NHTSA Complaint #10352791 — 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA

MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED USED 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA IN 2005. SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH OPENING AND CLOSING THE SLIDING DOORS AND ISSUE WITH THE TRUNK. IT FIRST STARTED WHEN THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN ANY MORE. THE LITTLE PIECE TO CLICK IT OPEN BROKE OFF. NEXT, THE RIGHT PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, BUT COULD BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE. EVENTUALLY, THE OUTSIDE HANDLE BROKE OFF (PROBABLY DUE THE INABILITY TO OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE). NEXT THE LEFT PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR STARTED TO SHOW SIMILARITIES TO THE RIGHT SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR. EVENTUALLY, THIS HANDLE BROKE OFF AS WELL AND WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. TO DATE, THE SLIDING DOOR ON THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT CAN NOT BE OPENED INSIDE OR OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR US AND OUR FOUR KIDS. THE KIDS HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE FRONT TO GET OUT OF THE VAN. IT BECAME SOMEWHAT STRANGE TO ME WHEN I NOTICED THAT OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVANS HAD HANDLES MISSING OFF THE BACK PASSENGER SLIDING DOORS. I THOUGHT, WHAT IS UP WITH THE QUALITY OF THE VANS? MOST INDIVIDUALS DRIVING MINIVANS ARE TRANSPORTING CHILDREN, SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE VANS WERE CONSTRUCTED TO HANDLE THE CONSTANT OPENING AND CLOSING THAT OCCURS FROM THE BACK PASSENGERS. I THINK THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A FAIR WAY. WHEN WE WENT TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE TRUNK WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $200, SO WE TOOK THE OPTIONAL ROUTE OF LOADING GROCERIES, LUGGAGE, ETC. FROM THE INSIDE. THE DOOR INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED THIS YEAR, 2010. WE HAVE OWNED OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE KIDS, NAMELY 1997 HONDA ODYSSEY THAT DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THE HANDLES MISSING OR ANY PROBLEMS WITH GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I SENT A LETTER TO TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE ON AUGUST 22, 2010 VIA EMAIL, NO RESPONSE. I PHONE TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE ON AUGUST 30, 2010 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY (I ALREADY KNEW THIS) AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AT THIS TIME. *TR