NHTSA Complaint #10533791 — 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA

ON FEBRUARY 25, 2012, THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR ON MY 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA WOULD NOT CLOSE UNLESS I APPLIED FORCE. FOR MONTHS THIS ISSUE DID NOT RESOLVE AND BECAME WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD NO LONGER USE THE DOOR. THIS BECAME A SAFETY ISSUE AS MY THREE YOUNG CHILDREN COULD ONLY EXIT THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR INTO THE STREET SIDE. THIS PUT MY CHILDREN AND ME IN DANGER OF BEING HIT BY PASSING MOTORISTS. FURTHERMORE, IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, THIS EXIT POINT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE TO US. AFTER RECEIVING THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTICE WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR IN JULY 2012, BUT WERE INFORMED THE PART NEEDING REPLACEMENT, IDENTIFIED AS "R/SLIDING DOOR REAR SUPPORT LATCH AND CABLE ASSY" WAS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTICE CLEARLY STATED "REAR SLIDING DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLIES" AND "POWER SLIDING DOOR CABLE ASSEMBLY" WERE COVERED. I WAS TOLD THE PART NUMBERS DID NOT MATCH. IN JULY 2013, I OPENED A CASE WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY AGAIN INFORMED ME THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE ENHANCEMENT WARRANTY. I EXPRESSED MY COMPLETE DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE LACK OF REGARD FOR MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. SHORTLY AFTER, I RECEIVED A SURPRISING CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINING THAT THE PART IN QUESTION WAS ACTUALLY COVERED. THEIR ERROR WAS UPSETTING. I HAD TO TAKE MY VEHICLE IN TWICE TO FINALLY HAVE THE DOOR REPAIRED AND HAD TO PAY FOR AN ADDITIONAL PART, A HINGE THAT CAUSED THE DOOR TO SAG AND DRAG AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE SAFETY ISSUE AND ALSO CAUSED VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR. I'M THANKFUL THE DOOR IS FINALLY REPAIRED, BUT WORRY THAT THIS ISSUE HAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR RECURRENCE. I HOPE THE NHTSA INVESTIGATES THE DOORS AS I SEE MANY OTHERS HAVE VOICED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. ALTHOUGH THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT HAS BEEN TOYOTA'S SOLUTION, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE FIXING THE PROBLEM. *TR