NHTSA Complaint #10326167 — 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN. I HAD ONCE GOTTEN A FLAT TIRE ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO. I TRIED TO UNWIND MY SPARE TIRE FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE UNSCREWING THE BOLT TO LOWER THE SPARE TIRE USING THE WINCH MECHANISM. ONCE THE SPARE WAS LOWERED I COULD NOT PULL THE WIRE BACK UP AGAIN. ONCE THE FLAT WAS REPAIRED I COULD NOT USE THE WINCH AGAIN TO PULL BACK MY SPARE TIRE TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION. I WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED THE WINCH MECHANISM ON MY OWN COST AFTER NOT GETTING ANY SUPPORT FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO HELP FIX IT OR REPEATED CALLS TO TOYOTA THAT REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT. THEY CITIED THAT I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOW COULD DO NOTHING. NOW I AM HEARING THERE IS INDEED A PROBLEM WITH THE MECHANISM AND THERE IS A RECALL ON THE VAN. I PLACED A CALL TO THE DEALERSHIP IN TOWN THERE IS NO RESPONSE. WHILE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS SITUATION THIS WAS AVOIDED I THINK BY PUTTING IN A THIRD PARTY WINCH MECHANISM ON MY OWN COST. I LIKE TOYOTA TO EITHER 1) FIX MY PROBLEM 2) PAY FOR THE COST OF FIXING THE PROBLEM WHICH I TOOK CARE TO FIX IT ON MY OWN COST. *TR