NHTSA Complaint #10633348 — 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA

THIS IS REALLY AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT STARTED IN WINTER OF 2012 AND CARRIED OVER INTO 2013. OUR SIENNA HAS/HAD ISSUES WITH THE POWER SLIDING DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS. WE WERE TOLD BY LITHIA TOYOTA IN GRAND FORKS, ND THAT IT WOULD COST $1700 TO REPLACE A LATCH AND CABLE IN ORDER FOR THE POWER SLIDING DOOR TO WORK. THERE IS NO WAY I WAS EVEN GOING TO CONSIDER PAYING THAT FOR THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE, LET ALONE BOTH. AFTER READING ABOUT ALL THE ISSUES TOYOTA SIENNA'S HAVE, MY WIFE AND I LOOKED FOR OTHER OPTIONS. WE TOOK OUR SIENNA TO CORWIN TOYOTA IN FARGO, ND WHERE THEY REMOVED THE POWER CAPABILITY SO WE COULD SIMPLY HAVE A MANUAL SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THAT OPTION WORKED WELL FOR A WHILE, BUT EVENTUALLY IT DIDN'T WORK BETWEEN THE SNOW/ICE AND (FULL DISCLOSURE...WE LIVE ON A GRAVEL ROAD) DUST, OUR DOORS CONTINUOUSLY STICK NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR IT IS, REGARDLESS OF TEMPERATURE. WE OFTEN GO FOR MONTHS AT A TIME WITH ONLY ONE OPERATIONAL MANUAL SLIDING DOOR (WE DID HAVE LAKE TOYOTA IN DEVILS LAKE, ND MAKE THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MANUAL LIKE THE DRIVERS SIDE). WHEN BOTH DOORS GET STUCK, WE HAVE ONE REPAIRED (HAVE DONE THAT A COUPLE TIMES). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. WHY CAN'T WE HAVE A MANUAL OPERATING DOOR? WHY DO WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING TO A DEALER TO HAVE THIS SITUATION TAKEN CARE OF? I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEIR WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 120K MILE POINT (WE CURRENTLY HAVE 194K MILES ON THE VAN, BOUGHT IT WITH 125K). I JUST WANT TOYOTA TO REPAIR MY SLIDING DOORS SO THEY WORK MANUALLY. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT POWER DOORS. PERHAPS YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS TO TOYOTA IN A WAY WHICH I HAVE FAILED TO DO. *TR