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Toyota RAV4 side airbags blew up in my face with NO impact to car!
As bizarre as this may sound, it happened (on 3/31/08). My Rav4 has no impact damage anywhere, and now sits at my local Toyota dealership with airbags hanging down while I DRIVE A RENTAL CAR AT MY OWN EXPENSE. Both side airbags went off by themselves on a smooth, straight road, and with a huge bang that knocked me sideways when thay deployed. I nearly lost control but managed to get the car stopped, but I was extremely frightened, to the extent I won't drive this car again. I now have a hearing loss in my left ear,possibly the right too. My E,N & T specialist says that inner ear damage is typical with airbag deployment. I've had numerous discussions with my Toyota " customer service representative" (named Havon Finney) who tells me my claim has now been forwarded to the Toyota claims Dept. in Torrance, CA. Havon tells me it's Toyota's "policy" that they have either 30/60 days to respond to my claim. (Whoopee) So far, after a number of complaints including one to a Toyota inspector who photo'd my car, I've got no answers as to why my airbags deployed on their own and what, even is the status of my case. I'm totally puzzled as to why Toyota is not tearing my '07 Rav4 apart to find a cause for this dangerous condition, and finding out how many more Toyota cars like mine are out there. I bought my Rav4 because of it's safety ratings. And I thought Toyota was a stand-up up corporation. I could've been killed on any other kind of road. Toyota case #200804010880. I'll be taking my case to all sorts of media .
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Has anyone else ever experienced this?
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I have an 06' Rav that I've already complained about on this forum about - but this is now "scary". Toyota better wake up - the one I own is probably the last Toyota I own for a long long time. The only reason to buy a Toyota and they are losing that mantle to Honda quickly.
Best of luck and keep us informed please!
www.autosafety.org
A private organization dedicated to auto safety.
www.safercars.gov
The Federal Government's NHTSA web site
You can file a complaint at either site but I'm not sure how responsive these organizations might be. If they get enough similar complaints they may do something.
If you've had a hearing problem as a result of the airbag deployment, contact a good law firm. You should be recompensed.
I wrote a letter describing my RAV4 airbag defect to Mr. Yukitoshi Funo, CEO of Toyota N. America in New York with copies to the director of the Toyota human resources dept. and the Toyota legal dept. in Torrance, CA. I did then receive some calls from a representative of the legal dept. in Torrance, offering to buy back my car. Seemed like progress. After more return calls I made to work out the details, and with calls to Mr. Funo, and others, I again have had no response from Toyota for the last two weeks. It is now a full three months since this frightfully defective product nearly killed me, yet I still :lemon: have no satisfactory response from Toyota, just more shameful corporate behavior.
After 3 months of wrangling, I've finally reached a settlement with the Toyota Legal Dept. (on my own). It's not quite finalized, but we do have an agrement I can live with. Since it's not finalized, I can't review any other details. I've appreciated your support.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
P.S. Look for a local Suburu dealership and tell them you want to contact the Zone manager. I didn;t buy my car locally either, but the local dealership was helpful at times. I asked their repair manager, " would YOU drive this car again if it was yours?" Reply: "uhhhh......No".
Has anyone made any progress with legal representation? I need some suggestions as I am out transportation and spending a lot on rental cars.
Anyone out there have experience treating with Toyota for warrenty service on a major safety issue such as airbags?