Feds investigate possible wind deflector glass defect on Scion tC

https://www.autonews.com/buyArchives.cms?articleId=54407

Feds investigate possible wind deflector glass defect on Scion tC
HARRY STOFFER | Automotive News
Posted Date: 9/14/05
WASHINGTON -- Toyota has launched and sold 200,000 units of three Scion vehicles in just over two years without a safety recall. But that achievement may be in jeopardy.

Federal safety officials said last week that they are stepping up an investigation of wind deflectors on the sunroofs of 2005 Scion tC coupes. Some deflectors have shattered, showering glass on vehicle occupants.

"These occurrences may pose a risk of driver distraction and personal injury," says a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.

The agency and the automaker have received eight complaints of broken deflectors. Toyota Motor North America Inc. told NHTSA of 37 warranty claims that may be related to the problem.

Toyota says its research found no flaw in design, manufacturing or assembly. The automaker suspects the deflectors are being broken by airborne debris. Toyota spokeswoman Ming-Jou Chen declined further comment.

NHTSA's upgrading of a defect investigation in this way, from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, often is a prelude to a recall.

More than 60,000 tC coupes are on the road.

In another newly upgraded investigation, NHTSA is trying to determine whether there is a safety defect in the release lever for the second-row seat in 2004 Nissan Quest minivans. More than 65,000 of the vehicles are in service.

NHTSA says it and Nissan have reports of 11 injuries to people's hands after using the lever. The agency says Nissan has changed the handle's design twice during production.

The current handle is larger than previous ones. It has a cup-shaped design, into which fingers fit. Nissan North America Inc. says no injuries have been reported from the latest version of the handle.

damn... hope that doesn't mess up their rep. I wonder what's wrong with the glass. :confused:

Its GLASS, what do you think its going to do on impact????
Id bet they replace the glass with a plastic one....
Cap'n

Toyota says its research found no flaw in design, manufacturing or assembly. The automaker suspects the deflectors are being broken by airborne debris. Toyota spokeswoman Ming-Jou Chen declined further comment.
Its amazing how this 'airborne debris' is only targeting the tC, huh?

shattered? hmm i find that a lil suspicious.....arn't all glass on cars wrapped in plastic so they just crack and not shatter? well maybe i'm wrong but i sat in a tC wen a rock size of golf ball, came off of a truck and hit the hood (made a big dent on the hood) and bounced into the deflector and all it made was a crack...well sorry if i'm wrong i guess not all tC deflectors can survive that..

Its amazing how this 'airborne debris' is only targeting the tC, huh?It's amazing that you constantly bash Toyota, huh?

It's amazing that you constantly bash Toyota, huh?
I don't hate toyota cars, I hate their management. I mean, here they refuse to even say "yeah, maybe we have a problem," but rather blame it on factors outside of their control. There hasn't been an onslaught of other wind deflectors on other cars shattering, so why would debris cause so much damage to that of the tC. Perhaps it could be a poor design, even though those on top refuse to admit so.

Well I hate GM's management because it consists of some of the biggest retards on the planet. NO HYbrids? Moving up production on gas guzzling SUVs, and trucks? WTF? Rick Wagoner should be shot.

Well I hate GM's management because it consists of some of the biggest retards on the planet. NO HYbrids? Moving up production on gas guzzling SUVs, and trucks? WTF? Rick Wagoner should be shot.They have hybrids.

Toyota has gas guzzling SUVs and trucks too.

No one should be shot. People have a right to life whether you like them or not.

Yeah they have 1 mild hybrid that gets like what? A 1-2 mpg increase! Toyota didn't cancel passenger cars to get their SUV's out, and they've got cars that get better MPG than GM.

Well I hate GM's management because it consists of some of the biggest retards on the planet. NO HYbrids? Moving up production on gas guzzling SUVs, and trucks? WTF? Rick Wagoner should be shot.I hope you realize how big an idiot you look like.
GM has hybrids. Although they may not claim to get extraordinary gas milage, they are there. They hybrid buses save huge amounts of gas for the cities that buy them.
You realize that Toyota puts out plenty of trucks that are 'gas guzzlers' as well. Didn't they just make plans to open a plant in San Antonio to be able to build more of these trucks.
Come on, I know you were only born in the 90's, but be a bit smarter than this.

I hope you realize how big an idiot you look like.
GM has hybrids. Although they may not claim to get extraordinary gas milage, they are there. They hybrid buses save huge amounts of gas for the cities that buy them.
You realize that Toyota puts out plenty of trucks that are 'gas guzzlers' as well. Didn't they just make plans to open a plant in San Antonio to be able to build more of these trucks.
Come on, I know you were only born in the 90's, but be a bit smarter than this.Can the average person go buy one of THEY HYBRID buses? GM cancelled the Zeta Program (which was probably their only hope) to move up production of the GMT-900. Toyota's new trucks are expected to have a REAL hybrid powertrain, and let's not forget that Toyota still has car sales to rely on if gas prices take their tole on Fullsize pickups.

Can the average person go buy one of THEY HYBRID buses? GM cancelled the Zeta Program (which was probably their only hope) to move up production of the GMT-900. Toyota's new trucks are expected to have a REAL hybrid powertrain, and let's not forget that Toyota still has car sales to rely on if gas prices take their tole on Fullsize pickups.
Since when is a platform that was meant for cars such as a new GTO and Camaro GM's "only hope?" You said earlier that the Mustang wasn't a mainstream vehicle, but somehow canceling a non-mainsteam platform is killer? Okay.
GM moving up the 900's is not going to kill them. Not to mention very little is still known about them, with rumors of Hybrids being thrown around.
And I didn't say an average person can buy a hybrid bus. However, there is out(or will be soon) the Sierra/Silverado hybrids, The Saturn Ion Greenline and the Vue Greenline. Not to mention GM uses DOD and VVT technology as well to improve fuel economy.
And in a recent study, something like 2/3's of Americans said that they would be wary of buying a hybrid vehicle. With those kind of odds stacked against you right now, it doesn't seem the time to throw all of your available resources into the hybrid game.

All 3 of you need to stop acting a bunch of children. We all have different opinions and we all need to respect each other's opinions. We dont have to all agree with each other but it seems like every topic lately ends up being an argument. :disappoin
Cap'n

^^ Here Here!! [bangs beer mug on table] :drama:

Toyota owns up to it's faults when they're proven. Cases in point - about a million SUV and trucks "voluntarily" recalled for inspection and (if necessary) replacement due to a potential ball joint problem. A steering defect that affects some trucks - but Toyota warranty's even trucks that are nearly 10 years old. And God knows how many Echo's being fixed because the interior floors rust prematurely because silly people in snowy climates bring their slushy-salt covered boots into the car and don't use winter mats. (I still don't know why they're doing that repair - but at least they're looking out for their customer - which is an A+ for management). All I see these days are complaints from Big-3 vehicle owners who have been cast aside by the short-sighted Big-3 management. I love reading about them every Saturday in the paper. :lol:

Anyways we can all thank Ford for making automotive campaigns and recalls a daily event because no company can afford the horrific failures and "long term" publicity associated with complacency and potential deaths, etc).

If there's a proven problem with the wind deflector, Toyota will have it fixed. But just because someone screams "defect" doesn't mean it is. Frig...maybe I'll yell to the NHTSB that my windshield is defective since it took a rock and broke. Wait - that's wear and tear. :ugh3:

All ye of little faith...in management. :naughty:

Since when is a platform that was meant for cars such as a new GTO and Camaro GM's "only hope?" You said earlier that the Mustang wasn't a mainstream vehicle, but somehow canceling a non-mainsteam platform is killer? Okay.
GM moving up the 900's is not going to kill them. Not to mention very little is still known about them, with rumors of Hybrids being thrown around.
And I didn't say an average person can buy a hybrid bus. However, there is out(or will be soon) the Sierra/Silverado hybrids, The Saturn Ion Greenline and the Vue Greenline. Not to mention GM uses DOD and VVT technology as well to improve fuel economy.
And in a recent study, something like 2/3's of Americans said that they would be wary of buying a hybrid vehicle. With those kind of odds stacked against you right now, it doesn't seem the time to throw all of your available resources into the hybrid game.The platform was the Zeta platform which was supposed to be a Midsized RWD platform for Chevy, Pontiac, and Buick. The Buick Lasaunne & Velite were supposed to be on it, Chevy was supposed to have a new Camaro, and RWD Impala, and Pontiac was supposed to have a Bonneville replacement called "G8".

The platform was the Zeta platform which was supposed to be a Midsized RWD platform for Chevy, Pontiac, and Buick. The Buick Lasaunne & Velite were supposed to be on it, Chevy was supposed to have a new Camaro, and RWD Impala, and Pontiac was supposed to have a Bonneville replacement called "G8".
Just so you know, Zeta is still being done.

The platform was the Zeta platform which was supposed to be a Midsized RWD platform for Chevy, Pontiac, and Buick. The Buick Lasaunne & Velite were supposed to be on it, Chevy was supposed to have a new Camaro, and RWD Impala, and Pontiac was supposed to have a Bonneville replacement called "G8".
Buick, Pontiac, and Chevy will be getting RWD coupes and sedans in the near future. I posted a link to it after you said the exact same thing in another post, but you must not have seen it.

Its GLASS, what do you think its going to do on impact????
Id bet they replace the glass with a plastic one....
Cap'n

I know.. i'm just sayin. I wonder why it's supposedly a problem now :confused: Are they cheaping out on the glass or. people driving too fast? :confused:

wow, i remember 84's first post in this forum, and slowly it has evolved to this bashing of other auto makers, each had their pro's and cons and each person is entitled to their opionion and i agree, no shooting people...lol

some of the tc dedicated sites have talked about this. I guess it's happened to a few people, and due to the rather alarming failure, the feds want to check it out. No more. No less.

Toyota will admit fault once the feds fault them. I think they learned their lesson to not completely dispute owners with that whole "sludge" deal.