NHTSA Complaint #10283782 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN 2004 SIENNA LE, CALLED DEALERSHIP FOR APPT, THE NEXT DAY, THE AIR CONDITIONING WENT OUT. I LIVE IN PHOENIX, AZ, WHERE IT IS ROUTINELY 115 IN THE SUMMER. TOOK CAR VAN TO DEALERSHIP WHERE PRICE TO FIX IS $4200. COMPRESSOR EXPLODED AND SENT SHARDS OF METAL THROUGHOUT ENTIRE A/C SYSTEM. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS POSTED IN THEIR TSB AC003-05, BUT REFUSES TO COVER THEIR DEFECT UNDER A RECALL AS IT'S NOT LIFE-THREATENING. LET ME TELL YOU, RIDING IN A CAR FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME IN 115 DEGREE WEATHER IS LIFE-THREATENING. A/C IS NOT A LUXURY IN AZ; IT IS NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL. UPON CONTACTING TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY DENY ANY CULPABILITY; HOWEVER, THERE ARE PLENTY OF FORUMS, INCLUDING TOYOTANATION.COM, IN WHICH PEOPLE HAVE ROUTINELY HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THEIR DEFECT AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND TO DEEM IT NON-LIFE-THREATENING IS A MISTAKE. MOST PEOPLE WHO OWN MINI-VANS ARE TRANSPORTING CHILDREN AND IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH FOR CHILDREN TO OVERHEAT IN A NON-AIR CONDITIONED CAR, NOT TO MENTION THE MILD HEAT EXHAUSTION THAT COMES FROM BEING IN THE CAR FOR 15 MINUTES. CAR IS STILL NOT FIXED DUE TO EXORBITANT COST AND IT IS WELL OVER 100 HERE STILL IN SEPTEMBER. *TR