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Toyota Sienna Latches/locks/linkages Safety Report | Sept 27, 2009
Reported on Sept 27, 2009
| WE PURCHASED THE NEW 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA ON OR ABOUT AUGUST OF 2004. IN ABOUT LATE SEPTEMBER OF 2009 I NOTICED A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S DOOR WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING IT. IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS. I CHECKED ON-LINE AND DISCOVERED IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER 2004, 05, 06, 07 AND 08 SIENNAS. I HAD A 5 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE HERE IN HAWAII AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SO THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING. I ASKED IF TOYOTA FACTORY WELDS WERE ONLY GOOD FOR THE LIFE OF THE WARRANTY AND WAS NOT GIVEN AN ANSWER. I LATER DISCOVERED THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSBNV003-07 WAS ISSUED BY TOYOTA BUT NOT A RECALL. THEY CLAIM THAT A NOTICE ABOUT THE PROBLEM WAS MAILED TO THE OWNERS BUT WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED IT AND HAVE BEEN LIVING AT THE SAME ADDRESS FOR 18 YEARS. THE BROKEN PART IS AN ENGINEERING FLAW WITH THE DESIGN OF THE PLATE WELDED TO THE DOOR THAT CAUSES THE DOOR STRAP WELDS TO BREAK LOOSE IF THE BROKEN PART IS NOT REPLACED OR REPAIRED THE DOOR WILL SWING FREELY OPEN TO IT'S EXTREME AND CLOSE SUDDENLY WITHOUT RESTRICTION WHEN OPENING OR CLOSING THE DOOR. REPAIRS TYPICALLY COST AROUND $2,000.00 OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. RE-WELDING THE FAILURE POINTS IS NOT RECOMMENDED AS THEY ARE PRONE TO FAIL AGAIN SOONER THAN REPLACING THE DOOR. THIS FAILURE ALSO OCCURS ON THE PASSENGER DOOR. DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPAIR I HAVE MADE MY OWN MODIFICATIONS BY INSTALLING 3 NUTS AND BOLTS THROUGH THE DOOR INTO THE BROKEN PART, BUT HAVE NOTICED THAT THE PART HAS ABOUT A ONE INCH CRACKED DUE TO THE ORIGINAL POPPING OF THE WELDS. I HAVE YET TO HAVE THE CRACK WELDED, IF POSSIBLE. ALSO SEE THE FOLLOWING SITE FOR A BETTER DESCRIPTION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THIS AND OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS: HTTP://SITES.GOOGLE.COM/SITE/TOYOTASIENNADEFECTS/. *TR | |
| Make: | Toyota |
| Model: | Sienna |
| Manufactured by: | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | WAHIAWA HI |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 5TDZA23C64S |
| Mileage: | 74000 miles. |
| Speed: | 0 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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