2008 Toyota Tundra Visibility & Wipers Problems

TEMPERATURE IN UTICA, NY ON JAN 15 AT 10 AM WAS -10 DEGREES. A 5 HOUR RIDE BACK HOME IN SNOW, DIRT, AND RAIN I TRIED TO OPERATE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID ON THE HIGHWAY 90 WEST. IT WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE IT WAS FROZEN. AFTER TRYING A COUPLE TIMES MORE, THE VISIBILITY GOT WORSE WITH TEMPERATURES AT 5 DEGREES. HAD TO PULL OVER TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD MANY TIMES UNTIL ARRIVING TO 23 DEGREE WEATHER. IT WORKED WHEN I ARRIVED HOME. I ALSO NOTICES THE EXHAUST PIPE THAT SEEMS TO TOUCH THE EXHAUST PIPE HAS BURNT A HOLE IN THE MUD FLAP. THIS HAD HAPPENED SOMETIME BETWEEN MY TRIP TO UTICA ON JAN 14-15. THERE HAS BEEN NO ADD-ON MOD TO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE MUD-FLAP BUT ARE NOW STICKING TOGETHER. IS THIS A FIRE HAZARD? *TR

THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE (12/25/08), THE WINDSHIELD WAS HIT BY A ROCK WHICH CAUSED A CHIP. THE CHIP REPAIR DID NOT HOLD AND THE CHIP EXTENDED INTO A CRACK. THIS CRACK WENT ACROSS THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD AND CURVED DOWN TOWARD THE DASH. I CALLED THE DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT REPAIR, AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT BUILT WITH A HEATED WINDSHIELD SO I ELECTED TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF WINTER TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I CAME OUT TO GO TO WORK, STARTED THE VEHICLE, AND TURNED ON THE HEATED MIRRORS. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WENT TO OPEN MY GATE AND FEED THE DOG, UPON RETURNING TO THE TRUCK I SMELLED A BURNING ELECTRICAL ODOR. AT THIS TIME I NOTICED A FLASHING AND A FLAME COMING FROM THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS BEGINNING TO GROW SO I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. I THEN CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY CAME AND TOWED THE VEHICLE IN TO THEIR SHOP. THEY CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND WERE TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BUILT WITH A HEATED WINDSHIELD WHICH IS WHAT THE BUILD SPECIFICATION SHEET STATES. AFTER INVESTIGATING FURTHER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MY TRUCK WAS INDEED BUILT WITH A HEATED WINDSHIELD, WHICH HAD SHORTED OUT FROM THE CRACK AND BURNED THE WINDSHIELD AND THE PASSENGER WIPER BLADE. I AM CONCERNED THAT TOYOTA HAS STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A DESIGN ISSUE AND IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. HAD I NOT NOTICED THE FLAME COMING FROM MY VEHICLE AND SHUT IT OFF THE OUTCOME OF THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE VEHICLE OR A LIFE. IN THE END THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AND EVERYTHING WORKS. HOPEFULLY THE HEATED MIRRORS ARE NOT ON IF THERE IS EVER A CRASH THAT COMPROMISES THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

INSTRUMENT LIGHTING FOR POWER MIRROR CONTROL MODULE INOPERATIVE REPORTED FAULT AT EVERY SERVICE VISIT. NO ACTION FROM DEALER,, CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATION VIA EMAIL,, NO ACTION.IF DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO ADJUST MIRRORS AT NIGHT DOME LIGHTS MUST BE TURNED ON TO FIND POWER SWITCH,A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. EXAMPLE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY UNDER CONSTRUCTION[I95 BETWEEN SAVANNA GA. AND JAX FL. RAINING DARK VEHICLE FOLLOWING YOU HAS BRIGHT LIGHTS ON] NEED TO REPOSITION MIRROR TO RELIEVE GLARE MUST TURN ON DOME LIGHT TO LOCATE POWER SWITCH COULD BE AN ACCIDENT AND WILL BE ONE IF TOYOTA CONTINUES TO IGNORE THIS ENGINEERING FAULT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR POWER MIRROR MODULE DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE POSES A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK BECAUSE HE HAS TO TURN HIS DOME LIGHT ON TO ADJUST THE MIRROR WHEN DRIVING. THE MIRROR MODULE HAS NEVER WORKED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN DECEMBER OF 2007 WITH 100 MILES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FEATURE DOES NOT ILLUMINATE; THEREFORE, THEY WILL NOT MODIFY THIS FEATURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000.