NHTSA Complaint #10681437 — 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA

I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH HOW TO HANDLE THE FAILURE OF BOTH POWER DOORS ON MY 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN. THE DOORS FAIL TO OPEN AND DO NOT CLOSE WITH POWER WITHOUT PUSHING THEM CLOSED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU PUSH THE DOOR PAST THE CATCH POINT IT WILL NOT RETURN IF YOUR HAND IS IN THE WAY. WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED IT WOULD GO BACK IF YOUR HAND WAS IN THE DOOR. NOW IF IT GOES BEYOND THAT CATCH POINT IT LUNGES AND WILL CATCH YOUR HAND AND WILL NOT RELEASE. THE DOORS HAVE BAD HINGES AND CABLES WHICH TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADMIT ARE FAULTY. THEY OFFER AND EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOU KNOWING THAT THE 120,000 MILE LIMIT PUTS MOST OUT OF COVERAGE. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER GAME TO PUT OFF THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER. I HAVE A 17 YEAR OLD DOWNS CHILD. SHE GETS OUT OF THE VAN EVERY DAY AND HAS TO PUSH THE DOOR SHUT. SHE HAS TO USE TWO HANDS AND IT IS NOT SAFE. IF SHE SLIPS HER HAND WILL BE IN THE WAY OF THE DOOR AND IT WILL NOT REOPEN. I HAVE TRIED TO TALK TO TOYOTA AND THEY JUST SAY WE ARE OUT OF THEIR COVERAGE TIME LIMITS. I REPORTED THE DOOR WAY BACK IN EARLY 2012. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE SCOPE OF THEIR LIABILITY. AT THAT TIME THEY SAID IT WOULD COST TWO TO THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR THE FAULTY EQUIPMENT. I ASK THE OBVIOUS? WHEN DOES THIS STOP? DO A SEARCH ON GOOGLE FOR SLIDING DOOR PROBLEMS FOR SIENNA VANS AND YOU WILL BE OVERWHELMED AT THE BLOGS AND SIGHTS DEDICATED TO THIS ONE ISSUE. THIS IS A MASSIVE PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA. THE OTHER ISSUE IS WHEN THE CABLE FOR THE DOOR BREAKS YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF THE VAN. WHEN YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF THE VAN THERE IS A MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEM. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THE PARTS CAUSING THIS ISSUE AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. THE PARTS ARE THE LOCK ACTUATOR, THE SLIDING HINGE AND CABLES WHICH FAIL AND CAUSES DOOR TO HANG, THE CABLE WHICH WHEN BROKEN RENDERS THE DOOR USELESS. PLEASE HELP!!! *TR