1998 Toyota Sienna

WE HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA SIENNA. FOR SEVERAL YEARS WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS OPENING THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS BECAUSE OF FAULTY SPRINGS ON THE DOOR BUTTONS. NOW THE VEHICLE SPEWS OUT BLUE SMOKE WHEN STARTING UP OR ACCELERATING. THE OIL IS ALSO SLUDGEY. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AFTER HEARING THAT THE BLUE SMOKE PROBLEM IS A RECALL ISSUE, BUT THE DEALER WANTS PROOF OF ALL OIL CHANGES, EVEN THOUGH I CHANGE THE OIL AND FILTER MYSELF. A FRIEND AROUND THE CORNER HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE FAULTY DOORS. *NLM

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH BOTH SLIDING DOORS ON MY MINIVAN. I HAD RATTLES FIXED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS AND RECENTLY TOOK THE VAN IN BECAUSE THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN WITHOUT PUTTING THE WEIGHT OF MY BODY BEHIND IT. THE DEALER SHRUGGED IT OFF BY SAYING THERE WAS A COKE SPILLED IN THE DOOR. THE DEALER CLEANED "THE COKE" AND THE DOOR IS STILL STICKING SHUT. NOW THE TAILHATCH HANDLE HAS BROKEN OFF AND I CAN NO LONGER OPEN THE TAILGATE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SUSPENSION. THE VAN FEELS LIKE THE FRONT WHEELS ARE PULLING TO ONE SIDE. I HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE OTHER DAY IT FELT LIKE THE FRONT WHEEL WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE BRAKES WORKED ON (AT MY EXPENSE) BECAUSE THE DEALER SAID I LEFT THE PARKING BRAKE ON ALL THE TIME. I NO LONGER LEAVE THE PARKING BRAKE ON AND THE BRAKES ARE BEGINNING TO SQEEK AND SQUEAL AGAIN. MR

ON 18 SEPARATE OCASSIONS OUR SIENNA MINIVAN'S AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS TOGGLES LOCK AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES. AT ONE POINT OUR 5 YR OLD AND 2 YR OLD WERE LOCKED IN THE VAN. I HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE, SHUT MY DOOR AND BEFORE I COULD OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR, THE LOCKS LOCKED ME OUT. I HAD TO CALL MY WIFE TO BRING HER KEYS SO WE COULD UNLOCK THE VAN. OF COURSE MY CHILDREN WERE FRIGHTENED AND THANK GOODNESS THE AC WAS RUNNING AS THIS WAS DURING A HOT SUMMER DAY. THE LOCKS CONTINUE "FREAKING OUT" BUT WE NO LONGER SHUT THE DOOR IF WE HAVE TO GET OUT WITH THE VAN RUNNING. I'VE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND ALL THEY SAID IS I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ALL PARTS, LABOR AND TROUBLESHOOTING TO FIND AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. AND OF COURSE MY 7 YEAR, 100K MILE EXPENSIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS. BEING THAT THIS HAS TURNED INTO A SAFETY HAZARD, MY QUESTION IS; SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY UPWARDS OF $300 FOR THE DEALER TO REPAIR A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR? I AM VERY MUCH RELIEVED THAT CBS NEWS AIRED A STORY ABOUT THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN IN THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).