JUNE 2008 -- Toyota is conducting a safety improvement campaign involving 196,222 MY 2004-2006 Toyota Sienna vehicles equipped with power rear liftgate struts. The gas struts used to help lift and support the rear power liftgate could wear out sooner than expected. As the gas struts deteriorate, the performance of the liftgate will begin to degrade and the power rear liftgate will operate more slowly than when the gas struts were new. If not repaired, the gas struts may not be able to support the weight of the liftgate when it is open, and eventually, the gas struts could deteriorate to the point that the liftgate will fall about ten inches after it reaches the fully open position, at which point the power motor will engage and power the liftgate to the fully closed position. This condition may cause injury to a person who is struck by the liftgate when it falls or when it is closing. Dealers will replace the gas struts with newly designed gas struts that have a longer service lift. The campaign is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act. However, Toyota has informed NHTSA that it will provide the modifications described above. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA06-020, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 08V244

NEWS:    2004-2006 Toyota Sienna

ConsumerReports.org -- July 21,  2008 -- Toyota is conducting a safety improvement campaign on over 196,000 Toyota Sienna minivans equipped with power rear liftgate struts. The gas struts used to help lift the rear power liftgate could wear out earlier than expected and could eventually cause the liftgate to fall a few inches or completely close.

Dealers will replace the gas struts with new ones that have a longer life. Owners can contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.

MORE RECALL INFO:    Toyota Sienna

NEWS:   Toyota May Recall Minivans Pending Result of Probe

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., the world's second-largest automaker, may recall its 2004 and 2005 Sienna minivans with power rear liftgates, pending the result of an investigation by U.S. safety regulators.

We will wait for the result of the investigation and judge whether to file a recall,'' Shiori Hashimoto, a spokesman at Toyota said today. ``The case is now under investigation, and Toyota is fully cooperating with it.''

The Siennas are being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after reports of 14 injuries when the liftgates unexpectedly closed....

NEWS: 

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• LA Times - Toyota Recalls More Than 750,000 Vehicles...

• Google News Links - more Toyota Recall information...