NHTSA Complaint #10086673 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. ON OUR 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN, THERE IS A "DEAD SPOT" WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A SLOW COASTING CONDITION. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETELY STOPPED CONDITION. HOWEVER, IF COASTING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 - 10 MPH, DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL YIELDS NO RESPONSE. NATURALLY I TEND TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR FURTHER TO OVERCOME WHATEVER INERTIA IS HAPPENING, AND WHEN THE ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN FINALLY RESPONDS (SOMETIMES SEVERAL SECONDS LATER) THERE IS A PRONOUNCED JERK AS EVERYTHING CATCHES. WE HAVE HAD A FEW SITUATIONS WHERE COMPETING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS WARRANTED FIRM ACCELERATION AND WERE AT THE MERCY OF OTHER DRIVERS WHEN OUR VEHICLE FAILED TO PERFORM. BEING IN A NORTHERN CLIMATE, I AM ALSO GREATLY CONCERNED THAT DURING ICY CONDITIONS, THE RESULTING "JERK" WHICH OCCURS FOLLOWING THE LAG WILL RESULT IN BREAKING TRACTION AND SUBSEQUENT SKIDDING. IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED THAT FAILURE TO ACCELERATE WHEN NECESSARY IS ARGUABLY JUST AS DANGEROUS AS FAILURE TO STOP, AND THE PROBLEM NEEDS CORRECTED. THUS FAR, OUR DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM AND CLAIMS THAT IT'S A "NORMAL" BEHAVIOR FOR THIS DRIVETRAIN.