NHTSA Complaint #10453513 — 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA

WE PURCHASED THE VAN USED IN 2009 WITH 12000 MILES ON IT AND MADE OUR PURCHASE DECISION BASED ON THE REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND SAFETY THAT TOYOTA HAD AT THE TIME. IN JULY 2009 THE SRS WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS AND SYSTEM WAS KNOWN TO HAVE ISSUES. LUCKILY THE DEALER CONVINCED TOYOTA USA TO COVER THE REPAIR. IN NOVEMBER 2011 THE LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON AND DID ITS BLINKING THING. CURRENTLY WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 48000 MILES ON THE VAN AND THE DEALER SAID THAT BECAUSE WE ARE PAST WARRANTY THAT IT WON'T BE COVERED. A PRIVATE MECHANIC TESTED THE SYSTEM AND DETERMINED THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING AND THAT TOYOTA HAS PUBLISHED A BULLETIN ACKNOWLEDGING THE ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS SAFETY CONCERN. WHEN THE LIGHT IS BLINKING OR ON, THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY, PUTTING EVERYONE INSIDE AT RISK. A VAN WITH 48000 MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE THE AIRBAGS REPLACED TWICE. LOOKING AT ONLINE FORUMS THERE SEEMS TO BE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OTHER SIENNA OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND YET TOYOTA STILL REFUSES TO RECALL THE PRODUCT OR OFFER A REASONABLE REPAIR. I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL TAKE A TRAFFIC COLLISION RESULTING IN A DEATH OR MULTIPLE DEATHS TO PUSH TOYOTA TO FIX THIS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. A SECOND CONCERN WHICH SEEMS TO BE PROBLEMATIC WITH OUR VAN AS WELL AS OTHERS IS THE WELDS WITHIN THE DRIVER DOOR BREAKING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT NOR ANY OTHER MAJOR INCIDENT TO CAUSE THEM TO BREAK. ACCORDING TO THE PRIVATE MECHANIC, IT IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND THAT THE WELD SHOULD BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST PARTS OF THE VEHICLE AND SHOULDN'T BREAK. *JS