Car-and-Safety.com
Toyota Sienna Latches/locks/linkages Doors Latch Safety Report | Oct 27, 2011
Reported on Oct 27, 2011
| I BELIEVE THERE POTENTIALLY MAY BE A SERIOUS DESIGN CONCERN WITH THE POWER DOORS. DUE TO HAVING THREE SMALL CHILDREN, I HAVE THE CHILD LOCKS ENGAGED ON THE REAR SLIDING DOORS, WHICH ALSO DISABLES THE REAR DOOR BUTTONS FROM OPENING (BUT NOT FROM CLOSING) THE POWER DOORS. THE BUTTONS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE THE POWER DOORS ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE CHILD LOCKS, BUT ARE LOCATED ON THE CENTER ROOF CONSOLE, IN EASY REACH OF A CHILD STANDING IN THE SECOND ROW. TONIGHT, IN MATTER OF SECONDS BETWEEN ME EXITING THE DRIVERS SEAT AND WALKING AROUND THE VEHICLE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR, ONE OF MY SONS PRESSED THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE SLIDING POWER DOOR, WHILE MY DAUGHTER STARTED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. MY THIRD CHILD THEN PRESSED A BUTTON AGAIN, CAUSING THE POWER DOOR TO SHUT ON MY DAUGHTER'S NECK. FORTUNATELY, THE SAFETY SYSTEM REVERSED THE DOOR, BUT IT INFLICTED PAIN AND TEARS AND LEFT REDNESS ON MY DAUGHTER'S NECK; THERE IS NO APPARENT LASTING INJURY, BUT I AM CONCERNED THE INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE PLACEMENT OF FUNCTIONAL ELECTRONIC CONTROLS FOR THE REAR DOORS IN EASY REACH OF CHILDREN IN THE REAR COMPLETELY DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING CHILD LOCKS ON THE REAR DOORS. ALSO RELATED TO THE REAR DOORS, WE HAVE REPEATEDLY EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM REPORTED BY OTHERS OF THE POWER DOORS JAMMING IN A PARTIALLY OPEN POSITION AND HAVING TO BE SLOWLY PUSHED CLOSED MANUALLY (WITH GREAT RESISTANCE), BEFORE THEY WILL FUNCTION AGAIN NORMALLY IN EITHER POWER OR MANUAL MODE. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN THAT COULD IMPEDE THE ABILITY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. *TT | |
| Make: | Toyota |
| Model: | Sienna |
| Manufactured by: | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | LEXINGTON KY |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 5TDYK3DC5BS |
| Mileage: | 12000 miles. |
| Speed: | 0 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | 6 |
| Vehicle type: | FWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
| Previous Report:Latches/locks/linkages Doors Latch | Next Report:Service Brakes, Hydraulic |