NHTSA Complaint #10881624 — 2016 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

WE RELIED ON CONSUMER REPORTS GLOWING REPORTS OF TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS WHEN PURCHASING OUR NEW, 2016 MODEL LE HIGHLANDER. HOWEVER, WE ARE VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE DRIVER FRONT VISIBILITY TO THE SIDES IS OBSCURED BY THE OVERLARGE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS AND THE WINDOW FRAMES; AND BACKUP VISIBILITY IS EXTREMELY POOR BECAUSE THE REAR WINDOW DESIGN WITH TURNED UP BOTTOM CORNERS, LOW PLACEMENT OF REAR WIPER, AND SMALL WINDOW SIZE SEVERELY REDUCES WHAT THE DRIVER CAN SEE WHEN BACKING UP. THE BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT CLEARLY SHOW REAR OBSTRUCTIONS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED IN SHADE OR SHADOWS, OR THE DRIVER IS WEARING SUNGLASSES. THESE ARE MAJOR, CRASH INDUCING PROBLEMS, WHICH WE REPORTED TO TOYOTA TODAY. WE NARROWLY AVOIDED TWO COLLISIONS BECAUSE WE DID NOT SEE VEHICLES APPROACHING US FROM THE SIDE FRONT OF OUR VEHICLE; AND WE NARROWLY AVOIDED BACKING INTO A PARKED CAR (IN SHADE) WHICH DID NOT CLEARLY SHOW UP ON THE BACKUP CAMERA. TWO OF THESE INCIDENTS WERE IN PARKING AREAS; THE THIRD WAS DRIVING INTO A LEFT BEND ON A ROAD AS ANOTHER VEHICLE APPROACHED HEAD ON. ALL THREE OF THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, WITH DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. WE HAVE HAD THIS HIGHLANDER FOR ONLY 7 MONTHS; AND WE ARE BOTH VERY EXPERIENCED ADULT DRIVERS WITH EXCELLENT SAFETY RECORDS, WHICH OUR AAA INSURANCE RECORDS WILL SHOW. WE ARE VERY SURPRISED THAT TOYOTA WOULD MARKET THE HIGHLANDER WITH THESE MAJOR SAFETY DESIGN FLAWS. THEY SEEM TO HAVE PLACED VEHICLE APPEARANCE OVER SAFETY WITH THE 2016 HIGHLANDER LE.