NHTSA Complaint #10332726 — 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

WE HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL 2002. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 39,000 MILES. FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR SUDDENLY FALLS DOWN AND PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S VISION. IT FALLS DOWN AT SLOW SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES OVER BUMPS. IT FALLS DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FROM VIBRATIONS - SUCH AS EXPANSION JOINTS IN THE ROAD. IT IS USUALLY JUST ANNOYING BUT ONCE IN AWHILE IT IS VERY DANGEROUS SUCH AS WHEN YOUR ARE PASSING ON A TWO LANE ROAD IT WILL SUDDENLY DROP DOWN OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VISION. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 HIGHLANDER. AND IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX IF YOU HAVE THE GARAGE DOOR REMOTE BUILT INTO THE VISOR - AS WE DO. ABOUT AN $800 REPAIR - WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE COST BEING THE PART. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THESE DEFECTIVE VISORS SHOULD BE REPLACED BY TOYOTA. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE OR MILEAGE WHEN THIS PART STARTED TO FAIL SO I ESTIMATED BOTH. *TR