2005 TOYOTA SIENNA Complaints

ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 31, 2008, A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. THE DRIVER STEERED THE VEHICLE AROUND CARS, CURBS AND OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS WHILE THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE THROUGH A PARKING LOT. ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE WERE FUTILE. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY HIT A CURB WHICH DEFLATED A TIRE, THEN CONTINUED THROUGH A CHAIN-LINK FENCE AND A FIELD AND INTO A PORTABLE BUILDING, FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED IN THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT AND DIED. UPDATED 02/26/10 *BF *TR UPDATED 09/28/10 UPDATE 9/19/2011*CW

WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND SLOWING TO A STOP, THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED AND THEN ACCELERATED FORWARD, PUSHING THE CAR THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR AND ABOUT 10 FEET INTO THE GARAGE BEFORE THE ENGINE STOPPED REVVING AND CAME TO A STOP. THE ROLLUP GARAGE DOOR WAS DESTROYED. THE IMPACT SCRAPED THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE CAR AND MADE A SMALL DENT ON THE ROOF NEAR THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

THE SLIDING DOORS ON THE VAN FREEZE SHUT WHEN WEATHER IS COLD AND NOW ONE OF THEM CAN NOT BE OPENED EVEN IN WARM WEATHER. IT APPEARS THAT THE LOCK ON THE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT DISENGAGE. THE SECOND DOOR IS STARTING TO FAIL AS WELL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHER SIENNA VEHICLES BUT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINT OF IT ON THE WEB. TOYOTA COULD NOT OPEN IT EITHER AND SUGGESTED I PAY $875.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT REMOVE CHILDREN FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR WITHOUT THEM CLIMBING TO ANOTHER DOOR. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA AND IT ALSO HAS ACCELERATION PROBLEMS LIKE THE ONES LISTED BY TOYOTA. THE CAR JUMPS SPEED ALL OF A SUDDEN. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE LOOKED AT FOR SAFETY REASONS ALSO CONSIDERING MANY PEOPLE TAKE KIDS IN THESE VANS. *TR

I AM REPORTING WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH MY 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR. THE FIRST TWO YEARS I HAD THE VEHICLE THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS BUT STARTING TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN IT SNOWS, SLEET FREEZING RAIN THE SLIDING DOORS STICK OR FREEZES SHUT. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHEN THE DOOR LATCH WILL NOT ENGAGE THE HOOK POPPING OUT AFTER THE DOOR IS BELIEVED TO BE CLOSED. THE PROBLEM BEGINS IN THE MECHANISM THAT GRABS THE METAL LOOP CONNECTED TO THE DOORFRAME. THE DOOR ALLOWS MOISTURE IN AND THE METAL CLAMP SWELLS UP AND BINDS THE LATCH. NO AMOUNT OF LUBRICATION HELPS. THIS GAVE ME A FALSE READING THAT ALL THE DOORS WERE LATCHED. IN ADDITION, THE DOORS THAT SEEM TO BE SECURE, THEN THE ?DOOR NOT PROPERLY SECURE LIGHT?, COME ON WHILE I AM DRIVING AND HAVE MY CHILDREN KIDS IN BACK. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, AS WELL AS REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA?S CORPORATE OFFICE. I TOOK IT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD, "IT?S JUST A DESIGN FLAW IN THE VEHICLE". THE COST TO REPAIR THE DOOR CABLE IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND NOT A GUARANTEE THAT THE SAFETY PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED. I WAS TOLD TO WIPE THE DOORS DOWN WITH A TOWEL AFTER IT SNOWED OR I WAS AT THE CAR WASH AND THEN SPRAY EVERYTHING WITH WD40 OR SILICONE. I HAVE TRIED BOTH AND NEITHER WORK. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED BECAUSE I HAVE THREE YOUNG CHILDREN (AGES 5 AND 16 MONTHS). AFTER SECURING THEM IN THEIR CAR SEATS, CLOSING THE DOOR, GETTING IN TO BACK OUT THEN THE DOOR POPS OUT. I AM MANUALLY PULLING THE DOOR TO ENSURE IT CLOSES, BUT STILL HAVING IT POP OPEN WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN, I HAVE RESIGNED MYSELF TO NOT USING THE DOORS A GOOD PORTION OF THE WINTER, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE AIRBAG SYSTEM LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF, NOT CONSISTENTLY. I CAN DRIVE FOR A WHILE AND THE LIGHT IS OFF, THEN, OUT OF THE BLUE, IT WILL BEGIN FLASHING AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER (FITZGERALD TOYOTA) AND SPENT APPROXIMATELY $100 FOR THE DEALER TO RESEARCH THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, BUT, THEY COULD NOT BEGIN TO FULLY DIAGNOSE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM UNTIL I PAY $873 TO HAVE THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT REMOVED. THIS INCLUDES THE PURCHASE OF A NEW SEAT. THE PASSENGER SEAT IS RARELY USED, SO THE SEAT ITSELF SHOULD NOT BE DEFECTIVE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM COMPONENT IS LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE PROBLEM COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS A LOOSE WIRE OR SOMETHING MORE SEVERE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WAS TOLD THAT IF THE AIRBAG SYMBOL IS ON, THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN AND DOES NOT WORK!!! HOW CAN A SYSTEM SO VITAL TO SAFETY BE PROGRAMMED TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF A LOOSE WIRE? OBVIOUSLY THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AS WELL AS A DESIGN FLAW. MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY FAMILY IS COMPLETELY COMPROMISED. I FEEL AS THOUGH I AM TAKING MY CHANCES EVERY TIME I STEP INTO MY VEHICLE. FURTHER, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE THAT TOYOTA MIGHT HAVE PAID FOR THE REPAIR IF I HAD UNDER 60,000 MILES. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAN SAVE LIVES IN A CRASH AND BECAUSE THIS LIGHT FLASHING/SYSTEM SHUT-DOWN IS POSSIBLY AN ELECTRICAL DESIGN FLAW ISSUE, AND DEFINITLEY A SAFETY ISSUE, THIS MATTER SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR AT LEAST 100,000 MILES. IF INVESTIGATED, I AM SURE NTSA WILL FIND OTHERS WHO OWN MY SIENNA MODEL YEAR, AS WELL AS OTHER SIENNA YEARS AND OTHER TOYOTA PRODUCTS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I DID NOT REALIZE I COULD FILE A COMPLAINT UNTIL THE RECENT ISSUES WITH THE PRIUS, ETC. CAME TO LIGHT. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THE SAFETY OF OUR VEHICLES! *TR

DRIVER'S SEAT LOOSE. I FOUND A BOLT (A SHOULDER BOLT) ON THE FLOOR OF OUR 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 48,000 MILES ON IT AT THAT TIME. THE SEAT IS LOOSE AND WHEN THE POSITION IS CHANGED, FORWARD OR BACK, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE LIKE THE GEARS (IT IS ELECTRIC SEAT) ARE NOT MESHING. MY CONCERN IS IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT THE SEAT WILL COME LOOSE (AS IT MOVERS AROUND NOW) AND I WILL TAKE THE FORCE OF THE SEAT AS WELL AS MY BODY IF IT COMES LOOSE. THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE SEAT WILL CHANGE POSITION IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND I WILL NOT BE RESTRAINED BY THE SEATBELTS PROPERLY BECAUSE THE SEAT SHIFTED MY POSITION AND IN ADDITION I WILL NOT GET THE FULL EFFECT OF THE AIR BAGS AND AIR CURTAINS WHEN THEY DEPLOY. WHEN I FOUND THE BOLT I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAD NEVER MENTIONED WARRANTY THE SERVICE WRITER BROUGHT IT UP.. I SPOKE WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AFTER THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND TOYOTA SAID THE SAME THING. THEY SUGGESTED I BUY A $125 REPAIR MANUAL IF I WANTED TO FIX IT MYSELF. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD SEND ME A COPY OF THE PAGE THAT PERTAINS TO THE SEAT AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY. (I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD BY ANOTHER PERSON IN TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THE PERSON WROTE THAT I HAD REFUSED TO BUY THE SERVICE MANUAL. APPARENTLY HE JUST SAID HE WOULD LOOK FOR THE PAGES AND E-MAIL THEM TO ME TO GET ME OFF THE LINE. HIS NOTE CERTAINLY INDICATES HE HAD NO INTENTION OF HELPING ME GET COPIES OF THE PAGES FROM THE REPAIR MANUAL. ) IT IS OBVIOUS THERE IS EITHER A DESIGN ISSUE OR FLAW OR THE SHOULDER BOLT WAS NOT ASSEMBLED OR TORQUED PROPERLY. BOLTS DO NOT SIMPLY FALL OUT OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. IF THIS WERE NOT AN IMPORTANT BOLT TOYOTA WOULD CERTAINLY NOT HAVE GONE TO THE EXPENSE OF INSTALLING A HARDENED SHOULDER BOLT AS OPPOSED TO A REGULAR BOLT THAT IS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE. *TR

2005 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN CE MODEL THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE SOMETIMES WOULD NOT RETRACT AT ALL IN COLD WEATHER, PULLING WAS OKAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR SEVERAL TIMES. HAVE TO STOP THE VAN AND USED TWO HANDS TO PULL HARD AND RESOLVE THE JAMMING PROBLEM.

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR MAKES A CRACKLING/SCRAPING NOISE AS IF A HINGE OR METAL COMPONENT IS BROKEN. WE HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA TO COME IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED, IF THE PROBLEM EXISTED. IT DID NOT EXIST WHEN LETTER WAS RECEIVED - LETTER SAID FILE THIS RECALL INFO IF THE PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST. SO WE FILED IT. THEN LATER THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AND WHEN WE TOOK THE VAN IN FOR REPAIR THE DEALERSHIP SAID TOUGH LUCK, THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF THEIR WARRANTY PERIOD - WE THEN DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD PAY HALF THE COST TO REPAIR IT (ABOUT 1500 DOLLARS IF WE WOULD PAY THE OTHER HALF, ABOUT 1500 DOLLARS) SINCE THE RECALL NOTICE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE WARRANTY ISSUE, I THINK THEY SHOULD HONOR THEIR RECALL NOTICE. SINCE IT SEEMED LIKE IT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE, IE., WOULD DOOR NOT CLOSE PROPERLY OR FLY OPEN WHEN WE WERE ON THE ROAD, WE ATTEMPTED A FIX WITH A LOCAL WELDER, AND THE WELD DID NOT WORK. I THINK THEY SHOULD HONOR THEIR RECALL NOTICE AND REPAIR THE DOOR AT TOYOTA'S EXPENSE. *TW *TR

I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA AS OF 2009 BOTH OF MY SLIDING PASSENGER DOORS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE THE CABLE HAS SNAPPED AND HANGS OUT OF THE BACK OF THE DOOR. THE MOTOR HAS COMPLETELY FAILED AND WE SOMETIMES CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR AT ALL. MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER SITS ON THAT SIDE. ON THE OTHER SIDE THE MOTOR NO LONGER WORKS, BUT SO FAR THE CABLE IS STILL ATTACHED. MY VAN IS USED TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND SPORTS. THE DOORS HANDLES WERE RARELY USED, AS I ALMOST ALWAYS OPENED THEM WITH THE PUSH BUTTONS ON THE CEILING. I AM CONCERNED THAT WE MAY BE IN AN ACCIDENT OR IN SOME OTHER PREDICAMENT AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS TO GET MY CHILDREN OUT. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND SINCE I WAS 900 MILES OVER MY WARRANTY WHEN I REPORTED, THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME $1080 FOR PARTS FOR EACH DOOR PLUS LABOR. I CALLED THEIR MAIN CALL CENTER TO REPORT THE DEFECT AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD OPEN A CASE AND WHEN ENOUGH PEOPLE CALLED IN TO REPORT, THEY WOULD SEND OUT A RECALL. EVEN IF MY CAR WAS 7 YEARS OLD, THESE DOORS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. I NEED HELP. *TR