Dear Supporters,
Today I sent the following letter to NHTSA and copied Rep. Mike Thompson and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
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Dear Alex Ansley, Chief, Recall Management Division Office of Defects Investigation Enforcement, NHTSA,
On May 15, 2025, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing wrote to NHTSA about Toyota vehicle tail lights and stating, "If both reverse lamps do not illuminate when the vehicle is operating in reverse, the driver’s view to the rear can be limited when backing during low ambient light conditions, and there may be no indication to others that the vehicle is operating in reverse. This can increase the risk of a crash." (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V322-9295.pdf)
On May 21, 2025, you wrote a letter to Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing stating "Please be reminded that under 49 U.S.C. § 30112(a)(3), it is illegal for a manufacturer, to sell, offer for sale, import, or introduce or deliver into interstate commerce, a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment that contains a safety defect once the manufacturer has notified NHTSA about that safety defect." (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCAK-25V322-3725.pdf)
As you know, 49 U.S.C. § 30118(a) states, "The Secretary of Transportation shall notify the manufacturer of a motor vehicle or replacement equipment immediately after making an initial decision (through testing, inspection, investigation, or research carried out under this chapter, examining communications under section 30166(f) of this title, or otherwise) that the vehicle or equipment contains a defect related to motor vehicle safety or does not comply with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under this chapter."
49 U.S.C. § 30118(c) states, "A manufacturer of a motor vehicle or replacement equipment shall notify the Secretary by certified mail or electronic mail, and the owners, purchasers, and dealers of the vehicle or equipment as provided in section 30119(d) of this section, if the manufacturer— (1)learns the vehicle or equipment contains a defect and decides in good faith that the defect is related to motor vehicle safety".
NHTSA and Toyota have been aware that LED vehicle headlight technology is a defective technology, with NHTSA and Toyota having received over 70,000 signatures and thousands of comments describing the dangerous safety conditions caused by the use of LED headlight technology. (https://change.org/p/u-s-dot-ban-blinding-headlights-and-save-lives/c). However, neither NHTSA nor Toyota have complied with 49 U.S. Code § 30118. Toyota has not notified NHTSA and NHTSA has not notified Toyota that vehicles with LED headlight technology are defective and pose a threat to life and safety.
I have copied in this email the staff for US Representative Mike Thompson and US Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, both of whom have called for hearings on NHTSA's failure to regulate LED headlight technology and comply with 49 U.S. Code § 30118 and issue notices to the vehicle manufacturers. Here is the link to the letter from Rep. Thompson (https://www.softlights.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/LED-Headlight-Letter.pdf). Here is the link to the speech by Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez (https://x.com/RepMGP/status/1925241813352202334).
I am requesting a response from NHTSA to all parties in this email in regards to NHTSA's and Toyota's failure to comply with 49 U.S.C. § 30118 for defective LED headlight technology.
Sincerely,
Mark Baker
President
Soft Lights Foundation
www.softlights.org
mbaker@softlights.org
X: @softlights_org
Bluesky: @softlights-org.bsky.social