NHTSA Complaint #11061292 — 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

THIS VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP THAT TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPLACE. I WAS IN CHICAGO ON 12/26-31/2017 AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 20 DEGREES. THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FROZE AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GROSSINGER TOYOTA, LINCOLNWOOD, IL ON 12/27 AND 12/29. THEY DID NOTHING ON 12/27 OTHER THAN PARK THE VEHICLE INSIDE WHERE THE PUMP THAWED AND WORKED. THE NEXT TWO DAYS IT FROZE AGAIN. ON 12/29 I DROVE TO WI AND PLACED MY FAMILY IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION WITH SALT ON THE WINDSHIELD AND NO WORKING WASHER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO GROSSINGER AND THEY CHANGED FLUID TO A COLDER TEMPERATURE AND USED AIR TO BLOW OUT THE LINES. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS AGAIN BELOW 10 DEGREES WHEN I LEFT CHICAGO. THE WASHER AGAIN DID NOT WORK AND IT PLACED MY FAMILY IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION WITH SALT AND DIRT ON THE WINDSHIELD. IN HANNIBAL, MO I SAT IN A FAST FOOD DRIVE THRU FOR 15 MINUTES AND THE WASHER STARTED WORKING. SOON AS I WAS BACK ON THE ROAD IT AGAIN FROZE UP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TEXAS TOYOTA, GRAPEVINE, TX ON 1/4/2018 AND THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE UNLESS THE PROBLEM COULD BE DUPLICATED. I REFUSED TO DRIVE BACK TO CHICAGO TO DUPLICATE THE FROZEN WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP. IT IS OBVIOUS THE CULTURE OF NOT CARING ABOUT SAFETY HAZARDS ON THEIR VEHICLES CONTINUES AT TOYOTA. I BELIEVE THE DIAPHRAGM INSIDE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP IS DEFECTIVE AND FREEZES WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 20 DEGREES. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP.