NHTSA Complaint #10459153 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUNSHADE NO LONGER FUNCTIONS PROPERLY IN MY 2007 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE SHADE DOES NOT STAY UP FLAT AGAINST THE ROOF OF THE CAR, NOR WILL IT REMAIN IN PLACE WHEN PUSHED FORWARD AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD, INSTEAD, IT JUST HANGS SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN, GETTING IN THE DRIVER'S FACE AND POSING A SERIOUS VISIBILITY PROBLEM. IT WON'T EVEN STAY IN PLACE TO BLOCK THE SUN PROPERLY - THE PURPOSE IT WAS DESIGNED FOR. ALSO, WHENEVER GETTING INTO OR OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL TO AVOID HAVING THE SUNSHADE HIT HIM IN THE FACE OR HEAD. I AM ESPECIALLY WORRIED ABOUT HAVING THE "KNIFE EDGE" OF THE SHADE HANGING AT EYE LEVEL IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. IT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSE INJURY TO THE DRIVER. THESE SUNSHADES WERE VERY POORLY DESIGNED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I AM FINDING THAT THIS IS A RELATIVELY COMMON PROBLEM IN SEVERAL TOYOTA VEHICLES FROM THE EARLY TO MID 2000'S. IN ALL OF THE CARS I HAVE EVER OWNED (A FEW OF WHICH UNFORTUNATELY TURNED OUT TO TRULY AWFUL AND UNRELIABLE CARS), AND IN ALL OF THE OTHER CARS I HAVE EVER DRIVEN, I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH THIS DANGEROUS AND ANNOYING PROBLEM. *TT