NHTSA Complaint #10235303 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

THE RIGHT POWER SLIDING DOOR CABLE ON THE 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA LE BROKE. THE CAR WAS 5.1 YEARS OLD, BOUGHT NEW IN 2003, AND HAD 69,000 ML. ON THE DAY OF PROBLEM. NO INDICATIONS ON A SLIDING MECHANISM WERE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. AS ALWAYS THE DOOR WAS ACTIVATED BY THE REMOTE CONTROL. IT DID NOT OPEN ON SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. WHEN I APPROACHED IT AND TRIED TO OPEN BY THE HANDLE I SAW THE CABLE BEING RUSTY AND BROKEN. THE DEALER WORKED WITH TOYOTA ON THE ISSUE AND TOYOTA OFFERED TO PAY 50% OF PARTS AND LABOR, BUT MY FEE IS STILL ABOVE $800. TOYOTA REFUSED TO COVER IT ENTIRELY, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN TO THEM. HTTP://TOYOTA.JUSTANSWER.COM/UPLOADS/SND27613/2008-07-05_074916_SIENNA_SLIDING_DOOR_INOP.PDF . NO EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PART WAS OFFERED BY TOYOTA. I CAN NOT USE THIS DOOR IN ANY WAY UNTIL IS REPAIRED, EVEN IF I SET IT TO ACT MANUALLY, IT WON'T OPEN MORE THAN 1/2 FT. THE ONLY WAY MY TWO CHILDREN CAN GET IN/OUT THE CAR IS FROM THE LEFT SIDE DOOR. WHERE ONE'S CAR SEAT IS INSTALLED. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE LEFT SIDE IS THE ONE TO THE ROAD AND CHILDREN JUMP OUT OR RUN TO THE CAR IN A BLINK OF AN EYE. *TR