NHTSA Complaint #10446738 — 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA

MY 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA SXP HAS HAD A BATTERY KILLING SYMPTOM SINCE I PURCHASED BACK IN 2006. I DID NOT REALIZED THE "CAUSE" AFTER IT KEPT REPEATING MANY TIMES DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. BATTERY WILL BE EXHAUSTED (DIED) WHEN PASSENGER DOOR WAS OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT OPEN AND CLOSE THE DRIVER DOOR. IN OTHER WORD, IF ONLY THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS OPEN AND CLOSE AND THE DRIVER DOOR IS UNTOUCHED, THEN THE BATTERY SURELY DIED. QUALITY TOYOTA DEALER HAS BEEN SWAPPING BATTERIES (MAYBE 3 TIMES). MY LAST SERVICE WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO WITH THE SAME SYMPTOM AFTER A NEW ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND WAS PROMISED THAT THIS SHOULD BE THE CAUSE. SAME SYMPTOM HAPPENED A WEEK AFTER THIS LAST SERVICE (11/18/2011). THE TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER [XXX] AND HIS SERVICE ASSISTANT [XXX] AT QUALITY IMPORT KEPT TELLING ME THAT THE TRUCK HAVE TO BE TURNED ENGINE ON DAILY FOR ABOUT AN HOUR FOR THE BATTERY TO RETAIN ITS POWER? FAULT DESIGNED/RECALLED? I HAVE HAD MANY TOYOTAS, NONE OF THEM NEEDS TO DO SUCH THING EVEN PARKED FOR 3 TO 4 WEEK, INCLUDING OUR 2000 SIENNA WITH MORE THAN 130,000 MILES, AND ALSO INCLUDING THE CHEVROLET CARGO 1500XPRESS (>23000 MILES). MY 2006 TUNDRA WITH JUST OVER 22,300 ORIGINAL MILES. WE HAVE BEEN SCARE TO DRIVE IT ON A LONG TRIP AND/OR TO ANY WHERE THAT WE MAY HAVE TO PARK FOR A FEW HOURS. WE ALWAYS HAVE A JUMPER CABLE IN THE CAR IN CASE THE BATTERY WENT BAD AND/OR DRAINED DOWN AND COULD NOT START UP. WE HAVE CONTACTED QUALITY TOYOTA SERVICE [XXX] [XXX], AND HAVE ALSO REQUESTED IF HIS SERVICE MANAGER, [XXX], CAN CONTACT US FOR A RESOLUTION, BUT WE HAVE BEEN IGNORED SINCE DECEMBER 20TH, 2011. OUR LAST SERVICE WAS WITH ON NOVEMBER 16, 2011 WITH THE COST OF $238.36 FOR A NEW ALTERNATOR . WE AGREED TO PAY FOR THIS IN THE HOPE THAT THE PROBLEM (BATTERY KILLING) WAS FINALLY FIXED EVEN THOUGH THIS SAME SYMPTOM HAS HAPPENED AND HAS BEEN SERVICE DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR