Water Pump problems of the 2006 Toyota RAV4

12/22/2010 @ 44,169 miles the steering knocked when taking tight turns. The intermediate steering shaft was replaced. 9/16/2011 @ 50,131 miles the alternator bearings gave way and the water pump was seeping fluid. The alternator and water pump were replaced. 12/16/13 @ 63,336 miles the engine failed. The check engine light, vehicle stability light and 4wd lights came on and the dealer service department indicated that the head gasket had failed, the engine was leaking coolant and the SUV needed a new engine.

Driving on I-495 on my way to school at 70 mph, on cruise control, 2006 Rav4 started making noise, low oil sort of noise, and I started to pull over. No oil light, no check engine light, before I could even pull over to the side of the road the engine blew. Car was towed to dealership, where they replaced entire engine because of the damage. Cost of new engine and labor was around $9,000. Was told by the dealer that water pump failed, causing engine to overheat and blow piston 3 through the side wall, but as a amateur mechanic, I am 100% positive this is not what happened to the car. The vvt-I oil line ruptured on the highway, causing the engine to lose all oil and blow, but the dealership refused to agree and forced us to pay for the repairs out of pocket, rather than covering it because Toyota knew that it was a defective part, as it had been the cause for many TSB's, as well as many many dollars spent by consumers trying to replace all of these defected parts.

I brought my 2006 Rav4 to the Toyota dealership for two different recall notices including the suspension and airbag. Upon inspection, they notified me the water pump needed replacing and that the steering column brackets were loose. They said this is a common problem and tried to tell me that it is caused by normal wear & tear. My last vehicle I had for over 190,000 miles and never had this problem. Upon researching, this seems to be a common problem. I was told this problem needs to be fixed immediately as failure to fix it could result in loss of steering control. Previously I have brought the loud popping noise to various Toyota dealerships and have never been told of this issue in 9 years. This issue would not have been caught if is wasn't for the recall on the airbag. Anything that appears to be a "common" issue in a vehicle that can result in loss of steering is a serious safety issue and should be recalled and fixed by Toyota at no cost to the consumer. The cost is estimated at $600+ to repair.