What 610 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Sienna

I was pulling my 2011 Toyota Siena into a parking space. My foot was on the brake and the car was going about 5 mph. The car made a slight sound, along with a perceptible yet small physical shift, and (while my foot was on the brake) independently accelerated with tremendous force. It was like it was ignited. The car hit a concrete pole and was totaled. The acceleration over-rode the brake. No one was hurt. The concrete pole averted what could have been a catastrophic accident, had we hit pedestrians, or had we rear ended a car or truck on the freeway. The brakes failed as the car jumped into independent acceleration. My safety and the safety of my passenger were both at risk. As I said, in a different situation, we might have hit pedestrians, or gone through the wall of the grocery store and hit customers. The concrete pole saved us and others. The mechanic at the service center where the car was towed said it was impossible to discern if there had been a failure in the system of the car - though clearly both my passenger and myself experienced that failure in the car's ability to override an independent, forceful acceleration not caused by the driver. There was no warning of any kind. On the Edmunds site, there are many, many testimonials by other drivers of the Toyota Siena of similar, frightening experiences of independent acceleration. It is terribly dangerous and should be investigated. If there is not a recall on this vehicle, there should be. This is a potentially catastrophic defect.

NHTSA ODI 11605251

MY VAN CUT ON FIRE LAST SATURDAR, SEPTEMBER 1ST 2019. FOR NO APPARENTLY REASON. I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES FROM MY HOUSE TO THE GROCERY STORE, WHEN I NOTICE THE SMOKE, I FIRST THOUGH WAS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. BUT WAS SMOKE COMING FROM MY HOOD. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO STOP AT A STOP SIGH AND I LOOK THE TEMPERATURE GATE AND IT WAS FINE, TURN OF THE CAR AND PEOPLE FROM THE PARKING LOT WAS ALREADY YELLING FOR ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. MORE THAN 2/3 OF THE VAN WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED IN THE FIRE.

NHTSA ODI 11253099

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR MADE CONTACT WITH THE PASSENGER AND FAILED TO RETRACT. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED AN INJURED BACK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SAFETY FEATURE, WHICH ALLOWED THE SLIDING DOORS TO RETRACT WHEN MAKING CONTACT WITH SOMETHING, HAD FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND DID NOT BEGIN UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V858800 (STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (FRONTIER TOYOTA IN VALENCIA, CA), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,950. *LN CONSUMER STATED SLIDING DOOR - DRIVERS SIDE MALFUNCTIONED UPDATED 7/19/18*JB ... *TR

NHTSA ODI 11024651

I WAS TRAVELING IN AN AREA SURROUNDED BY CONSTRUCTION BARRELS TRYING TO NAVIGATE MY TURN. THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY, AND I HIT HIM IN THE REAR. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED ALMOST $9000 WORTH OF DAMAGE, HOWEVER WAS NOT TOTALED. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. WE ASKED TOYOTA FOR AN EXPLANATION, AND THEY FINALLY SENT A THIRD PARTY TO INVESTIGATE. WE WERE SENT THE DOWNLOAD OF THE CRASH DATA RECORDER, BUT NO EXPLANATION OF WHAT IT MEANT, AND TOYOTA DETERMINED THAT THE AIRBAG WAS NOT FAULTY, EVEN THOUGH THE CRASH DATA RECORDER SHOWS I HIT SOMEONE FRONT-TO-REAR TRAVELING 38 MILES PER HOUR. AFTER WAITING 3 MONTHS ON TOYOTA, WE FINALLY GAVE UP AND ARE HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. I HAVE A CHRONIC NECK CONDITION WHICH WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT BUT WAS GREATLY AGGRAVATED AND MADE MORE PAINFUL FROM THE ACCIDENT. WE HAVE ASKED TOYOTA FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE DATA FROM THE RECORDER, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED ONE, ONLY SENT A LETTER STATING TOYOTA WAS NOT AT FAULT AND THAT INJURIES SUCH AS MINE AREN'T PROVEN TO BE PREVENTED BY THE AIRBAG. ..UPDATED 11/03/14 *BF UPDATED 4/28/2015 *JS *TR

NHTSA ODI 10650629

I WAS TRYING TO PARK MY VAN INSIDE A CAMPSITE, DRIVING AT APPROX 1.2 MPH WHEN MY VAN TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET. I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR EVEN BY BRAKING. LUCKILY MY VAN WENT INTO A DITCH, AIRBAGS OPENED UP, VAN WENT DOWN THE DITCH AND CAME UP AT AN ANGLE AND STOPPED. I WAS BADLY HURT AND PASSED OUT FOR FEW MINUTES, TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. THE 16 PAGE REPORT ORDERED BY TOYOTA THRU' A 3RD PARTY CLEARLY SHOWED THAT THE CAR WENT FROM 1.2 MPH TO 31.5 MPH, ENGINE RPM WENT FROM 800 TO 4800 RPM IN 4.2 SECS. I CHECKED WITH A REPUTABLE AUTO MECHANIC. HE COMMENTED THAT NO ONE CAN MANUALLY RAMP THE ENGINE RPM TO 4800 RPM. IT IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA'S ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. TOYOTA HAS DENIED ANY ISSUE WITH THEIR CAR IN A LETTER TO ME.I WANT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ADMIN TO TAKE MY CASE AGAINST TOYOTA. I WILL BE GLAD TO EMAIL THE REPORT AND TOYOTA LETTER TO YOU. PLEASE REPLY SOON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549245

DURING THE TEST DRIVE AND INSPECTION OF 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SLIDING DOOR WOULD CLOSE WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BUTTON OR HANDLE. THE DEALER (REP) TOLD ME THAT HE HAD PRESSED THE CLOSE BUTTON TOO MANY TIMES AND THAT'S WHY IT SHUT DURING THE INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE HOME THE DRIVER'S REAR SLIDING DOOR SHUT ON ME WHILE I WAS GETTING A SMALL CHILD OUT OF A CAR SEAT-I DID NOT TOUCH THE BUTTON OR DOOR HANDLE. AFTER THE SAME THING HAPPENED 4-5 MORE TIME I TOOK THE 2011 SIENNA VAN BACK TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MOTORS IN BOTH SLIDING DOORS. THE PROBLEMS HAS CONTINUED AND AFTER RESEARCH HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT REGARDING THE SLIDING DOORS ON THE SIENNA VANS. BETWEEN TIRE PROBLEMS AND DOOR PROBLEMS IT'S NOT WORTH THE TIME OR HASSLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10496430

AFTER ARRIVING HOME WITH MY 2 KIDS YESTERDAY, WE WERE GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE (2011 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE)- MY 2 1/2YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS GETTING OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER DOOR WHILE I WAS ABOUT TO GET MY 3 MONTH OLD SON OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE POWER DOOR. MY 2 1/2YR OLD DAUGHTER PUSHED THE POWER DOOR BUTTON TO CLOSE HER DOOR AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS HOLDING ONTO THE VAN TO GAIN HER GROUND, AT WHICH TIME THE POWER SLIDING DOOR CLOSED ENTIRELY ON HER RIGHT HAND! IT DID NOT OPEN WITH THE DOOR SENSOR AS WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD DO IF ANYTHING WAS IN THE PATH OF THE DOOR CLOSING. WHEN I FRANTICALLY TRIED TO PULL OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE, AND PUSH THE POWER DOOR BUTTON, THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AND SHE JUST KEPT SCREAMING FROM THE OTHER SIDE. I HAD TO PUT THE KEYS BACK IN THE IGNITION JUST TO OPEN THE DOOR AND FREE MY DAUGHTER! IT WAS A PROLONGED, SCARY AND TRAUMATIZING ORDEAL THAT I HOPE NO ONE ELSE EVER HAS TO EXPERIENCE! WHEN YOU ARE TOLD THE POWER DOORS AND WINDOWS ARE ON A SENSOR THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY FUNCTION 100%, NOT ONLY FOR A LARGE OBJECT LIKE A BODY OBSTRUCTING THE DOOR/WINDOW, BUT ALSO CHILDREN'S HANDS- AFTER ALL THIS IS A FAMILY VEHICLE THAT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WAS BUILT ON SAFETY! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10418523

MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER GOT HER LEG CAUGHT IN THE BACK PART OF THE SLIDING DOOR OF A 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA. SHE WAS INSIDE THE CAR. THE DOOR WAS OPENED. HER LEG FELL INTO THE SPACE WHILE THE DOOR WAS OPENING. THE DOOR OPENED AS FAR AS IT COULD AND CONSTRICTED HER LEG. HER LEG WAS SO TIGHTLY CONSTRICTED WE COULD NOT REPOSITION HER BODY TO OPEN THE DOOR. AVERILL PARK FIRE DEPT AND SAND LAKE AMBULANCE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. SHE WAS TRAPPED(SCREAMING) FOR 20 -25 MINUTES. HER LEG WAS COLD AND TURNING BLUE BEFORE IT WAS REMOVED. WE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL CONCERNED FOR INTERNAL BLEEDING, BROKEN LEG, AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS. SHE IS DOING FINE BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE DOOR. I'VE LOOKED AT OTHER MINIVANS (EVEN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL BUT DIFFERENT YEAR) AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE GAP IN THE BACK PART OF THE DOOR LIKE THE 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA. UPDATED IVOQ 07/27/11 *TR

NHTSA ODI 10405994

WE HAVE OWNED A 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA FOR 1.5 WEEKS. YESTERDAY OUR 3 YEAR OLD'S HAND BECAME STUCK IN THE SLIDING DOOR. HE HAD JUST EXITED THE CAR AND HIS HAND WAS IN THE PATH OF THE DOOR AS IT WAS SLIDING CLOSED. THE DOOR DID NOT RETRACT. IT CLOSED TIGHTLY AND A MINUTE OR SO PASSED BEFORE THE DOOR WAS ABLE TO BE OPENED. WE TOOK HIM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. NO BREAK WAS EVIDENT ON THE X RAYS BUT THE DOCTOR SAID AN EXAM BY AN ORTHOPEDIC DOCTOR NEXT WEEK, AFTER THE SWELLING HAS SUBSIDED, WILL CONFIRM WHETHER THERE IS A BREAK OR FRACTURE. THE ER DOCTOR PUT A FIBERGLASS CAST ON HIS ARM AND TOLD US TO FOLLOW UP WITH AN ORTHOPEDIC DOCTOR AFTER THE WEEKEND. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10333886