NHTSA Complaint #10979652 — 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID

MY 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WAS JUST DEEMED TOTALED BY THE CAR DEALERSHIP (NEWBURGH TOYOTA) AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY (LIBERTY MUTUAL), BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RODENT DAMAGE. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE RODENTS WERE ATTRACTED TO THE WIRING BECAUSE TOYOYTA USES ECO-FRIENDLY SOY-BASED COATING ON THEIR WIRES WHICH ATTRACT RODENTS!! RODENTS CHEWED WIRES, THE WIRING HARNESS, PLUGGED DRAINAGE HOLES WITH THEIR BEDDING THUS CAUSING WATER DAMAGE, AND RUINED THE HYBRID BATTERIES. THE DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN $12,000, WHICH OF COURSE TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UNLESS THE BATTERY WAS UNHOOKED TO "CLEAR" THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. WHEN IT STARTED THE ERROR MESSAGES/WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH WERE LIT UP EVERYWHERE, INDICATING IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE A SERVICE TECH STRIPPED THE INTERIOR AND DISCOVERED RODENTS NESTS, DROPPINGS, WATER, AND LOTS OF DAMAGE. PHOTOS ATTACHED. PARTS ALONE FOR THE REPAIR WERE MORE THAN $10,000, AND THAT DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTICS OR LABOR COSTS. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS HAS BEEN A GIANT HEADACHE!