NHTSA Complaint #10837278 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

I WAS DRIVING FROM A MAJOR CITY HIGHWAY ONTO A FREEWAY. I WAS GOING 50MPH AND ACCELERATING TO THE APPROPRIATE FREEWAY SPEED OF 60MPH. AT THAT TIME, I REALIZED MY REAR WING WINDOWS WERE OPEN (IT OPENS AT THE REAR OF THE CAR AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 1 INCH) AND I PRESSED THE AUTOMATIC CLOSURE BUTTON. I HEARD A LOUD 'POP' ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I LOOKED BACK AND THE WINDOW WAS GONE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY IMMEDIATELY. A CAR/JEEP WITH A FAMILY IN IT PULLED UP BEHIND ME. THEY WERE HIT BY THE WINDOW COMING OFF OF MY VEHICLE. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT IT DID CAUSE DAMAGE TO THEIR VEHICLE. IT SHOOK BOTH THEM AND MYSELF UP. A WINDOW FLYING FROM A CAR ON A HIGHWAY COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY CAUSED DAMAGE AND INJURIES. WE WERE VERY LUCKY. I CALLED 911 TO REPORT THAT THERE WAS WINDOW DEBRIS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND TOLD THEM WHERE IT WAS. THAT WAY I WOULD NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, THERE HAD NEVER BEEN ANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR WING WINDOWS. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT IT WAS JUST PAST 9PM, I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK AND IT WAS DARK. I WAS ACCELERATING FROM 50 TO 60 ON A HIGHWAY. WE LIVE IN THE GREATER SEATTLE AREA SO THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE ALWAYS WET BUT IT WAS NOT RAINING. IT WAS ABOUT 55 DEGREES F OUTSIDE. MY THEORY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WINDOW (COMING FROM AN ENGINEERING STUDENT) IS THAT THE PLASTIC BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM ITS SHOULDER. THE WINDOW CAUGHT THE WIND FROM THE ACCELERATION AND THE HINGES WERE PULLED OFF OF THEIR ANCHOR. HOWEVER, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ONLY SPECULATION. I HAVE CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND GOT A QUOTE FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED AND COULD NOT GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION. I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A SAFETY HAZARD WITH THIS WINDOW THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. PARTS SHOULDN'T JUST DETACH FROM A VEHICLE.