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-   -   Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help (https://electricvehicleforums.com/forums/toyota-camry-hybrid-49/sun-visors-falling-down-toyota-refuses-help-22644/)

haroldo 09-25-2009 12:40 PM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 
I'd write a letter to corporate headquarters (not the guys in customer service, but the guys with Chief, Chairman or President next to their name).
They're usually more responsive.

chscheer 09-26-2009 01:36 PM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 
I am having the exact same problem, my passenger side sun visor fell off while I was driving home and my driver side sun visor will droop down as I'm driving. Toyota told me that due to mileage my car is out of warranty and they will not do anything. They acknowledged that my car was involved in the safety notice tech bulletin but refused to help. I asked how close they were to a recall so that I could be assisted by Toyota and was told unless everyone calls to create a case they won't issue a recall. I asked what would happen if I was in an accident due to the faulty sun visor and the young woman said my concerns were noted!!! If anyone is having the same issues please call 1 800 331 4331 (Toyota customer service) and reference bulletin T-SB-0284-09 August 21, 2009 sunvisor mount loose. Although this only acknowledges one of the problems perhaps if enough people complain that their sun visors are drooping they will fix that also. -Aimee

haroldo 09-26-2009 03:14 PM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 
So, you're driving and the thing just falls off?
Do you use the visors a lot (commuting into the sun, etc.)?

chscheer 09-27-2009 06:32 PM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 
Hi there,
No, I have hardly ever used them. Never stored anything above them....and yes as I was driving in Atlanta traffic on 285 my passenger side visor fell off the ceiling. As I was leaving dinner on Friday night my driver side visor began to droop. It is now being held up by a rubber band attached to the handle above the window and around the visor. I narrowly avoided a collision when both occured. I intend to write to a variety of people at Toyota tomorrow and will be filing a violation of safety report with DOT.

McGyver 09-27-2009 07:16 PM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 
Bingo!

haroldo 09-27-2009 10:24 PM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 
From a mechanical perspective...what is happening? Where is the failure? Does the arm just break?

FWIW, I asked my dealer's service manager and he said he wasn't aware of this issue (his dealership hadn't had any).

chscheer 09-28-2009 06:39 AM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 
Hi again,
Passenger side mount broke (although I don't see any broken/bent or otherwise mangeld pieces), driver side sags when I'm driving, it is still attached to the roof but hangs down (there is no tension to hold it up). If you or your service manager have any other suggestions/ideas I am open to them. I found a pair of visors online but am hesitant to purchase them if they are from the same batch as mine. I have copied and pasted the information I found regarding the tech service bulletin:

T-SB-0284-09 August 21, 2009 Sunvisor Mount Loose
2007 – 2010 Camry, Camry HV

If the driver and front passenger sunvisors are operated forcefully, the mounting area of the sunvisor on the vehicle body may become damaged. If this has occurred, the sunvisor may become loose from the mounting area located on the headliner. To address this condition, newly designed
mounting brackets have been made available to reinstall the sunvisors. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to install the mounting brackets.


This TSB applies to vehicles produced
BEFORE the Production Change Effective VINs shown below.

PLANT LINE DRIVETRAIN PRODUCTION CHANGE EFFECTIVE VIN

TMMK Line 1 L4 4T1BF3EK#AU017501
TMMK Line 1 V6 4T1BK3EK#AU101208
TMMK Line 2 L4 4T1BF3EK#AU521414
TMMK Line 2 L4 4T1BK3EK#AU600223
TMMK Line2 Hybrid 4T1BB3EK#AU114358

SIA L4 4T4BF3EK#AR031582

Tsutsumi L4 JTNBF3EK#A3002320
Tsutsumi L4 JTNBK3EK#A3048854

This repair is covered under the Toyota Comprehensive Warranty. This warranty is in effect for 36 months or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicle’s in-service date.

Repair Kit basically replaces installs plastic brackets in the roof and installs 2 screws that attach the visor bracket to the roof.


McGyver 09-28-2009 07:42 AM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... LIARS!!!
 
Chapter 10...

So I got the car over to the stealership for my 0700 appointment. They check me in, print out my waiter RO, send me to the cashier, I get my little pager and I just chill for a while.

30 minutes later, the SA comes to the waiting room to find me. They can't help me today... the part I need is on backorder, across the country with NO ETA!

I paused, collected my thoughts, and asked the man: You mean, the part you've "never seen fail before"??? the part that must have broken by the customer opening it too forcefully??? THAT PART?!?!?!?!?!

No answer. He just said: "We'll pull your car up over there and call you when the part arrives".

I just............ I need coffee.

McGyver 09-28-2009 07:50 AM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 

Originally Posted by chscheer (Post 211470)
Hi again,
T-SB-0284-09 August 21, 2009 Sunvisor Mount Loose
2007 – 2010 Camry, Camry HV

If the driver and front passenger sunvisors are operated forcefully, the mounting area of the sunvisor on the vehicle body may become damaged. If this has occurred, the sunvisor may become loose from the mounting area located on the headliner. To address this condition, newly designed
mounting brackets have been made available to reinstall the sunvisors. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to install the mounting brackets.


Aimee, you are the best!

I think I see something interesting here and at the same time, I'll answer Haroldo's question about the mode of failure.

Mine started to creak and pop when moved. this started a few weeks before total failure. The popping noise got worse and the area around the hinge/pivot started to swell as the plastic bits inside disintegrated.

Now at this point... it DOES TAKE significantly more force to get the visor to move to another position. And indeed it is that additional force that finally causes it to fail completely. And when they fail, they flop right down in your face with maximum coverage of the windshield. As Aimee said, very dangerous.

Sorry Toyota, you can't blame THAT on the customer. It's just asinine.

A den of thieves. That's All!

McGyver 09-28-2009 07:59 AM

Re: Sun Visors falling down... Toyota refuses to help
 

Originally Posted by haroldo (Post 211462)
From a mechanical perspective...what is happening? Where is the failure? Does the arm just break?

FWIW, I asked my dealer's service manager and he said he wasn't aware of this issue (his dealership hadn't had any).

You are in the largest metropolitan area in the country. Either the service manager is flat out lying to you... or he needs to resign his position and go open up a flower shop in Scranton.

Honestly... there is a guy at work I deal with who is in charge of quality issues. His favorite all time phrase is: "first I've heard of it." It gets to be almost comical after a while.

FWIW, Service Managers at BOTH my stealerships and the Toyota Rep never heard of this either.


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