NHTSA Complaint #10853313 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR STARTED MAKING POPPING NOISE WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING. THE CAR HAS ONLY 105,000 MILES AT TIME OF START OF PROBLEM.I HAVE READ THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS SIENNA OWNERS OF VARYING MODEL YEARS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. CAUSED BY A FAILING DOOR CHECK. IT IS AN ANNOYINGLY LOUD SOUND AND AS THE VEHICLE OWNER I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INHERENT DANGERS FROM FURTHER DETERIORATION. WHAT IF I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR IN AN EMERGENCY? CAN THE DOOR FALL OFF? WHAT ABOUT POTENTIAL INJURY TO BYSTANDERS? WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR TOYOTA TO DO A FULL RECALL? INJURIES, DEATHS AND LAWSUITS? THIS PROBLEM IS NOT DUE TO CARELESS USE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS DUE TO SHODDY WORKMANSHIP BY THE MANUFACTURER - TOYOTA. THEIR ABILITY TO MANUFACTURE RELIABLE PRODUCTS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY SUSPECT. THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE WILLING TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM THEY CREATED. THEY SENT ME A LETTER SAYING THE WARRANTY ON THE VAN TO COVER THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 5 YEARS AND 100,000 MILES. WELL, I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2004 AND NOW IT HAS 105,000 MILES (THE POINT AT WHICH THE PROBLEM BEGAN). THAT IS A USELESS WARRANTY. THEY NEED TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A MANUFACTURED DEFECT AND PROVIDE WARRANTIED REPLACEMENT TO CONSUMERS WHO HAD FAITH IN THEM AND PURCHASED THEIR PRODUCT. THIS IS A $2000 FIX TO REPLACE THE DOOR THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR.