NHTSA Complaint #10806621 — 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA

I HAD MY VEHICLE IN IDLE AND RETRACTED MY DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOWS DOWN TO PULL MY NEPHEW INTO MY LAP TO SAY GOODBYE TO HIM. AT THIS TIME ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER STARTING MY CAR THE WINDOW PANEL, AS WELL AS BELOW THE DOOR PANEL TOWARDS THE SPEAKER A HEAVY SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC SPREAD AROUND THE CAR AND WHITE SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING OUT THROUGH THE SLIT THE WINDOW GLASS RETRACTS BACK INTO. AT THIS TIME I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAITED UNTIL THE TOXIC SMOKE HAD ESCAPED. THIS ISSUE WITH THE MASTER SWITCH HAS BEEN REPORTED BY TOYOTA FOR 2009 COROLLAS ONLY. THIS COULD HAVE POSED A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK HAD IT GONE UNNOTICED. AFTER DOING THE DIAGNOSTIC, IT WAS FOUND THAT IT WAS IN FACT A FAULTY SWITCH THAT PROBABLY "GOT WET". IF A CAR IS CATCHING ON FIRE AFTER A SIMPLE FLORIDA RAIN SHOWER, THAT IS NOT THE CONSUMER'S FAULT. FAULTY MANUFACTURING IS THE CASE HERE. WAITING ON TOYOTA CORPORATE RESPONSE OR WILL SEEK PROMPT LEGAL ACTION.