2000 Toyota RAV4 WHEELS

2000 RAV4. THE WHEEL IS FAILING, DISINTEGRATING. SEVERAL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE WHEEL RIM, AND THE INNER PART OF THE WHEEL - THE SPOKES - IS SEPARATING FROM THE OUTER PART. THIS IS THE SECOND WHEEL TO FAIL ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH MAKES IT SURPRISING THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD OF OTHERS. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I REPORTED THE FIRST FAILURE, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, TO TOYOTA CANADA, AND WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER, WHO LISTENED POLITELY, AND OFFERED NOTHING MORE BY WAY OF HELP OR SOLUTION. I HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO REPORT THIS ONE

TOYOTA RAV4 2000, 210,000KM. THUMPING NOISE DEVELOPED IN VEHICLE. AFTER LONG SEARCH BY SERVICE SHOP AND BY FRIENDS, NOISE WAS TRACED TO REAR RIGHT WHEEL. INNER CORE OF WHEEL WAS SEPARATING FROM OUTER RIM. THREE BREAKS HAD OCCURRED AT THE WELDS. UNDETECTABLE WHILE ON VEHICLE HOIST. CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT IT DID NOT FAIL ON A HIGH SPEED TURN. REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA CANADA BY EMAIL. CONTACTED DEALER BY PHONE. SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS SMALL DEALERSHIP SAID HE HAD SEEN THE PROBLEM "TWO OR THREE TIMES" PREVIOUSLY. *NM

THE SPACE SAVER WHEEL IS MADE OF STEEL, AND THE VEHICLE WHEELS THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE ARE MADE OF ALLOY. THE SPARE SAVER WHEEL ONLY REQUIRES 3 LUGS:NUTS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WHEELS REQUIRE 5 LUGS:NUTS". CONSUMER FEELS THAT SPACE SAVER WHEEL WILL NOT BE AS SAFE AS THE WHEEL THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE MADE OF ALLOY, AND REQUIRES MORE LUGS:NUTS. *AK