2013 Toyota Avalon VISIBILITY/WIPER

1) System Failure: Back window shade. It is available for inspection at any time. 2) Safety of me and others put at risk: When the shade is down I can not see out the back window posing a significant risk to those behind me particularly pedestrians 3) Has problem been reproduced: Yes 4) Has the component been inspected: No the motor operating the shade has not been inspected 5) Warnings prior to system failure: None Description: The window shade is meant to automatically retract out of sight when the transmission is placed in reverse. It does not retract at all. It stays fully extended covering the entire back window. This problem drastically impairs my ability to see out the back window at all. While being a problem at all times driving the vehicle it is particularly problematic when backing up at night; you simply can not see anyone behind you backing out of a parking space in a mall for example.

Rear window shade stuck in 'UP' position, cannot see out the rearview mirror, especially at night. Makes for very dangerous driving.

The rear window spontaneously shattered into little fragments of glass and fell into the backseat section of the vehicle. This happened once while parked at work in a gated lot and security camera with motion sensors caught the incident happening on video. Temperature was in the high 80 F, and happened in August of 2022. After 5 months later the rear window shattered again while parked on driveway. Safety of anyone in the back seat is at risk due to sharp glass. Unable to convince the dealer this is a factory defect. Manufacturer said they can do a visual inspection but in realty results will be pointless since the car have not been in any accident. No warning appeared before rear window shattered.

Rear window sunscreen (dark black) stuck in the up position. Poor visibility during night driving with the curtain stuck in the upright position. This has always had this problem and Toyota has not solution.

The sun shade in the rear back malfunctions. When it malfunctions you are unable to visibility see when backing up due to the sun shade being in the way which put other people at risk for safety when backing up. Also when this piece malfunctions it makes a gridding nose which can cause a wreck if the person is unaware of the noise in the car while backing up. This function has been looked at by a Toyota Dealer ship which would result of owner paying over $1000.00 to get it fixed or even disabled. There are no warnings regarding the malfunction besides a loud noise while backing up when not functioning properly.

THE REAR SUN SHADE WHICH EXTENDS AND RETRACTS TO COVER THE BACK WINDOW OF MY AVALON HAS A FAULT WHICH CAUSES IT TO GET STUCK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION, COVERING THE REAR WINDOW. THIS DRASTICALLY REDUCES THE VISIBILITY OUT THE REAR WINDOW AND THERE IS NO OBVIOUS OR SIMPLE FIX FOR THE ISSUE. I HAVE FOUND ONLINE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM. BEFORE THE SHADE GOT STUCK, IT WOULD RANDOMLY EXTEND OR RETRACT DURING HOT DAYS, WHICH SEEMS TO BE DUE TO A FAULTY RELAY. THIS IS CLEARLY A POOR DESIGN WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER AND ANYONE BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHILE BACKING UP.

THE REAR SUNSHADE IS STUCK IN THE 'UP' (EXTENDED) POSITION, GREATLY HINDERING VIEW TO THE REAR, BOTH WITH REAR-VIEW MIRROR AND WHEN DRIVER TURNS HEAD TO THE REAR. THIS DEVICE IS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT FROM 'UP' POSITION EVERY TIME THE CAR IS SHIFTED TO "REVERSE" GEAR, SO AS TO NOT HINDER REAR VIEWS. IT WORKED FINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT LAST MONTH IT BECAME STUCK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION, AND CANNOT BE RETRACTED. THIS IS A PROBLEM AT ALL TIMES; BUT IS ESPECIALLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION AT NIGHT, WHEN DARKNESS HINDERS VIEWS. FROM ONLINE SEARCHING, IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS VERY FREQUENTLY, AND MOST COMMENTERS SAY IT'S NOT WORTH FIXING, BECAUSE REPLACEMENT UNITS DEVELOP THE SAME PROBLEM. REMOVING THE UNIT IS MY PREFERRED APPROACH. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SEVERAL HOURS OF LABOR ARE REQUIRED, AS THE REAR SEAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF A MOVING CRASH; IT HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY, AND IS NOW AN ISSUE 100% OF THE TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW PRIVACY SCREEN WAS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION; THEREFORE, BLOCKING HIS VISIBILITY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

THE REAR WINDOW SHADE AUTOMATICALLY RAISED ITSELF AND IS STUCK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION. IT MAKES A LOUD SOUND FOR ~20 SECONDS WHENEVER THE CAR IS PUT INTO REVERSE OR WHENEVER YOU ATTEMPT TO RETRACT THE SHADE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO OBSERVE TRAFFIC THROUGH THE REARVIEW MIRROR, PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT.

THE REAR RETRACTABLE SUNSHADE WENT UP AND LOCKED IN PLACE AND WILL NOT RETRACT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. AT NIGHT IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE ANY VEHICLES BEHIND YOU. BACKING UP BECOMES A PROBLEM AS WELL FOR IT BECOMES HARD TO SEE PEDESTRIANS AS THEY PASS BEHIND YOU IN PARKING LOTS. VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT AND I HAVE SEEN MANY REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING.

MY REAR WINDOW SHADE HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. IT IS IN THE UP POSITION AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE BEHIND ME UNLESS FULL SUN IS PRESENT. THIS IS A CONSTANT SITUATION.

HEADLINER AT TOP OF REAR GLASS IS DROOPING WHERE THE HEADLINER MEETS, AND HAS DEVELOPED A CREASE AT A POINT IN THE CENTER, RESTRICTING VISIBILITY OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. IT IS A DEFECT AND THE DEALER (NORTHTOWN TOYOTA - AMHERST, NY) WILL NOT REPLACE/REPAIR AS CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. CONTACTED TOYOTA TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED.

THERE IS A GLARE IN THE REAR WINDOW THAT TENDS TO ALWAYS HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON VISIBILITY. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY 40 YEARS OF DRIVING AND OWNING OVER 20 VEHICLES. IT SEEMS THE ANGLE OF THE WINDOW COMBINED WITH THE LIGHT GRAY REAR DECK MATERIAL CREATES THE DISTRACTING REFLECTION/GLARE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE PORT INSTALLED TINTING THAT CAUSED THE REFLECTION, BUT NOW I AM BEGINNING TO THINK IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. ALSO, I SEE YOU NEED MY NAME AND PERSONAL INFORMATION ON THIS FORM AND YOU ARE PROMISING TO KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVATE. NOW HOW CAN ANYONE TRUST ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY THESE DAYS TO PROTECT INFORMATION WHEN ONE OF THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF OUR GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO BE SPYING ON ALL THE CITIZENS AND ACTING LIKE THE USSR CIRCA 1960? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW BECAUSE IT WAS DISTORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,700.