NHTSA Complaint #11267998 — 2018 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE HEAT SHIELD ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR, BY THE STORAGE BATTERY CAME LOSE WHILE DRIVING AND WAS DAMAGED. IT IS HELD IN PLACE BY ONLY FOUR PLASTIC PINS. THE CAR IS SO LOW TO THE GROUND THAT IT IS HARD TO CLEAR NORMAL SPEED BUMPS LET ALONE OLDER LARGER ONES. WE WERE TRAVELING A HOUSING ADDITION LESS THAN 20 MPH AND JUST WENT OVER AN OLDER HIGH SPEED-BUMP AND PUDDLE WHEN IT OCCURRED. WE DROVE THE LAST 100 OR SO FEET HOME AND WIRED IT UP OUT OF THE WAY SO THE CAR COULD BE DRIVEN AT LOW SPEED TOO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THIS WAS DAMAGE DUE TO OUR DRIVING NEGLIGENCE IE: "WE HIT SOMETHING". WHEN THIS SHIELD COMES OFF IT FALLS STRAIGHT INTO THE VEHICLE EXHAUST PIPE AND GROUND, THERE IS NO SIMPLE WAY TO REMOVE THE PIECE UNTIL A FULL REPAIR CAN BE COMPLETED. IT MUST BE WIRED UP OFF THE GROUND OR PART OF THE WHEEL AND EXHAUST MUST BE DISCONNECTED. IT TOOK THE DEALERSHIP THREE TRIES AND OVER A MONTH TO GET THE CORRECT SHIELD IN AND PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE PART NUMBER IN THE TOYOTA PARTS SPECIFICATION AND THE REPAIR PARTS WAREHOUSE OR NOT THE SAME.