NHTSA Complaint #10823494 — 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA

PURCHASED 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA NEW IN AUGUST 2008. IN NOVEMBER 2015 (90,000 MILES) WITH VEHICLE PARKED, WHEN OPENING THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR, THE CABLE SNAPPED, BINDING THE POWERED DOOR'S ELECTRIC MOTOR, AND CAUSING THE DOOR TO BE "LOCKED IN PLACE" ABOUT 6 INCHES OPEN. WENT TO DRIVER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR, OPENED, CHILDREN ENTERED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND UPON CLOSING DOOR THIS CABLE SNAPPED, BUT DIDN'T BIND ELECTRIC MOTOR UNTIL THE DOOR HAD FULLY CLOSED, CAUSING THE DOOR TO BE "LOCKED IN PLACE" IN THE CLOSED POSITION. TRAVELED HOME AND CHILDREN EXITED VEHICLE THROUGH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS. THE CABLES WERE CUT BETWEEN THE ELECTRIC DOOR MOTOR AND THE "C POST" TO GET THE DOORS "UNLOCKED" AND ALLOW FOR MANUAL OPERATION. EXAMINATION OF SNAPPED CABLES REVEALED REMOVAL OF CABLE INSULATION (LIKELY DUE TO FRICTION/ABRASION), WHICH EXPOSED THE STRANDED METAL CABLE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, CAUSING SEVERE CORROSION AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE METAL CABLE. ONLINE RESEARCH REVEALED MANY OTHER 2008 AND NEWER TOYOTA SIENNA OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, TO THE POINT WHERE A FACEBOOK PAGE HAS BEEN CREATED REGARDING THE ISSUE HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/TOYOTA-SIENNA-FAULTY-POWER-SLIDING-DOORS-233250320033754/. FURTHER RESEARCH REVEALED THAT TOYOTA HAS A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR THIS PROBLEM (NO: POL12-02), BUT IT ONLY APPLIES TO 2004-2007 MODEL YEARS. WHATEVER CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY TOYOTA BEGINNING IN 2008 OBVIOUSLY HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. THE POWER SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY REQUIRED TO REPAIR THESE DOORS COSTS $500 PER DOOR (PART NUMBERS 69631-08030 AND 69641-08030). TO HAVE A DEALER MAKE THIS REPAIR COSTS $1,000 PER DOOR ($500 FOR THE PART AND $500 FOR LABOR).