NHTSA Complaint #10545359 — 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA

THE REAR DOOR HATCH STRUTS FAILED ON MY 2006 SIENNA LE, IT CAME CRASHING ON ME, FORTUNATELY I CAUGHT IT MIDWAY AND I WASN'T INJURED BECAUSE OF THAT. IF NOT FOR THAT, I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT. NOW THE REAR DOOR/TRUNK HATCH DOES NOT STAY OPEN, AND IF I LET GO OF IT, IT COMES CRASHING DOWN REALLY FAST. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS WILL HURT SOMEBODY, PARTICULARLY MY CHILDREN. THERE IS A SIMILAR RECALL FOR THE SAME STRUTS USED FOR POWER REAR DOOR HATCH. HOWEVER, WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA THEY MENTIONED THAT RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VEHICLE JUST BECAUSE MY REAR DOOR HATCH ISN'T POWERED, AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET TO FIX IT. IN MY OPINION THE RECALL SHOULD BE ON THE STRUTS ITSELF REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE DOOR IS POWERED OR NOT AS THE STRUTS ARE THE ONES THAT FAIL AND NOT THE POWERED FUNCTION OF THE DOOR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AS NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE. *JS