1999 TOYOTA SIENNA Complaints

REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE LEAVING DOOR UNABLE TO BE OPENED. POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT WORK LEAVING DOOR DIFFICULT TO OPEN. *TR

SINCE I HAVE OWNED MY 1999, THE REAR HATCH HANDLE IS BROKEN TWICE AND THE SLIDING DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE HAS ALSO BROKEN. WE I CALL FOR PARTS I FIND OUT THAT THE REAR IS ON BACK ORDER DUE TO IT BEING SUCH IN DEMAND FOR REPLACEMENT. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT ANOTHER SIENNA OWNER WAS CALLING FOR THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SLIDING DOOR HANDLE. ITS SEEMS THESE HANDLES ARE MADE VERY POOR AND DO NOT WITHSTAND THE PULL ACTION REQUIRED TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR. ON THE REAR, THERE IS A TINY PIECE THAT CONSTANTLY BREAKS OFF CAUSING THE HANDLE TO BE REPLACED. *TR

I AM THE FIRST OWNER OF THE 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA LE WITH WHICH HAS ONLY 61,000 MILES SO FAR. HOWEVER, IN THE EVENING OF TWO DAYS AGO, I STARTED IT AND COULDN'T STOP IT ANYMORE. IT KEPT RUNNING EVEN I TOOK THE KEY OUT. I WAS SO AFRAID OF CAUSING FIRE EVENTUALLY, BUT I STILL HAD TO DRIVE AROUND TRYING TO STOP IT. EVENTUALLY I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT FROM RUNNING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALER IN DUBLIN, CA TO HAVE THE STARTER REPLACED. THIS IS SCARY PROBLEM FOR THE CAR I BOUGHT IN THE BELIEF OF SAFETY AND RELIABILITY. *TR

THE REAR HATCH HANDLE JUST SNAPPED IN MY HAND AS I TRIED TO OPEN THE HATCH. DEALER INITIALLY ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS AT $350-$600 BECAUSE THEY HAD TO "BREAK INTO THE CAR." ACTUAL REPAIR COST WAS $250 FOR A POORLY DESIGNED PART. MECHANIC TOLD ME THE DESIGN AND PLACEMENT OF THE HATCH HANDLE IS SUBJECT TO CONSTANT EXHAUST FUMES FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR, WEAKENING THE PLASTIC HANDLE. NO INSIDE HATCH RELEASE IS AVAILABLE MAKING THIS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT THE SIDE DOORS ARE DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT. POOR ENGINEERING. *TR

I TRIED TO OPEN THE REAR EXTERIOR DOOR IN THE BACK AND THE HANDLE MADE A SNAPPING SOUND AND IS NOW STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION AND NOW THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN ON THE OUTSIDE AND I DON'T SEE A WAY TO OPEN IT ON THE INSIDE. I PURCHASED THE VAN TO TRANSPORT MY GRANDKIDS. NOW I'M FEARFUL TO TAKE THEM ANYWHERE IN IT NOW FOR THEIR SAFETY REASONS. JUST IN CASE I HAVE TO GET IN THAT WAY FOR AN EMERGENCY. *TR

THE CONTACT DRIVES 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA (FAILURE MILEAGE: 100K). HE STATED THAT YESTERDAY WHLE DRIVING HE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A SEMI-TRUCK. HE STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION, HOWEVER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AS A RESULT HE WAS INJURED: JAW AND HEAD IMPACT TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS A REPORT TO THE POLICE. THE CONTACT HAS LEFT A MESSAGE WITH TOYOTA.--DS

MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR TOYOTA SIENNA WHEN SHE RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE (THAT HAD JUST BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT) AT ABOUT 35-40 MILES PER HOUR. IN SPITE OF A FRONT IMPACT COLLISION THAT BUCKLED THE HOOD AND TOTALLED OUR VAN, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. THIS CAUSED MY DAUGHTER TO HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. MY CONCERN IS OVER THE FACT THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EVEN THOUGH THE VAN IS 8 YEARS OLD THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANOTHER ACCIDENT IN IT AND NO TAMPERING HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT DEFECT.

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH FUSE #12 WHICH CONTROLS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, CLOCK, AND REMOTE ACCESS-KEEPS BLOWING. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT CONSTANTLY FLASHES EVEN WHEN THE BELT IS LATCHED. DRIVER'S VANITY LIGHT HAS DISLODGED FROM VISOR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON A RAINY DAY ON FLAT ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL BACK LIGHTS. THE RAIN WATER CREATED A SHORT CIRCUIT ON THE VEHICLE HARNESS CABLES IN THE HITCHER. THE CABLE HARNESS WAS REQUIRED TO CONNECT THE TRAILER LIGHTS. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE HARNESS CABLES TO RESTORE THE VEHICLE BACK LIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A DEALERSHIP.

POWER DOOR LOCKS HAVE STARTED TO FAIL ON MY 1999 SIENNA LE. THE DRIVER'S DOOR SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEMATIC PART OF THE SYSTEM. THE OTHER DOORS SEEM TO WANT TO RESPOND BUT DRIVER DOOR MAKES A 'CLICK, CLICK, CLICK' SOUND AND DOESN'T RESPOND. KEY USUALLY WORKS TO LOCK AND UNLOCK BUT NOT CONSISTENTLY. DANGEROUS SINCE PEOPLE COULD BE TRAPPED IN VEHICLE DURING AN ACCIDENT, ETC AND OTHER POSSIBLY DANGEROUS SCENARIOS COULD OCCUR. REPORTING THIS SINCE IT MOST LIKELY HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS AND WANTED IT ON RECORD. DRIVER AND OTHERS COULD BE TRAPPED INSIDE WHICH IS DANGEROUS. *JB