2016 Toyota Sienna

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR SLID OPEN INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUBURN TOYOTA (800 NEVADA ST, AUBURN, CA 95603) AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V858000 (STRUCTURE). APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE HAD RECURRED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,512.

OUR 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AFTER RETURNING FROM A SHORT DRIVE. AFTER PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND SHUTTING OFF THE IGNITION, MY WIFE SMELLED SMOKE AS SHE WAS EXITING THE PARKED VEHICLE. THIS SMOKE INTENSIFIED AND QUICKLY ACCELERATED BECOMING AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. SHE CALLED FOR ME & THEN CALLED 911; BUT IN THE BRIEF MOMENTS IT TOOK ME TO GRAB A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, THE FIRE FURTHER INTENSIFIED WITH SIZABLE FLAMES ERUPTING OUT FROM AROUND THE HOOD, FRONT GRILL & UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I USED UP 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT. I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROTECTIVE SAFETY GEAR SO AFTER HEARING SEVERAL SMALL EXPLOSIONS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD & FEARING MORE EXPOSURE TO NOXIOUS FUMES, I DECIDED TO ABANDON MY ATTEMPTS TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT; HOWEVER, THE FIRE PROGRESSED THROUGH THE INITIAL ATTACK AND ENTERED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE VEHICLE (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS). THE SIENNA IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FIRES IN TOYOTA SIENNAS IN THIS & OTHER CLOSELY RELATED MODEL YEARS (2014-2017). SEE: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 11010601. I CAN ALSO SUPPLY YOU WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS OF OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA ENGINE FIRE REPORTS. OUR SIENNA WAS ROUTINELY MAINTAINED AS PER MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS & WAS LAST SERVICED ON 9/13/2019 (SEE ATTACHED SERVICE RECEIPT). THE VEHICLE HAD APPROX. 35K MILES ON IT & EXHIBITED NO PRIOR SIGNS OF TROUBLE, CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE OR WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS. WE DID HAVE AN UNRESOLVED PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC SIDE DOORS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AFTER A RECALL REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT IDENTIFY A PROBLEM AFTER MULTIPLE SERVICE COMPLAINTS.

MY 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA THAT HAS 16,000 MILES WAS PARKED AT HOME AND I WENT TO GO START IT AND IT STALLED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO HENDRICK TOYOTA OF APEX, NC AND THEY TOLD ME THAT RODENTS CHEWED THREW THE WIRING AND IT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND TO TOYOTA. I HAVE HAD ANOTHER TOYOTA PARKED IN WITHIN THE SAME PROXIMITY FOR OVER 15 YEARS. I HAVE NEVER HAD RODENT ISSUES WITH IT. I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. IIF THERE ARE MICE LIVING INSIDE THE CAR, THEY COULD BE LEAVING RAT DROPPINGS THAT COULD BE HARMFUL TO BOTH OF THEM. I AM ANGRY AND CONCERNED AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, WHEN OTHER VEHICLES PARKED IN THE SAME LOCATION AREN'T EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I FOUND THAT AUTO MANUFACTURERS IN ORDER TO GO GREEN ARE USING SOY BASED PRODUCTS ON WIRES INSTEAD OF PETROLEUM. THEY ARE USING SUGAR IN THEIR PLASTICS. RICE HUSKS IN THEIR INTERIORS. ALL THIS STUFF ATTRACTS RODENTS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! MY DEALERSHIP SAID THEY ARE SEEING AT LEAST 2 RODENT DAMAGED VEHICLES A WEEK. TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, CHANGE THE MATERIALS THEY USE, AND COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS AGAINST TOYOTA FOR THIS ISSUE. HERE ARE TWO ARTICLES THAT DETAIL THE PROBLEM MYSELF AND OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE HAD - HTTP://CTWATCHDOG.COM/FINANCE/RODENTS-DAMAGE-CARS-BYCHEWING-ELECTRICAL-CONNECTIONS-TIPS-ON-HOW-TO-AVOID-COSTLYREPAIRS, HTTP://WWW.SYNLUBE.COM/INCREDIBLEEDIBLECAR1.HTM

THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS CONTINUE TO GO OUT WITH OUT WARNING. IT REQUIRES STOPPING THE VAN SHUTTING IT OFF AND RESTARTING IT. THE HEADLAMP DIM THEMSELVES AND THEN BRIGHTEN WHILE DRIVING. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP TWICE NOW FOR ISSUE. DEALER STATED SINCE PROBLEM WAS NOT OCCURRING AT THAT MOMENT THERE IS NO TEST THEY COULD DO. SERVICE MANAGER ALSO STATED THAT TOYOTA DOESN'T LIKE THE DEALERSHIPS TRYING TO GUESS AT WHAT MAYBE WRONG. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/10/17*LJ UPDATED 08/29/2017*JS