I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER BECAUSE OF ANNOYING RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT, AND WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE DEFECTIVE STEERING RACK MADE NOISE AND IT SHOULD BE REPLACED (ESTIMATED COST OF $1,984 INCLUDING PART AND LABOR COSTS), OTHERWISE THE VEHICLE COULD BREAK DOWN. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE (OCCURRING IN PARTICULAR TO THOSE RAV4 2006-2008 PRODUCED IN SHOKKI, JAPAN) AND TOYOTA OFFERED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING RACK IF A VEHICLE IS UNDER THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. TOYOTA HAS DOCUMENTED THIS ISSUE--REFER TO T-SB-0308-08, OCTOBER 8, 2008. APPARENTLY MY RAV4 IS OVER 6 YEARS OLD (BUT ONLY RAN 31,400 MILES) AND NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I TALKED TO TOYOTA NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THE ISSUE AND TOYOTA DECLINED TO REPAIR THE PART AT THEIR COST. I DEMAND THAT NHTSA/DOT TAKE AN ACTION TO INVESTIGATE THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE SO AS TO PREVENT RAV4 DRIVERS FROM FACING FATAL ACCIDENTS ON THE ROAD. *TR
2011
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CAUSED HIM TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR ERRONEOUSLY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A WORK BENCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT NO CAUSE FOR FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DISPATCHED AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ENGINEER DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PEDAL WOULD ONLY BECOME SLIPPERY IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000.