2016 Toyota Sienna

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED, WHICH RESULTED IN HER CRASHING THE VEHICLE INTO THE HIGHWAY SIDE BARRIER AND A FENCE STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM GOING INTO THE WATER. THE CONTACT DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND PERFORMED AN INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT FROM THE INSPECTION, THE EDR RECORDED VARIOUS STEERING INPUT PRIOR TO THE IMPACT, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF A STEERING DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE, AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

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.

WHILE BUCKLING UP ON 6 DEC 2019, THE SEAT ATTACHMENT TO THE B-PILLAR COMPLETELY, WITHOUT RESISTANCE, DETACHED. THE BOLT THAT SECURED THE BELT WAS ON THE FLOOR, COMPLETELY PRISTINE IN APPEARANCE, UNDAMAGED, WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE OF THREAD-LOCKER APPLICATION AT THE FACTORY. THE CAR HAD BEEN IN NO ACCIDENTS AND WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE, WITHOUT A TRACE OF BODY RUST OR DETERIORATION. DEALER REPLACED THE BOLT AND CHECKED THE OTHER BELT ANCHORING BOLTS AND SAID THEY WERE OKL. HAD TO RETURN TO THE DEALER IN TWO DAYS SINCE THEIR REPAIR HAD LEFT THE SEAT BELT TWISTED. THEY UNBOLTED, THEN RE-BOLTED THE BELT ANCHOR IN THE UN-TWISTED, CORRECT POSITION. NO HARM OCCURRED SINCE I PUT ON MY BELT BEFORE STARTING THE CAR; REALIZING THE DEFECT IMMEDIATELY, I GOT TO WORK BY OTHER MEANS THAT DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, IN MY GARAGE AT THE TIME OF THE DEFECT DISCOVERY.

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.

ON JUNE 6, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 6 PM MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I WAS DRIVING AT 15 MPH AND IT ACCELERATED TO 40-50 MPH. BRAKING DID NOT SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. I JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT THREE SMALL TREES. IT CAME TO A HALT AFTER UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE HAD BEEN SUSTAINED. IT WAS TOWED TO CUMMINGS MOBILITY WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THEY COULD NOT DETERMINED WHAT CAUSED THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.