NHTSA Complaint #10490121 — 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA

UNDER TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM, A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS PUT OUT SAYING THAT 2005 TOYOTA SIENNAS HAD FAULTY RADIATORS THAT CRACKED IN COLD WEATHER AND COULD LEAD TO COOLANT LEAKAGE AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE SEIZURE (SAFETY REPORT #0506). WHEN THE WEATHER STARTED GETTING COLD THIS WINTER, MY RADIATOR CRACKED AND I NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AS THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING EXTREMELY HOT. WHEN I FOUND THIS BULLETIN AND BROUGHT IT TO TOYOTA'S ATTENTION THEY REFUSED TO HONOR IT SAYING THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT IN THE RANGE. WHEN I ASKED WHY THIS WAS THE CASE, THEY CLAIMED (THEY BEING TOYOTA'S NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS) THAT THEY HAD REALIZED THE FAULT AND THEREFORE SWITCHED THE RADIATORS OUT DURING PRODUCTION. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION, THE BULLETIN WAS ANNOUNCED BY TOYOTA ON JANUARY 30, 2006. IF WHAT THEY CLAIM IS TRUE, THEN THEY WERE KNOWINGLY SELLING CARS WITH FAULTY RADIATORS FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE THEY ISSUED THE RECALL. IF THEY WERE LYING, THEN THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE ALL TOYOTA SIENNAS OF THAT YEAR. *TR