NHTSA Complaint #10311609 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

ENGINE OVERHEATED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, SLOW LOSS OF RADIATOR COOLANT NOTED, AND 2 ENGINE THERMOSTATS REPLACED BEFORE CRACKED RADIATOR WAS DISCOVERED. WHILE OWNER WAS INVESTIGATING PROBLEM, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO A TSB AND A LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO REPLACE RADIATORS FROM THIS YEAR (2004) AND THE NEXT (2005) OF THE SIENNA VAN. HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN ONLY OWNER OF THIS VAN AND HAVE RECEIVED EVERY OTHER NOTICE FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THIS MODEL YEAR OF VAN INCLUDING THE BAD DOOR HINGES (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY), GAS STRUTS ON REAR HATCH (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY), AND BAD SEAT BELT BEZEL (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY) - BUT WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF THE RADIATOR ISSUE - OUR RADIATOR IS NOW DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT AND TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS APPARENTLY A WELL KNOWN ISSUE AT TOYOTA. THERE SHOULD BE A FULL RECALL ON THIS ITEM GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF KNOWN BAD RADIATORS OUT THERE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE RADIATOR IS PRONE TO SUDDEN AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE ONLY KNOWN REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THERE IS EXTENSIVE ONLINE DOCUMENTATION OF THIS ISSUE - BUT TOYOTA CONTINUES TO STONEWALL MOST OWNERS ON THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE EXPENSE (THIS IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO FIX THAN THE BAD HINGE, GAS STRUT, AND SEAT BELT BEZEL THAT DID HAVE SAFETY BULLETINS ISSUED ON THEM. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/SIENNA/2004/TSBS.SHTML HTTP://WWW.CANADIANDRIVER.COM/FORUM/INDEX.PHP?TOPIC=58487.0 HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/MAINTENANCE/RECALLTSB.HTML?TYPE=TSB&STYLEID=100458140&ZIP=#18 HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/TSB/TSBRESULTS_DRILLDOWN.CFM?START=1&SEARCHTYPE=DRILLDOWN&TYPE=VEHICLE&YEAR=2005&MAKE=TOYOTA&MODEL=SIENNA&&TYPENUM=1&SUBMIT=RETRIEVE+RECALLS&PRINTVERSION=YES HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/WEBX?ED_SEARCHRESULTS@@.F0B4803!KEYWORDS=ALLIN%3AMSGTEXT%20LIMIT%3A.F0B4803%20RADIATOR&COUNT=20&SKIP=20. *TR