NHTSA Complaint #10556981 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

THERE IS A CRACK IN MY TOYOTA SIENNA 2004 RADIATOR AND THE COOLANT IS LEAKING. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED REPORTS OF CRACKS IN RADIATORS IN 2004 AND 2005 TOYOTA SIENNAS. AS A RESULT OF THESE REPORTS TOYOTA WAS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THESE RADIATORS TO 6 YEARS OR 72,000 MILES FROM THE IN-SERVICE DATE. SINCE I NOTICED THE CRACK IN THE RADIATOR IN MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA WHEN IT HAD 85,000 MILES, TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO PAY EVEN A % OF THE COST OF REPLACING THE RADIATOR. I BOUGHT THE TOYOTA SIENNA AND PAID THE HIGHER PRICE BECAUSE OF TOYOTA'S REPUTATION FOR USING VERY HIGH QUALITY PARTS IN ITS CARS. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A TOYOTA CAMRY AND HAD ALMOST 200,000 MILES ON IT. I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIATOR IN MY TOYOTA CAMRY. I CALLED TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, SAYING THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD SINCE IT HAS 85,000 MILES. CLEARLY, THE CRACK IN MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA IS DIRECTLY DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE RADIATOR. SO MANY 2004 AND 2005 TOYOTA OWNERS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS OF CRACKED RADIATORS AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD OF 6 YEARS OR 72,000 MILES. THE ARBITRARY EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD OF 6 YEARS AND 72,000 MILES DOES NOT PROTECT THE TOYOTA SIENNA OWNERS FROM THE DEFECTIVE RADIATOR BECAUSE IN MOST CASES THE RADIATOR WILL CRACK JUST AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR USING A DEFECTIVE RADIATOR AND AT LEAST REIMBURSE OWNERS 50% TO 70% OF THE COST OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE RADIATOR WHEN IT CRACKS AFTER 72,000 MILES. *TR