NHTSA Complaint #10598023 — 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA

WE FIRST ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM IN WHICH THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT FUNCTION TO OPEN OR CLOSE AUTOMATICALLY BUT IT STILL WORKED MANUALLY. ABOUT A WEEK LATER THE REAR LATCH OF THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR BECAME STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION THUS NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO FULLY CLOSE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO GREASED THE LATCH AND ALLOWED IT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY HOWEVER THE DOOR WOULD STILL ONLY OPEN AUTOMATICALLY BUT WOULD OPEN OR CLOSE MANUALLY JUST FINE. DURING THIS TIME THERE WERE 3 INSTANCES WHEN THE DOOR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY OPEN WITHOUT HUMAN INTERVENTION BUT WHILE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH CHILDREN IN THE REAR SEATS. TOYOTA AGREES THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BUT WILL ONLY SPLIT THE $1,200 BILL WITH US. BASED ON THE FACT THEY ARE WILLING TO HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF WARRANTY PROVES THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE YET FAIL TO ISSUE A RECALL AND PUT ARE WILLING TO RISK LIVES ESPECIALLY CHILDREN'S LIVES TO SAVE FACE. *JS