NHTSA Complaint #10236326 — 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA

ATTACHED IS LETTER SUBMITTED TO TOYOTA 7/22/08 I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA FROM WEST HERR TOYOTA, ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK ON MAY 16, 2008. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK A ROAD TRIP FROM NY TO PA, APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS OF DRIVING. I AM WRITING TO YOU TODAY TO REPORT MY DISSATISFACTION WITH THE FRONT HEADRESTS IN THE TOYOTA COROLLA. I AM AN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST AND HAVE WORKED MANY YEARS IN THE INDUSTRIAL REHABILITATION FIELD. I HAVE A PREVIOUS NECK INJURY FROM YEARS OF DOING GYMNASTICS. THE CURRENT FRONT SEAT HEADRESTS ARE ANGLED AT 35% FORWARD FLEXION, WHICH MAY BE POSITIVE IN A CRASH TEST TO PREVENT NECK INJURIES, HOWEVER, IT IS NOT CONDUCIVE FOR COMFORTABLE DRIVING AND PROPER ERGONOMIC FOR SEATED POSITIONS. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED TO MY FINAL DESTINATION IN YORK, PA, MY ENTIRE RIGHT ARM WAS NUMB AND ACHING. I BROUGHT THIS SITUATION TO THE ATTENTION OF MY SALESMAN AT TOYOTA (BILL BITTERMAN) HE SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT YOUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY. HE ALSO TRIED TO REPLACE THE HEADRESTS WITH AN OLDER COROLLA HEADREST, THEY DO NOT FIT INTO THE ANCHOR HOLES OF THE SEAT. SINCE THEN, I TOOK THE SMALLER BACK SEAT HEADREST AND MOVED IT FORWARD TO THE DRIVERS SEAT. IT IS MORE COMFORTABLE THAN THE PREVIOUS HEADREST, BUT IT IS LOOKS AWKWARD AND IS NOT SAFE. ALSO, I MOVED THE FRONT HEADREST TO THE BACK, IT IS TOO LARGE AND CAUSES VISIBILITY ISSUES. MY REQUEST OF YOU IS TO? #1. CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR DESIGN FOR THE HEADRESTS SO THEY DO NOT FORWARD FLEX AT SUCH A GREAT ANGLE TO AVOID MANY ADDITIONAL CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS IN THE FUTURE. #2. SEND TWO NEW FRONT HEADRESTS FOR THE FRONT SEATS (GRAY INTERIOR) THAT FIT APPROPRIATELY AND AT NO CHARGE TO ME. I AM AWARE OF HOW POWERFUL THE ?VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER? IS AND I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THIS LETTER OF CONCERN SERIOUSLY. I TRULY DO LIKE ALL ASPECTS OF THIS CAR, EXCEPT THE FRONT TWO HEADRESTS. SHAWNA R. DOSSER, MS EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST & HEALTH EDUCATOR*TR