Warning: Toyota Rav 4 became a missile launcher!
For over 15 years we have had the same kayaks & Thule J racks & carried these all over Atlantic Canada & Maine for the most part on Ford vechicles with no issues. Recently while travelling back from NS with our kayaks on the highway between Halifax & Truro, without warning, whistling or tapping; both Toyota installed crossbars snapped off, sending our kayaks which were still attached to the Thule racks & toyota crossbars tumbling down the highway! Fortunately it was 9 am on a Sunday morning & traffic was light for that highway. Luckily no one was injured or killed as a result!
Fast forward to our interactions with Fredericton Toyota & Toyota Canada who will take no responsibility based on an engineer's report that we should have had them tied in front & back as well. The problem here is there is no place to attach a rope or a strap or a hook unless it's the thin fibreglass front & back bumpers. Toyota promotes SUV's versatility with weekend activities like kayaking & biking; they actually have tv ads and printed ads that show Rav 4's with kayaks on them exactly the way we had ours attached. We are frustrated with their lack of responsibility from a consumer safety perspective and instead of using this as education etc. when they sell their product, they are choosing to play the blame game with us.
Anybody who has a Rav 4 with the cross bars & carry kayaks, PLEASE, go to your dealer & have them checked for any issues & maybe a place to tie them on to front & back.
If you are ever behind someone with kayaks on a Rav 4, with or without front & back tie downs.....KEEP YOUR DISTANCE BEHIND THEM BECAUSE THEY COULD LET GO AT ANY TIME!
IT SHOULD NOT BE INCUMBENT ON US TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE; however, we are disappointed & angry with Toyota's lack of concern for safety and their lack of action speaks volumes about the quality of their Consumer Safety. Therefore; we are trying to get this safety warning out there across the Country! read more