NHTSA Complaint #10695166 — 2014 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID

ON OCTOBER 7, 2014, WE PURCHASED OUR CAR FROM NEW ROCHELLE TOYOTA. SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE BARELY DRIVEN THE CAR. AFTER FIVE MONTHS WE HAVE DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 1,700 MILES. WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY AVOIDED DRIVING THE CAR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AND ON BUMPY ROADS. DESPITE OUR CARE, I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT BUMPER HAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELL. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THAT A SCREW HAD COME OUT, BUT ON CLOSER INSPECTION I NOTICED THAT THE METAL PIECE OF THE BUMPER WHICH THE SCREW HELD IN PLACE HAD BROKEN OFF. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BUMPER. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE METAL AT THE END OF THE BUMPER IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY A COMBINATION OF METAL FATIGUE AND POOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. I AM WRITING TO YOU TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM, WHICH CLEARLY IS NOT A UNIQUE SITUATION. THE DEALER?S SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM OTHER THAN TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BUMPER. THIS SOLUTION IS COSTLY (ALTHOUGH I WOULD EXPECT TOYOTA TO PAY THIS COST) AND, UNLESS THE PIECE IS REDESIGNED WILL SIMPLY TEMPORARILY SOLVE THE PROBLEM SINCE THE SAME PIECE IS LIKELY TO BREAK AGAIN. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT A PROBLEM LIKE THIS SHOULD DEVELOP ON SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR. *TR