2001 TOYOTA TOYOTA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WELDING ON THE SEAT FRAME OF THE MIDDLE ROW DETACHED AND CAUSED THE SEAT TO SWIVEL AND MOVE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND PERFORMED THE REPAIR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 109,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATES VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH HAS REPEATEDLY MALFUNCTIONED. HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CLUTCH TWICE WITHIN THREE YEARS. ALSO, CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO FURTHER CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK

AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN, DURING THIS ACCIDENT THERE WERE 3 DEATHS.

WITHIN ONE WEEK OF OWNERSHIP, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO BOG DOWN WHEN MAKING A TURN FROM A DEAD STOP. A DAY LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION AND THE REPLY WAS THAT; "WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG, WHEN WE FIND OUT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW...UNTIL THEN, BE CAREFUL" THAT WAS OVER A MONTH AGO AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM. I CALLED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY STILL DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT WAS WRONG. THE VEHICLE IS UNPREDICTABLE WHEN TAKING OFF AND HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE GENERAL ATTITUDE IS NONCHALANT AND NOBODY HAS MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY ME OF ANYTHING. FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP. ALL THE 2001 HIGHLANDERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

WITHIN ONE WEEK OF OWNERSHIP, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO BOG DOWN WHEN MAKING A TURN FROM A DEAD STOP. A DAY LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION AND THE REPLY WAS THAT; "WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG, WHEN WE FIND OUT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW...UNTIL THEN, BE CAREFUL" THAT WAS OVER A MONTH AGO AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM. I CALLED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY STILL DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT WAS WRONG. THE VEHICLE IS UNPREDICTABLE WHEN TAKING OFF AND HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE GENERAL ATTITUDE IS NONCHALANT AND NOBODY HAS MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY ME OF ANYTHING. FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP. ALL THE 2001 HIGHLANDERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

TIRE IS LOW-PROFILE DESIGN STANDARD ON PRIUS. EXPLOSIVE SEPARATION OCCURRED ON DRY ROADWAY WITHOUT DEBRIS. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78 DEGREES. THANK GOODNESS THAT THE TIRE WAS ON THE REAR. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO INITIATE A CONTROLLED STOP FROM THE NUMBER ONE LANE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. THE SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR QUARTER-PANEL, THE ALLOY RIM AND OF COURSE THE TIRE. BRIDGESTONE CUSTOMER CARE WAS CONTACTED AT 800-847-3272 AND I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD SEND A CLAIM PACKAGE WITHIN 5 DAYS. THERE IS NO REFERENCE NUMBER ASSIGNED. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS. SERIAL NUMBER FOR ALL 4 TIRES IS: CHA3700. IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS LOT OF TIRES IS ON ALL OF THE PRIUS VEHICLES SITTING AT THE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA STORAGE FACILITY. THE TIRE PRESSURE ON THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND ALL TIRES WERE INFLATED ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS. *AK (DOT NUMBER: EL9P TIRESIZE: P17565 R14)