NHTSA Complaint #10502969 — 2007 TOYOTA SIENNA

FAILURE OF A DEFECTIVE RUBBER OIL COOLER HOSE OCCURRED AT APP. 5:30 PM ON 2/11/2013 WHILE THE SIENNA WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A CITY STREET. THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY LOST MOST OF ITS OIL, AND INCURRED SIGNIFICANT AND VERY COSTLY ENGINE DAMAGE (RESULTING IN THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE SHORT-BLOCK, PLUS OTHER COLLATERAL ENGINE REPAIRS THAT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA ENGINEERING EVENTUALLY DETERMINED NECESSARY). SEE TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN T-SB-0201, DATED 12/21/2011. THE OIL "SEEPAGE" TERM USED BY TOYOTA IN THIS TSB IS A COMPLETE MISNOMER, AS THE OIL LOSS WAS RAPID AND RESULTED IN OIL SPRAYING PROFUSELY UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED ANY INFORMATION TO ITS UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMER REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC DEFECTIVE PART. ON 3/3/2011, THE CUSTOMER DISCOVERED THROUGH HIS OWN PERSONAL RESEARCH THE SCOPE AND MAGNITUDE OF TOYOTA'S PERVASIVE FAILURE HISTORY WITH A VERY SIMILAR DEFECTIVE RUBBER OIL SUPPLY HOSE. THE DEFECTIVE RUBBER OIL SUPPLY HOSE IS THE SUBJECT OF A CURRENT MULTI-PART LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN (LSC) PRIOR LAUNCHED BY TOYOTA, HOWEVER TOYOTA IS INCREDIBLY CLAIMING TO THE CUSTOMER THAT THIS LSC CAMPAIGN (WHICH IS SET TO EXPIRE ON 3/31/2013) DOES NOT COVER THE DEFECTIVE OIL COOLER HOSE. IN THE CUSTOMER'S OPINION, TOYOTA HAS DEMONSTRATED GROSS NEGLIGENCE IN NOT INCLUDING COVERAGE OF BOTH DEFECTIVE RUBBER OIL HOSE PARTS UNDER THE CURRENT LSC (OR, NOT LAUNCHING A SEPARATE LSC ADDRESSING THE DEFECTIVE OIL COOLER HOSE). THIS DEFECTIVE RUBBER OIL COOLER HOSE COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A TICKING TIME BOMB FOR OWNERS OF AFFECTED TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS (2008 - 2011), HIGHLANDER HVS (2011), SIENNAS (2007 - 2011), AND VENZAS (2009 - 2011). THE CUSTOMER IS CONTINUING INTERFACE WITH TOYOTA, FOR TOYOTA TO ACCEPT FULL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL CUSTOMER COSTS INCURRED IN THIS MATTER.