NHTSA Complaint #10889225 — 2016 TOYOTA RAV4 HV

TOYOTA HAS INSTALLED A DECORATIVE SILVER TRIM ON THE 2016 RAV4 DASHBOARD FACING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS TRIM REFLECTS SUNLIGHT INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES AT CERTAIN ANGLES OF BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. THIS REFLECTION CAN APPEAR SUDDENLY WHEN MAKING A TURN OR EMERGING FROM A SHADOW. THIS REFLECTION CAN DISTRACT OR PARTIALLY BLIND A DRIVER, AND OVER TIME FATIGUE A DRIVER. ACCORDINGLY, I BELIEVE THIS DECORATIVE SILVER TRIM IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS DISTRACTED, FATIGUED DRIVERS CAUSE ACCIDENTS. I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD OFFER TO REPLACE THIS TRIM WITH A NON-REFLECTING MATERIAL. OTHER TOYOTA RAV4 OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS FEATURE ON THE INTERNET (SEE RAV4WORLD.COM). I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS DESIGN FEATURE DIRECTLY TO TOYOTA CORPORATE. THEIR TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE ON 27 JULY. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER'S REPRESENTATIVE THAT TOYOTA CONCLUDED THIS IS THEIR STANDARD PART FOR 2016 RAV4 AND AS SUCH IS NOT DEFECTIVE. TOYOTA TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES WOULD NOT MEET WITH ME OR ALLOW ME TO SEE HOW THEY EVALUATED THE SUN REFLECTION - IT WAS A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY. THE DEALER SAID TOYOTA WOULD NOT PROVIDE THEIR WRITTEN EVALUATION DISCREDITING MY COMPLIANT. IN MY OPINION, TOYOTA TOOK THE EASY WAY OUT AS REPLACING THIS DECORATIVE TRIM IS INCONVENIENT FOR THEM. YOU CAN EVALUATE THIS ISSUE ON ANY 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, APPARENTLY AGREEING WITH ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM, HAS OFFERED TO DO AN UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATION TO THE VEHICLE AND HAVE THE REFLECTIVE STRIP REMOVED, REPAINTED BLACK AND REINSTALLED. THIS IS A LESS THAN IDEAL SOLUTION SINCE THE PAINT WILL NOT BOND WELL TO THE PLASTIC REFLECTIVE STRIP AND WILL WEAR OVER TIME. IN ADDITION, THIS DOES NOT FIX THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER RAV4S ON THE ROAD OR REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR AVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS.