2004 Toyota Sienna latches/locks/linkages problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A WARNING CHIME SOUNDED. THE VEHICLE LOST STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY, AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO JERK FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND THE FAILURES WENT AWAY AFTER THIRTY SECONDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES RANDOMLY STARTED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO AND GREW WORSE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE LOCK ON THE SLIDING DOOR SHOWED THAT IT WAS UNLOCKED; HOWEVER, NO ONE COULD EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”

“WHEN OPEN OR CLOSE THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR, THERE IS A LOUD POPPING SOUND. THE WELD-ON HINGE BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE BODY IS BROKEN. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP INFORMED US THAT THE PROBLEM WILL DETERIORATE IN THE COMING DAYS. THE DOOR WILL SWING FREELY WHEN OPEN, POTENTIALLY HIT PEOPLE AND OTHER CARS NEAR BY. THE WINDOW ON THE DOOR MAY GET STUCK AND NOT ABLE TO BE OPENED OR CLOSED. TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS EARLY AS 2007. IT ISSUED TWO WARRANTY EXTENSIONS BUT TOLD THE OWNERS TO KEEP THE WARRANTY LETTER IN FILE IF THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR. I FOLLOWED TOYOTA'S INSTRUCTION AND KEPT MY WARRANTY EXTENSION IN FILE SINCE THE SYMPTOM IN MY CAR DID NOT OCCUR AT THE TIME. HOWEVER, WHEN THE PROBLEM DID OCCUR LAST MONTH, TOYOTA REFUSED TO HONOR IT, CLAIMING THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND I AM NO LONGER COVERED. THEY DID OFFER $350 TOWARDS THE REPAIR BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR HELP TO COVER THE FULL REPAIR COST. THIS IS A CRYSTAL CLEAR CASE OF A PROBLEM CAUSED BY AN INHERIT MANUFACTURE DEFECT. TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED AN UNCONDITIONAL RECALL AND FIXED IT FOR ALL IMPACTED CUSTOMERS BECAUSE OF ITS SAFETY CONSEQUENCES. INSTEAD, THEY KEPT EXTENDING THE WARRANTY, HOPING…”

“VEHICLE RANDOMLY SELF-LOCKS WHILE IN PARK WITH CAR TURNED OFF, WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH MY KEYS INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON THE SEAT WHILE PUTTING GROCERIES IN THE BACK AT THE STORE AND AT HOME. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME NOW, AND ITS SCARY, BECAUSE I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD WHO I STRAP INTO THE CAR SEAT AND THEN WALK AROUND TO THE DRIVERS SIDE, USUALLY AFTER PUTTING MY PURSE AND KEYS DOWN ON SEAT UP FRONT. IF CAR SELF LOCKS, KIDS COULD BE TRAPPED INSIDE. RESEARCH ON LINE SHOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OTHER TOYOTAS, POSSIBLY HAVING SOMETHING TO DO WITH A SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS GLITCH OR DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR? *TR”

“2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SLIDING DOOR MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT SLIDING DOOR CAME OFF TRACK, AFTER THE CABLE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN THE DOOR FELL DOWN TO THE SIDE STEP, IT SHATTERED THE LEFT REAR WINDOW.”

“2004 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE LIMITED. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS WITH DOORS ON VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR LIFT GATE WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A RECALL INVOLVING A PARTICULAR PART ON THE VEHICLE, AND SHE HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS EVER SINCE. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE OPENED THE LIFTGATE, IT WOULD FLY OPEN TOO QUICKLY AND WHEN SHE CLOSED IT, IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY CRUSH SOMEONE UNTIL IT FINALLY RE-OPENED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAFETY MECHANISM WAS CLEARLY FAULTY. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO, THE LEFT REAR SLIDING DOOR BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE.”

“ONE REAR SLIDING DOOR COMES OPEN AFTER LATCHING (ONCE WHEN THE SIENNA HAD STARTED MOVING) AND CAN ONLY BE SECURELY CLOSED BY AN ADULT STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR, PUSHING WHEN IT LATCHES AND QUICKLY HITTING THE POWER LOCKS. THE OPPOSITE REAR SLIDING DOOR: AFTER IT FULLY OPENS, IT "BOUNCES BACK" AND BEGINS TO CLOSE AGAIN. A CHILD CANNOT STOP IT; AN ADULT MUST STAND THERE AND USE FULL FORCE TO STOP IT FROM CLOSING. THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN ONE INCIDENT WHERE A CHILD WAS NEARLY CAUGHT BY THE CLOSING DOOR AND ONLY MISSED INJURY WHEN HIS MOTHER SIMULTANEOUSLY PUSHED HIM BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND PUT HERSELF BETWEEN THE MOVING DOOR AND THE BODY OF THE SIENNA. ORIGINALLY THIS WAS HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY BUT IS NOW NEARLY CONSTANT. ORIGINALLY TOYOTA DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF AN ISSUE, AND THEN SENT A "TOYOTA CARES" WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTICE FOR 04-07 SIENNAS WITH THIS ISSUE. BROADWAY TOYOTA REQUIRED THAT WE PAY FOR AN HOUR OF LABOR ($95) TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM, AND SAYS THAT IT ISN'T COVERED ON ONE SIDE BECAUSE IT IS A DIFFERENT PART THAN WHAT IS COVERED (ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME) AND ON THE OTHER UNLESS WE HAVE COSMETIC DAMAGE REPAIRED FIRST, AND THEN PERHAPS…”