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2007 TOYOTA RAV4 — SUSPENSION

crash · 1120838 · 2014-10-16

Vehicle

Make
TOYOTA
Model
RAV4
Year
2007
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Corporation
Component
SUSPENSION
Miles at failure
62,422
Speed
45 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY, THE REAR TIE ROD (SUSPENSION ARM) ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF OUR RAV4 SUDDENLY FAILED, CAUSING THE CAR TO SWERVE WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASH INTO A CONCRETE DIVIDER. AFTER THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, THE AFFECTED WHEEL WAS FOUND TO BE TILTED ON AN ANGLE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A MECHANICAL PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE RAV4 HAD 62,422 MILES AT THE TIME. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 24, 2011 - PRIOR TO THE RELATED RECALLS 12V373000 (C0J) AND 13V383000 (CSJ). I WROTE TO TOYOTA EXECUTIVES IN JANUARY 2012. MY LETTER DESCRIBED OUR INCIDENT, AND I INCLUDED THREE SIMILAR REPORTS FROM OTHER DRIVERS FROM THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND AN INTERNET SEARCH. I WAS PUT IN CONTACT WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM TOYOTA EXECUTIVE OFFICES. I MAILED THE FAILED PART TO TOYOTA U.S.A. HEADQUARTERS IN FEBRUARY 2012 AFTER TAKING PHOTOS TO DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM. CORROSION WAS HIDDEN WITHIN THE TUBE OF THE SUSPENSION ARM. THE THREADS ON THE TIE ROD END HAD CORRODED, SO ONE PIECE COULD BE PULLED STRAIGHT OUT FROM THE OTHER PART WITHOUT HAVING TO UNSCREW IT. THE LOWER PART OF THE BOLT OR TIE ROD END WAS ALSO FRACTURED DUE TO THE CORROSION. AFTER FOLLOWING UP WITH TOYOTA EXECUTIVE OFFICES, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS ISSUE WAS ALREADY KNOWN TO THEM, AND RESULTED FROM IMPROPER TORQUE APPLIED DURING A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. MY CAR PREVIOUSLY HAD A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AT AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER. TOYOTA OFFICIALLY STARTED THE RECALL PROCESS WITH THE NHTSA ABOUT A HALF YEA

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10645047
Machine
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