PROPERLY PLACED. I MADE APPT AT DEALERSHIP ON 3/10. TOYOTA'S CONCLUSION-NOTHING WRONG STATED "POSSIBLE PEDAL MISAPPLICATION", SUGGESTED I BUY FLAT TOYOTA FLOOR MATS HAD WEATHERTECHS, I PURCHASED NEW DRIVER'S MAT & TOYOTA INSTALLED. 5TH-5/25/15 LEAVING GROCERY STORE 10 MPH WENT TO STOP BEFORE EXITING LOT RAV WOULD NOT STOP ENGINE LOUD THREW INTO NEUTRAL FINALLY STOPPED. 5/25/15 EMAILED CEO OF TOYOTA N AMERICA RECEIVED CALL BACK & MADE APPT FOR 5/29/15 TO HAVE RAV LOOKED OVER AGAIN AT DEALERSHIP FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION ISSUES. RECEIVED CALL BACK ON 5/29/15 FROM NICKI @ TOYOTA EXECUTIVE OFFICE-STATED THAT TOYOTA STANDS BY THEIR MARCH 2015 ASSESSMENT THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY RAV & IF I HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BY AAA, I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COSTS TO HAVE MY VEHICLE SERVICED AT DEALERSHIP, WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTIES. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 40+ YEAR & POSSIBLE PEDAL MISAPPLICATION 5 X'S IS A BUNCH OF BULL.

I WAS WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT ON NORRISTOWN ROAD TO CROSS BETHLEHEM PIKE IN SPRINGHOUSE, PA AT APPROXIMATELY 5 PM ON 5/22/15. I WAS FIRST IN LINE TO CROSS THE INTERSECTION IN THE DIRECTION OF PICKING UP 309 SOUTH IN ABOUT 1/2 MILE. I HAD BEEN WAITING AT THE LIGHT FOR A MINUTE OR TWO WHEN MY CAR SURGED FORWARD. I PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE BUT I WAS MOVING INTO THE INTERSECTION NONETHELESS. THERE WAS SPARSE TRAFFIC AND IT WAS SAFE FOR ME TO TURN RIGHT ONTO BETHLETHEM PIKE. ALMOST AS SOON AS I MADE THE TURN ONTO BETHLEHEM PIKE THE SURGE DISSIPATED AND THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE WHOLE INCIDENT TOOK ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO A MINUTE. IT WAS PROBABLY ILL-ADVISED, BUT I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION, HOME. UPON REACHING HOME AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENNED I HAD THE CAR TOWED THE NEXT MORNING (YESTERDAY) TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE CAR AT THIS MOMENT IS THERE AWAITING REPAIR, I HAD TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON THE FIRST LEG OF MY ERRAND ON THAT DAY (FRIDAY 5/22), I DROVE NORTH ON RT 309. I NOTICED THAT AT FREEWAY SPEED THE TACHOMETER WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 3000 RPM. I HAD DONE A LONG TRIP WITH THIS CAR THE PREVIOUS SUNDAY, 5/17, AND AT CRUISING SPEED THE TACHOMETER WAS IN THE VICINITY OF 2100 RPM.

THE DRIVERS SIDE SUNVISOR STARTED TO DROP DOWN AND WILL NOT STAY IN THE UP POSITION. WE (HUNBAND AND SONS) HAVE ALL HIT OUR HEADS ON THE ON THIS DANGLING SUNVISOR SEVERAL TIMES. THE FRAME OF THIS SUNVISOR IS VERY HARD AND IT ALMOST GAVE ME A HEADACHE. MY A THE DRIVES HEAD IS HIT HARD ENOUGH DURING A SUDDEN STOP THIS THING COULD KNOCK THE DRIVE OUT COLD. MY HUSBAND AND TWO SONS WHO ARE A LITTLE TALLER THAN I, THEY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME SEEING OUT OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BECAUSE THE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP OR BACK AGAINT THE WINDSHIELD. THE BROKEN BRACKETT IN THE SUNVISOR COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE RESEARCHED SUNVISORS ON THE TOYOTA VEHICLES AND FOUND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL UNANSWERED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUNVISORS.

GOOD AFTERNOON SIR/MA'AM, I AM A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE AT DOVER AFB. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT MINE; HOWEVER, IT WAS ONE I HAD INTERACTION TODAY. AS I WALKED TO MY OWN VEHICLE I WAS SUMMONED TO A 2012-2013 TOYOTA RAV4 TO A DISTRESSED MOTHER. HER SON (APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS OLD) HAD SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PULL THE REAR PASSENGER SEATBELT (SHOULDER PIECE) ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE LOCKING POINT, GOT IT WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK, AND IT BEGAN CHOKING HIM. BY THE TIME I GOT THERE IT WAS SO TIGHT AND ALREADY UNBUCKLED BUT UNABLE TO BE FREED FROM HIS NECK. IT TOOK A MERE FEW SECONDS TO REALIZE IT WAS FURTHER LOCKING DESPITE HOLDING IT AND TRYING TO KEEP [XXX] STILL. I ASKED HIS MOTHER FOR A BOXCUTTER WHICH SHE HAD IN THE CENTER CONSOLE BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO CUT IT FROM HIM MYSELF AND SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY TOO DISTRAUGHT TO DO IT OR ASSIST ME. I SENT HER FOR HELP AND ANOTHER CO-WORKER HELPED ME BY CUTTING IT AS I HELD HIM. MY QUESTIONS IS THIS... AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT AND PEOPLE BEING WELL VERSED IN WAYS TO PREVENT. THIS WAS A VERY PREVENTATIVE MOTHER ALREADY, NOT SURE THERE WAS MUCH ELSE SHE COULD DO AND SIMPLY HAVING A BOX CUTTER IN THE CAR SEEM LUDICROUS. HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT ON MAKING A BUTTON FOR PARENTS TO PUSH TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THESE BELTS TO PREVENT THIS? THERE SHOULD BE A MANUAL RELEASE AND I JUST DO NOT KNOW THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN ONE. I AM TRYING TO DO PATIENT TEACHING AT MY POSITION AS WELL. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED TO PREVENT A TRAGEDY FROM OCCURRING. LUCKILY MY EXPERIENCE TURNED OUT HAPPY BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY FRIGHTENING. V/R [XXX] VIN UNAVAILABLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).?*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AVS WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V054000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.