2002 Toyota RAV4: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Mar 28, 2017 · Airbags · 33,000 miles · WV · crash · fire · 1 injury

Takata recall! March 28, 2017 [xxx] [xxx] telephone: [xxx] email: [xxx] my airbags failed to deploy! Dear sir: I would like to say that in june 2015 was driving my 2002 toyota rav4 SUV and I hit by another vehicle that had run a stop sign and the driver veered into my lane and hit me. I was stuck in my vehicle because the impact of the collision had pushed the front of my vehicle back and the front doors would not open and people standing around said that the car was on fire. When the police came, the fire department and the ambulance personnel tried to pry open the front doors and finally after the fire was put out the fire I was able to get out of the car. The air bags on my 2002 toyota rav4 SUV failed to deploy and I suffered injuries to my head, neck, chest, stomach and left hand. All of the people from the police department, fire department, and the ambulance personnel all asked the same question: why did your airbags fail to deploy. I told them that I did not know. My 2002 toyota rav4 SUV was totaled and I ended up in the hospital for several injuries. The vehicle that hit me was driven by a lady who was talking on her cell phone and did not see the red stop light until it was too late and she rammed into me going 45 MPH. The vehicle that hit my vehicle, all of their airbags deployed and the lady driving had no injuries. I am still receiving care for my injuries. My vehicle was totaled. My chest hit the steering wheel with such force that it left the imprint of the toyota emblem on my chest (this is where the driver's airbag is supposed to deploy from). I sustained injuries to my head, neck, and left hand and to my stomach area. Please advise thank you. [xxx] *dl information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).'

Filed Dec 9, 2016 · Airbags · 33,000 miles · WV · crash · fire · 2 injuries

Takata recall: me and my wife were involved in a car accident in june, 2015. A lady talking on her cell phone lost control of her SUV and hit my toyota rav4 SUV head-on. None of the airbags in my vehicle deployed. As a result, I sustained several injuries to my head, neck, right knee and left arm and hand. The impact was so hard that the front of my vehicle was pushed backward which blocked the two front doors from opening. My vehicle was on fire and someone called the police, the fired department, and an ambulance. The fire department put the fire out in my vehicle and had to pry the two front doors open to get me and my wife out of my vehicle. Everyone that came to my rescue, the fire department, the police, and the ambulance personnel all asked the same question, why did your airbags work. I told them that I did not know. Every one of the rescue people said that I probably had takata airbags which had failed to deploy because due to the temperature changes in west virginia are either very hot or very cold. If the airbags would have worked in my toyota rav4 SUV. Then my wife and I would not have been injured. As the result of the wreck, my toyota rav4 sub was totaled. The airbags in the other SUV that hit us head on deployed like they were supposed to and protected the lady driving her SUV. I would like for your agency to find out why my takata airbags did not deploy. I am very certain that there a lot of other toyota rav4 suvs on the road that have defective takata airbags. I was driving on a city street, going the speed limit of 40 MPH and the lady who hit us head on was driving much faster. The impact was like hitting a stone wall. Please advise. Thank you.

Filed Oct 21, 2016 · Airbags · 33,000 miles · WV · crash · fire · 2 injuries

Takata recall. I was driving my toyota rav4 SUV in june and I was hit head-on by a lady talking on her cell phone. None of the airbags in my 2002 toyota rav4 deployed which caused me to be injured. My head hit the windshield, my knee hit something which cut it, my chest hit the steering column where one of the air bags should have deployed and I had two damaged ribs and also I had internal injuries along with damage to my left hand. My wife and I were wearing our seatbelts and my wife only incurred bruises to her right arm. We could not get out of my vehicle because the impact had pushed the front of my toyota rav4 SUV back which blocked my front doors. My vehicle was on fire and we could not get out. Someone called the fires department, ambulance, and a wrecker. The firemen had to force the front doors open to get us out. The police, the firemen, and the ambulance personnel asked why my airbags did not deploy and I told that I do not know. They said that I probably had defective takata airbags in my vehicle. My vehicle was totaled and I spent time in the hospital and I have not fully recovered yet. I would like to know if the federal safety agency has inspected toyota rav4 suvs for defective airbags that have failed to deploy during a head-on collision. My toyota rav4 SUV had only 33,000 miles on it and it was in mint condition. I think that the federal safety agency should go back and inspect earlier models of toyota rav4 suvs for defective air bags. My wife and I could have been killed because of the failure of the takata airbags failing to deploy. We were driving on a highway and I was going 45 miles per hour. Everyone that knows about my accident has said that I had defective takata airbags in my 2002 toyota rav4 SUV. Please for my sake and for the sake of other people who own and drive a 2002 toyota rav4 SUV please check into why my airbags failed. *tr ...updated 03/29/17 *bf updated 9/5/18

Filed Jun 1, 2016 · Airbags, Engine · 33,000 miles · WV · crash · fire · 6 injuries

I was driving my toyota and my wife was a passenger. All of a sudden, a lady ran a stop sign and swerved and hit us head-on. We could not get out of my vehicle, the doors were jammed and the vehicle was on fire. The fire dept. And police came and quickly put the fire out and pried the front doors open. None of the airbags in my vehicle deployed. I incurred severe injuries to my head, chest, neck and left arm. My toyota was totaled and the other driver was cited for the wreck. I have been in and out of the hospital several times since the wreck happened and if my airbags would have deployed, I might not have been so severely injured. My toyota was totaled and the other driver was cited for the wreck. I would like to know why none of the airbags deployed in my vehicle. I probably have takata airbags in my 2002 toyota rav4 which did not work.

Filed Jul 19, 2015 · Airbags · 43,000 miles · WV · crash · fire · 2 injuries

I was driving my 2002 toyota rav4. Suv on june 26, 2015. A lady talking on her cell phone went through a stop sign and hit my car head on. Me and my passenger sustained several injuries. My vehicle caught on fire and we could not get out of the car (the doors were jambed) finally with some help we were able to get out of my vehicle. I hurt my head, chest, stomach, right leg cut, right knee joint damaged and left arm and hand seriously injured. Everyone ( the police, firemen, witnesses,wrecker truck people and the toyota garage that my vehicle was taken to wanted to know why my airbags did not deploy when the vehicle hit me. The ladies air bags did deploy and she was not injured. However, my airbags did not deploy which caused me to seriously injured. I am still receiving medical treatment for my injuries and my vehicle was totaled. Even the mechanics at the toyota collision center where my vehicle was towed to said that my air bags should have deployed and because they failed to deploy allowed me to be seriously injured. I would like for you agency to perform an investigation on why my airbags failed to deploy which caused me to be injured. If the airbags failed to deploy in my toyota rav4 SUV then I am sure that there other toyota rav4-SUV's with defective airbags. Please advise. Thank you.

Filed Nov 30, 2006 · Electrical, Engine · 63,000 miles · NM · fire

November 17, 2006 - after being parked in my driveway for approximately 30 minutes the engine caught on fire. The rav4 engine compartment and entire interior was demolished, tires exploded, glass exploded over at least a 20 foot radius. Two engine trucks and 10 responders later the fire was out. 63,000 miles, no prior problems, 50k maintenance completed by dealer jan 2006. Vin has zeros and letter o which are indistinguishable. Try both.

Filed Mar 21, 2005 · Electrical · 27,000 miles · MD · fire

I had driven about 3 miles then got stuck in a traffic jam. At that time, I could smell something burning but I thought it was the car in front of me. Finally, I got off that road and drove another 10 miles but I again noticed the burning smell. I checked the panel and the car was not running hot. Next, a small curl of smoke came from under hood on passenger side. Then suddenly smoke began billowing from under the hood and into the car through the vent. I lost steering and braking. I removed the key from the ignition, but the car continued moving forward. Then the car abruptly stopped. Flames engulfed the engine. The fire department came out and extinguished the fire but the car was totaled.

Filed Apr 25, 2002 · Electrical · NE · fire

Engine compartment caught on fire right after consumer parked vehicle. Contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything.