NHTSA Complaint #10672156 — 2014 TOYOTA AVALON

THE COVER TO THE GAS TANK LOCKS WHEN THE CAR IS LOCKED, AND CAN BE OPENED WHEN THE CAR IS UNLOCKED. IF, FOR SOME REASON, THIS MECHANISM IS INOPERATIVE, AND ONE CANNOT OPEN THE GAS TANK COVER, ONE IS INSTRUCTED TO OPEN THE TRUNK, REMOVE THE TRUNK LINING, REACH IN BLINDLY PAST ALL THE WIRES AND CONNECTERS, AND FIND A LITTLE WHITE PLASTIC LEVER. THE LEVER EMERGES FROM BEHIND THE TRUNK THROUGH A HOLE IN THE TRUNK THAT IS COMPOSED OF SHARP METAL. THE LEVER IS ATTACHED BY A FLIMSY LITTLE PLASTIC WIRE. ONE MUST PULL THE LEVER PERFECTLY HORIZONTALLY. IF ONE EXERTS THE SLIGHTEST UPWARDS PRESSURE WHEN PULLING ON THE LEVER, THE FLIMSY LITTLE PLASTIC WIRE IS SHEARED BY THE SHARP EDGES OF THE HOLE THROUGH WHICH THE WIRE EMERGES. EVEN IF ONE MANAGES THE ABOVE FEAT, THE GAS TANK COVER IS NOT GUARANTEED TO OPEN. SO ONE IS STUCK AT THE GAS STATION WITH NO WAY TO ADD GASOLINE TO THE TANK. AND IF THE WIRE IS SHEARED OFF, ONE IS REALLY IN DEEP TROUBLE. FIRST OF ALL, THE WIRE IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, SO I AM REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THEY SAY IT WAS MY FAULT; I PULLED TOO HARD. THE TRUTH IS IT IS THE FAULT OF THE ENGINEERS FOR DESIGNING SUCH A POOR SYSTEM. THE WIRE IS FLIMSY PLASTIC; THE EDGES OF THE HOLE ARE SHARP METAL; HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO PULL THE LEVER WITHOUT SHEARING THE WIRE. THE WHOLE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED. SECONDLY, PULLING THE WIRE DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. WHAT IS THE BACKUP PLAN? THIRDLY, I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE FELT LINING OF THE TRUNK, REACH IN BLINDLY, AND FIND THE LEVER. THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT MY WIFE COULD HAVE DONE THIS. THE LEVER SHOULD BE READILY AVAILABLE SIMPLY BY OPENING THE TRUNK. *TR