NHTSA Complaint #10323660 — 2010 TOYOTA SIENNA

SUBJECT: SMOKE FROM NEW 2010 TOYOTA SIENNA CE. I BOUGHT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A NEW 2010 TOYOTA SIENNA FROM DCH BRUNSWICK TOYOTA IN NORTH BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY ON MARCH 29, 2010. ITS ODOMETER READ 95 MILES. WE LEFT THE DEALERSHIP AT ABOUT 7:00 PM. MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR AND MY MOTHER, WHO IS SUFFERING FROM SCIATICA AND HAS RECENTLY UNDERGONE AN OPERATION, SAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. (IT MUST BE MENTIONED HERE THAT BOTH MY WIFE AND MOTHER HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN DRIVING CARS THAT GOES BACK AT LEAST TEN YEARS, AND MY WIFE ESPECIALLY IS QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THE BASICS OF CAR MECHANICS.) AT ABOUT 7:30 PM, WHEN MY WIFE TURNED THE HEATER ON, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING LOUD THUMPING SOUNDS. MY MOTHER NOTICED A GLOW IN THE HOOD. A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF THICK DARK SMOKE STARTED RISING FROM THE HOOD. MY WIFE STOPPED THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THINKING THAT THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE, THEY LEAPED OUT OF THE CAR AND RAN AWAY TO A SAFE DISTANCE IN THE MUD ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES. THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA THAT MY MOTHER WAS SUBJECTED TO HAS CAUSED A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE BACK PAIN LEADING TO NIGHTMARES AND INSOMNIA. THE SMOKE THAT THE CAR CONTINUED TO EMIT FOR ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE ENGINE COULD EXPLODE ANY TIME. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD TO TOW THE CAR BACK TO THEIR PLACE. THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE CENTER TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE BEST THEY CAME UP WITH WAS: A POSSIBLE AIR BUBBLE IN THE COOLANT AND THERMOSTAT FAILURE. BUT IT COULD BE ANYTHING ELSE, THEY ADDED. UPDATED 04/13/10.*JB