2000 Toyota Sienna Air Bags & Restraints Problems

ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT THE DEER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL. RAN OFF INTO DITCH FLIPPED OVER AND WAS TRAPPED. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN WHEN THE FIRE DEPT CUT ME OUT. THEY HAD TO CUT THE STEERING WHEEL OFF MY LEGS. NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON EITHER SIDE. *TR

MY SEATBELT IN MY 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE GASTANK OPENING SWITCH UPON RELEASE. I COULD NOT THEREAFTER RE-ENGAGE THE SEATBELT UNTIL I STOPPED THE VEHICLE, OPENED THE DOOR AND OBSERVED THE ENTANGLEMENT. I HAD LOOSENED THE SEATBELT IN A DRIVE-THRU LINE TO GET MY WALLET FROM MY POCKET, AND ATTEMPTED TO RE-FASTEN THE BELT WHICH FREQUENTLY BECOMES ENTANGLED IN THE MECHANISM POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF AGE. *TR

THE SECOND ROW, PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IN OUR 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA IS NOT STAYING "CLICKED"; SOMETIMES WITHOUT THE BUTTON BEING PUSHED, THE BUCKLE JUST RELEASES AND THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT THAT IS IN THAT CAR SEAT IS NOT RESTRAINED AT ALL. *TR

2000 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT SENSOR SUDDENLY STARTED WORKING BACKWARDS. THE WARNING LIGHT IS OFF WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED AND COMES ON WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS UNBUCKLED, INCLUDING WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS VACANT. DEALER SAYS IT WILL COST ABOUT $350 TO REPLACE THE BELT AND THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE FAULTY SENSOR IS ALSO LINKED TO THE AIR BAG, WHICH MAY NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY IN AN ACCIDENT. GIVEN THIS SCENARIO, I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THIS AT THEIR COST EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

1. NORMAL USE 2. DAILY, THE SEATBELT TENSIONERS DO NOT CORRECTLY INDICATE IF THE BELT IS BEING USED OR NOT. IT ALWAYS SHOWS THAT THE BELT IS UNUSED. 3. TENSIONERS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

THE LIGHTS FOR BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS FLASH WHEN THE SEAT BELTS ARE FASTENED. WHEN THEY ARE NOT FASTENED AND ARE FULLY RETRACTED INTO THE DOOR POST, THE LIGHTS GO OFF. THIS BEGAN FIRST WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND STARTED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE THIS MONTH. ADDITIONALLY THE SEAT BELTS DON'T ALWAYS RETRACT PROPERLY. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BUCKLE THE LEFT THIRD ROW SEAT BELT, THE BELT BECAME STUCK AND DID NOT MOVE IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELTS IN MY SIENNA FOR SOME TIME NOW. THE WARNING INDICATOR NEVER GOES OFF ALTHOUGH THE SEAT BELT IS ON. THIS IS FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TOYOTA AT LEAST FOUR TIMES AND HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. AT LEAST $500 PER BELT. WHEN I ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE TO KEEP IT IN THE CURRENT CONDITION, I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA TO CARRY A PAIR OF SCISSORS WITH ME IN CASE THE SEAT BELT FAILS IN AN ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS TYPE OF REPAIR FOR THE LIFE OF A CAR SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

2000 TOYOTA SIENNA 2 ITEMS: 1. SEAT BELT LIGHT ALWAYS ON (RESEARCH REVEALS DEIGN FLAW) 2. AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECEIVER STOPPED WORKING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER, A SMALL PLASTIC TAB (HE CALLED IT A "SPACER") IN THE BUCKLE RECEIVER BROKE OFF AND PREVENTED THE BUCKLE FROM LATCHING. I NOTE THAT A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE 2001 FORD ESCAPE WAS THE SUBJECT OF A VOLUNTARY RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V507000).*JB

THREE SHOULDER STRAP SEAT BELTS IN MY 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA HAVE FAILED. THEY ARE FROZEN AND INOPERABLE. THE DEALER SAYS HE WILL REPLACE AT $200 PER SEATBELT. OTHER THAN THAT THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO TO REPAIR THE SEATBELT. THE VEHICLE IS USELESS WITHOUT SEATBELTS. I AM AFRAID THAT THE OTHER 3 WILL FAIL ALSO. *AK

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING AND THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON TO INDICATE THAT THE CONSUMER NEEDED TO PUT HIS SEAT BELT ON. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *JB

I HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA IN WHICH SEAT BELTS LOCK WITH LITTLE MOVEMENT AFTER BEING RETRACTED FROM THE CAR WALL (I DO NOT KNOW WHY IT IS DESIGNED THIS WAY, AND HAD BEEN BOTHERED BY THE DESIGN WELL BEFORE WHAT I REPORT HERE). ONE DAY MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MOVED AROUND WHILE UNDER THE SEAT BELT AND WAS ENTANGLED IN IT. SHE KEPT TRYING TO GET HERSELF OUT, BUT THE BELT WOULD ONLY MOVE A FEW MILLIMETERS INTO THE WALL, AND NEVER OUTWARDS. BY THE TIME I REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON SHE WAS GROANING IN PAIN WITH THE BELT TIGHTLY AROUND THE BELLY AND TO THE SEAT. I HAD TO CUT THE BELT TO GET HER LOOSE (WHICH LATER COST ABOUT $200 TO REPLACE). THE REPAIRED BELT WORKS WITH THE SAME TECHNOLOGY AS THE OLD, AND ALL OTHERS IN THE CAR. *NM

DURING A 45 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 12 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT CRASHED INTO A POLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, BUT WAS NOT TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

2000 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT IS FAULTY. IN THE BEGINNING, THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATED THE OPPOSITE -- BLINKING WHEN BUCKLED, OFF WHEN UNBUCKLED. THEN AFTER COUPLE WEEKS IT JUST KEEPS BLINKING NO MATTER WHAT. IT'S BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION SENSOR. THE MALFUNCTION IS CAUSED BY THE HOUSING OF THE SENSOR. THE HOUSING IS OVER-SIZED AND ALLOWS THE SENSOR CAP POPS OUT EASILY AND CAUSES THE MALFUNCTION. IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT! AND IF THE SRS SYSTEM WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS IS A BIG QUESTION. THE WARNING LIGHT JUST KEEPS BLINKING AFTER THE MALFUNCTION, NO MATTER IF YOU ARE BUCKLED UP OR NOT. THE DRIVER, AFTER SOME TIME, WILL GET USED TO THE FALSE WARNING AND WILL TEND TO IGNORE IT AND WILL NOT BE AWARE IF THE SEAT BELT IS REALLY BUCKLED. WHICH MAY INCREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY OR DEATH IN A CRASH. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECTIVE DESIGN FOR THAT SENSOR!*JB

FOR REASONS UNKNOWN TO ME, THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT ON MY 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA IS TWISTED ALL THE WAY INTO THE ASSEMBLY. IT DOESN'T RETRACT PROPERLY OR LOCK TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER, AND THE WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT SAFETY MEASURE IS ONLY COVERED BY TOYOTA FOR 5 YEARS/60K MILES, WHILE OTHERS LIKE HONDA HAVE LIFETIME COVERAGE. I BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE SIMILAR INCIDENTS LIKE THIS OUT THERE AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE.

SINCE LEASING THE CAR NEW 3 YRS. AGO, WE'VE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE THE MIDDLE ROW SEAT BELTS LOCK UP. TWO WEEKS AGO WE WERE IN A CAR ACCIDENT, THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, ALLOWING THE PASSENGER TO BE THROWN TO THE DASH AND BACK.*AK

CHILD WRAPPED REAR SEAT BELT AROUND NECK. SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE. HAD TO CUT SEAT BELT TO RELEASE CHILD. THIS WAS THE REAR SHOULDER HARNESS. CHILD WAS HANGING BY THE NECK. SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FULLY RETRACT SEAT BELT TO HAVE SOME SLACK. I HAVE HAD OTHER PASSENGERS REFUSE TO WEAR THE OTHER SEAT BELTS COMPLAINING THEY "LOCK UP" AND SOMETHING WAS WRONG. A CHILD COULD BE CHOKED TO DEATH. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES CHILD IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT WAS STRANGLED BY THE SEAT BELT, THE DRIVER WAS TRYING TO REMOVE CHILD FROM SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT CONTINUED TO GET TIGHTER. NLM CONSUMER HAD TO, AS A LAST RESORT, CUT CHILD FROM SEAT BELT. THE PRESSURE FROM THE TIGHTENING SEAT BELT BECAME UNBEARABLE. *JG