NHTSA Complaint #10469530 — 2007 TOYOTA SIENNA

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY @ 85MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. PROMPTLY, I PULLED THE TOYOTA MANUAL WHICH SAID COULD BE FAULTY GAS CAP AND MAY GO OFF WITH CONSECUTIVE DRIVES ONCE FIXED OR IF IT STAYS ON AFTER TO GO TO DEALER. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE SO I HEADED TO MY EXIT TO PULL OVER. SHORTLY, THEREAFTER A HORRIBLE DIESEL ENGINE GRINDING NOISE. I HAD JUST HAD MY TIRES ROTATED (REPLACED JUST ONE MONTH PRIOR) THAT WEEKEND AND THE OIL CHANGED THE WEEKEND BEFORE. AS I WAS ABOUT TO PULL OVER THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT FLASHED. WHEN I PULLED OVER I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE OIL STICK DRY WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND ABOUT THE PART BY MOSSY NISSAN THAT THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER AND WAS PART OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO TOYOTA OF POWAY AND FOR $500+ TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THIS HOSE(NOT PART OF RECALL) WANTED ANOTHER $3000 TO TEAR DOWN THE ENGINE AND THE ADDL CHARGES TO FIX I HAVE RELIGIOUSLY HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD MY TOYOTA CERTIFIED MECHANIC WORK ON MY CAR. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CONSUMER SERVICE FOR ASSISTANCE IN FIXING THE PROBLEMS THEY INDICATED THEY WOULD NOT HELP SINCE THE HOSES WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE HOSES ARE 2 RUBBER HOSES THAT HAVE CLAMPS LEADING TO A TRIANGULAR METAL PIECE. THE HOLE WAS NOT IN A LOCATION THAT SOMETHING COULD HAVE PIERCED ACCORDING TO MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO TRIED TO GET THE PART FROM THE FIRST DEALER....WHICH LEADS TO THE FACT THAT THESE ARE FAULTY HOSES THAT DETERIORATED. TOYOTA HAS OFFERED A GOODWILL PAYMENT OF $750 TOWARDS A NEW OR USED CERTIFIED TOYOTA CAR. BUT THAT IS AT A 20% INTEREST RATE. IT IS MY HOPE THAT OTHERS WILL SEE THIS AND GET THIS FIXED BEFORE THEY END UP LIKE ME SINGLE MOM OF 4 WITHOUT A CAR WORKING 5 DAYS A WEEK 150 MILES FROM MY BABIES AND CAN'T EVEN GO HOME TO SEE THEM TILL THE WEEKEND. A BIG THANK YOU TOYOTA. I HAVE PAID $800 OUT OF POCKET. *TR