NHTSA Complaint #10240120 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

OUR 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR FAILED TO CLOSE ONE EVENING, JUST AS IT WAS BEGINNING TO RAIN. OUR CHILDREN HAD JUST GONE INTO THE HOUSE. WE CLOSED THE DOOR AS MUCH AS WE COULD AND TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THE NEXT MORNING. ON THE WAY TO THE SHOP, THE DOOR NEARLY FELL OFF THE VAN! WITH OUR 3 CHILDREN (AGES 8 TO 4 INSIDE)! THEY WERE FREAKED, AND SO WERE WE! NOW WE HAVE JUST PAID NEARLY $2000 TO REPLACE THE DOOR MOTOR, CABLE, AND SOME OTHER PARTS AND LABOR. THE BODY WORK IS COVERED BY INSURANCE LESS DEDUCTIBLE, BUT WE STILL HAVE RENTAL CAR COSTS, SOME COVERED BY INSURANCE. WE ARE HEARING THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THESE VANS. WE BELIEVE THIS ISSUE WARRANTS A RECALL FOR SAFETY REASONS! WE BOUGHT (AND PAID A PREMIUM FOR) A TOYOTA BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A MODEL OF SAFETY AND VALUE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US, BUT OUR WEB RESEARCH LEADS US TO BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DESIGN OR EQUIPMENT DEFECT. OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO ACCEPT THIS AS A WARRANTY ISSUE, NOR TO COVER THE COST OF THESE REPAIRS, NOR TO ASSURE US THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN TO THIS DOOR AGAIN, OR THE OTHER DOOR! WE BELIEVE THERE IS A BASIC FLAW IN THE DESIGN OR MATERIALS FOR THIS VAN. WE BELIEVE THIS WARRANTS A SAFETY RECALL. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE YOU COULD PROVIDE AS TO HOW TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THESE EXPENSES, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW TO BE ASSURED THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. WE BELIEVE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE! THANK YOU! *TR