2008 Toyota Sienna

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger’s side sliding door independently unlatched and opened. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where unknown repairs were performed. The contact stated that several years later the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC SLIDING DOORS ON THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERAL FAILURES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS ERRONEOUSLY SLID OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AND THE SLIDING DOORS WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO OPEN WHEN USING THE DOOR HANDLE. THE DOORS, AT TIMES, WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND WOULD BECOME JAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (KOLAR TOYOTA, 4781 MILLER TRUNK HWY, HERMANTOWN, MN 55811, (218-733-0100) WHO REPLACED THE CABLES AND GREASED THE DOOR PARTS, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM HOSELTON AUTO MALL IN ROCHESTER NY IN AUGUST 2013.I WAS TALKED INTO A "TOYOTA PLATINUM CARE" BUMPER TO BUMPER EXTENDED WARRANTY.I WAS TOLD THIS WARRANTY WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY BUT FOR AN EXTENDED TIME.I WAS TOLD IT COVERED EVERYTHING.I SPECIFICALLY ASKED IF IT COVERED ALL PARTS ON THE SLIDING DOORS, THE DVD PLAYER, ETC.I WAS TOLD YES. IN JANUARY 2014 I EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH ONE OF THE SLIDING DOORS.MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THE CENTER HINGE WAS BAD AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY.I INSISTED THAT HOSELTON PAY FOR THE REPAIR,THEY RELUCTANTLY DID SO.I HAVE SINCE HAD BOTH SIDING DOORS REPAIRED MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO THE LOCK ASSEMBLY NOT WORKING.THE LOCK ASSEMBLY IS COVERED UNDER A NEW SPECIAL CONDITION WARRANTY BECAUSE TOYOTA HAS RECEIVED SO MANY COMPLAINTS.NOW THE OTHER DOORS CENTER HINGE IS BAD.I WAS TOLD IF I DON'T REPLACE THE HINGE THAT THE LOCK ASSEMBLY WILL KEEP GOING BAD.SO THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY RELATED ISSUES.THIS COMBINED ISSUE CAUSES MY DOORS TO EITHER BE STUCK OPEN, BE STUCK CLOSED, OR TO OPEN WHILE I AM DRIVING.ALL SAFETY ISSUES AS I HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT.I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THE WARRANTY PEOPLE AND NEITHER WANT TO ASSIST.I WANT THE HINGE REPLACED AT TOYOTAS COST.THIS IS DANGEROUS AND IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY THEM.THEY NEED TO RESOLVE THIS ASAP.MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM VIA TELEPHONE AND THEIR EMAIL SYSTEM, ALL WITH NO LUCK WITH ASSISTANCE. *TR

PASSENGER DOOR ON OUR 2008 SIENNA MINIVAN WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT. NOTHING WAS JAMMED IN IT. WE PRESSED THE AUTOMATIC DOOR BUTTON SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY IT LATCHED. THE NEXT DAY IT WOULD NOT OPEN. YOU COULD HEAR THE MOTOR TRYING BUT IT WOULD NOT OPEN WHEN YOU PRESSED ANY BUTTONS OR MANUALLY. AGAIN WE PRESSED THE BUTTON MULTIPLE TIMES AND FINALLY IT MADE A POPPING NOISE AND RELEASED. THE DOOR OPENED A FEW INCHES AND NOW THE CABLE INSIDE WAS BROKEN AND HANGING DOWN. THE DOOR NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY OPENS AND CLOSES AND THE CABLE IS STILL HANGING FROM THE DOOR. WE TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALER WITH AN AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR RECALL LETTER WE RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA. THE DEALER STATED THE PART THAT BROKE ON OUR VAN WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST OVER $1,000.00 TO FIX. WE HAD THEM PUT DOOR BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE WE DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR UNTIL WE DO MORE RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM. *TR

UNLOCKED ALL OF THE DOORS USING REMOTE. OPENED DRIVER PASSENGER DOOR, AND PLACED GRANDDAUGHTER INTO CAR SEAT. CLOSED THE DOOR WITH THE KEY REMOTE INSIDE. THE SIENNA AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED ALL OF THE DOORS, AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET TO MY GRANDCHILD. ANOTHER KEY WAS QUICKLY FOUND TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. NO HARM DONE. IF THE OTHER KEY HADN'T BEEN FOUND, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT FOR A LOCKSMITH TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. ESPECIALLY IN HOT WEATHER, THIS IS DANGEROUS. THE MANUAL DOES NOT MENTION THIS AUTOMATIC LOCKING, UNLESS A DOOR HASN'T BEEN OPENED AFTER UNLOCKING. THE DEALER HAS ADVISED THAT IT CAN BE REMOVED BY BRINGING THE AUTO IN AND LOOKING IT UP TO A COMPUTER. I BELIEVE THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, AND NEEDS NHTSA ACTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCH AND BATTERY WERE DEFECTIVE. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

INITIALLY IN COLD WEATHER ONLY, THE TAIL GATE / HATCH / REAR DOOR WOULD START TO CLOSE SLOWLY OF ITS OWN ACCORD. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD THEN ASSUME YOU HAD ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE DOOR BY HAND AND THE ELECTRIC MOTOR WOULD KICK IN AND CLOSE THE DOOR ON TOP OF YOU IF YOU DID NOT REALIZE AND MOVE. THE FORCE OF THE CLOSING DOOR IS QUITE HIGH TO A DEGREE THAT IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO STOP IT CRUSHING A PERSON. A CHILD WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP IT CLOSING. THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE AND THE WEATHER HAS LITTLE EFFECT ANYMORE, THE DOOR WILL NOT STAY OPEN EVEN ON MILD DAYS. *TR

SLIDING DOORS FAILED. LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD AT 34,9K MILES, BROUGHT TO DEALER INDICATING BOTH DOORS INTERMITTENTLY PARTIALLY OPEN OR CLOSE DURING POWER OPERATION. DEALER FOUND BOTH REAR LATCHES WERE NOT HOLDING AND WERE REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, AT 35,2 MILES PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED AND DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ANOTHER 2 WEEKS LATER AT 35,3K MILES, LATE SUNDAY NIGHT 60 MILES FROM HOME, THE PASSENGER DOOR GET STUCK OPEN IN A REST AREA. WE SPEND AN HOUR FUSSING WITH THE DOOR AND FINALLY FORCED IT SHUT, AND DROVE THE 60 MILESHOME WITH FINGERS CROSSED AND 2 KIDS IN THE CAR, HOPING THAT WE HAVE NOT CAUSED A PROBLEM FORCING IT SHUT AND IT WOULD NOT FLY OPEN ON THE REST OF THE TRIP. ANOTHER TRIP TO THE DEALER, AND THEY STATE THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WE THEN DEFERRED TO ROUTINE MANUAL OPERATION. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, AND WE HAVE TO OPEN OR CLOSE BY FORCING THEM. USUALLY, THE PASSENGER CANNOT LET THEMSELF OUT, IT MUST BE OPENED BY SOMEONE USING THE HANDLE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. AT 53,2K MILES WE CAN NO LONGER MANAGE WITH THE MALFUNCTION. THERE ARE TWO WEEKS LEFT ON THE WARRANTY OF THE PREVIOUS REPAIR. DEALER STATES WE WILL NEED TO TAKE THE CAR TO A BODY SHOP FOR A RE-ALIGNMENT AT OUR OWN EXPENSE. NOT HAVING THE FUNDS TO DO SO,WE CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. FINALLY WE TAKE IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION. SURPRISE-THE LATCHES NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE ONE DOOR IS SO BAD THE FRONT & REAR LATCHES MUST BE REPLACED AT MY COST OF $800! WE NEED AT LEAST ONE DOOR TO WORK SO WE'LL DO IT. THE OTHER DOOR NEEDS IT TOO AT ADD'L $, AS WELL AS A VISIT TO THE BODY SHOP FOR 'REALIGNMENT', BUT CAN'T AFFORD IT. MEANWHILE-THE ORIGINAL DEALER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THIS PART AT 53,2K MILES WHEN IT WAS COVERED, BUT ITHEY SENT US PACKING. NO FAITH THAT THIS $800 REPAIR WILL FIX IT. 3 SETS OF LATCHES IN 3 YEARS? THEY NEED TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND DO RIGHT BY CUSTOMERS. THIS IS OUR 6TH AND LAST TOYOTA. MAYBE A DEATH RELATED INCIDENT WILL HELP. *TR

OUR 2004 SIENNA XLE ELECTRIC SLIDING PASSENGER DOOR STOPPED WORKING 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. WE CAN MANUALLY OPEN/CLOSE IT, BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE MOTOR IS STILL CONNECTED AND RESISTS US MOVING IT. THE MOTOR MAY COMPLETE THE CLOSING PROCESS...YOU CAN HEAR IT WORKING. IF NOT SECURELY LATCHED SHUT IT WILL FLY OPEN AND CLOSE EVEN THOUGH IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO MANUALLY MOVE IT. WE HAVE HAD IT STUCK OPEN ONCE DURING THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF. WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD NEVER HAD ANYONE WITH AN ELECTRIC DOOR PROBLEM. I WENT HOME AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS. UNFORTUNATELY, WITH YOUNGER KIDS IT IS A PROBLEM DROPPING THEM/PICKING UP FROM SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT IS THE SIDE WE MUST USE TO FOLLOW SCHOOL PROCEDURE FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WOULD COST $1500 TO FIX THE DOOR BECAUSE THE ENTIRE MOTOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED SINCE THE CABLE IS NOT A SEPARATE PIECE. WE ARE VERY FRUSTRATED. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN TAKING THE VAN SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR OIL CHANGES, TIRES.... THEY SAID THEY SEE PEOPLE WITH THESE VANS HAVING ELECTRIC DOOR PROBLEMS QUITE OFTEN ON THE TOYOTA. BEFORE THE VAN I HAD A CAMRY AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. NOW I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS...ONE THAT I PERSONALLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH. I CONSIDER THIS ISSUE MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE THAN MOST OTHER RECALLS WE'VE HAD. WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE LIKE I HAVE EXPERIENCED AND ALL THE PROBLEMS I WON'T BE GETTING ANOTHER TOYOTA. WHY ISN'T TOYOTA ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES WHEN THERE ARE SOOOO MANY? *TR