NHTSA Complaint #10235048 — 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA (USED) AND AFTER A FEW DAYS OF OWNING THE MINI VAN THE MANUAL REAR HATCH DOOR DID NOT REMAIN ELEVATED AS IT HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE AND WAS DESIGNED TO DO. THE DOOR, WHICH IS HEAVY, SIMPLY FELL DOWN AND BUMPED ME. I DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE STRUTS (REAR LIFTGATE STRUTS) AND I PROCEEDED TO GET PART QUOTES FROM VARIOUS LOCAL TOYOTA PARTS DEPARTMENTS RANGING FROM $200-$700 (SEEMED A HIGH RANGE...AND I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT WAS ISSUED). I NEXT DID SOME SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS DEFECT WAS A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA SIENNA AND THAT TOYOTA HAD ISSUED A BULLETIN AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO COVER THIS ITEM. UPON RECEIVING RESISTANCE FROM LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS TO COVER THIS WORK UNDER WARRANTY, I CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS TO MAKE A COMPLAINT. I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT KINGS TOYOTA IN CINCINNATI, OH AND MADE THEM AWARE OF THE SPECIFIC ISSUE, WARRANTY, ETC AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN ABOUT 4 DAYS LATER FOR MY SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE VEHICLE, I RECEIVED A CALL BACK THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS IN-STOCK (EVEN THOUGH I HAD MADE THE APPOINTMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS WARRANTY ITEM, AND ALSO INFORMED THEM WHEN I DROPPED OFF THE CAR OF EXACTLY WHAT PARTS AND WORK WAS NEEDED). I WANTED TO MAKE NHTSA AWARE OF THE SEEMING RESISTANCE / DELAYS OF TOYOTA TO FIX THIS ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I CAUGHT THE REAR DOOR BEFORE IT HIT ME VERY HARD, BUT IF A CHILD OR SMALLER PERSON WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDERNEATH, IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY DUE TO THE LARGE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. *TR