NHTSA Complaint #10762425 — 2007 TOYOTA SIENNA

OUR SIENNA IS A WELL MAINTAINED, LOW MILEAGE (JUST OVER 66,000 MILES) VEHICLE. AS OF AUGUST 30 OF THIS YEAR, THE TRANSMISSION PLANETARY GEARS HAVE TOTALLY FAILED, LEAVING THE VEHICLE AND US STRANDED OVER 100 MILES FROM HOME. THE ESTIMATE FOR A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD FROM A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION SPECIALTY SHOP IS $4500, WHICH IS MUCH LOWER THAN THE ESTIMATE OF $6500 THAT OUR TOYOTA DEALER GAVE US TO INSTALL A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET, THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH EARLY FAILURES AROUND THE 65,000 MILE MARK. THIS REPAIR IS ON TOP OF A $1000 REPAIR JUST A MONTH AGO TO REPLACE BOTH OF THE REAR COIL SPRINGS. BOTH SPRINGS FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, WITH THE BOTTOM COIL RUSTING THROUGH AND FAILING AT THE BOTTOM SPRING SUPPORT. AS A MATERIALS ENGINEER MYSELF, I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN OR PRODUCTION ISSUE WITH THESE SPRINGS, FOR BOTH TO FAIL IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT ON THE SAME COIL AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. (AND IT IS WORTH POINTING OUT THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS SPENT ITS LIFE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, A PLACE THAT DOES NOT HAVE MUCH SNOW, OR EXTENSIVE USE OF ROAD SALT.) ALSO, JUST ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING RACK REPLACED AT THE DEALER'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WAS ANOTHER $1000 REPAIR. SO IN A PERIOD OF JUST OVER A MONTH, THIS VEHICLE IS GOING TO HAVE ALMOST $6000 OF REPAIRS TO IT (NOT INCLUDING THE STEERING RACK REPAIR.) THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY FOR A TOYOTA, WHICH ARE NORMALLY HIGHLY RELIABLE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY A REPUTABLE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, SO ALL OF THE RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.