NHTSA Complaint #10190332 — 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA

ISSUE: STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE. THE BACK DOOR OF THE SIENNA 2005 STOPPED FUNCTIONING. AFTER THE DOOR WAS LIFTED TO THE TOP IT CAME DOWN AND TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR. I WAS TAKING OUT THINGS FROM THE CAR AND THE DOOR HIT MY HEAD AND BACK. IT WAS GOING BACK UPWARD, AND WHEN IT GOT TO THE TOP IT CAME DOWN AGAIN WHILE TRYING TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AT THE POINT THAT WE STOPPED USING THIS DOOR. I HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE HOLD THE DOOR WHEN I TOOK OUT THINGS FROM THE TRUNK. I DID THE RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) TO REPLACE BACK DOOR STRUTS AND ITS BRACKETS. THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER , TOYOTA OF HUNTINGTON BEACH, AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT SINCE THE SIENNA HAD 37, 392 MILES ON IT. BY THE TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IT WAS TOO LATE FOR THE WARRANTY, 36000 MILES. THEY QUOTED $350 TO REPAIR IT. I CALLED TOYOTA TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND ASKED THEIR HELP TO FIX IT. THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CASE THAT I OPENED WITH TOYOTA WAS #200705091268. I REQUESTED THAT TOYOTA TOOK RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS A FAMILY CAR. NONE OF MY CHILDREN WERE ALLOWED TO GET TOO CLOSE TO THIS BACK DOOR ANYMORE.*AK