Defect or "External Influence" with Melted Plastic

stay away from indoor propane heaters

 

The dealer is correct. This is an increasingly common phenomena: Melted vinyl siding, car parts, paint and pool covers puzzle homeowners

Because dark colored cars absorb rather than reflect heat, dark color cars amplify the effects of reflected heat load. Another good reason I should have gotten Blizzard Pearl.

 

Great news! Sometimes things work out right. Still curious how they "melted" because it can happen again. A car wash I always go to changed their drying fans at the end of the line so it was literally like going through a hurricane. I lost one tow hook cover and the owner claimed it was already off when I came in - it wasn't. I replaced it myself the first time. The second time it happened, the other tow hook cover came off and he found it inside. Needless to say I made him pay for the first lost cover and then he lost my business forever.

 

Glad to hear! The guy was a blowhard anyway.

 

Our house has melted siding from a window reflecting the morning sun. We gave up replacing the siding and just left it.

Mike

 

I don't think it's vandalism.

My 2 bit profile of a vandal is a coward that want's to do as much damage as possible and not get caught.

That damage if done on purpose by a person would of taken too much time for far too little damage.

You'd have to stand or kneel next to the vehicle with a heat source visible, just to make a dent and some ripples? That just doesn't make logical sense if profiled within the parameters of a vandal.

Why not just "key" your car and be done with it?

So my "bet" is against it being vandalism.

Since you have two different area's with two different parts but both seemingly exhibiting damage probably manifested by exposure to heat, I unfortunately have to go with an outside influence as opposed to a defect with two different specific parts.

The bummer is not being exactly sure where or how this exposure is happening. Because conceivably even if it gets repaired, the exposure could happen again.

Good luck in getting a repair and good luck in tracking down the cause.

On the off-hand chance I'm TOTALLY wrong. Which happens often. You might talk to your neighbors and see if any of them have had "mysterious" melting parts of their vehicle. If it's a random kid doing damage for no logical or illogical reason, yours might not be the only vehicle suffering.

Also I'd mention it at work, or talk to people that park in the same area as yourself. If you can find someone else that is manifesting similar symptoms then that will lead you to the cause of your affect. If you are parking next to windows radiating that level of heat? Then somebody else is probably also parking next to those same windows.

 

Well I have finally found some one with the same problem. I leased a 2010 Prius and after one month I brought it back because there was a rippling in the front quarter panel and I was told that it was a dent. I figured someone scraped it with their vehicle in the parking lot of the gym. This was in March of 2011, a few months later my son noticed a similar rippling in the rear quarter panel. I have since found similar rippling on all plastic areas and another on the hatch back right under the window. I was told by Toyota that it must be vandalism,they had their regional rep come look at it and said it was not a manufacturers defect. made the mistake of telling the service manager that i had read an article where high efficiency windows were heating a sideview mirror and melted the mirror. So after the rep looked at my vehicle in a service garage they responded that it was from high efficiency windows causing excessive heat...really?????????? do you even know where i live or where i park my car?...then they told me to contact my insurance company and to file a claim with them.....well long long story short you guessed it the insurance company said it was not going to cover something like that it must be a manufacturers defect.....can anyone say round and round we go?.....I hope when i turn my lease in they will not charge me for something that is not my doing.....any ideas?

 

Looks like the Navy is testing its new laser on our Prii...

 

Toyota is using bioplastics on the interior, not on the exterior yet.

 

I don't know if anyone mentioned automatic car washes but this could be a distinct possibility. Some of those beat the heck out of the side panels.

 

look for kids with magnifying glasses

 

I'm guessing you read stuff along the lines of Window Reflections Can Melt Vinyl Siding | GreenBuildingAdvisor.com. I also heard of this case Dimming Disney Hall - Los Angeles Downtown News - For Everything Downtown L.A.!: News and stumbled across New York by Gehry's Shiny Steel Facade Sets Fire to Local Buidlings | Inhabitat New York City.

 

This is a Toyota manufacturing problem I have a new 2012 Prius V 7K miles the same melting is happening, I received the same answer. My car is parked in a nice neighborhood no windows nearby I hardly drive it when I do its local may be out about an hour or two. There is no way that an outside element did this and it is happening to many times. I know for a fa

 

we have to do something about this. It is a Toyota Manufacturing problem, I have a 2012 Prius with 7k miles it sits in my yard most of the time. It isn't and never has been near any reflecting windows. The dealerships seem to be telling everyone the same story. They told me the exact same thing it has to be an Outside influence. NO WAY!! I am taking my car back today for the second time. I am not taking this laying down from my research it seams Toyota dealerships have been able to convince people that glass is melting the cars, well its not! my dealership tried to tell me maybe someone is taking a magnifying glass to it. I'll keep you posted but we have to get Toyota to own up my car was almost $40K I'm not taking this laying down. Trust me the lease company will charge you We have to all get together and get this problem solved and not let the Toyota Giant take advantage of the hard working people they sell cars to. My car melting looks just like yours and its on the side and the back. I'll keep you posted and if I don't get satisfaction I'm getting an attorney!

 

Post pictures

Mike

 

Nanna email me at tpmelia at optonline dot net lets consult each other and find others

 

I am having the same problems i have about 6 different areas that are melted.....get back to me on how i can reach you tom

 

Have you had any luck?...my lease is up in feb and i have to do something......send me your email address