NHTSA Complaint #10437623 — 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS

I WAS A FRONT PASSENGER IN A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WE JUST GOT IN THE CAR. MY FRIEND TURNED IT ON. I LOWERED MY WINDOW AND PLACED MY ARM IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION JUST OVER THE WINDOWS LOWER MOLDING. MY FRIEND WENT TO RAISE MY WINDOW BECAUSE HE WANTED THE A/C ON. HE USED HIS AUTO UP FEATURE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. BEFORE I COULD REMOVE MY ARM, THE WINDOW WAS ALREADY MOVING UP. IT STARTED TO SQUEEZE MY ARM IN THE VERTICAL POSITION. I HAD MY THUMB INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND MY FOUR FINGERS OUT SIDE THE WINDOW FROM THE TOP. I COULD NOT RELEASE MY HAND FROM EITHER DIRECTION. MEANWHILE THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE FROM THE BOTTOM. SO BAD, I STARTED TO YELL AT MY FRIEND TO LOWER THE WINDOW. HE SAID IT WOULDN'T GO DOWN. I STARTED TO PANIC BECAUSE THE PAIN WAS VERY BAD. I WAS ABOUT TO PUNCH THE WINDOW BUT QUICKLY REACHED ACROSS MY BODY USING MY LEFT HAND. I USED MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO LOWER THE WINDOW. THIS SO-CALLED AUTO-DOWN PINCH PROTECTION DOES NOT ACTIVATE RIGHT AWAY. I FIRMLY BELIEVE IT ACTIVATES ONLY PAST A CERTAIN POINT. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA'S WEBSITE, THIS FEATURE SHOULD APPLY TO ALL POSITIONS BUT IN FACT DOES NOT. THE BACK OF MY ARM WAS SORE FOR DAYS AND DID BRUISE. WE TESTED MY FRIENDS CAR AGAIN ANOTHER DAY AND DISCOVERED THE EXACT SAME THING HAD HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME WE ONLY USED OUR HANDS TO APPLY PRESSURE AT THE VERY BOTTOM INSTEAD OF ONLY AT THE TOP OR IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS A HUGE CONCERN. TOYOTA WAS EMAILED BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM A REPRESENTATIVE. IN MY OPINION, I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL BACK OR A PHONE CALL AT THE LEAST. IT SADDENS ME BECAUSE I TOO AM THE OWNER OF TWO TOYOTAS. WHERE IS THE PRIORITY NOW? *KB