2008 Toyota Sienna

IN VERY COLD WEATHER (APPROXIMATELY 20 DEGREES OR COLDER), THE AUTOMATIC TAILGATE ON THE BACK OF THE MINIVAN MALFUNCTIONS WHILE PARKED. IT WILL GO UP BUT AS SOON AS IT GETS TO THE FULL OPEN POSITION, IT COMES BACK DOWN AND WILL NOT STOP, EVEN IF YOU HAVE YOUR HAND OR BODY IN THE PATH OF THE TAILGATE DOOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS (THE LAST TIME BEING ON THE EVENING OF 2/12/16 IN BLOOMINGTON IL) AND THE FIRST TIME I BARELY WAS ABLE TO PULL BACK BEFORE THE TAILGATE WOULD HAVE CRUSHED ME. IN SUMMARY, THE TAILGATE DOOR MALFUNCTIONS IN VERY COLD WEATHER (AS IT WON'T STAY OPEN) AND IT APPEARS THE SENSOR THAT DETECTS SOMETHING IN THE PATH OF THE TAILGATE DOOR ALSO IS MALFUNCTIONING SINCE IT WILL NOT STOP IF SOMETHING IS IN ITS PATH. I HAVE SUBMITTED THIS TO TOYOTA VIA OCCASIONAL USER PANEL EMAIL SURVEYS THEY SEND, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS CRUSHED, INJURED, OR KILLED.

WE HAD BEEN NOTICING A SMALL LEAK UNDER OUR 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA FOR A FEW MONTHS SO WE TOOK IT IN TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. A TOYOTA SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD US THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER STEERING RACK BOOT IS TORN AND THE SEAL IS LEAKING, SO IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HE SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM/DEFECT WITH 2008 SIENNAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.

PURCHASED 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA NEW IN AUGUST 2008. IN NOVEMBER 2015 (90,000 MILES) WITH VEHICLE PARKED, WHEN OPENING THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR, THE CABLE SNAPPED, BINDING THE POWERED DOOR'S ELECTRIC MOTOR, AND CAUSING THE DOOR TO BE "LOCKED IN PLACE" ABOUT 6 INCHES OPEN. WENT TO DRIVER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR, OPENED, CHILDREN ENTERED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND UPON CLOSING DOOR THIS CABLE SNAPPED, BUT DIDN'T BIND ELECTRIC MOTOR UNTIL THE DOOR HAD FULLY CLOSED, CAUSING THE DOOR TO BE "LOCKED IN PLACE" IN THE CLOSED POSITION. TRAVELED HOME AND CHILDREN EXITED VEHICLE THROUGH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS. THE CABLES WERE CUT BETWEEN THE ELECTRIC DOOR MOTOR AND THE "C POST" TO GET THE DOORS "UNLOCKED" AND ALLOW FOR MANUAL OPERATION. EXAMINATION OF SNAPPED CABLES REVEALED REMOVAL OF CABLE INSULATION (LIKELY DUE TO FRICTION/ABRASION), WHICH EXPOSED THE STRANDED METAL CABLE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, CAUSING SEVERE CORROSION AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE METAL CABLE. ONLINE RESEARCH REVEALED MANY OTHER 2008 AND NEWER TOYOTA SIENNA OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, TO THE POINT WHERE A FACEBOOK PAGE HAS BEEN CREATED REGARDING THE ISSUE HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/TOYOTA-SIENNA-FAULTY-POWER-SLIDING-DOORS-233250320033754/. FURTHER RESEARCH REVEALED THAT TOYOTA HAS A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR THIS PROBLEM (NO: POL12-02), BUT IT ONLY APPLIES TO 2004-2007 MODEL YEARS. WHATEVER CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY TOYOTA BEGINNING IN 2008 OBVIOUSLY HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. THE POWER SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY REQUIRED TO REPAIR THESE DOORS COSTS $500 PER DOOR (PART NUMBERS 69631-08030 AND 69641-08030). TO HAVE A DEALER MAKE THIS REPAIR COSTS $1,000 PER DOOR ($500 FOR THE PART AND $500 FOR LABOR).

WHILE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR IS DOWN SMOKE STARTS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HEAD LINER. WHEN THE VISOR IS PLACED BACK IN THE CLOSED POSITION SMOKE CLEARS OUT AND STOPS. PER THE MECHANIC, A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS RESULTED IN A MELTED ELECTRICAL BOARD AND THE ENTIRE HEAD LINER AND ELECTRICAL BOARD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE VISOR CAN NOT BE USED OR THE SHORT MAY START A FIRE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURRED. VAN FILLED WITH SMOKE QUICKLY. HAD TO PULL OVER AND OPEN DOORS TO CLEAR THE SMOKE.

MY PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR MECHANISM IS BROKEN ON OUR 2008 SIENNA WITH 68,000 MILES. THE MECHANISM USES AND ELECTRIC MOTOR AND CABLE ASSEMBLY TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR. THE CABLE HAS BROKEN SO POWER FUNCTIONS ARE GONE AND MANUAL FUNCTION IS HINDERED FROM BROKEN CABLE INTERFERING. TOYOTA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR 2004-07 SIENNA'S WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PART AND PART NUMBER? A INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND CAN AFFECT THE PROPER LATCHING OF THE SLIDING DOOR.

WHEN DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD UNDER DRY CONDITIONS, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AS WELL AS AN AUDITORY WARNING. THE BRAKES ARE ALSO APPLIED. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW. MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE IT. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IF VEHICLES ARE FOLLOWING BEHIND AS THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED FORCEFULLY. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS BETWEEN 30-40 MPH ON BACK ROADS, ONLY ON CURVES. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS GOING AN APPROPRIATE SPEED FOR THE CORNER, AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS SYSTEM TO ENGAGE. THE VSC WARNING LIGHT HAD BEEN ON, BUT HAD TURNED OFF AS IF THE PROBLEM HAD FIXED ITSELF. THE VSC LIGHT TURNED ON ON DECEMBER 24TH 2015 AND TURNED OFF ON DECEMBER 26TH, 2015.