1999 Toyota Sienna

THIS COMPLIANT IS REGARDING TWO SPECIFIC SAFETY ISSUES WITH A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA VEHICLE. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE REAR HATCH HANDLE HAS BROKEN. (3 HANDLES SO FAR) THERE IS NO RELEASE MECHANISM FROM THE INSIDE, SO THERE IS NO WAY TO GET OUT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN CASE OF FIRE OR ACCIDENT DISABLING THE SIDE DOORS. THE PART IN QUESTION IS POORLY DESIGNED AND IS MADE OF PLASTIC. THE PLASTIC HANDLE IS UNDER SPRING TENSION AND ACCUATES A METAL PART TO RELEASE THE DOOR LATCH. THE PLASTIC IS TOO WEAK TO PUSH AGAINST THE METAL PART IN NORMAL USE. THE HANDLE SHOULD ALSO BE MADE OF METAL TO CURE THIS DEFECT. THE LATEST AND SECOND SAFETY DEFECT INVOLVES THE REAR REMOVABLE POD SEATS. THE SEAT TODAY WILL NOT LOCK IN THE NORMAL SEATED POSITION. AN OCCUPANT CAN PULL THE SEAT UP AND OUT OF THE TRACK IF THEY LEAN FORWARD ENOUGH. I WOULD ASSUME IN AN ACCIDENT THE ENTIRE SEAT WOULD FLY FORWARD AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. *NM

WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC MY 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE VAN WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR BY A HONDA CIVIC. ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VAN WERE WEARING LAP AND SHOULDER SEAT BELTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED BACKWARDS CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FORCE FROM THE HONDA STRIKING THE VAN WAS SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE IT FORWARD INTO THE CHEVROLET PICKUP STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE VAN. BEING UNABLE TO SEE OVER THE DASHBOARD OR HANG UNTO THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND AVOID THE PARKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE VAN. MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS SEATED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WAS THROWN ABOUT IN THE BACK OF THE VAN AS HER SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK IN POSITION, WHEN THE VAN STRUCK THE PICKUP THAT WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE VAN. MY DAUGHTER AND I EXPERIENCED MUSCLE SPASMS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. FURTHER AS MY DAUGHTER WAS EXPERIENCING SEVERE NECK PAIN FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, SHE WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL FOR EVALUATION. TS