NHTSA Complaint #10510297 — 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA

ON A RAINY SUNDAY AFTERNOON I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE, VSC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING (69 ADDITIONAL MILES WERE DRIVEN). WHEN TESTED THE CODE INDICATED TO INSPECT THE VVT-1 SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE ACTUATOR BOLTS AND ALIGNMENT. UPON INSPECTION (REQUIRING THE ENGINE TO BE PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED) IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VVTI GEAR WAS COMING APART CAUSING DEBRIS TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CAMSHAFT GEARS AND HOUSING ONLY FOR CAM BANK 1. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MATERIAL QUALITY DEFECT AND TOYOTA'S ONLY STATEMENT IS "WE DON'T HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS". MY VAN IS 90 DAYS PAST THE 5 YEAR & 17,369 MILES OVER THE 60,000 WARRANTY. (NOTE: OTHER MANUFACTURER'S OFFER A 100,000 POWERTRAIN WARRANTY). THIS VAN HAS ONLY BEEN SERVICED BY THIS DEALER. THIS SINGLE REPAIR BILL IS $4,295.00 WITH NO GUARANTEE THE OTHER CAM BANK WON'T DO THE SAME THING, REQUIRING ANOTHER HIGH SERVICE BILL. AFTER 3 DAYS OF WAITING FOR TOYOTA TO INVESTIGATE, THEY ONLY OFFERED A GOODWILL CONTRIBUTION TO THE REPAIRS OF $2,400 ... BUT ONLY AFTER I SUBMIT PAID RECEIPTS AND THEN WAIT 10 WEEKS FOR THEM TO REIMBURSE ME. THEY FLAT OUT REFUSED TO SEND THE PAYMENT TO THE DEALER. THIS IS TOYOTA'S PREMIER FAMILY VEHICLE AND IF THE ENGINE HAS SEIZED WHILE DRIVING COULD HAVE KILLED MY FAMILY OR SOMEONE ELSE. I HAVE DRIVEN TOYOTA'S FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND NEVER HEARD OF THIS KIND OF MATERIALS DEFECT AND THEN TO BE TREATED THIS POORLY OVER A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF POOR QUALITY MATERIALS. I GUESS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INTERESTED IF SOMEONE HAD DIED. I THINK EVERYONE WHO OWNS A 2008 SIENNA SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THIS MODEL HAS A VVTI GEAR MATERIAL QUALITY DEFECT THAT CAN BE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE WHILE DRIVING AND KILL SOMEONE. WHO KNOWS IF OTHER 08 MODELS ARE ALSO AFFECTED. *TR