NHTSA Complaint #10596424 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

IT APPEARS THAT DEFECTIVE MATERIALS WERE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE FRONT DASH OF MY 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE DASH IS LITERALLY MELTING. THE SURFACE HAS BECOME TACKY, SOFT AND EASILY DAMAGED BY TOUCH. THIS ISSUE IS NOW BEING DESCRIBED BY TOYOTA CUSTOMERS AS ??MELTING DASH??. THIS DETERIORATION OF THE DASH HAS ALSO CREATED AN ABNORMAL SHEEN OR GLARE WHEN IN SUNLIGHT AS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY OTHERS. IF CHEMICAL CHANGES ARE IN FACT OCCURRING DURING THIS ABNORMAL DETERIORATION PROCESS I AM CONCERNED THAT "OFF GASING" OF HARMFUL OR TOXIC CHEMICALS MAY BE INTRODUCED IN THE CONFINED SPACE OF THE OCCUPIED VEHICLE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIRECT SUNLIGHT AND HOT TEMPERATURES AND IS BEING REPORTED FROM VARIOUS SOUTHERN STATES INCLUDING FLORIDA & HAWAII. TOYOTA HAS STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *TR