NHTSA Complaint #10348984 — 2006 TOYOTA AVALON

FAILURE OF THE HINGES AND TORSION BARS THAT ARE MOUNTED FOR THE TRUNK LID OF MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON, LIMITED. THE TORSION BAR ROTATES INTO THE TRUNK SPACE ABOUT 5 INCHES AND CAN HIT ITEMS IN THE TRUNK AND DISLODGE THE TORSION BAR AND DAMAGE A WEAK MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS FAILURE IS NOT GRACEFUL BUT IMMEDIATE. UPON OPENING THE TRUNK WITH THE TORSION BAR DISLODGED OR THE BAR BECOMES DISLODGED THE TRUNK CAN COME BACK AND HIT YOU IN THE HEAD OR A CHILD BEING HELD. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND TOYOTA OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE 36000/ 3YR WARRANTY WHICH I EXCEEDED. HOWEVER, AFTER SEVERAL MORE CONTACTS I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BO030-06 ISSUED IN DECEMBER 2006. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE WAS NEVER ANY WARNING ON LIMITING THE USEFUL SPACE IN THE TRUNK NOR ANY NOTIFICATION OF THE POTENTIAL FAILURE. MY CONCERN IS THAT TOYOTA NEW ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND WAS RELUCTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FIX THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS PROVIDED. *TR