NHTSA Complaint #10789007 — 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA

I HAVE BROUGHT THE SIENNA INTO TOYOTA ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AS IT WAS CLUNKING WHEN IT CLOSED. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT EACH TIME, BUT THE LIFTGATE WAS CLEARLY NOT ALIGNED. WATER IS NOW COMING THROUGH THE TOP OF THE LIFT GATE. I DID BACK UP INTO A TREE, AND HAD DAMAGE TO THE BACK QUARTER PANEL AND IT WAS REPAIRED BY A BODY SHOP. TOYOTA IS STATING THAT THIS CAUSED THE LIFTGATE TO BE MISALIGNED AND THAT IS CAUSING THE WATER TO COME THROUGH THE LIFTGATE. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT UNTIL I RAN THE MINIVAN THROUGH A TOUCH FREE CARWASH AND WATER WAS APPLIED UNDER PRESSURE THAT I NOTICED THE WATER COMING IN. MY COMPLAINT IS I BELIEVE THAT IF THE LIFTGATE COULD BE MISALIGNED BY QUARTER PANEL DAMAGE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN UNDER EXTREME STRESS OF A CAR ACCIDENT. I DO BELIEVE THE DEALERSHIP IS AVOIDING REALIGNING THE LIFT GATE, BUT I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE OVERALL SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, THE ORIGINAL TIRES THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE WORE VERY EARLY. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AT TOYOTA BECAUSE WE WERE TAKING THE VEHICLE ON A FAMILY TRIP. I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL AND NOTICED THAT THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE TO HAVE A 6 YEAR WARRANTY.