NHTSA complaint: 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
AFTER COMPLETING AN OIL CHANGE ON MY 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA IN OCTOBER OF 2011 I NOTICED THAT THE AMBER LENS IN THE HEADLIGHT WAS DISCOLORED AND SEEMED TO BE MELTING DUE TO OVERHEATING. OVER THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN MONITORING THE SITUATION AND NOTICED THAT THE MELTING AND CRACKING OF THE AMBER LENS INSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. IT SEEMS THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE NOT PROPERLY ENGINEERED IN THIS MODEL. BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT THERE IS A CLEAR CONCERN FOR DRIVER SAFETY. THE MELTING LENSES CREATE AN OBVIOUS FIRE HAZARD. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY TACOMA IN THE METRO ATLANTA AREA ADVISED ME THAT TOYOTA HAS NO RECALL OF EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS "KNOWN" PROBLEM. I WAS VERY DISMAYED TO HEAR THIS BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS CLEARLY PRESENTS A THREAT TO THE DRIVER. BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION I HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO ME. EITHER I REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WITH THE TOYOTA FACTORY ASSEMBLY WHICH IS ALREADY KNOWN TO HAVE A DEFECT OR PURCHASE AND AFTERMARKET HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND HOPE THE IT IS ENGINEERED BETTER THAN THE TOYOTA ONE, OR I FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DISABLE THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS TO CUT BACK ON THE HEAD THAT BUILDS UP WITH THEM CONSTANTLY BEING ON. I WOULD RATHER NOT DISABLE THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THEY DO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY VALUE. I AM NOT SURE WHAT I AM GOING TO DO AT THIS POINT BUT CLEARLY ACTION IS NEEDED. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation