NHTSA Complaint #738949 — 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON FLORIDA TURNPIKE. THE VAN HAD TO BE TOWED TO BEV SMITH TOYOTA IN FT. PIERCE WHERE IT REMAINS TODAY. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION ARE ON BACK ORDER IN CALIFORNIA WHICH MEANS THEY MUST COME FROM JAPAN. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL HUNDRED SIENNA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT OUR REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE A "FIX" BUT NO ONE WILL TELL US WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION. IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE INCURRED NEARLY $2,000 ADDITIONAL EXPENSES TO DATE, WILL BE INCURRING ADDITIONAL EXPENSES FOR RENTING A VEHICLE, HAVE LOST FOUR DAYS OF WORK (THREE FAMILY MEMBERS), AND HAVE NO IDEA WHEN OUR VEHICLE WILL BE RETURNED TO US. IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA MOTOR SALES IS AWARE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE 2000 SIENNA TRANSMISSIONS, BUT ISN'T TELLING OWNERS OR POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THE PROBLEM. *AK