NHTSA Complaint #10586778 — 2014 TOYOTA TUNDRA

I PURCHASED A 2014 TOYOTA TUNDRA IN NOVEMBER 2013. IN MARCH 2014, WITH 2,248 MILES ON THE TRUCK, I WENT TO LEAVE WORK AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT RODENTS HAD CHEWED THROUGH TWO WIRING HARNESSES (E.G., #7 COIL, TEMP SENSOR AND THE ACTIVE BRAKE BOOSTER), ONE OF WHICH WAS THE MAIN WIRE HARNESS. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. IF THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN OPERATION (WITH MOSTLY CHEWED THROUGH WIRING) THE WIRING COULD HAVE BECOME LOOSE AND THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE LOST STEERING, BRAKES, OR OTHER CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SAFETY FUNCTIONS MAY HAVE CEASED TO WORK. THE END RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH, FIRE, INJURY, OR EVEN DEATH. USING A SOY BASED PRODUCT TO COAT THE WIRES IS A DESIGN FLAW WHICH MUST BE CORRECTED. ALTHOUGH THE INTENT WAS TO UTILIZE A MORE ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY INSULATION MATERIAL, THE DESIGN ENGINEERS OMITTED TO CONSIDER THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY INSULATION MATERIAL TO RODENTS (E.G., SQUIRRELS, MICE, AND RABBITS), THE RODENTS ARE COMMON IN MOST RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THE RODENTS COULD EASILY DAMAGE THE WIRES. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER (STAPP INTERSTATE TOYOTA SCION OF FREDERICK COLORADO) SERVICE MANAGER, TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER, TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC. CUSTOMER RELATIONS ADMINISTRATOR, AND TOYOTA MOTOR SALES REGIONAL CUSTOMERFIRST MANAGER. EACH TIME TOYOTA IS DENYING OWNERSHIP OF THEIR DEFECTIVE WIRES AND THE SAFETY-RELATED NEED TO CORRECT THEM. *TR