What 247 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Sienna

SUNROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING OR KNOWN CAUSE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT WAS PRECEEDED BY A LOUD 'BANG' SOUND.

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MY 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA RECENTLY BEGAN MAKING A LOUD WHINING NOISE FROM THE REAR AXLE AREA. UPON INSPECTION, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WOULD COST US BETWEEN $2,500-$3,000. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SIENNA, LIKELY CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. THE SAME UNIT WAS USED ON THE RAV-4, AND AFTER SIMILAR PROBLEMS SURFACED IT WAS RECALLED AND FIXED BY TOYOTA. GIVEN THE DANGER POSED BY FAILURE OF THIS PART TO A FAMILY VEHICLE, AND THE KNOWN EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM BY TOYOTA, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT IT SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECALLED AND FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

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SERVICE TECH AT THE TOYOTA DEALER SAID MY ELECTROMAGNETIC COUPLER / VISCOUS COUPLER AND DRIVESHAFT UJOINT SEIZED. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS ITS COMMON. WONDERING IF TOYOTA WOULD PUT OUT A RECALL?

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BROUGHT CAR IN FOR AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. WAS TOLD IT WAS COMPLETED. AFTER THIS RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL MAILING FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. CALLED THE TOYOTA RECALL RESOLUTION TEAM NUMBER TO VERIFY. WAS TOLD THAT A TEMPORARY AIRBAG WAS INSTALLED AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE GOOD ONE REINSTALLED WHEN THEY GOT THEM IN. SHE CALLED THE DEALER TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT THEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF AND A NEW AIRBAG WAS NOT NEEDED. AND STATED THAT SHE WAS CONFUSED. AND THAT I NEEDED TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER TO GET A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT THE WORK WAS DONE. I NOTICED AND EXPLAINED THAT IT LOOKS LIKE A SUBSTITUTE WAS MADE AND THE RECEIPT SAYS : 'BAG 0.8. 2007-2009 YARIS HATCHBACK 2007-2009 YARIS SEDAN'. SO IT LOOKS LIKE A TEMPORARY SUBSTITUTE WAS MADE AND THAT I WAS NOT INFORMED. I SAID THAT IF THEY GIVE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION THAT THE REPAIR WAS MADE IT MAKES IT LEGALLY THEIR RESPONSIBILITY BUT THIS WOULD BE AFTER THE FACT IF A PROBLEM OR FATALITY WOULD OCCUR AND NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF ASSURING THAT A PROPER AIRBAG HAD BEEN INSTALLED. CAN YOU GIVE CLARIFICATION AND SUGGESTED FOLLOW UP (POSSIBLY THIRD PARTY) TO GUARANTEE SAFETY?

NHTSA ODI 11349260

WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE THE ENGINE REVS SUDDENLY AND TO VERY HIGH RPMS AND YOU HAVE TO PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE AND/OR THROW CAR INTO NEUTRAL/DRIVE AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE ISSUE RESOLVES. HAPPENED YESTERDAY WHEN REVERSING VERY SLOWLY OUT OF DRIVEWAY--WAS PRESSING BRAKE (NOT ACCELERATOR) AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE GOT VERY LOUD AND WAS REVVING UP. PRESSED BRAKE HARD AND THRU THE CAR INTO PARK AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO NORMAL. VERY SCARY. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND FORTUNATELY WE HAVE NOT RUN INTO ANYTHING AND THE CAR HAS NOT TAKEN OFF AT HIGH SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 11339683

UNIT IS PRODUCING A SPEED DEPENDENT WHINE FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CONSISTENT WITH A BEARING FAILURE IN THE VISCOUS COUPLER. ISSUE FIRST OBSERVED WITH APPROXIMATELY 98,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON COMPONENT FAILURE ON MANY TOYOTA AWD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE LAST 15-20 YEARS, AND THE COMPONENT IN QUESTION MAY BE UNDER-ENGINEERED TO PERFORM AS EXPECTED IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. REPLACEMENT PART COSTS $1300+ FROM TOYOTA, NOT INCLUDING INSTALLATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326947

SAYS MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL - VISCOUS COUPLER- IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OOF AT LEAST $1,300 AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE INSTALLATION. HAPPENED JUST AS CAR WENT OVER 100,000 MILES AND IS COVERED IN RAV 4 BC HAD SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT 2012 SIENNA NOTHING HAPPENED EXCEPT IT SUDDENLY STARTED NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING I DID.

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THE REAR VISCOUS COUPLER ON THE AWD HAD GONE BAD AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THIS PART IS THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART ON THE RAV 4 THAT HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE DUE TO BAD DESIGN BUT IS NOT COVERED ON THE SIENNA. THIS PART NEEDS A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11316397

THE BEARING FOR THE VISCOUS COUPLER HAS GONE BAD. IT WHINES LOUDLY WHEN IN MOTION, AND THE VOLUME CORRELATES WITH THE SPEED. ACCORDING TO FEEDBACK FROM ONLINE THIS ISSUE HAPPENS A LOT. TOYOTA WILL NOT CHANGE THE BEARING ($50 PLUS LABOR). THEY WILL ONLY CHANGE THE WHOLE COUPLER ($1800 PLUS LABOR) AS THEY STATE THE COUPLER IS NOT SERVICEABLE. MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE SERVICED THE WORKING COUPLER TO CHANGE JUST THE BEARING. TOYOTA RELEASED A SIMILAR TSB FOR THE RAV 4 WHERE THE COUPLER FAILED.

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2012 TOYOTA SIENNA AWD HAS EXCESSIVE PREMATURE WEAR ON TIRES. NEW SET OF TIRES, FOLLOWING MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE, HAS CONSUMED A SET OF TIRES IN UNDER 20,000 MILES. DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL IN-TOWN OPERATIONS, MAINTAINED RECOMMENDED TIRE INFLATION, ROTATION.

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2012 TOYOTA SIENNA DEVELOPED A "CLUNK" IN STEERING SYSTEM WHILE TURNING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE CLUNK CAN BE FELT THROUGH BOTH THE STEERING WHEEL AND FLOOR. THIS IS CAUSED BY A WELL-KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM TOYOTA HAS HAD WITH SEVERAL OTHER MODELS INCLUDING RAV4, HIGHLANDER, AND CAMRY (SOME OF WHICH HAD RECALLS). TOYOTA IS PUSHING THE COST OF THEIR MISTAKES ON ITS CUSTOMERS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, ALONG WITH OTHERS, WITH TOYOTA.

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MY 2012 SIENNA AWD XLE HAS 103K MILES AND HAS A WHIRRING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AREA FOR A WHILE NOW. THE PITCH AND VOLUME IS PROPORTIONAL TO SPEED AND IS LOUDER AS SPEED INCREASES. MY RESEARCH TELLS ME THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT WITH THE COUPLING BEARINGS IN FRONT OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. IT SEEMS THAT RAV4 OWNERS GOT A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE, BUT SIENNA OWNERS DID NOT. TOYOTA HAS REDESIGNED THIS PART ON LATER MODELS TO AVOID THE ISSUE. HOPE YOU CAN GET THIS RESOLVED. THANKS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, IT WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, DROVE OFF THE HIGHWAY, AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED VIA AMBULANCE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO SEEING A CHIROPRACTOR. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. *LN *TR*JB *TR *DT *TR

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EVERY TIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEED...IT MAKE NOISE SOUND LIKE A LOSE BOLT IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT..TOYOTA DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING

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AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON CHECK SYSTEM. PER THE DEALER. SPIRAL CABLE ISSUE WITH TOYOTA SIENNA 2012 AND PER THE DEALER THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.

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2012 GMC SIENNA. CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *LD *JS

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C1433 ERROR CODE HAS ON MY TOYOTA SIENNA 2012 I THINK IT IS SAFETY ISSUE C1433 STEERING ANGLE SENSOR INTERNAL CIRCUIT

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C1433 CODE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL PROBLEM SLIP SENSOR LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON

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POWER SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN OR CLOSE, WHEN PARKED. BEGAN TO MAKE CLICKING NOISES WHEN TRYING TO OPEN OR CLOSE DOOR. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN COMPLETELY AND IT WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY. CABLE BECAME FRAYED AND BROKE AND WAS DANGLING FROM DOOR. WHEN WE WENT TO HAVE IT FIXED, THE QUOTED US $1200 TO FIX IT, SO WE OPTED TO CUT IT AND USE IT MANUALLY. WHEN USED MANUALLY, THE DOOR IS OFTEN UNSAFE BECAUSE IT SLIDES RAPIDLY AND ONCE CLOSED ON OUR DAUGHTER'S HAND.

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ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE THE REAR SLIDING DOOR LATCHES RUSTED AND BROKE OFF RESULTING IN DOORS NOT OPENING AND CLOSING PROPERLY.

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FRONT AXLE LEAKING FLUID

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REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS FAILED AT ONLY 60K MILES. WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE FOR AWD SIENNA MODELS YET NO RECALL ISSUED. SAFETY CONCERN FOR THIS FAMILY OF FIVE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA EQUIPPED WITH FOUR NEW COOPER CS3 TIRES, SIZE: 235/55R18 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, BUT THE TIRES DID NOT APPEAR LOW ON AIR. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WOBBLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LAKELAND TOYOTA (2925 MALL HILL DR, LAKELAND, FL 33810, (863) 688-5451) WHERE THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR WAS CLEARED; HOWEVER, IT ILLUMINATED AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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THE TOP HINGE OF THE FUEL FILLER DOOR BROKE AT 82000 MILES. IT NOW DOES NOT ALLOW THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TO OPEN BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY MECHANISM. THE HINGE BROKE WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR DURING REFUELING.

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WHIRRING NOISE COMING FROM BACK OF VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION - STARTS AT ABOUT 30 MPH - VEHICLE HAS 97,000 MILES. SERVICE CENTER SAYS THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COUPLER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA OWNERS ARE REPORTING THIS SAME ISSUE BUT THE PART HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED.

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