NHTSA Complaint #10637487 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON 9/19/14, I SPOKE WITH "[XXX]", CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER, TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS REGARDING MY MELTING DASHBOARD. I EXPLAINED THAT IT'S A SECURITY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF, AND WHICH I BECAME AWARE OF BY LOCAL MEDIA. I INFORMED HER THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT GLARE FROM MY DASHBOARD, AND ANYTHING THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH IT STICKS, SO I CAN'T EVEN USE A VISOR. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN DELRAY BEACH, FL HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD FOR AN OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE TO ME OF $600 (TOTAL REPORTEDLY NORMALLY $2000), HOWEVER, I ADVISED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO COST TO ME DUE TO THE KNOWN SECURITY ISSUES, REPORTED ACCIDENTS, THEIR COMPANY'S INTEGRITY AND MY LOYALTY AS A LONGTIME TOYOTA CUSTOMER. [XXX] REMINDED ME THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT "OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOU, THE DEALERSHIP IS OFFERING YOU ASSISTANCE. WE DON'T HAVE A RECALL NOTICE OR CUSTOMER SUPPORT FOR THIS VEHICLE, SO THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE." AS A CORPORATION, TOYOTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED AND BE PROACTIVE IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. ULTIMATELY, SOMEONE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR MISFORTUNE WHEN A LOVED ONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIES IN AN ACCIDENT ATTRIBUTED TO THE GLARE. TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO SEND ME A VOUCHER OR MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR THE $600 TO REPLACE MY DASHBOARD. PUBLIC OPINION CAN AFFECT THEIR BOTTOMLINE AND THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY WILLING TO PUT THE PUBLIC AT RISK TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS UPFRONT. *TR