NHTSA Complaint #10449353 — 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA

THERE'S A DESIGN FLAW IN TOYOTA SOLARA MODELS 1999-2003 (THE MODEL CHANGED IN 2004), AND IT'S THIS: AT THE VERY TOP OF THE BACK OF THE BACK SEAT, WHERE THE SEAT FABRIC IS TUCKED INTO THE PLASTIC BACK, THIS BACKING HAS A 'LIP' THAT STICKS OUT AND CATCHES ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP EACH TIME IT'S LOWERED OR RAISED, USUALLY SNAGGING THE TOP OF THE BACK WINDOW. THIS CONSTANT SNAGGING OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP ON THIS HARD PLASTIC LIP CAUSES TWO ISSUES: 1) THE PLASTIC 'LIP' ITSELF IS WEAKENED, LOSES INTEGRITY, SUFFERS A FATIGUE CRACK, AND BREAKS. 2) THE STITCHING OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP AT THE TOP OF THE BACK WINDOW LOSES ITS INTEGRITY, AND THE BACK WINDOW BECOMES SEPARATED FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. THIS RESULTS IN A GAP BETWEEN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP AND THE TOP OF THE BACK WINDOW, WHICH CAN (AND DID, IN MY CASE) RESULT IN THE WINDOW CATCHING ON THE BACK OF THE SEAT AND COMPLETELY SHATTERING. WHEN MY WINDOW SHATTERED, I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE PERSON THERE TOLD ME HE HAS FREQUENTLY SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH MY MODEL OF SOLARA (UP TO YEAR 2003) SOLELY DUE TO THE LIP AT THE TOP OF THE SEAT BACK ITS ALWAYS SNAGGING THE CONVERTIBLE ROOF WITH EACH OPENING OR CLOSING. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS DESIGN FLAW WAS CORRECTED IN THE REDESIGNED TOYOTA SOLARA THAT WAS RELEASED IN 2004, AND ALL SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE COVERAGE, THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. FOR THOSE, LIKE ME, WHO HAVE COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE COVERAGE, THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO PAY FOR. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS A CONSUMER, AND FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM -- AT NO CHARGE -- OF ALL EFFECTED MODELS. THE REPAIR IS SIMPLE: THEY NEED ONLY CUT AWAY THE LIP FROM THE SEAT BACK, AS IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE BACK SEAT, ITSELF, AS SHOWN BY ITS DISAPPEARANCE IN THE LATER MODELS. *TR