2001 Toyota Sienna

THE HORN ON THE SIENNA WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION WHEN DRIVING AS A HORN COULD POSSIBLY PREVENT AN ACCIDENT WITH A CAR OR PEDESTRIAN. FIRST HAD THE PROBLEM IN 2014, BUT WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO TOYOTA, IT WOULD WORK, SO THEY COULDN'T CHECK IT OUT. IN APRIL 2015, THEY FINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE SPIRAL CABLE, SO THEY REPLACED IT, TO THE TUNE OF $400+. THREE DAYS LATER, WE HAD THE PROBLEM AGAIN. WEREN'T ABLE TO BRING IT BACK UNTIL RECENTLY. REPLACED SPIRAL CABLE AGAIN. PROBLEM RETURNED BEFORE THE CAR MADE IT HOME. VEHICLE IS BACK IN SHOP. I BELIEVE THEY SAID THEY ARE REPLACING THE HORN PAD ASSEMBLY, WHICH WILL COST ANOTHER $150 FOR THE PART. THEY ARE NOT CHARGING FOR LABOR AS IT IS UNDER A 1 YEAR SERVICE WARRANTY. FOUND OUT TODAY A COWORKER HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A 2005 SIENNA. I GOOGLED, "PROBLEMS WITH SIENNA HORN" AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL AS THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL THAT MAYBE THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS ATTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM AND SO IT'S "FLOWN UNDER THE RADAR", SO TO SPEAK.

I WAS ENTERING THE PARKING AREA OF A SHOPPING CENTER. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING IN THE CAR ACCELERATED QUICKLY. I BRAKED TO NO AVAIL. THEN I PUT ON THE FOOT EMERGENCY BRAKE, WHICH SLOWED BUT DID NOT STOP THE CAR. A PASSENGER THEN TURNED OFF THE KEY AND WE LURCHED TO AN ABRUPT STOP, SHORT OF A TYPICAL PARKING LOT LIGHT POLE. AFTER A BRIEF TIME I TURNED ON THE KEY AND WAS MET WITH A VERY LOUD GROWL FROM THE HOOD. AAA HAULED ME TO JOSEPH AIRPORT TOYOTA IN VANDALIA, OH. ON TUES, AUG 11, I CALLED TO SEE WHAT THEY HAD FOUND. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AFTER TESTING AND DRIVING THE CAR. I ASKED TO TALK WITH THE MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME HE HAD TESTED EVERYTHING THOROUGHLY AND COULD NOT REPLICATE WHAT I HAD EXPERIENCED.

I AM SENDING THIS LETTER TO EXPRESS CONCERN RELATIVE TO THE SAFETY AND USABILITY OF OUR 2001 TOYOTA SIENNA MINI VAN. WE HAVE HAD CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED WITH THE DEALER (KENNY KENT TOYOTA IN EVANSVILLE, IN) AS WELL AS TOYOTA. THE ENGINE IS OUR BRAND NEW VAN HAD GELLING ISSUES TO DUE MANUFACTURE?S DEFECTS. THE PROBLEMS ARE CONTINUING TO DATE. IN THE MANUFACTURE?S RESPONSE IT STATES THAT TOYOTA OFFERED GOODWILL ASSISTANCE TO US FOR THE ENGINE GELLING. (THIS HAPPENED TO A BRAND NEW VAN). IT ALSO STATES THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. TOYOTA SAID THAT THIS WAS A WARRANTY ISSUE AND IT IS ALSO LISTED AS WARRANTY IN TOYOTA DOCUMENTATION. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER?S WARRANTY INFORMATION BOOK, THE BASIC WARRANTY IS 36 MONTHS OR 36,000 MILES AND THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IS 60 MONTHS OR 60,000 MILES. THE DEFECT WITH THE ENGINE BASED UPON THE WARRANTY AS STATED IN TOYOTA?S WARRANTY INFORMATION BOOK STATES THAT ALL REPAIRS AND ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED TO CORRECT DEFECTS IN MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP OF ANY PART SUPPLIED BY TOYOTA IS COVERED. IN THE MANUFACTURE?S RESPONSE IT STATES THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT EXHIBITING ANY WARRANTABLE NONCONFORMITIES THAT SUBSTANTIALLY IMPAIR THE USE, VALUE OR SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY THIS STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE EXTREME ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN. THESE PROBLEMS ARE CONTINUING TO DATE FOLLOWING TOYOTA?S ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE ENGINE. ON ONE OCCASION MY WIFE AND MY SIX-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WERE IN THE VAN ALONE WHEN THE VAN REFUSED TO START. IT WAS A 90+-DEGREE DAY. TOYOTA SERVICE CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE AND PROBLEMS CONTINUE. THE ENGINE DOESN?T HAVE THE POWER IT DID PRIOR TO THE REPAIRS, THE VALVES CLATTER VERY LOUDLY AND THE ENGINE MAKES A CHUGGING SOUND WHEN IT IDLES. WE NOW HAVE A NEW VAN THAT FOR LACK OF ANY WORD HAS BEEN BUTCHERED. THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY DIMINISHED. NOBLE JONES 801 S. PARKWAY HENDERSON, KY 42420 270-826-2801