INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 9/30/08 AT ~3:15PM. I HEARD A LOUD BANG (SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST) WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ~60MPH. MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO DUCK...I LITERALLY THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS SHOOTING AT ME. AFTER A QUICK SECOND TO COLLECT MY WITS, I LOOKED AROUND AND SAW NO DAMAGE. ONCE THAT "SOAKED" IN, I REALIZED I HEARD WIND NOISE (I REMEMBER THINKING THAT WAS ODD BECAUSE WINDOWS WERE UP AND SUNROOF WAS CLOSED). I PULLED BACK THE SUNROOF SCREEN AND, TO MY ASTONISHMENT, SAW THAT THE SUNROOF HAD SPIDERWEBBED INTO THOUSANDS OF TINY PIECES...PIECES THAT WERE ALREADY STARTING TO FLY OFF INTO TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. I PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. THE SUNROOF LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING HAD BLASTED IT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I CLEANED UP THE GLASS THE BEST I COULD ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE DEALER. I HAD HEARD OF DEFLECTOR SHATTERING (RECALL WAS COMPLETED ON MY DEFLECTOR), BUT NOT THE SUNROOF. THE DEALER REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE SUNROOF EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEY CLAIM THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD. THE WEATHER WAS MILD, NOTHING HIT MY SUNROOF FROM THE OUTSIDE AND, BASED ON SIMILAR INSTANCES FILED HERE, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE DESIGN. TOYOTA SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING, FIX THIS ISSUE AND HONOR THEIR WARRANTIES. *TR
2006
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
TL* - THE CONTACT HAD A 2006 SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN DEEMED A "LEMON" BY SCION CORPORATE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A LEMON BECAUSE OF RATTLING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE HATCHBACK FOR WHICH 3 UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REPAIR. OTHER FAILURES INCLUDED: THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T ENGAGE WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE GEAR, THE REAR BUMPER WAS CRACKED, AND THE TIRES SCREECHED. THE CONTACT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON 11/25/2006 AT 3:30 AM, ON 110 EXPRESSWAY IN LOS ANGELES. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH. NEITHER THE WEATHER NOR THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE A FACTOR IN THE CRASH. DURING A TURN, THE TIRES WEREN'T GRIPPING THE ROAD WELL. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND HE APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW CAR DOWN. THE CONSUMER OVERCORRECTION TO THE LEFT AND PROCEEDED INTO A DITCH. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT HIM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAR BEING A LEMON WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. THE CONTACT HAS A POLICE REPORT. *JB