NHTSA complaint #11525311

Owner complaint summary

Vehicle was taken to the dealer due to AC malfunction. Upon inspection, the AC condenser was found to be damaged by a rock going thru the shield and sticking the line. The manager at the dealership indicated it was not uncommon. I contacted Toyota and the representative also indicated she has heard of similar issues. The matter was assigned to a case manager (Gable). He contacted me about the issue and indicated they would reach out to the dealership. According to the Toyota agent, this type of damage is not uncommon and not covered under bumper to bumper warranty. The case manager admitted he never inspected the vehicle and relied on the dealership for an explanation. I spoke with Gable to inquire if it is a common occurrence, wouldn't it be beneficial to inspect the vehicle himself. If rocks can so easily go thru the shield, what's preventing a rock from possibly hitting the fuel line. This vehicle was bought brand new and maintained on a regular basis. His response was they rely on the dealer's experience and expertise. We live in a metropolitan area and don't go thru gravel roads. Not to exaggerate but if rocks can go thru the shield so easily, maybe the shield isn't providing adequate protection to vehicle components and more importantly the fuel line. I wanted to bring this to your attention so there is a record of this matter having been brought to Toyota's attention. Case managers rely on the dealer for explanations instead of going out on the field to do an inspection themselves.