NHTSA Complaint #10542153 — 2013 TOYOTA AVALON

COMPLAINT: SUN GLARE REFLECTION COMING FROM DASHBOARD, SAFETY ISSUE, SIMILAR TO NETS. ON 04/01/13, JAMES FEWEL TOYOTA NATIONAL HQ, DOCUMENTED MY DASH GLARE ISSUE UNDER FILE #[XXX]: ON 3-16-2013, WE PURCHASED A 2013 AVALON FROM COGGIN TOYOTA JACKSONVILLE. IT HAS FL LEGAL WINDOW TINTING. THE DASH'S CHROME TRIM CAUSES A GLARE ISSUE ON A SUNNY DAY, CAUSING BRIGHT GLARE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DASHBOARD TRIM THAT IS SILVER/CHROME. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH GLARE COMING FROM THE DASH AREA. WHAT IS TOYOTA'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE? ON 05/21/13, [XXX], SERVICE DIRECTOR, TOYOTA AVENUES, RESPONDED: [XXX], I FORWARDED YOUR PICTURES TO OUR TECH DEPT AS WELL AS SUBMITTED A PRODUCT QUALITY CASE. RESPONSE BACK FROM MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE CHANGED AT THIS TIME TO KEEP THE GLARE COMING OFF OF THE CHROME TRIM PANELS. THE REF FOR THE DEALER PRODUCT REPORT IS CASE # [XXX] IF YOU WISH TO CALL THE CUST SPT CENTER TO UPDATE YOUR CASE. THANK YOU, [XXX], TOYOTA AVENUES [XXX]. ON 05/22/2013 [XXX] AT TOYOTA HQ RESPONDED: [XXX], WE ARE SORRY FOR THE CONCERNS THIS CONDITION HAS CAUSED AND HAVE FORWARDED YOUR EMAIL TO A CASE MANAGER HERE IN OUR DEPT. THE CASE MANAGER WILL CONTACT YOU VIA PHONE BEFORE THE END OF BUSINESS, MAY 23, 2013. WE HAVE DOCUMENTED YOUR EMAIL AT OUR NATIONAL HQ UNDER FILE #[XXX]. ON 05/23/2013 RECEIVED A CALL FROM TOYOTA CASE MANAGER [XXX], SO I SENT HIM PICTURES SHOWING THE GLARE ISSUE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM TOYOTA HQ ON IT. BOTTOM LINE: TOYOTA NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A FIX TO THIS SAFETY ISSUE, REPLACING ALL THIS GLOSSY CHROME WITH SOMETHING NON-REFLECTIVE. PUTTING CHROME IN THE DASH AREA WAS A POOR DESIGN. MY WIFE OFTEN FEELS SICK, DUE TO THE WAY THIS GLARE HURTS HER EYES. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR