NHTSA Complaint #10628688 — 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA

(REAR POWER SLIDING DOORS: NO SAFETY SENSORS TO STOP THE DOOR ) I PULLED THE HANDLE OF THE REAR POWER SLIDING DOOR TO OPEN TO LET MY DOG OUT. SHE PUT HER HEAD INTO THE OPENING BETWEEN THE TRACTOR CABLE THAT GLIDES THE DOOR BACK AND THE REAR PORTION OF THE DOOR. THE POWER DOOR CONTINUED TO SLIDE BACK AND INWARD. MY REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE DOOR INCLUDED ME PULLING AGAINST IT WITH ALL MY STRENGTH THE DOOR JUST KEPT SLIDING EITHER BACK OR FORWARD. MY DOG TRIED TO SQUEEZE HERSELF OUT AND ONLY MANAGED TO GET HALF HER BODY OUT. SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS CUT IN HALF. MY NEIGHBORS CAME OVER AND HELD THE DOOR TO STOP IT FROM MOVING. THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BODY OF THE VAN AND THE SLIDING DOOR WAS SO TIGHT (3 TO 4 INCHES), I COULD NOT PUSH OR PULL MY DOG OUT. I THOUGHT SHE WAS BEING CRUSHED TO DEATH. I WENT TO DISENGAGE THE BATTERY TO MAKE SURE THE DOOR WOULD NOT MOVE AND MY DOG WAS ABLE TO WRIGGLE HER ENTIRE BODY OUT OF THAT TINY OPENING. THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND WAS TERRIFYING. MY DOG SUFFERED ONLY BRUISED RIBS. I HAD A CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY BEFORE THIS AND THE DOOR SENSORS STOPPED AT THE SLIGHTEST INTERFERENCE. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SAFETY HAZARD. *TR