NHTSA Complaint #10887789 — 2008 LEXUS LS

THIS PROBLEM IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO "MELTING DASH" OR "STICK INTERIOR PANELS". THERE IS A TSB L-SB-0144-11. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE INTERIOR VINYL PANELS START DISINTEGRATING OR MELTING IN HOT CLIMATES. THIS INCLUDES THE DOOR PANELS AND THE DASH. THE SURFACE OF THESE PANELS BECOMES STICKY AND SOFT. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON MANY TOYOTA VEHICLES BETWEEN THE YEARS 2007-2012. HOWEVER, TOYOTA/LEXUS HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ONLY FOR THE 2007 VEHICLES AND VEHICLES FROM FOLLOWING YEARS ARE NOT COVERED, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THE COMPLAINT IS THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER CARS FROM YEARS 2008-2012. USE OF VEHICLES WITH THIS CONDITION UNDER HOT/SUNNY WEATHER CONDITIONS BECOMES DIFFICULT AND MESSY, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS SUCH AS FLORIDA. THIS PROBLEM GETS WORSE AS THE VEHICLE AGES AND IS EXPOSED TO HOT WEATHER MORE OFTEN (INCLUDING BEING PARKED IN A HOT GARAGE). THESE CARS LOSE RESALE VALUE. ALSO, TOYOTA/LEXUS HAS NOT OFFERED ANY TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS. AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION IS FOR TOYOTA SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY FIX TO VEHICLES FOR ALL AFFECTED YEARS. (NOTE THAT THE 'FIX' OFFERED BY TOYOTA FOR 2007 VEHICLES IS TO REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS WITH THE SAME MATERIALS, WHICH WILL INEVITABLY DETERIORATE (MELT) OVERTIME.