NHTSA Complaint #10195874 — 2001 TOYOTA SIENNA

SLIDING DOOR LATCHES GET STUCK SOMETIMES IN THE OPEN AND SOMETIMES IN THE CLOSED POSITION. WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED WE ARE UNABLE TO PUSH THE BUTTON INSIDE OR USE THE OUTSIDE HANDLE TO RELEASE THE LATCH AND OPEN THE DOOR. IF THE DOOR IS OPEN WHEN THIS HAPPENS WE ARE THEN UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AS IT WILL NOT LATCH. WHEN THE DOOR REMAINS OPEN THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND THE VAN IS UNDRIVEABLE AS DOING SO WOULD PUT THE PASSENGERS AT RISK. WHEN THE DOOR IS STUCK IN A CLOSE POSITION IT MAKES EXITING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT WHICH WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THERE WERE AN EMERGENCY AND A QUICK EXIT WERE NECESSARY. IT ALSO MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FASTEN OR RELEASE A CHILD FROM A SAFETY SEAT LOCATED IN THE BACK 2 ROWS OF SEATS. THE BACK HATCH LATCH HAS ALSO BROKEN. A LIGHT SQUEEZE OF THE HANDLE WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE HATCH CAUSED SOMETHING TO SNAP (A SMALL PLASTIC PIECE FELL OUT) AND SINCE THIS IS THE ONE AND ONLY HANDLE/LATCH TO OPEN THE HATCH I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO USE THE HATCH NOR OPEN IT TO SEE WHAT PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE TWO SIDE DOORS WORK OCCASIONALLY BUT THE BACK HATCH IS NOW COMPLETELY UNUSABLE. SIMPLY PUT I HAVE HAD 3 OUT OF MY FIVE DOORS FAIL WITHIN A MONTH WHICH I FIND ABSURD. PLEASE NOTE THE VEHICLE IS IN GOOD SHAPE OTHERWISE AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. 2001 TOYOTA SIENNA LE/XLE