NHTSA Complaint #10916295 — 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

RE: NHTSA RECALL 14V168000, AKA SC-E0M141007, (10/07/14) 'A NUMBER OF VEHICLES INCLUDING THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2008-2010, WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY CONTAINS ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS TO THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG MODULE HOUSED IN A SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY, WHICH INCLUDES A FLEXIBLE FLAT CABLE (FFC). DUE TO THE SHAPE AND LOCATION OF THE FFC'S RETAINER, THE FFC COULD BECOME DAMAGED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. CONSEQUENCE: IF THE FFC IS DAMAGED, CONNECTIVITY TO THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE COULD BE LOST AND THE AIR BAG DEACTIVATED. 2 YRS AGO OUR '08 HIGHLANDER SPORT THE CRUISE CONTROL STARTED ACTING ERRATICALLY, NOT ENGAGING/NOT TURN/OFF USING THE COLUMN MOUNTED STALK. OUR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, & TIME PASSED, & THE CC BECAME UNRELIABLE, ON A FEW OCCASIONS WAS UNSAFE WHEN IT DID NOT 'CANCEL' PULLING BACK ON THE STALK. I'M HANDY SO I PULLED OFF THE STEERING WHEEL AND TOOK APART THE CLOCK SPRING, DISCOVERED THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE WAS COATED IN A WAXY DIRTY LOOKING BUILDUP & THERE WERE ABRASIONS ON THE FLAT WIRE TAPE, EXPOSING THE COPPER BENEATH, WHICH CRACKED. THIS TO ME IS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO THE WIRE TAPE FOR THE VEHICLES IN THE AIRBAG RECALL MENTIONED ABOVE, ONLY THE DAMAGE ON MINE HAPPENED TO THE CC WIRING PORTION AND NOT THE AIRBAG PORTION (OR THE HVAC CONTROLS OR HORN WIRING). I FEEL OUR VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN AND THAT OUR CLOCK SPRING SHOULD BE REPLACED AS WELL. PLEASE REFER TO THE 2 PHOTOS I ATTACHED. THE ONE SHOWING THE WEAR SPOT, IF YOU DOWNLOAD IT AND ZOOM IN, SHOWS THE EXPOSED COPPER AND CRACK IN IT. THE OTHER PHOTO SHOWS THE LOOP IN THE FLAT ELECTRICAL TAPE WHERE THE WEAR SPOT HAPPENED AS WELL AS THE DIRTY WAXY BUILDUP ON THE TAPE. THIS SAME WEAR COULD CREEP DOWN TO THE AIRBAG MODULE WIRES IN THIS FLAT TAPE AND MAKE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, CAUSING MORE UNSAFE CONDITIONS FOR MY WIFE AND I. MY VIN SHOULD BE ADDED