NHTSA Complaint #10227131 — 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA

MY MINIVAN PASSENGER DOORS INTERMITTENTLY EITHER FAIL TO OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY. MOST OFTEN THE DOORS WON'T OPEN AND PASSENGERS CANNOT EXIT WITHOUT CRAWLING THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE OR FRONT. OCCASIONALLY THE DOORS WILL NOT CATCH WHEN CLOSED, FORCING ME TO DRIVE SLOWLY WITH HAZARDS UNTIL IT GETS "UNSTUCK". I'VE HAD THESE PROBLEMS INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE VAN WAS LESS THE 1 YEAR. THE DEALER HAS TENDED TO BLAME ME OR MAKE A REPAIR WHICH HASN'T LASTED. MOST RECENTLY THEY REPLACED A DOOR HANDLE AND SUPPOSEDLY ADJUSTED A CABLE AND TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND GUARANTEED FOR 6 MONTHS AND THEN WANTED TO CHARGE FOR ADDITIONAL PARTS AND SERVICE WHEN BROUGHT BACK IN 5 WEEKS LATER WITH ONGOING PROBLEMS. IN REVIEWING YOUR WEBSITE THIS IS A PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHERS. SOMETIMES THE THUMB PIECE STICKS, OTHER TIMES THE HANDLE FAILS TO OPEN THE DOOR. A THIS POINT BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND YET PROBLEMS STILL OCCUR, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS HOT AND HUMID OR VERY COLD. DATE GIVEN IS WHEN PROBLEM FIRST STARTED, STILL OCCURS IN 2008. *TR