NHTSA Complaint #763765 — 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA

THE RIGHT SLIDING DOOR OF THE 2000 SIENNA HAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE LOCK. MOST OF THE TIME, THE INSIDE LOCK GETS STUCK FROM THE INSIDE AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE PASSENGER CAN GET OUT THAT DOOR. AND IT TAKES TIME BEFORE IT GETS FIXED -- MORE OFTEN THAN NOT I HAVE TO CONTEND MYSELF MOVING THE CAR WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR SLID CLOSED, BUT NOT LOCKED. THIS IS NOT SAFE, ESPECIALLY FOR A PARENT LIKE ME WITH PASSENGER KIDS. ALSO, THE SIENNA HAS BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER FOR THE "UNUSUAL NOISE" BECOMING APPARENT ESP. WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES FROM 0-30 MPH. I HAVE REPORTED THE NOISE WHEN I HAD MY BELTS CHANGED, TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED, AND POWER STEERING BELT REPLACED -- BUT THE NOISE IS STILL THERE AFTER THE SERVICE AND AFTER IT COSTS ME $400.00! THEN I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP AND AFTER VISUALLY CHECKING IT, THE SERVICE GUY AT TOYOTA OF TEMECULA VALLEY SAID THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS THE PROBLEM AND IT HAS TO BE REPLACED FOR $3,500.00 + TAX!! I ASKED HOW COME - CONSIDERING THAT THE CAR OBSERVES THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE RIGIDLY, NO ROUGH DRIVING, OILS/FILTERS CHANGED REGULARLY, FLUIDS FLUSHED-DRAINED-REFILLED PROPERLY, ETC. I EVEN HAVE A LIFETIME ALIGNMENT THAT IT GETS REGULARLY CHECKED AND BROUGHT BACK TO SPECS. THE SERVICE GUY SAID THAT "IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL SIENNAS" AND IT IS NO LONGER SURPRISING FOR THEM. I CHECKED ON THE REVIEWS AND FEEDBACKS AND TO MY SURPRISE, OTHER SIENNA OWNERS HAD THEIR TRANNYS REPLACED 2-3 TIMES ALREADY, THE VAN WILL EMIT THE SAME NOISE EVEN IF IT GETS FIXED, TRANNYS ACT OUT EVEN AT 15,000 MILES! MY CONTENTION IS THAT IS THE SERVICE SHOPS OF TOYOTA ARE ALREADY AWARE OF THAT PROBLEM, HOW COME IT DOESN'T GET RECALLED AND LET THEM FIX THE PROBLEM BEFOREHAND? I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND GETS NO CHILD SUPPORT FROM ANYBODY -- AND FOR A YOUNG CAR LIKE MINE IN YEARS AND VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND DEAL WITH A BIG TRANNY PROBLEM INSTANTLY REQUIRING BIG CASH, I FIND IT UNFAIR.*AK