7.0
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- No data
- Average Mileage:
- 68,950 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 2 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (2 reports)
12/04/2015 - I was taking my friend home. When I hit brakes to stop car...car accelerated instead of stopping. I hit my friend's car which was parked in her garage pushing it into the brick steps at the back of her garage and also hit the side of her garage door, which was open. Car only stopped when I turned off the key. Insurance paid for her damages and part of body work to front of my car. My cost was $4,479.22 and a 40 year friendship. I was told that I was not paying attention to what I was doing.
- Eugenia C., Raleigh, NC, US
5/20/2016 My husband was pulling Sienna from driveway into carport...maybe 12'. He said he turned on the key and put it in gear and the car took off without him ever touching the accelerator. He has an antique 1946 Chevy which was under the carport on stands. The impact knocked the Chevy off the stands and into the back retaining wall of the carport.
I phoned local Toyota dealer to have the car checked and suggested the problem might be SUA. I told the service dept. manager I spoke with the whole story of the 2 accidents. I was told that no one there (service dept.) could check it and that I would have to contact the home office in CA., which I did and I was given a "case number". I was told I would be sent a consent form to fill out and to bring car into the dealer and one of their technicians would inspect it and check the "black box". I stated that I was afraid to drive the car again and they agreed to have it towed, which they did. I spoke with 3 people in CA and I told each one what had happened with my husband and myself with the car. The technician supposedly checked my car on 6/13 and I was sent an email by the technician which stated that he was attaching 3 files. One a cdrx file could not be opened by me and he didn't have the software to open it. Said it was sent to me to show that Toyota was being transparent by offering it (???). The attached fdf file was a file translated so that he & I could open it. He stated in his email and several times to me when he phoned me that he was "just a third party investigator" and not involved with the situation. He told me that he had driven the car for 10 miles and had no problem and advised me to "just have body repairs done" (again) and enjoy driving the car!! (I had also told him the details of the two accidents.) I was told by one person in CA that it would be 4-6 weeks before their legal dept. would check info from technician and make a decision. On 7/13 I received a letter dated 7/8 from a Legal Claims Administrator in CA informing me that an Engineering Analysis Associate had performed an inspection and obtained a readout of the Event Data Recorder. The accelerator pedal & braking system were inspected and operated properly as designed. The engine responded to driver's input from accelerator pedal. There were no obstructions to the accelerator or brake pedals. Brake system performed as expected. No damage to brake system & no brake fluid leakage. After road tests there were no issues with accelerator or brake system operation. Therefore...there was no evidence that the incidents were the result of any type of manufacturing or design defect. Nothing has ever been mentioned about checking the electronic throttle control system, which I have read is probably to blame for SUA problems and which I asked to have checked. I was told by one of the people in CA that the problem was "inadvertent pedal address"!!! So I have a car "with no problems" that has had TWO problems. (Also I was told that I needed a new battery...which was probably true for $244.24.) My husband is planning to pick up my car tomorrow or next day (7/15-16). It has been at Toyota dealer since 6/10 and nothing has been done to fix the problems I have had.
I have filed a claim with National Highway Safety Council and with Federal Trade Commission. They have my records but no answers to my problem. I was told the "Lemon Law" wouldn't apply to my case because I've had the vehicle as long as I have before I had problems. ( I purchased the 2010 Sienna in July 2011.) According to Toyota, my vin number was not on a recall list.
I have also contacted an attorney, who basically said it is our word against Toyota's and that I probably need to have car inspected by an independent technician, who I am currently trying to find.
I am TRULY afraid to drive that car as nothing has been done to fix the problem. I am afraid next time I might be trying to stop at a red light and instead plow into the car in front of me and someone might be injured. I've been lucky so far that no one has been hurt. So I have a car I'm afraid to drive and in all good conscience I can't sell to some unsuspecting other person. I NEED HELP!!!
- Eugenia C., Raleigh, NC, US