NHTSA Complaint #11112429 — 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATING, A PATTERN, FOR A LACK OF A BETTER TERM, APPEARS AS PER THE INCLUDED PHOTO TAKEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THAT TIME. THIS PATTERN OR MARKINGS WHEN VISIBLE RUN VERTICALLY IN THE FORM OF WAVY LINES FROM ONE END OF THE WINDSHIELD TO THE OTHER. THIS CONDITION IS NOT THE RESULT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, A DIRTY WINDSHIELD, INSIDE OR OUT, OR ANY SUBSTANCE OF ANY KIND INTENTIONALLY APPLIED OR NOT AND IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND APPEARS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN THE RAIN. WHEN FIRST NOTICED, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL HOURS IN HEAVY AND LIGHT RAIN AND A PERIOD OF TIME IN DAYLIGHT AND EVENING HOURS WITH THE WIPERS BEING OPERATED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THESE MARKINGS ARE A SUBSTANTIAL DISTRACTION ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING WHERE ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS EXACERBATE THE CONDITION. THESE MARKINGS WHEN VISIBLE NEVER CHANGE OR STREAK AS THE WIPERS MOVE BACK AND FORTH AS IN THE CASE WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, AN INSECT STRIKES THE WINDSHIELD. TO THIS END, AND JUST BY CHANCE ON THE DAY THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN, A STREAK IS VISIBLE AGAIN PROBABLY DUE TO AN INSECT HITTING THE WINDSHIELD OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF DEBRIS, HOWEVER, THE MARKINGS IN QUESTION CLEARLY STAND OUT FROM THE STREAK. IT IS NOTED IN THE CASE OF THE STREAK, AS WOULD BE EXPECTED, IT FOLLOWS THE MOVEMENT OF THE WIPER. THE MARKINGS WHEN APPLICABLE ARE VISIBLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONARY AND CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN BY THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF ROADWAY. AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THESE MARKINGS ARE NOT VISIBLE IN THE ABSENCE OF RAIN OR WATER BEING APPLIED MANUALLY FROM A GARDEN HOSE.