NHTSA Complaint #10538468 — 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA

A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE RECEIVED AN URGENT SAFETY RECALL LETTER FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THE TYPE OF TIRES THAT ARE ON OUR 2011 SIENNA. WHEN WE ORDERED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2010, IT WAS WITH FULL UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAD TO HAVE A VEHICLE WITH A HITCH, AS MY HUSBAND HAS A MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR THAT MUST BE PLACED ON A RACK BEHIND OUR VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP IN SIOUX CITY, IOWA (RICK COLLINS) STATED THAT WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE ARRIVED HERE IN SIOUX CITY FROM THE MANUFACTURER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS NEW MODEL OF SIENNA DID NOT HAVE A HITCH ON IT YET, AS IT HAD NOT FINISHED BEING DESIGNED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAD ONE AND WOULD PUT IT ON BEFORE WE TOOK IT. NOW WE GOT THE RECALL LETTER STATING THAT THE DOOR PLACARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE, PLUS WE EITHER HAD TO TAKE OFF THE HITCH OR THE DEALER MUST CHANGE OUT THE TIRES TO EXTRA LOAD TIRES AT NO CHARGE TO US. SINCE WE CANNOT GO WITHOUT THE HITCH, MY HUSBAND TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY THEN NEEDED TO PUT NEW TIRES ON OUR CAR AT THE DEALERS EXPENSE. THEY REFUSE TO DO THAT STATING THAT THE HITCH IS AFTER MARKET. BUT IT IS NOT AFTER MARKET. RICK COLLINS TOYOTA INSTALLED THE HITCH BEFORE THE CAR WAS EVER IN OUR HANDS. THEY DEFINITELY KNEW THAT WE WOULD NOT AND COULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED A VEHICLE THAT DID NOT HAVE A HITCH. NOW WE ARE AFRAID TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN KNOWING ABOUT THE SAFETY CONCERNS. WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THIS RESOLVED? GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP IS DEFINITELY NOT THE ANSWER, AS THEY ARE CLAIMING ALL THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO IS CHANGE OUT THE PLACARD, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THE LETTER STATES. OBVIOUSLY WE WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA, AS WE HAVE A HASSLE WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT EVERY TIME WE GO IN THERE. AFTER 4 TRIPS THERE TO GET THE REMOTE START FIXED, WE FINALLY DID TAKE THE CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET THAT ISSUE RESOLVED. *JB