2002 Toyota Rav4 Wipers & Visibility Problems

DURING HEAVY RAIN STORM PASSENGER SIDE WIPER LINKAGE/MECHANISM BROKE. LUCKILY, THIS WAS WHILE THE BLADE WAS ON THE DOWN STROKE, OTHERWISE IT WOULD HAVE BROKEN OFF THE DRIVER'S SIDE BLADE. WAS TOLD ENTIRE MECHANISM HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT A COST OF ABOUT $450. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA IN NOVEMBER 2002. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE SALES PERSON TOLD ME THAT THE HEATING/AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE A POORLY DESIGNED, BUT I DID NOT THINK THAT A BIG OBSTACLE TO MY PURCHASE. I HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS TRYING TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATURE IN THE VEHICLE. IT WAS EITHER 65 DEGREES AND THE NEXT LEVEL DOWN WAS COLD. I WAS ALWAYS FLIPPING THE KNOB BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATURE. THIS WAS NOT A BIG SAFETY ISSUE UNLESS TAKING MY EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR THESE ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS. BUT I LIVE IN A SOMEWHAT COLD CLIMATE AND I HAVE HAD TROUBLE KEEPING THE WINDOWS DEFROSTED ON SOME DAYS PARTICULARLY IF THE HUMIDITY WAS HIGH. THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. I JUST TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE AIR CONDITIONER LIGHT WAS BLINKING. LOOKING AT A REPAIR BILL OF AROUND $1,600.00 FOR A NEW COMPRESSOR AND CLUTCH. OF COURSE, I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AS THIS WAS MY SIXTH TOYOTA ,AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS SUCH AS THIS IS THE PAST. SINCE I HAVE READ THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS I WOULD URGE SOMEONE TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF INABILITY TO SEE OUT THE FRONT WINDOW. *AK

BY ACCIDENT, I PUT MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW APPROX. 1/2 WAY DOWN . UNKNOWINGLY, I LEFT THE WINDOW DOWN. WHEN I REACHED AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40MILES PER HOUR, A VERY SEVERE NOISE AND VIBRATION OCCURRED. IT WAS SO SEVERE, I PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT A TIRE HAD BLOWN. THE VIBRATION AND NOISE IS VERY INTENSE. ONCE THE WINDOW IS UP, THE NOISE AND VIBRATION STOPS. IF A COMBINATION FRONT/REAR WINDOW DOWN HAPPENS, IT IS NOT AS NOTICABLE. I CALLED TOYOTA, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. FLAW OR NO, IT IS HORRIBLE. IT COULD BE TRAGIC IF A DRIVER UNAWARE PULLS OVER QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY FEAR A TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW.AT THE MINIMUM, I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD SEND OWNERS A LETTER DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM S THEY WILL NOT BE ALARMED. I WILL NOT PUT MY REAR WINDOWS DOWN, AND THAT IN ITSELF IS SAD TO SPEND 23 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A NEW VEHICLE AND BE LIMITED IN THAT RESPECT. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. LINDA JONES. *AK