-WJLA Script-

Anchor:
TROUBLE TO REPORT TONIGHT FOR OWNERS OF ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SUV'S ON THE ROAD.

CONSUMERS SAY THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA'S NEW FJ CRUISER.

7 ON YOUR SIDE'S ROSS MCLAUGHLIN IS HERE TO EXPLAIN.

Ross McLaughlin:
THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE WINDSHIELD. OWNERS ARE STARTING TO EXPERIENCE A LOT OF CRACKS. THEY BLAME THE DESIGN BUT TOYOTA SAYS IT'S ROAD DEBRIS.

Story:
John Felsted: "Here's the crack right along here."

Guy: "Problem is there's two but this is the main one right here."

MULTIPLE CRACKS - MULTIPLE WINDSHIELDS ALL ON FIVE BRAND NEW OFF ROAD SUV'S BUT THE OWNERS SAY THESE CRACKS HAPPENED AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.

Ron DeFreitas: "The little mark that left it is very small."

Ross:"It is small."

Ron DeFreitas:"And that was enough to significantly damage my windshield."

Ross:"It did this?"

Ron DeFreitas:"Yes."

RON DEFREITAS REPLACED HIS WINDSHIELD BUT WITHIN DAYS IT CRACKED AGAIN...AND TOYOTA IS NOT PICKING UP THE TAB.

Ron DeFreitas:"The district representative basically gives a thumbs down every time."

IT'S NOT CHEAP...

John Felsted:"$1250 dollars a pop per windshield replacement."

IN SOME CASES INSURANCE PAYS BUT OTHER TIMES CONSUMERS HAVE TO.

TOYOTA SAYS IT'S NOT CONSIDERED A WARRANTY ISSUE AND BLAMES ROAD DEBRIS.

TO CHECK, THEY SAY DO THE PEN TEST..RUN IT ALONG THE CRACK AND IF IT STOPS... THERE'S BEEN A HIT, VOIDING THE WARRANTY. BUT OWNERS SAY THAT'S THE CONCERN.

Ron DeFreitas:"All the glass is really soft on the vehicle."

CONSUMERS SAY IT CRACKS TOO EASILY FOR AN OFF ROAD VEHICLE AND WANT TOYOTA TO FIX IT.

GLASS EXPERTS TELL US PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE VERTICAL DESIGN BECAUSE IT DOESN'T DEFLECT OBJECTS LIKE MOST WINDSHIELDS...THAT MAY BE TRUE...

7 ON YOUR SIDE HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 60 COMPLAINTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 45...ALL ABOUT THE FJ CRUISER WINDSHIELD NEEDING TO BE REPLACED.

Clarence Ditlow: "Frankly we've never seen so many windshields crack on a new year model."

CLARENCE DITLOW WITH THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY SAYS SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

Clarence Ditlow:"This is not safe for owners because it's going to crack and fail and crack and fail."

TOYOTA DISAGREES BUT IS NOW INVESTIGATING...THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM CONSUMERS WHOSE WINDSHIELDS HAVE CRACKED WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT AND HAVE SENT AN EMAIL TO DEALERS ABOUT IT..

BUT THESE FJ CRUISER OWNERS ARE HOPING SOMETHING HAPPENS SOON.

Ross McLaughlin:
OWNERS WHO'VE REPLACED THEIR WINDSHIELD MORE THAN ONCE ARE WORRIED INSURANCE WILL NO LONGER COVER THEM.

HONDA HAD A SIMLIAR PROBLEM WHEN IT FIRST INTRODUCED THE HONDA ELEMENT BUT FOLLOWING A CLASS ACTION SUIT HONDA MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS AND STARTED REPLACING THE WINDSHIELDS FREE OF CHARGE.