NHTSA Complaint #10676927 — 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE MINIVAN WITH BOTH KIDS IN THE CAR AFTER GROCERY SHOPPING AND PICKING THEM UP FROM THE PRESCHOOL. WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING INTO THE GARAGE SHE SMELLED AND SAW OIL FUME COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. SHE THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE AND GRABBED THE KIDS AND GOT OUT OF THE VAN AS QUICKLY AS SHE CAN. I GOT HER CALL AND RUSHED HOME FROM WORK. IT TURNED OUT THERE WAS A SUDDEN FAILURE OF A OIL COOLING PIPE ON THE ENGINE. ALL OF THE ENGINE OIL HAD ALMOST LEAKED OUT (THERE WAS MAYBE ABOUT QUARTER OF INCH SHOWING ON THE DIP STICK). AFTER WE TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER, WE FOUND OUT THE OIL HAD LEAKED FROM AN ENGINE COOLER PIPE WHICH WAS POORLY DESIGNED AND OVER TIME IT COULD DEVELOP A SLOW SEEP LEAK OR IN OUR CASE FAILED IN A SUDDEN BURST AND CAUSED THE OIL TO LEAK OUT LIKE A RUNNING FAUCET. WE WERE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE BECAUSE IT OCCURRED JUST WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE VAN IN OUR SUBDIVISION. TOYOTA HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE LAST SUMMER BUT DIDN'T HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS. IF IT HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND WE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE ENGINE LIGHT, THE ENGINE MAY BURN OR WORSE IT COULD SEIZE AND CAUSE ACCIDENT. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE WEB, I FOUND OUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. TOYOTA ACTUALLY HAD A RECALL OTHER MODELS OF CARS FOR THE SAME ISSUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I WONDER WHY THEY DIDN'T RECALL THE 2008 SIENNA AND THEY SHOULD HAVE. I WANT TO REPORT THIS AND HOPEFULLY FORCE TOYOTA TO START RECALL ON THIS ISSUE FOR ALL IMPACTED MODELS SO OTHERS WON'T HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS AND AVOID POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS. THANKS. *TR