NHTSA Complaint #10183040 — 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA

WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON US75 IN FLORIDA THE LEATHER COVER (KNOWN AS TONNEAU OR BOOT) THAT COVERS THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WHEN IT IS IN THE DOWN POSITION JUST FLEW OFF THE CAR. I WATCHED IT GO UNDER A TRACTOR TRAILER AND THE CAR BEHIND THE TRAILER HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID IT ALMOST CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I GOT OFF THE NEXT EXIT AND WENT BACK TO RECOVER IT BUT IT WAS GONE. IT MAY HAVE BEEN DRAGGED AWAY UNDER A TRACTOR TRAILER. PRIOR TO THIS I INSPECTED THE COVER ATTACHMENT EACH TIME I STOPPED FOR GAS OR FOOD BECAUSE AT TIMES I DID SEE IT FLUTTER WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND FELT UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT IT. THE LEATHER COVER IS HELD IN PLACE BY U SHAPED HOOKS THAT CAN EASILY COME OFF WHEN PRESSURE IS EXERTED ON THE COVER. ON VERY WINDY DAYS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS THE COVER FLUTTERS AND CAN AND DID COME OFF THE CAR. THE COVER IS A LARGE OBJECT ABOUT 4 FT. BY 2 FT. AND WHEN IT BECOMES AIRBORNE IT CAN AND ALMOST DID CAUSE A SERIOUS AND POSSIBLY FATAL ACCIDENT. I WAS RECENTLY IN A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND SAW THAT THE NEW SOLARA CONVERTIBLE NOW HAS SAFETY STRAPS ATTACHED TO THE COVER. THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA REALIZED THE VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT EXISTED. THIS REALIZATION MAY HAVE BEEN PROMPTED BY SOLARA CONVERTIBLE OWNERS REPORTING INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO MINE. UNFORTUNATELY THE COVER ON ALL TOYOTA SOLARA CONVERTIBLES PRIOR TO THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAN STILL UNINTENTIONALLY COME OFF AND CAUSE VERY SERIOUS AND POSSIBLY FATAL ACCIDENTS. TOYOTA HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE AND WILL PROBABLY TRY TO AVOID IT DUE TO THE COST INVOLVED TO CORRECT THE VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I REQUEST THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION OR THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT AGENCY DEEM THIS A RECALL CONDITION AND COMPEL TOYOTA TO CORRECT THIS VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. *NM