NHTSA Complaint #10682165 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

AFTER DRIVING THE MINIVAN TO DROP OFF THE CHILDREN AT DAYCARE, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER DOOR WAS OPEN AUTOMATICALLY BUT AFTERWARD, WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE MOTOR THAT OPENS AND CLOSES THE DOOR WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE BUTTON THAT OPENS AND CLOSES THE DOOR. IT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE REMOTE CONTROL BUTTON THAT OPEN AND CLOSES THE DOOR. THAT DRIVER SIDE DOOR STAYED STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. I ATTEMPTED BUT COULD NOT PUSH IT TO GET IT CLOSE. I ATTEMPTED TO PRESS AND USE THE BUTTON ON THE DASHBOARD THAT WOULD MAKE THE DOOR GO INTO MANUAL MODE BUT ONCE THE MOTOR IS ENGAGE TO DRIVE OPEN THE DOOR, IT SEEMS THAT IT WOULD NOT DISENGAGED. AGAIN, THE DOOR JUST STAY STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. I ENDED UP DRIVING THE MINIVAN SLOWLY ON THE SIDE ROADS FOR ABOUT 5 MILES TO GET BACK HOME WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPEN AND PARK IT BACK IN MY GARAGE. I CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTER TODAY (2-9-2015) TO FILE MY SAFETY CONCERN/COMPLAINT AND AM GIVEN A COMPLAINT #[XXX] TOYOTA WILL NOT HELP ME RECTIFY THE SAFETY DEFECT, THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTEE. I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE SAFETY DEFECT MYSELF. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. LUCKILY, THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA WHERE WEATHER IS USUALLY NOT AN ISSUE. I USE TO LIVE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. THIS VAN WAS PURCHASE THERE IN MINNESOTA IN FACT. I CAN IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE IF THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE DURING WINTER WITH CHILDREN IN IT, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS AND CATASTROPHIC IN TERMS OF EXPOSING THE PASSENGERS TO THE HARSH ELEMENTS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR