2009 Toyota RAV4 Suspension

My son was looking to get his new tires aligned, and was informed by the mechanic that he would need to replace both side rear lower control arms, as Toyota had performed a safety recall GOV, resulting in the arms being epoxied, and therefore cannot be adjusted/ aligned. I contacted Toyota customer experience center (800 331 4331 - 1/16/2024) and she could not even call up the original recall. My question is: How can Toyota permanently remove a vehicle feature (adjustability of the suspension arms), and then require car owners to bear the brunt of re-installing the arms when you need to align your tires? This "solution" is totally unfair. I just purchased a new set of tires, and based on Toyota's "solution" I need to pay out of pocket to replace the control bars and/or damage my tires and have to replace them early. I was not able to find any other information on this issue on the web, and was wondering if Toyota had done anything to address this issue?

The rear lower suspension arms recall notice solution was replacement of arms if needed and than sealed with epoxy. Labels were applied stating the arm is no longer adjustable. The vehicle no longer can routinely get a wheel alignment at a market expense. The Toyota company suggests for further alignments go to a Toyota dealership and have a alignment done for 900.00 dollars every time you need a alignment. This is not a safe solution. This only makes owners go to their dealerships and give them thousands of more dollars for taking away a routine adjustable maintenance capability with this permanent one time fix.

MY PROBLEM IS UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD A RECALL (16V596000) FOR MY REAR SUSPENSION ARMS WAS AVAILABLE AND I NEEDED TO HAVE IT DONE AS THE BACK END NUTS COULDN'T BE ADJUSTED. I CALLED A DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS TAKEN CARE OF 3 YEARS AGO, YET THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS.

THE REAR SUSPENSION ARM BOLTS ON MY RAV 4 RUSTED OUT AND FAILED. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACED AS PART OF A RECALL, BUT THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO DO THAT. BECAUSE THE BOLTS FAILED, I AM BEING ASKED TO PAY FOR NEW REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS AND AN ALIGNMENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH, A LOUD WOBBLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO SHOOK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL A TOYOTA DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TEJAS TOYOTA (19011 US-59, HUMBLE, TX 77338, (281) 446-0271) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT RELATED TO A RECALL; HOWEVER, THE SUSPENSION ARM WAS LOOSE ALONG WITH THE BOLTS. THE REAR SUSPENSION ARMS WERE REPLACED, AN ALIGNMENT WAS COMPLETED, AND THE ARMS WERE LOCKED WITH EPOXY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V383000 (SUSPENSION) ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2015. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. *TT *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000 (SUSPENSION). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE LOCAL DEALER (RODLAND TOYOTA EVERETT, 6816 EVERGREEN WAY, EVERETT, WA, 98203) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS INCOMPLETE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (TOYOTA OF MANHATTAN IN NEW YORK, NY) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS NOT PERFORMED DUE TO A FAILURE WITH THE SUSPENSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,700.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000(SUSPENSION) WAS RECEIVED IN AUGUST OF 2016. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER (ED MORSE TOYOTA, LOCATED IN DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA) ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000 (SUSPENSION). THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

HERITAGE TOYOTA S.BURLINGTON VT REPAIR JOB FIND AFTER DID A COMPREHENSIVE ALIGNMENT IN WHICH VEHICLE OUT OF ALIGNMENT THEN PUT TWO NONE ADJUSTING REAR TIE RODS ON MY RAV4 AND SAYING IT IS OK, WILL NOT FIX PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000 (SUSPENSION) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

CAR HAS BEEN MAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEEL AREA WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING, TOOK IT BACK TO WHERE PURCHASED, PLANET TOYOTA IN MATTESON, ILL, WAS TOLD THE RIGHT STRUT WAS DAMAGED AND BINDED, ALSO CUP WAS DAMAGED ON BOTH STRUTS, I FIND THIS ODD SEEING AS HOW THE CAR ONLY HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT. WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH BY THE WAY, DOES NOT COVER IT.

I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT MY LEFT REAR SUSPENSION IS NOT RIGHT IT IS OFF AND CAN CAUSE HARM. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA DEALERS THAT THEY FIXED IT, I CANNOT GET MY CAR AN ALIGNMENT IN THE REAR DUE TO THIS.

IN 2013, TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ON THE REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS. THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN AND HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE ON 7/19/14. ONE ARM WAS REPLACED, AND ONE WAS COATED WITH AN EPOXY COATING. THE CAR BEGAN PULLING TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING AND WAS TAKEN TO FIRESTONE FOR AN ALIGNMENT, AT WHICH WE WERE TOLD THAT THE REAR TOE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER. THE RECALL WORK DONE IN JULY 2014 INVOLVED APPLYING AN EPOXY THAT MADE THIS PART NO LONGER ADJUSTABLE. ON 2/25/17, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE TOYOTA DEALER, WHICH FAILED AN ALIGNMENT CHECK AT THE REAR TOE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY COULD NO LONGER PERFORM A REAR ALIGNMENT DUE TO THIS RECALL "FIX" THAT PERMANENTLY SEALED IT INTO ONE PLACE. WE WERE TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR BACK INTO ALIGNMENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE REAR TOE BAR FOR A COST OF 600 DOLLARS. WE CONTACTED THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND WERE OFFERED A 10% DISCOUNT TO GET THE WORK DONE. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED WITH AN ADJUSTABLE REAR TIE ROD, AND TOYOTA'S SOLUTION TO AN ENGINEERING FLAW IS TO MAKE THE REAR TIE ROD NO LONGER ADJUSTABLE, THUS COSTING THE CONSUMER HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX A SIMPLE ALIGNMENT ISSUE. IT IS NOT FEASIBLE OR FAIR TO EXPECT THE CONSUMER TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE, WHEN TOYOTA CREATED THE ISSUE WITH THEIR "FIX" INSTEAD OF CREATING A REPLACEMENT REAR TOE THAT IS ADJUSTABLE LIKE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED WITH WHEN I PURCHASED IT. THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME AND MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER AND THERE WAS NO ESTIMATED TIME FRAME FOR THEIR AVAILABILITY. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TWICE AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE TIE RODS TWICE AND IT WON'T STAY IN ALIGNMENT. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES TO SCHEDULE IT TO BE FIXED AND CALLED CORPORATE AND THEY WON'T DO MUCH AND IT WON'T STAY IN ALIGNMENT AND THEY WON'T FIX IT RIGHT. THE CAR IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE WITH IT BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND NO OTHER MECHANIC WILL TOUCH IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A STICKER SAYING IT CAN ONLY BE ADJUSTED BY TOYOTA BECAUSE THEY GLUE THE TIE RODS IN PLACE. TOYOTA SAID IF WE HAVE REPLACED BY AN OUTSIDE SOURCE BECAUSE THE DEALER WON'T CALL US BACK THEY WILL NOT HELP COVER IT. THEY WON'T ALLOW US TO GO TO ANOTHER DEALER AS WELL.

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUE WITH THE RV4, ALL RELATED TO THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE RECAL FOR TOYOA WITH PART OF THE SUSPENSION LEAKSUNBOLTED FROM THE CAR WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT UP IN TO THE WHEEL WELL. ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SLOW SPEED DID I NOT GET IN TO AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. AT 65K MILES, I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN TO THE SHOP. BOTH REAR LINKAGES TO THE ANTI-SWAY BAR WERE BROKEN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AGAIN ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION.

REAR SUSPENSION ARMS WERE REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL. IT WAS FOUND A YEAR LATER, THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT. DURING THIS TIME, THE HANDLING OF THE CAR ON TURNS AND IN WET WEATHER WERE IMPAIRED. ALSO, THE TIRES WORE UNEVENLY AND WERE BALD ON THE INSIDE. I FOUND OUT, THAT THE RECALL FIX REPLACED THE ORIGINAL ADJUSTABLE ARMS WITH NON-ADJUSTABLE ARMS AND THE CAR COULD NOT BE ALIGNED. TOYOTA WANTED $830 TO REPLACE THE ARMS AGAIN IN ORDER TO ALIGN IT. THIS WOULD MEAN EVERY TIME THE CAR NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT OF THE REAR WHEELS, NEW REAR ARMS WOULD HAVE TO BE PURCHASED. THAT CAR HAS BEEN ALTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN TO THE ADVANTAGE OF TOYOTA. ..UPDATED 03/10/16 *BF

DRIVING IN TO WORK IN THE MORNING, SPEED WAS 25 MPH ON A SUBURBAN ROAD, SOUTH STREET IN TEWKSBURY MA, AS I WENT OVER ROUGH AREA IN THE ROAD, I HEARD A THUMP FROM UNDER THE CAR. I PULLED OVER AND FOUND THE RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION STRUTS LET GO. I PULLED IN TO A PARKING LOT TO EXAMINE WHAT HAPPENED. PART OF THE STRUT WAS HANGING DOWN SCRAPING ON THE GROUND. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS SKEWED IN THE WHEEL WELL RUBBING ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL. THE STRUT HAS AN EYE WITH A BUSHING IN IT, WHERE A BOLT IS USED TO BOLT IT TO THE CAR'S MAIN FRAME, THE BOLT WAS MISSING ALLOWING THE SUSPENSION TO FALL APART. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD IT IN TWICE AT THE DEALERSHIP, ONCE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, A SECOND TIME TO ENSURE IT WAS OK. A MONTH AGO IT WAS TAKEN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION, ALL DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. CAR HAS BEEN TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE "BOLT" LET GO, APPARENTLY THE ONE HOLDING THE STRUT TO THE MAIN FRAME OF THE CAR. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE WHEEL CANNOT BE HELD IN PLACE AND RIDES UP IN TO THE WHEEL WELL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V383000(SUSPENSION) WAS RECEIVED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

SAFETY RECALL ISSUED MAY 1, 2014 BY TOYOTA FOR REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS (NO. 1). I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER TOYOTA DARCARS ON CHERRY HILL ROAD IN SILVER SPRING, MD 301 622 0300 ON MAY 5, JUNE 6, AUGUST 4 AND SEPT 29, 2014 IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE RECALL COMPLETED. EACH TIME I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AND I WILL BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST FOR SERVICE ONCE AVAILABLE. I GET THE SAME ANSWER ON EVERY CALL AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE TWICE AND THEY AS OF TODAY TRANSFERRED ME TO TOYOTA CORPORATE TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT. CORPORATE ADVISED THAT THE PARTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. AFTER FIVE MONTHS AND FOLLOW UP NOTICES FROM CORPORATE REMINDING ME THAT I HAD NOT COMPLETED THE SERVICE WORK WHEN THEY CAN'T EVEN GET ME IN TO HAVE REPAIRS COMPLETED IS ABSURD AND POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. NEED FOCUS ON THIS TO CORRECT PARTS SHORTAGE. *TR

URGENT SAFETY RECALL ISSUED (NO DATE) BY TOYOTA FOR REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS (NO. 1). "IMPORTANT RECALL FOLLOW-UP NOTICE" I RECEIVED TODAY VIA USPS, OCTOBER 9TH, 2014. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, [XXX] IN DUBUQUE, IOWA TODAY, AND ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS (OVER THE PAST YEAR) TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED, AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE RECALL COMPLETED. EACH TIME I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY PART AND I WOULD BE CALLED WHEN AVAILABLE. TODAY I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE ONLY RECEIVING 5 PARTS PER WEEK WHEN THEY NEED 300 PARTS. I HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE NOTICES FROM TOYOTA TO HAVE THIS PART REPAIRED, YET AFTER A YEAR HAS PASSED, TOYOTA CONTINUES TO SEND URGENT NOTIFICATIONS, YET CANNOT SUPPLY ENOUGH PARTS TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V383000 (SUSPENSION). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WOULD ARRIVE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS TAKING TOO LONG TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V383000 (SUSPENSION). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WOULD BE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF JULY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DELAY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V383000 (SUSPENSION) AND STATED THAT THE DEALER INDICATED MORE THAN TWICE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE SOLUTION TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT FOR MONTHS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE A REASONABLE DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THERE ARE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME.