NHTSA Complaint #11174809 — 2007 SCION TC

MY TRUNK RELEASE BROKE RECENTLY (1/25/19) AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE TRUNK. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF DEFECTIVE PART AND HAD OFFERED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT ON THE TRUNK RELEASE BUT IT EXPIRED IN 2015. I RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION. CALLED TOYOTA TODAY AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME, EITHER. WAS GIVEN CASE #1902062093. IF PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND THEY WERE AWARE OF IT I SHOULDN'T BE EXPECTED TO PAY $666.90 FOR REPLACEMENT JUST BECAUSE MY TRUNK RELEASE DIDN'T BREAK SOONER. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD ISSUES WITH THE TRUNK AS IT DIDN'T OPEN CONSISTENTLY. IF I HAD RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FROM TOYOTA IN 2013 AS THIS WAS APPARENTLY WHEN NOTICES WERE SENT OUT, I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE HAD IT REPLACED. IF TOYOTA IS AWARE OF A DEFECTIVE PART, NO TIME LIMIT SHOULD EXIST TO HAVE IT REPLACED, ESPECIALLY IF THE CURRENT OWNER IS ALSO THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE TRUNK RELEASE WAS DANGLING BY THE WIRES, AND IS BEING HELD IN PLACE WITH SEVERAL INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH MAGNETS. OBVIOUSLY I AM UNABLE TO ACCESS THE TRUNK UNTIL I SHELL OUT AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF CASH TO FIX IT. I REALIZE THIS ISSUE ISN'T AS SERIOUS AS BRAKES, TIRES, ETC BUT I FEEL TOYOTA HAS AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE GOOD ON DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE TRUNK RELEASE IS A PLASTIC PART ON AN OTHERWISE ALL METAL CAR WHICH MAKES NO SENSE IN THE FIRST PLACE.