NHTSA Complaint #10546945 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

WHILE OPENING THE AUTOMATIC, PASSENGER SIDE, REAR SLIDING DOOR, THE CABLE FRAYED AND BECAME STUCK, CAUSING THE DOOR TO STOP MID WAY OPEN. THE DOOR WAS STUCK AND WOULDN'T OPEN OR CLOSE. WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT CLOSED, WITH MUCH FORCE, SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE DRIVING HOME (WE WERE OUT OF TOWN AT THE TIME). WE WERE TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT IT WOULD COST $3000 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, AS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, NOT JUST THE CABLE, WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED IF THEY COULD JUST MAKE IT SO THAT I COULD OPEN THE DOOR MANUALLY. HAVING A DOOR THAT WON'T OPEN IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THEY SAID NO. I TOOK THE VAN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE OWNER CUT THE CABLE AND TOOK IT OUT. THIS ALLOWED THE DOOR TO BE OPENED AND CLOSED MANUALLY. HOW DID HE MANAGE TO DO SOMETHING THAT I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA WASN'T POSSIBLE? HE DIDN'T CHARGE ME FOR THIS SIMPLE FIX. I HAVE LETTERS THAT I WROTE TO TOYOTA DETAILING WHAT HAPPENED. WE WERE OFFERED A FREE OIL CHANGE FOR OUR TROUBLE, WHICH I DECLINED AS I WILL NOT VISIT A DEALER AGAIN BY CHOICE, AND TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE ISSUE OURSELVES. A TOYOTA REP RECENTLY, 2012, TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE, BUT A RECALL STATUS HAS NOT YET BEEN REACHED OR SET. VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT TOYOTA ALLOWS THIS TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. WHAT COULD OWNERS POSSIBLE DO TO MAKE A CABLE SNAP OR BREAK? IT'S OBVIOUS THIS IS A FAULTY DESIGN AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED. *TR