2003 Toyota Sienna

I HAVE OWNED 3 TOYOTA SIENNA'S. IN ALL OF THE MODELS I IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WHICH THE DEALERS TOLD ME WAS NORMAL. I THEN MADE SURE TO ADVISE ANYONE DRIVING MY CARS OF THIS ISSUE. NOW THAT YOU ARE LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT SAFETY I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. WHEN A SIENNA IS IN DRIVE AND ON A HILL WITH THE FRONT END UP AND THE BACK END DOWN. AND WHEN YOU THEN REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL IMMEDIATELY ROLE BACKWARDS. I LEARNED TO PRESS THE GAS SLOWLY AS I WAS RELEASING THE BRAKE SLOWLY TO AVOID THIS, BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. IF A PERSON WAS BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER DID NOT KNOW THIS OCCURS THEY COULD BE RUN OVER. THANKS FOR CHECKING ON THIS. *TR

DROVE VEHICLE INTO A GAS STATION TO FILL UP WITH GAS. AFTER THIS WAS COMPLETED, RESTARTED VEHICLE AND USED GEAR SHIFT TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE INSIDE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. GEAR COULD NOT BE CHANGED. CAR WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. FORTUNATELY, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AT A GAS STATION STAFFED WITH A MECHANIC. REPAIR TOOK ONE WEEK -- LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ORDER WRONG PARTS TWICE BEFORE ORDERING THE CORRECT ONES. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *TR

MY VEHICLE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING A HESITATION WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. TOOK TO THE DEALER TO CHECK, AND THEY UPDATED WITH THE PATCH. CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER IS CALLING IT A "HARD SHIFT" THAT IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T DO IT THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. CAR IS ALMOST OUT OF ITS 60K WARRANTY, AND THEY INDICATE THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE TO FIX. *TR

WHILE IN PARK VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK....VEHICLE WA SIN PARK AND NOT RUNNING. CONSUMER WENT TO TURN OFF MOTOR FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE, AS CONSUMER BACKED OUT AFTER CHECKING THE GEAR SHIFT TO BE SURE IT WAS SRILL IN PARK POSITION. THE FRONT DOORKNOCKED CONSUMER DOWN WHEN HE TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE LYING ON THE GROUND THE FRONT WHEEL ON THE RIGHT LEFT SIDE OF CONSUMER. HE SUSTAINED SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS, ROAD RASH TO RIGHT LEG, BURNS ON ARMS, SIDE AND LEG. WAS HOSPITALIZED AND HAD PHYSICAL THERAPY. *AK

UNSAFE DESIGN OF OVERDRIVE FEATURE ON TOYOTA SIENNA. EVERY TIME CAR IS PUT INTO DRIVE, IT DEFAULTS TO 'OVERDRIVE' MODE - WHICH MEANS IT IS FREE WHEELING WHENEVER DRIVER'S FOOT COMES OFF THE ACCELERATOR. NO ENGINE BRAKING!! TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE CAR ROLLS FREELY. THIS IS GROSSLY UNSAFE, PARTICULARLY IN TOWN DRIVING. TO GET ENGINE BRAKING, DRIVER MUST PUSH A BUTTON. THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND: CAR SHOULD BE DESIGNED SO IT AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDES REGULAR, SAFER ENGINE BRAKING MODE, AND THE DRIVER SHOULD HAVE TO PUSH A BUTTON TO GET INTO LESS SAFE, ECONOMY OVERDRIVE MODE. A COMPUTER CHIP RECALL WOULD PROBABLY CORRECT THIS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE!!!!!!!!