NHTSA Complaint #10331713 — 2008 TOYOTA MATRIX

2008 TOYOTA MATRIX. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH DESIGN OR MANUFACTURER FLAW. CONSUMER SEEKS REPAIR COST*TGW WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A SUCCESSION OF LOUD NOISES FOLLOWED BY A HUGE BANG. AT THE SAME TIME, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND ROLLED OFF THE ROAD INTO SOME BUSHES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. WHEN THE CONSUMERS WIFE EXITED THE VEHICLE, SHE DISCOVERED A LONG PIECE OF BLACK PLASTIC A FOOT WIDE LYING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS, SHE PLACED IT IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE HOME. THE CONSUMER IDENTIFIED THE LARGE PIECE OF PLASTIC AS THE LINING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL WHICH HAD BEEN TORN COMPLETELY AWAY AND WAS THEN RUN OVER BY THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER ARGUED THAT THE FLIMSY CLIP HOLDING THE LEAD EDGE OF THE LINER TO THE BODY HAD FAILED, WHICH ALLOWED AIR TO GET UNDER THE LINER WHICH PEELED ALL THE WAY OFF AFTER BECOMING ENTANGLED WITH THE TIRE. *JB