NHTSA Complaint #11163976 — 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA

PASSENGER-SIDE POWERED SLIDING DOOR SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED; NO PRECEDING ODD NOISES OR OTHER TROUBLE SIGNS. THE DOOR WILL SLIDE BACKWARDS TO OPEN POSITION AND LATCH THERE AS IT SHOULD, BUT UPON BUTTON-PUSH TO CLOSE, IT ROLLS FORWARD ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY, THEN STOPS AND RETRACTS. SAME PROBLEM NO MATTER WHICH OF THE SEVERAL DOOR SWITCHES IS USED. WORSE: THE DOOR CANNOT BE MANUALLY PUSHED BEYOND THE MALFUNCTION POINT TO SHUT IT. I FEAR DAMAGE TO MECHANISM AND DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT BACKLASH IF I FORCE IT. OBVIOUSLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION. LUCKILY DID NOT OCCUR ON A LONG FAMILY TRIP! CAR MUST BE GARAGED OUT OF WEATHER UNTIL PROBLEM RESOLVED. HERE IS THE ISSUE I WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO CONSIDER: A MOTORIZED DOOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH A BYPASS PROCEDURE WHICH WOULD ALLOW DAMAGE-FREE MANUAL CLOSING FOR ANY AND ALL MECHANISM FAILURES. TOYOTA'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE THIS ALTERNATIVE IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO ITS CUSTOMERS.