2004 TOYOTA SIENNA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO TURN, JAMS, AND FAILS TO TURN BACK TO THE CORRECT DRIVING POSITION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, STEERING GEAR, AND A STEERING COLUMN FLEX COUPLING. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE STEERING MAY FAIL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48,000.

MY PROBLEM STARTED APPROXIMATELY BACK IN NOV 2006. I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA THAT HAS IT'S DRIVER SIDE DOOR HINGE/LATCH DEFECTIVE. IT STARTED MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED ALMOST AS IF IT IS GETTING CAUGHT. NOW THAT MY WIFE HAS TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A RARE OCCURRENCE ON THIS MODEL AND THAT THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO GET A NEW DOOR AT A COST OF AROUND $2300. I UNDERSTAND THAT ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS PASSED THE WARRANTY PERIOD (I USE MY CAR FOR LONG FAMILY TRIPS AND THEREFORE HAVE HIGH- HIGHWAY MILEAGE--AROUND 65K) I FEEL THAT THIS IS EITHER A DESIGN DEFECT OR A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM SINCE IT STARTED WITHIN 2.5 YEARS OF PURCHASE. I HAD MY WIFE CONTACT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ACTUALLY POINTED OUT THE PROBLEM BY SHOWING US THAT THE CONNECTING AREA OF THE DOOR IS ACTUALLY CRACKED!!! I PROCEEDED TO CALL TOYOTA OF NA AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING AND THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. A SEARCH AT YOUR SITE UNCOVERED WHAT I FEEL IS A SIMILAR COMPLAINT (ODI ID NUMBER 10167890). LIKE THAT PERSON I FEEL THAT THIS IS A STRUCTURE DEFECT AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HIGH MILEAGE OF MY CAR. I HAVE OWNED OVER 18 CARS OF ALL CLASSES, MILEAGE, AND AGES AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS OR EVEN HEARD OF SUCH A THING. I'M NOT A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A CASE OF METAL FATIGUE. COULD YOU PLEASE CONTACT ME AS I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL ONLY WORSEN WITH TIME TO THE POINT THAT THIS DOOR WILL NOT BE USABLE OR ACTUALLY BECOME A HAZARD. WHAT ACTIONS CAN I TAKE TO GET THE MANUFACTURER TO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT? WHAT'S WORSE, NOW THAT MY CAR HAS THIS DEFECT I FEEL MY VEHICLE'S RESALE VALUE IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP! *TR

THE TWO LIFTGATE SUPPORT ARMS FAILED AND THE DOOR FELL ON MY HEAD. I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT, BUT HAD A KNOT ON MY HEAD. TOYOTA AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REFUSED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS DOOR HAS NOT YET BEEN FIXED BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE ($520) AND SINCE THEY ARE CONTINUING TO USE THE SAME PARTS, THIS WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN AGAIN! *JB

LIFTGATE HAZARD -- I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA, WITH MANUAL LIFTGATE. THE LIFTGATE STRUTS/SUPPORTS HAVE FAILED. I WAS HIT ON THE HEAD AND SHOULDER, BUT WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT. JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE TAILGATE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN DEFECT INVESTIGATION # EA06020 CONCERNING THE LIFTGATE. THE ONLY EXCEPTION WAS THAT THE TAILGATE WAS NOT POWER OPERATED. WHEN THE TAILGATE WAS LIFTED IT FELL DOWN IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STRUTS FAILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48,000.*AK UPDATED 05/23/07 *TR

RIGHT SIDE REAR HATCH SUPPORT STRUT FAILED CAUSING THE HATCH TO SELF-CLOSE INSTANTANEOUSLY AFTER OPENING. I BEGAN TO LOAD GROCERIES AS THE HATCH OPENED AND THE HATCH CLOSING STARTLED ME TO JUMP INTO THE TRAFFIC LANE OF THE PARKING LOT. NO TRAFFIC. STRUT REPLACED AT DEALER AT MY COST. OLD PART RETAINED BY DEALER. *JB

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. SINCE 7,000 I HAVE BEEN IN NUMEROUS TIMES TO FIX THE MIDDLE PASSENGER SEATBELT. IT BECOMES TWISTED AND UNABLE TO RETRACT PROPERLY. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND UN-TANGLED SEVERAL TIMES BY THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE TAKEN THE SEAT OUT TO REPAIR IT NUMEROUS TIMES. IT HAS HAD THE RECALL DONE IN THE PAST. RECENTLY IT WAS BROUGHT BACK FOR ANOTHER SEATBELT REPLACEMENT DUE TO IT BEING TIGHTLY CAUGHT INSIDE THE SEAT. WHEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME, THE SAME SEAT NO LONGER LOCKED INTO PLACE. IT WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS CAUSED BY CRUMBS BEING IN THE TRACK WHEN THE SEAT WAS PUT BACK IN. I HAVE NEVER FELT SAFE BUT A CHILD IN THIS SEAT BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW WHEN THE SEATBELT WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. I HAVE TRIED TALKING WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT REPAIRING THE SEAT HOWEVER THEY REFUSE. THIS SEAT IS NOT SAFE. *JB

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR STOPPED WORKING. IT WOULDN'T CLOSE THE FINAL 18 INCHES. I HAD TO BUNGY STRAP IT AND DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THE BRACKETS WERE BENT AND MOTOR WAS NO GOOD. IT WOULD COST $1400 TO FIX IT. I TOLD THEM TO CUT THE CABLE OR JUST FIGURE A WAY TO CLOSE IT. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY WERE ABLE TO SHUT THE DOOR. I ASKED IF I COULD USE THE DOOR MANUALLY. SHE SAID SINCE I DIDN'T AUTHORIZE THEM TO FIX IT ($1400) THEY WOULD NOT SAY IT WAS OK TO USE. I WOULD BE USING IT AT MY OWN RISK. THIS STILL COST ME $130. *TR

I HAVE CONCERN WITH TIRES AND LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATION . I HAD 15K SERVICE AT DEALER ON JULY 22, 2006 WITH 15,423 MILEAGE AND THEY SAID THE TIRE WEAR PATTERN FOR FOUR TIRES IS OK. ALSO DEALER ADJUSTED, INSPECTED AND ROTATED THE TIRES AT THAT TIME. BUT DURING 2,000 MILES DRIVES AFTER SERVICE, THE LOW PRESSURE LIGHT WAS KEEP COMING ON EVEN THOUGH I KEPT THE PROPER PRESSURE IN THEM. SO I WENT TO FIRESTONE FOR CHECK UP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT I NEED NEW REAR TIRES. I WENT TO COSTCO FOR 2ND OPINION ON NOVEMBER 22, 2006 WITH 17,647 MILEAGES AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT I NEED TWO NEW REAR TIRES DUE TO WORN OUT. I WAS PRETTY UPSET AT UNUSUAL RAPID WORN OUT RIGHT AFTER MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED 15K SERVICE. I SEND THE LETTERS TO TOYOTA BUT THEY DON'T EVEN SEND A REPLY LETTER. *JB

STRUTS ON LIFT GATE OF 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA FAILED SUDDENLY, MAKING LIFT GATE DANGEROUS, AND CAUSING MINOR INJURIES WHEN BEING USED TO MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN. *JB