NHTSA Complaint #10205490 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

IN REGARDS TO A 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE MODEL WITH HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLAMPS: IN JUNE OF 2007 WITH VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY BY MILEAGE, BUT NOT TIME, DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING. INITIAL RECOMMENDATION BY DEALER (BOCH TOYOTA OF NORWOOD, MA) WAS TO REPLACE HID COMPUTER AT A COST OF 1,100 DOLLARS. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF HID COMPUTER, LIGHT OPERATED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS BEFORE BEGINNING TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. WAS THEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT THERE WAS A "SHORT IN THE BULB" AND DEALER RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE BULB ASSEMBLY AT COST OF 400 DOLLARS. WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THIS REPAIR, I WAS STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER AND TOLD THE HEADLIGHT WAS NOT WORKING. AGAIN, HEADLIGHT IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. TODAY DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE HEADLIGHT HOUSING AT A COST OF 1,100 DOLLARS. A BRIEF REVIEW OF POSTINGS TO TOYOTA OWNERS' FORUMS REVEALS MANY MENTIONS OF HID HEADLIGHT FAILURE IN NEW VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY THE 2006-2007 PRIUS MODELS. ALL DRIVERS REPORT INTERMITTENT OPERATION AND DEALERS WHO ARE UNABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE COMMON SOLUTION, "TOGGLE YOUR HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES TO GET THEM WORKING AGAIN" IS A CLEAR SAFETY CONCERN, AND NOT AN APPROPRIATE REPAIR. *TR