NHTSA Complaint #11098098 — 2014 TOYOTA VENZA

THE POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS IN TOYOTA VEHICLES FROM THIS YEAR MODEL ARE DEFECTIVE. THEY ONLY LAST ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE THEY STOP WORKING. REPLACING THE ACTUATOR IS A VERY TIME INTENSIVE PROCEDURE AND THE COMPONENT IS NOT CHEAP EITHER. OUR VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE OF THE FOUR DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAIL IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND THE ACTUATORS FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE. I HAVE ANOTHER OLDER TOYOTA WITH WELL OVER 200,000 MILES AND THE ACTUATORS WORK JUST FINE. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ON A SIMPLE EVERYDAY COMPONENT IS UNACCEPTABLE. A QUICK SEARCH AROUND THE INTERNET WILL REVEAL THAT THE ACTUATORS FAILING IS A COMMON THEME AMONG NEWER TOYOTA VEHICLES. THIS DEFECTIVE PART EXISTS IN ALMOST EVERY TOYOTA CAR AND SOME SUV AND TRUCK MODELS. TOYOTA IS UNABLE TO PRODUCE A RELIABLE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR.