Manufacturer: TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING, KENTUCKY, INC.
Manufacturer Id: 1088
Model: Avalon
Model Year: 2008
Plant Company Name: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, inc
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Kentucky
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GSX30L
TPMS: Direct
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2013
STRUCTURE:BODY
SERIOUS PROBLEM: 2013 TOYOTA AVALON DASHBOARD TRIM CAUSES A DANGEROUS REFLECTION OF SUNLIGHT DIRECTLY INTO DRIVER'S EYES. DURING MID-DAY SUN, BLINDING BEAMS OF SUNLIGHT BOUNCE OFF SEVERAL AREAS OF THE MIRRORED-CHROME-COLORED PLASTIC TRIM THAT SURROUNDS THE DASHBOARD AND WRAPS AROUND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SUNLIGHT IS REFLECTED OFF CHROME TRIM BENEATH THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER. BLINDING SUNLIGHT ALSO REFLECTS OFF TRIM ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AND OTHER POINTS ACROSS THE TRIM. DEPENDING ON TIME OF DAY AND DIRECTION OF CAR, SUNLIGHT BOUNCES OFF DIFFERENT PLACES ON THE TRIM. BECAUSE THE TRIM IS BEVELED, INSTEAD OF A VERTICAL SURFACE, IT FOCUSES THE SUNLIGHT DIRECTLY BACK INTO THE DRIVER'їїS EYES. DRIVERS NEED TO REGULARLY GLANCE DOWN AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND REFLECTED SUNLIGHT FROM THAT AREA AND OTHER SECTIONS ON THE DASH IS DANGEROUSLY DISTRACTING. ACCIDENTS COULD OCCUR AS A RESULT OF DRIVERS BEING MOMENTARILY BLINDED BY THEIR DASHBOARD TRIM. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THE MIRRORED SURFACE OF THE TRIM, AS WELL AS OTHER CHROME TRIM ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND AROUND THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS, WITH A DARK-COLORED TRIM OR MATTE, NON-REFLECTIVE SURFACE. DESPITE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS POSTED AT THE NHTSA AND MY DIRECT CONTACT WITH TOYOTA MOTORS USA, THE COMPANY REFUSED TO OFFER A SOLUTION AND/OR TEMPORARY WORK-AROUND FOR RETRO-FITTING THE TRIM WITH A NON-REFLECTIVE SURFACE. THE COMPANY TOLD ME IT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SUNLIGHT REFLECTING INTO DRIVER'Sїї EYES FROM THE TRIM. THUS, NO PROBLEM MEANS NO NEED FOR A SOLUTION. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM OCCURS IN 2013 MODELS OF TOYOTA AVALON CURRENTLY BEING SOLD IN DEALERSHIPS, THE BUYING PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT IT. FURTHER, TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE PROMPTED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY INJURIES OR FATALITIES IN THE FUTURE. *TR
2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HER VEHICLE, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE LIGHTS BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
