2008 Toyota Sienna Seat Belts Problems

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INSTALL MY FORWARD FACING CAR SEAT USING LATCH, I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE HOOK FOR THE TOP TETHER, THAT SHOULD BE LOCATED BEHIND EACH OF MY 2ND ROW SEATS. DESPITE CHECKING THE MANUFACTURERS MANUAL, I WAS MERELY ABLE TO LOCATE WHAT FELT LIKE A HOOK THAT IS COMPLETELY COVERED BY FABRIC. NOT KNOWING ANY BETTER, I MISTAKENLY HOOKED THE TETHER STRAP TO ANOTHER HOOK THAT WAS LOCATED BEHIND THE SEAT. IN COMPLETING A CPST COURSE, I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS PRACTICE COULD HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INJURED OR KILLED MY CHILD IF WE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A WRECK. MY CPST INSTRUCTORS AGREED WITH MY SUSPICION THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE SEATS, AND THAT THE TETHER BAR SHOULD NOT BE COMPLETELY COVERED BY FABRIC. MY FEAR IS THAT OTHER FAMILIES WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN AT RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH BECAUSE THEY AREN'T UTILIZING THE TOP TETHER SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ACCESS THE BAR FOR IT.

THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT HAS STARTED RELEASING ITSELF DURING MOTION; THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE. IN ADDITION, WHEN STATIONARY AND ABOUT TO DRIVE, WHEN I TRY TO LATCH THE SEATBELT IT HAS BECOME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE SEATBELT TO LATCH. IN ADDITION, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF THE SEATBELT WHEN STOPPING DRIVING BECAUSE IT IS STUCK IN THE LATCH. THIS COMBINATION OF SELF-RELEASE, NON-LATCHING, AND BEING STUCK IS A SERIOUS DANGER HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY TOYOTA. THE VEHICLE IS UNDRIVEABLE IN THIS CONDITION.

OUR TOYOTA SIENNA HAS 2 SEAT BELTS THAT WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION PROPERLY. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA (CASE# 1609160545) TOYOTA REFUSES TO STAND BEHIND THIS SAFETY RELATED FAILURE. THIS IS OUR FAMILIES MAIN TRANSPORTATION AND WE KEEP IT MAINTAINED. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. A VEHICLE MANUFACTURER HAS AN INCUMBENT DUTY TO DELIVER A PRODUCT THAT IS SAFE FOR CONSUMER USE. I FIND IT VERY CONCERNING TOYOTA FEELS IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO OFFER SEAT BELTS THAT WILL OPERATE PROPERLY FOR THE LIFE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS VEHICLE. WE HAVE SEATS WE CAN'T PUT OUR CHILDREN IN DUE TO THE FACT, THERE IS NO RESTRAINTS TO KEEP THEM SAFE. IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE.

MIDDLE ROW PASSENGER SEAT BELT JAMMED AND WILL NOT RELEASE IT IS LOCKED. UNABLE TO USE SEATBELT. WE WERE ON VACATION AT THE TIME HAD TO DRIVE OVER A 1000 MILES HOME WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO USE THE SEATBELT!! IT HAD JAMMED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND AFTER SEVERAL TRIES I WAS ABLE TO UNJAM BUT THIS TIME NOT ABLE TO RELEASE IT. TOOK TO DEALER TODAY FOR THE SPARE TIRE RECALL FIX (BEEN DRIVING AROUND WITH SPARE TIRE IN MY TRUNK UNABLE TO FOLD SEATS DOWN AND USE VAN AS NEEDED FOR ALMOST A YEAR) AND TO HAVE THE SEAT BELT REPAIRED THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY IS BROKEN THIS IS A $496.00 (PARTS AND LABOR) REPAIR.!!! SINCE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BY TOYOTA. PART NUMBER #73301AE011B0

THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT HAS FOLDED OVER AND JAMMED. IT IS NOT ABLE TO RETRACT NOW. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BECAME JAMMED AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED. I WAS 3 MILES AWAY FROM HOME AND, AFTER STRUGGLING FOR A WHILE, HAD TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT WEARING A SEATBELT. WE HAD TO TAKE APART THE INTERIOR PANEL TO FIX THE SEATBELT. I HAVE GOOGLED AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE SIENNA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME INOPERABLE AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

THE DRIVER SEAT SEATBELT KEEPS JAMMING, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WON'T UNJAM. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FOLDS UP ON ITSELF AND WON'T RELEASE OR RETRACT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT'S HAPPENED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON BOTH OCCASIONS AND WAS ADVISED TO NOT "YANK THE BELT HARD." PILLAR COVER WAS REMOVED AND SEAT BELT WAS FOUND TO BE "ALL TWISTED INSIDE." IT WAS "ADJUSTED TO NORMAL OPERATION;" HOWEVER, IT COST ME $108 TO GET IT FIXED. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN IN ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED AND THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT BECOME LOOSE AROUND THE PASSENGER UNTIL THE SEAT BELT WAS UNLATCHED. THE SEAT BELT HAD BECOME EXTREMELY TIGHT AROUND THE PASSENGER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED. AFTER HAVING THE SEAT BELT REPLACED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE SEAT WAS TILTED IN A RECLINED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT FOUND THE SECOND ROW SEAT BELT WRAPPED AROUND HER CHILD'S STOMACH. THE CHILD COULD NOT BE FREED FROM THE SEAT BELT, AND IT CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN AROUND HER STOMACH. THE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE PHYSICALLY CUT IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE CHILD. THE CHILD WAS FRIGHTENED, BUT UNINJURED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,108. UPDATED 07/15/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIRS MADE. UPDATED 07/15/08