NHTSA Complaint #11328161 — 2013 TOYOTA AVALON

THE REAR SUNSHADE IS STUCK IN THE 'UP' (EXTENDED) POSITION, GREATLY HINDERING VIEW TO THE REAR, BOTH WITH REAR-VIEW MIRROR AND WHEN DRIVER TURNS HEAD TO THE REAR. THIS DEVICE IS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT FROM 'UP' POSITION EVERY TIME THE CAR IS SHIFTED TO "REVERSE" GEAR, SO AS TO NOT HINDER REAR VIEWS. IT WORKED FINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT LAST MONTH IT BECAME STUCK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION, AND CANNOT BE RETRACTED. THIS IS A PROBLEM AT ALL TIMES; BUT IS ESPECIALLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION AT NIGHT, WHEN DARKNESS HINDERS VIEWS. FROM ONLINE SEARCHING, IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS VERY FREQUENTLY, AND MOST COMMENTERS SAY IT'S NOT WORTH FIXING, BECAUSE REPLACEMENT UNITS DEVELOP THE SAME PROBLEM. REMOVING THE UNIT IS MY PREFERRED APPROACH. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SEVERAL HOURS OF LABOR ARE REQUIRED, AS THE REAR SEAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF A MOVING CRASH; IT HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY, AND IS NOW AN ISSUE 100% OF THE TIME. *TR