NHTSA Complaint #10492274 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

TOYOTA SIENNA'S EQUIPPED WITH POWER SLIDING DOORS USE A PLASTIC COATED STEEL WIRE TO OPERATE THE DOOR VIA A WHEEL AND MOTOR. THIS PLASTIC DETERIORATES OVER TIME AND THE STEEL WIRE CORRODES AND FAILS LEADING TO THE INOPERABLE ABILITY OF THE DOOR IN THE POWER MODE. IN POWER MODE: THE DOOR WILL REMAIN CLOSED IF ATTEMPTED TO BE OPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN A MOTION GEAR. IT ALSO ALLOWS THE CONTROLLED OPEN AND CLOSURE OF THE DOOR WITH AN AUTOMATIC REVERSAL IF THE DOOR DETECTS OBSTRUCTION. DISENGAGING THIS POWER MODE ALLOWS THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WHEN IN MOTION. IT ALSO ALLOWS THE DOOR TO SLAM CLOSED IF VEHICLE IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE AND COULD INJURE A PERSON NOT EXPECTING THE CLOSURE OR OPENING. TOYOTA HAS OFFERED A "SERVICE EXTENSION", NOT A RECALL, FOR A PART THAT IS INTEGRAL FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE SLIDING DOORS. THIS EXTENSION WILL ONLY COVER A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF VEHICLES IN THEIR ALLOTTED TIME FRAME. THE ACTUAL FAILED PART IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT AND A WHOLE DOOR ACTUATOR MUST BE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED AT $1100 PER DOOR. *TR