NHTSA Complaint #11421058 — 2009 LEXUS RX

The dashboard of our 2009 Lexus RX350 has developed multiple severe cracks horizontally and vertically. The dashboard has also become very hard. The cracks are deep and appear to extend the full depth of the dash down to the underlayment. We are concerned that, in the event of an accident, the dashboard will shatter, and shards will effectively become missiles, cutting through whatever or whoever they contact. In 2015 we received a Warranty Enhancement Notification from Lexus concerning a 'cosmetic' problem involving 'cracked and/or sticky/melting dashboards'. Lexus offered to replace the dashboard free of charge, but only through May 31, 2017. We did not experience our problem until late 2020 when we started parking the Lexus outdoors. Lexus now says that this is still a cosmetic problem and has offered to cover half of the dashboard replacement. We do not understand why Lexus was willing to pay the full cost of replacing a 'cosmetic' problem but now offers only 50% for a safety problem.