NHTSA Complaint #10492159 — 2007 TOYOTA SIENNA

AFTER A SHORT TRIP, 5 MILES, I WAS BACKING INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I NOTICED SOME FLUIDS ON THE CEMENT. I CHECKED THE LIQUID AND WAS NOT SURE IF IT WAS COOLANT OR TRANSMISSION FLUIDS SO I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND HE RECOMMENDED THAT I SHOULD HAVE IT TOWED IN .IT TURNS OUT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT A CONNECTOR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RADIATOR CRACKED AND WAS MIXING THE COOLANT WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID ,IT APPEARS THAT A DEFECTIVE FITTING WAS THE PROBLEM. IT COST ME $977.3 TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION. MY MECHANIC SAID IF I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED DRIVING WITH THESE 2 FLUIDS MIXING I WOULD HAVE DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION BEYOND REPAIR FOR A BILL OF $3,000. MORE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS PEOPLE SHOULD AT LEAST BE NOTIFIED WHAT TO WATCH FOR OR BETTER YET REPAIRED BY THE COMPANY. *TR