NHTSA Complaint #10564960 — 2013 TOYOTA TUNDRA

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW FROM JOE PECHELES TOYOTA IN WASHINGTON, NC. I DISCOVERED DENTS IN THE ROOF 5 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. THE ROOF SOMETIMES VIBRATES AND MAKES NOISE WHEN DRIVEN. YOU CAN PLACE YOUR HAND ALMOST ANYWHERE ON THE ROOF AND IT CAVITATES. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER CARE. I WAS TOLD IN AN EMAIL BY THEIR CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR [XXX] THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAD A MEETING WITH DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER [XXX] AND JOE PECHELES GENERAL MANAGER [XXX] ON FEB. 17, 2014. I WAS SHOWN A DIAGRAM OF THE ROOF AND THE SUPPORT BRACES. THE INTERIOR LINER WAS REMOVED AND [XXX] LOOKED AT THE SUPPORT BRACES AND TOLD ME THE ROOF MET MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS AND THAT THEY COULD NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE DENTS AND THE CAVITATING. HE SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE SOMETHING HEAVY WAS PLACED ON THE ROOF TO CAUSE THE DENTS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO MATCH HIS CLAIM, NO SCRATCHES, SCRAPES, THE PAINT IS PERFECT, THE INDENTS ARE NOT LOCATED IN A SPECIFIC AREA. HE STATED ALL TOYOTA TUNDRA'S WITH A SUN ROOF ARE MANUFACTURED THE SAME. WHEN THE INTERIOR LINER WAS REMOVED I PLACED MY HAND ON THE ROOF JUST ABOVE THE SUPPORT BRACES AND THE ROOF FLEXES WHERE IT'?S SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPORTED MOST, THE METAL IS VERY THIN. THERE WAS NO AUTO BODY MECHANIC TO ANSWER ANY OF MY CONCERNS DURING THIS MEETING AND THEY CONVENIENTLY HAD NO OTHER TUNDRA WITH A SUNROOF TO COMPARE WITH MINE. EARLIER WHEN I WAS COMMUNICATING WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. I WAS TOLD THE ROOF WAS NOT STRUCTURALLY SUPPORTED PROPERLY AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE TO PROPERLY FIX IT. I EMAILED THIS INFORMATION TO THEIR CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT AND NO MENTION HAS BEEN MADE BY TOYOTA ABOUT THE FINDINGS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IF THIS TRUCK FLIPS OVER THE ROOF WILL OFFER NO PROTECTION TO THE OCCUPANTS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR