2005 TOYOTA SIENNA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V244000 (STRUCTURE LIFT GATE) WAS PERFORMED BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE LIFT GATE DID NOT HAVE A RESISTOR AND CAUSED THE GATE TO SWING OPEN AND WAS DIFFICULT TO CLOSE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HER TOYOTA SIENNA WAS A HANDICAP VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THE LIFT GATE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,189.

MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR AND CLAIMED HOW HARD IT WAS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. WE DROVE TO A LOCATION USING THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. IT MADE TURNING UNDER MOTION VERY DIFFICULT. I TOOK THE WHEEL ON OUR RETURN AND CONFIRMED HOW AWKWARD IT WAS. SO WE DROVE TO OUR GARAGE. THEY CALLED US LATER AND SAID THE INPUT SHAFT MALFUNCTIONED. COST OF PART FROM TOYOTA $374.19 PLUS TAX AND LABOR. ONLY ONE LEFT IN STOCK. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT TOYOTA HAS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED AND RECALLED BEFORE THERE ARE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS?

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, AFTER MERGE FROM RTE 20 INTO RTE 9, I DROVE UP HILL, ABOUT 50 YARDS TO MY STREET, I SAW SMOKE BEHIND MY VAN, I DID NOT SEE ANY WARNING LIGHT FROM MY DRIVING PANEL, MY VAN WAS STILL RUNNING SMOOTHLY, SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE TO MY HOUSE (ABOUT 150 YARDS) AWAY, AFTER I PARKED MY VAN, I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM HOOD, AND A LONG LEAKING OIL TRACK ALONG THE STREET. I CHECKED MY ENGINE OIL, IT WAS OK. NEXT MORNING, I STARTED MY VAN, IT IS STILL NO WARNING LIGHT ON MY DRIVING PANEL, I CALLED AAA TO GET MY VAN TOWED TO TOYOTA WESTBOROUGH MA. TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT MY ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD GOT BLOWN A HOLE AND OIL FLYING OUT TO BE BURNED AND PRODUCED SMOKE, POTENTIALLY IT WILL CATCH FIRE IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE. I HAD MY VAN OIL CHANGED ON 08/2012 BY SEARS SHOP, ABOUT 5,000 MILES WAS DRIVEN SINCE LAST OIL CHANGED. I BELIEVE THE ENGINE ALUMINUM HEAD WAS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, NOT BECAUSE OF OTHER REASON. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IT HAPPENED WHILE THE VAN WAS RUNNING AT HIGHWAY. IT COULD CATCH FIRE TOO. *TR

CATALYST SYSTEM FAILED/ NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE LEFT REAR DOOR HAS FAILED, THE CABLE NOT WORKING AT ALL. THE DOOR DOES NOT SLIDE, GETS STUCK WHEN YOUR TRYING TO OPEN IT. *TR

THREE OF THE FOUR DOORS OF OUR TOYOTA SIENNA HAVE BROKEN. WHEN THE CABLE THAT OPERATES THE REAR SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR SNAPPED, IT BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE DOOR MECHANISM. WHEN WE TRIED TO SHUT THE DOOR MANUALLY, THE GLASS FROM THE DOOR SHATTERED ON THE CHILDREN SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT. PREVIOUSLY, THE DRIVER'S DOOR HINGES SNAPPED. WE DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM WHEN THREE OF FOUR HINGES HAD SNAPPED. THE DOOR WAS AT RISK OF FALLING OFF ENTIRELY. WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO TOYOTA'S ATTENTION (NOW A SMALL CLAIMS MATTER). TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR REMEDY THE SITUATION AND HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL (IT HAS OFFERED REPAIRS IN SOME CASES (OURS WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE OF MILEAGE)AS A LIMITED EXTENDED WARRANTY). *TR

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED. WHEN WE BACKED OUT I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT. THERE WAS A "CLUNK" AND IT FELT LIKE I JUST WENT OVER SOME OBJECT WITH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. WE COULD FIND NOTHING IN THE PARKING LOT THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS. I DROVE THE CAR THAT DAY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE NEXT DAY WE WENT ON A 430 MILE TRIP. SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE PARKED WE HEARD THE SAME "CLUNK" AND FELT A SLIGHT DROP IN THE RIGHT FRONT. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AS SOON AS I COULD GET AN APPOINTMENT ON 2/26/13. TOYOTA FOUND THAT THE INTERNAL POWER STEERING RACK WAS FAILING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY. THE PART NUMBER WAS: 0 44250-08041. I ASKED TOYOTA IF THERE WERE ANY SAFETY RECALLS. THERE WERE NONE. TOYOTA SAID THESE FAILURES DID OCCUR ON TRUCKS IN HEAVY DUTY USE BUT NOT IN SIENNA MINI-VANS. *TR

DRIVERS DOOR STARTED TO CREAK AS IF THE HINGES WERE DRY. TRIED TO LUBE THE HINGE BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DOOR THE STARTED TO CLICK AND HAVE A BANGING SOUND AS IF SOMETHING WAS LOOSE OR BROKEN. *TR UPON INVESTIGATION FOUND THE LOWER WELD THAT ATTACHES THE DOOR OPEN HOLDING ARM TO HAVING BEEN BROKEN.

DASH HAS CRACKS ALL OVER. I AM A LITTLE WORRIED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WOULD HAVE AN ISSUE DEPLOYING PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. *TR

ONLINE SEARCH REVEALED ONGOING PROBLEM BY OTHER OWNERS OF FRONT SEAT BELT JAMMING. THIS IS ABOUT THE 3RD OR 4TH TIME IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME.

TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A CSP TO FIX THE POWER SLIDING DOORS IN OUR MODEL. OURS BROKE OVER A YEAR AGO AND THE CABLES WERE THE ONLY PROBLEM AT THE TIME. TOYOTA TOOK ALMOST A YEAR TO GET THE PARTS TO START FIXING THE DOORS. NOW THEY ARE TELLING US THAT MANY OTHER PARTS ARE BROKEN AND NOT COVERED, THIS SEEMS LIKE A BAIT AND SWITCH TACTIC TO ME AS I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF BLOGS AND POSTS STATING THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO THEM, WITH A $1500+ PRICE TAG. I FEEL THAT THE PARTS BROKE DUE TO TOYOTA TAKING SO LONG TO GET THE NOTICE OUT TO CUSTOMERS AFTER THE ISSUE WAS ALREADY HAPPENING. I THINK IT IS A SCAM AND WOULD LIKE IT TO BE INVESTIGATED, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR COST SINCE WHEN WE WENT IN, ONLY THE CABLE WAS BROKEN. *TR