NHTSA Complaint #10148591 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

I AM REPORTING THAT THE SMALL GROUND CLEARANCE OF 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA WITH TOW HITCH RECEIVER IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA AND RECTIFICATION BY TOYOTA.*AK THE GROUND CLEARANCE IS INSUFFICIENT EVEN WITH NO LOAD IN THE BACK. THE TOW HITCH RECEIVER HITS THE GROUND FREQUENTLY WHILE GOING IN AND OUT OF DRIVEWAYS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO 2 TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS AND COMPLAINTS WERE IGNORED. THIS ISSUE ABSOLUTELY NEEDS THE ATTENTION OF TOYOTA AND TRAFFIC SAFETY OFFICES NATIONWIDE AND THE NHTSA. NOT ONLY IS IT CREATING A LOT OF ANXIETY ON US AND OTHER SIENNA DRIVERS BUT ALSO IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY MATTER. WE HAVE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO AN EXTREMELY LOW SPEED AND AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH THE DRIVEWAY TO AVOID THE TOW HITCH FROM HITTING THE GROUND. IT ISN'T ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO WAIT FOR SUFFICIENT HEADWAY WHEN TURNING INTO MAIN STREAM TRAFFIC. DRIVERS FOLLOWING US HAVE BEEN HONKING AND YELLING WHILE WE WAIT FOR GOOD HEADWAY. SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN A LOT OR SITTING IN DRIVEWAY TO WAIT FOR SUFFICIENT HEADWAY PROVOKE RESTLESS DRIVERS THAT ARE FOLLOWING. ON OCCASIONS, VEHICLES FOLLOWING DIDN'T SLOW DOWN OR BARELY SLOW DOWN (EVEN WITH TURN SIGNAL ON), ASSUMING IT WOULD TAKE LITTLE TIME FOR THE SIENNA TO TURN ONTO DRIVEWAYS. WITH 300 LB. LOAD IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT OR BICYCLES ON THE TOW HITCH, THE PROBLEM BECOMES DISASTROUS. THIS PROBLEM HAS RENDERED THE 7-PASSENGER VEHICLE USELESS. WE ARE FORCED TO AVOID TAKING PASSENGERS WITH US AND TO STOP USING THE TOW HITCH. DESPITE LOOSING FULL USE OF THE VEHICLE, OUR LIVES ARE STILL AT RISK WHENEVER WE SLOW DOWN TO TURN IN AND OUT OF DRIVEWAYS. WE HAVE LOST PATIENCE ON THE MATTER. WHY WOULD WE AND OTHER SIENNA DRIVERS HAVE TO SUFFER AND PUT UP WITH HONKING, NASTY WORDS FROM OTHER DRIVERS, AND RISKING BEING HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES DUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED GROUND CLEARANCE? SIENNAS WITH A TOW HITCH RECEIVER ARE FLAWED. THE VEHICLE ID NUMBER IS [XXX].TOYOTA WAS NOTIFIED BUT HASN'T RESPONDED. UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMA