NHTSA Complaint #10268376 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

NO APPARENT DIFFICULTIES, SIGNS OF SYMPTOMS HAD BEEN OBSERVED, BUT MY CHILDREN WERE PLACED IN POTENTIAL HARM DUE TO A PART THAT APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE AND COSTLY TO REPAIR. HERE IS THE SITUATION. THE POWER SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS OPENED TO DISCHARGE SOME PASSENGERS FROM THE REAR OF THE VAN. WHEN WE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE DOORS VIA THE POWER BUTTON, THE DOOR WOULD NOT RESPOND (CLOSE). WE TURNED THE POWER ELEMENT OFF, BUT WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR MANUALLY. ULTIMATELY, THE VAN HAD TO BE DRIVEN SEVERAL MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE DOOR OPEN IN ORDER TO HAVE THEM CUT THE CABLE TO DISENGAGE THE POWER ELEMENTS SO THAT THE DOOR COULD BE USED MANUALLY. BASED ON ONLINE INFORMATION AND FROM INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF VAN. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS UNDER REPORTED AS THE COST TO REPAIR THE DOOR IS SUBSTANTIAL AND MOST CUSTOMERS ELECT NOT TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. WITH THAT DECISION, THERE IS A LIMITED NUMBER OF PARTS/DETAILS SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW, BUT IT IS THE SAFETY AND/OR POCKETBOOK OF THE CONSUMER THAT SUFFERS FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE A POORLY MADE PART AND THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE POWER SYSTEM EASILY. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND THAT TOYOTA BE REQUIRED TO FIX THE POWER MECHANISMS ON THESE POWER DOORS SO THAT THEY WORK PROPERLY (PREFERRED), BUT THAT AT THE MINIMUM THEY ARE REQUIRED TO INSTALL AN EASY RELEASE TO DISENGAGE THE POWER SYSTEM IN CASE OF FAILURE. THERE IS NO SINCE IN JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS FOR SUCH A COMMON MALFUNCTION. A RECALL OF THIS MECHANISM NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED. *TR