NHTSA Complaint #10908892 — 2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

IN LATE 2012, TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB RELATED TO THE REAR POWER LIFT GATE. INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO REPLACE THE HINGES, MOTOR UNIT, ETC... IF EVIDENCE OF FAILURE. LIMITATIONS WERE 3 YR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. EXPLANATIONS FROM THE DEALER WERE THAT THE HINGES FOR THE BACK HATCH WERE UNDER MANUFACTURED FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR CAUSING THEM TO TWIST/WARP AND PULL AWAY FROM THE DOOR AND/OR FRAME. THIS ALSO CREATED UNDUE STRESS ON THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY UNIT OFTEN TIMES LEADING TO FAILURE. I HAD SERVICE PERFORMED IN EARLY 2013 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE TSB. I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING THE IDENTICAL ISSUES AS STATED ABOVE BUT WORSE. THE DOOR NO LONGER OPERATES BY USING THE POWER LIFT FEATURE ON THE KEY FOB. THE DOOR IS AGAIN WARPED CAUSING THE GRINDING AND CLICKING NOISES WHEN YOU OPEN IT MANUALLY. THE MOTOR HAS FAILED AND I AM AFRAID MY ACTUAL DOOR IS WARPED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MY DEALER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE WORK WAS COMPLETED AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO FOR ME. THIS IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE LESS THAN EFFECTIVE. I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS A CAR MILEAGE ISSUE. IT IS SIMPLY A MANUFACTURING ERROR THAT HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED. TOYOTA FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. AFTER RESEARCHING MY PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN VERY LARGE CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS RELATED TO THIS VERY ISSUE. MANY TIMES THESE DOORS ARE NOT CLOSING AT ALL CREATING A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE.