NHTSA Complaint #10959698 — 2016 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER

PURCHASED VEHICLE IN EARLY 2016. MAY/JUNE 2016 NOTICED HOLE IN PANEL ADJACENT TO WINDSHIELD AND DASH ON PASSENGER SIDE. CAR PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. NEST LOCATED BY TOYOTA DEALER IN THE AIR FILTER CABIN. APPROXIMATELY 700$ REPAIR. MARCH 2017. CAR PARKED OVERNIGHT. IN THE MORNING NOTICED CHEWED UP PIECES OF FOAM AND RUBBER AND LARGE RAT FECES ALL OVER VEHICLE INTERIOR. MIDDLE ROW SEAT CHEWED. POPPED THE ENGINE HOOD. VERY SIZABLE NEST LOCATED IN ENGINE. VEHICLE CURRENTLY IN FOR REPAIR ESTIMATED AT 1000$ PLUS DEDUCTIBLE AND RENTAL CAR FEES AS WELL. CONTACTED DEALER AND TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE. BASICALLY TOLD THAT TOYOTA USES SOY BASED PRODUCTS IN AN EFFORT TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT CAN ONLY TAKE DOWN MY RECORD OF COMPLAINT. I EMPHASIZED THAT I HAVE 2/3 OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN PARKED IN THE SAME LOCATION AND HAVE NEVER BEEN TARGETED BY RODENTS BUT THIS VEHICLE HAS ATTRACTED RODENTS TWICE IN 9 MONTHS AND THAT IT IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THEY ARE CHEWING INTO WIRING IN MY ENGINE BECAUSE THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY ATTRACTED TO THE MANUFACTURING COMPONENTS. I ALSO INQUIRED WHAT I AS THE CONSUMER COULD DO TO DETER THE ISSUE. THEY COULD GIVE NO ADVICE OF COURSE. AND TOYOTA IS AWARE BUT CONTINUES TO COMPROMISE THEIR CUSTOMER'S SAFETY IN AN EFFORT TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.