NHTSA Complaint #10598561 — 2007 LEXUS ES350

IN APRIL OF 2013, I NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD OF OUR LEXUS HAD SMALL TEARS OR CRACKS ON IT. IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE HAD STUCK THEIR FINGERNAILS INTO THE DASHBOARD. I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD SINCE NEITHER MY HUSBAND NOR MYSELF HAD DONE SUCH A THING. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, AS THE WEATHER BECAME HOTTER IN FLORIDA, OUR DASHBOARD (FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD) BEGAN TO MELT. IT BECAME VERY STICKY AND BEGAN TO CAUSE VISUAL PROBLEMS ON THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE REFLECTION/GLARE FROM THE MELTING DASH. MY HUSBAND CALLED LEXUS IN JULY 2013 TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUE AND THE SAFETY HAZARD IT WAS CREATING. HE ASKED FOR THE DASHBOARD TO BE REPLACED, CITING THERE HAD TO BE A DEFECT. WE HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OTHER CAR WE HAVE OWNED AND WE HAVE OWNED 9 CARS OVER THE YEARS, ALL IN FLORIDA'S HOT SUN. FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WE GOT THE RUN AROUND FROM LEXUS. THE FINAL DECISION WAS THAT LEXUS WOULD REPLACE OUR DASH AT A REDUCED COST BECAUSE OUR CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND OUR ISSUE WAS AN ISOLATED PROBLEM THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. IT WAS THEIR OPINION THAT WE HAD DONE SOMETHING TO OUR DASH TO CAUSE THIS. WE OF COURSE KNEW WE DID NOT! WE REFUSED TO PAY FOR A NEW DASH, SO WE HAVE DEALT WITH THE INCONVENIENCE FOR ALMOST A YEAR. RECENTLY, I SAW A SEGMENT ON OUR LOCAL NEWS ABOUT OTHER CARS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. THE NEWS ORGANIZATION URGED CONSUMERS TO FOLLOW THE LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE AND ISSUE A COMPLAINT, SO THIS ISSUE CAN BE RECALLED AND FIXED. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLE MAKE AND MODELS THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE REFLECTION BLOCKS MY FIELD OF VISION WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY. I HAVE PICTURES THAT WERE SENT TO LEXUS WITH OUR ORIGINAL COMPLAINT. THEY NOT ONLY SHOW THE STICKINESS BUT THE VIABILITY ISSUE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED TO SEE THEM. *TR