What 266 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

THIS RECALL AFFECTS THE REAR PASSENGER SAFETY BELTS IN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A POTENTIAL THE SEAT BELTS MAY BECOME CUT OR SEPARATED. I HAVE A FAMILY TO DRIVE AROUND SO I ASKED THAT TOYOTA PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE UNTIL THE ISSUE COULD BE RESOLVED. I CONTACTED BOTH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, BOTH DENIED MY REQUEST FOR A SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE TO PROTECT MY FAMILY. I ALSO HAVE AN INFANT AND MY INFANT CAN ONLY RIDE IN THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE RAV 4 IS A FOUR PASSENGER VEHICLE AND WE WERE ADVISED BY A CAR SEAT SPECIALIST NOT TO INSTALL THE CAR SEAT IN THE MIDDLE. WE WOULD LIKE A LOANER VEHICLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WE MAY SEEK LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST TOYOTA IN ORDER TO PROTECT MY FAMILY FROM THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE. NHTSA RECALL 16V-096

NHTSA ODI 10855621

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V096000 (SEAT BELTS) AND 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER). AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10854111

GOOD AFTERNOON SIR/MA'AM, I AM A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE AT DOVER AFB. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT MINE; HOWEVER, IT WAS ONE I HAD INTERACTION TODAY. AS I WALKED TO MY OWN VEHICLE I WAS SUMMONED TO A 2012-2013 TOYOTA RAV4 TO A DISTRESSED MOTHER. HER SON (APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS OLD) HAD SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PULL THE REAR PASSENGER SEATBELT (SHOULDER PIECE) ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE LOCKING POINT, GOT IT WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK, AND IT BEGAN CHOKING HIM. BY THE TIME I GOT THERE IT WAS SO TIGHT AND ALREADY UNBUCKLED BUT UNABLE TO BE FREED FROM HIS NECK. IT TOOK A MERE FEW SECONDS TO REALIZE IT WAS FURTHER LOCKING DESPITE HOLDING IT AND TRYING TO KEEP [XXX] STILL. I ASKED HIS MOTHER FOR A BOXCUTTER WHICH SHE HAD IN THE CENTER CONSOLE BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO CUT IT FROM HIM MYSELF AND SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY TOO DISTRAUGHT TO DO IT OR ASSIST ME. I SENT HER FOR HELP AND ANOTHER CO-WORKER HELPED ME BY CUTTING IT AS I HELD HIM. MY QUESTIONS IS THIS... AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT AND PEOPLE BEING WELL VERSED IN WAYS TO PREVENT. THIS WAS A VERY PREVENTATIVE MOTHER ALREADY, NOT SURE THERE WAS MUCH ELSE SHE COULD DO AND SIMPLY HAVING A BOX CUTTER IN THE CAR SEEM LUDICROUS. HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT ON MAKING A BUTTON FOR PARENTS TO PUSH TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THESE BELTS TO PREVENT THIS? THERE SHOULD BE A MANUAL RELEASE AND I JUST DO NOT KNOW THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN ONE. I AM TRYING TO DO PATIENT TEACHING AT MY POSITION AS WELL. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED TO PREVENT A TRAGEDY FROM OCCURRING. LUCKILY MY EXPERIENCE TURNED OUT HAPPY BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY FRIGHTENING. V/R [XXX] VIN UNAVAILABLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).?*JB

NHTSA ODI 10715371

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND UNLATCH PREVENTING HER FROM REMOVING THE CHILD PASSENGER SEATBELT. THE CONTACT MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE THE CHILD FROM THE BELT AND WAS UNABLE TOO. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE SEATBELT HAD TO BE CUT CAUSING SCRATCHES AND BURNS TO THE PASSENGER SINCE THE SEATBELT WOULD NOT LOOSEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO FURTHER INSPECT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,409.

NHTSA ODI 10693054

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN A CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS PLACED IN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WOULD BE COVERED ABNORMALLY AND COULD NOT BE UTILIZED BY THE REAR MIDDLE PASSENGER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 10651426

UNABLE TO SECURE DRIVER'S SIDE SAFETY BELT ON 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 PURCHASED NEW IN OCTOBER 2012. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10513835