NHTSA Complaint #10014289 — 2003 TOYOTA AVALON

ON 4/01/03, I LEASED A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON XL FROM PRESTIGE TOYOTA OF RAMSEY, N.J. BY THE TIME I SIGNED ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CAR, IT HAD BECOME DARK OUTSIDE. THE DISPLAY OF GEAR POSITIONS (P, R, N, D, 2, L) WHICH WAS OBVIOUS IN DAYLIGHT, WAS NOW IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO DISTINGUISH. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HOME, MY EYES WERE STRAINED FROM TRYING TO READ THE LETTERS, THUS CREATING A HAZARDOUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE. FROM DUSK TO DAWN, IT IS UNNERVING TO SEARCH FOR LETTERS ON THE DASH BOARD PANEL. WHILE ALL OTHER INDICATORS ARE ILLUMINATED, THE GEAR POSITION PANEL IS NOT. THE LETTERS ARE OF A LIGHT WHITE COLOR AND ARE ENCLOSED WITHIN A THIN-LINED GREEN NEON SQUARE WHICH BLURS THE LETTERS EVEN MORE. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY TO VOICE MY CONCERN AND REQUEST AN EXCHANGE FOR A SAFER VEHICLE, BUT I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION, THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT. I HAVE MADE PHONE CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP, TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS (#200304030875)(TEL.# 800-331-4331), MY LEASE COMPANY (SOUTHTRUST BANK) AND STATE SENATOR TOM MORAHAN, AS WELL AS A VISIT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AT CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN WHITE PLAINS, NY, ALL TO NO AVAIL. PLEASE CONSIDER MY REQUEST AND COMPLAINT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *JB