NHTSA Complaint #10280289 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

THE AC IN OUR 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA WENT OUT IN AUGUST (VERY HOT!); WE TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. TURNS OUT THE AC COMPRESSOR AND MULTIPLE RELATED PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM. CALLED AROUND TO ENSURE FAIR PRICE- MANY SHOPS REPORTED HAVING HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL. HAD NECESSARY REPAIRS COMPLETED AT A COST OF OVER $1500. I WAS TOLD THE REPAIR ON A 2003 MODEL WAS ONLY $950 PLUS TAX, BUT SUBSEQUENT YEARS HAD MORE PROBLEMS AND REQUIRED MORE PARTS REPLACED BECAUSE OF DESIGN PROBLEMS. HAVING AC IS NOT ONLY COMFORT, BUT ALSO SAFETY- WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE WE HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEY WOULD GET QUITE HOT, SWEATY, RED-FACED, ETC. WITHOUT REAR AC IN OUR FORMER VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I'VE READ TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR AC (ALTHOUGH OWNERS WEREN'T INFORMED, AND WE ARE PAST THAT LIMIT ANYWAY); HOWEVER, IF THIS IS SUCH A HUGE PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH THE A PREVENTIVELY FIX RATHER THAN WAITING FOR OWNERS TO INCUR SUCH HUGE BILLS AND NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES COOL WHILE THEY DRIVE. THIS MAY SEEM MOSTLY COMFORT, BUT FOR THOSE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND OTHER AT-RISK POPULATIONS, AC IS ALSO VERY MUCH ABOUT SAFETY. *TR