Affected Years: 2016, 2017, 2018 Toyota Sienna. Our law firm is also investigating 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Toyota Sienna for the same issues.
These issues seem to arise from defects in the Power Sliding Door Mechanism.
If you have purchased a Toyota Sienna, Guardian Lemon Law wants you to know there is a safety issue with the minivan. Owners of the 2016-2018 Toyota Sienna have reported some issues with the vehicle’s sliding door. They can fail to close or open, and may open when the vehicle is in motion. This is a significant safety hazard, and we urge you to contact Toyota if you have experienced this issue.
There have already been lemon law claims and cases being filed in the State of California, with the results setting in motion a recall for this particular issue. If you want to know if your Toyota Sienna qualifies, please contact Guardian Lemon Law at your earliest opportunity. We will prepare a review of your case details, complete an evaluation, and advise if your vehicle meets all the eligibility requirements. Guardian Lemon Law wants you to know that we can sue Toyota for selling you a defective, lemon Toyota Sienna.
If you need a lawyer experienced in Toyota Sienna sliding door malfunction lemon law cases, Guardian Lemon Law will be ready to help you get this issue resolved. We are ready to file a claim or in representing you in a court of law if necessary.
Introduction to Basic California Lemon Law
The consumer protection law, commonly known as the Lemon Law in California, actually refers to a law passed by the California legislature in 1970. The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, referred to as the Lemon Law, is usually only known to cover newly purchased cars. In actual fact, it applies to new and used automobiles, bought or leased, as long as they are sold with a factory warranty remaining. It also applies to other consumer purchases, such as homes and appliances. The basis of the original law is that it holds the manufacturer of the product responsible for honoring their express warranty on the product, and expecting accountability for replacement or buyback after a reasonable number of attempts to repair the product. The subject of the claim must qualify for it to be eligible for coverage under the Lemon Law. When you need a Toyota Sienna lemon law attorney, Guardian Lemon Law should be your first call. We will perform an evaluation of the asset, your issues, and determine if the Lemon Law will apply.
What Qualifies A Vehicle Repair Issue As Eligible For Lemon Law?
The qualifications are simple and straightforward. In addition to those listed below, the Statue of Limitations cannot have been exceeded for your vehicle.
- The vehicle is covered under the manufacturer’s new car warranty or certified pre-owned warranty and must remain so during all attempts at repair
- The vehicle cannot have been misused in a manner that may have caused or contributed to the defect
- You must have allowed the dealer or manufacturer representative a reasonable number of attempts to repair the issue with the vehicle. This is defined as two attempts for a problem that could cause injury, and four attempts for non-safety affecting defects, or there is a total period of thirty days during which the car is unavailable to you during the repair efforts
- The defect that exists on the vehicle must be considered substantial, defined as impacting the use, safety, or value of the automobile
If you believe these have been met, please contact Guardian Lemon Law immediately. We can provide you with a lemon lawyer to sue Toyota for a sliding door malfunction when they cannot get it repaired.
Is There A Time Limit For Filing A Lemon Lawsuit Against Toyota?
The Statute of Limitations in the State of California to file a Lemon Law claim, as of 2025, has two different time limits. The first one is one year from the expiration of the vehicle’s original factory warranty. The second time limit is six years from the date you take delivery of your vehicle. The time limit that applies is the earliest of the two dates.
The Issues, Defects And Experiences on your 2016-2018 Toyota Sienna
As we stated above, the sliding doors may fail to open or close, and they may open up unexpectedly.
There were a number of common issues reported by Toyota, but in 2017, they issued a technical service bulletin on August 2nd.
- Corrosion on the front latch pin
- Corrosion on the rear latch pin
Toyota designed a testing and replacement process as part of the bulletin.
The common issues not related to the bulletin are:
- The most common problem is the cable that operates the power door breaks or becomes frayed
- The motor assembly itself may fail, which is a costly repair
- Debris in the track or damage to the electrical wire harness can prevent operation
This issue will make the vehicle unreliable with potential component failure. If you need to file a Toyota Sienna defective power sliding door mechanism lemon lawsuit, please don’t hesitate to contact Guardian Lemon Law.
Filing A Lemon Law Claim Or Lawsuit
As mentioned above, the first step we take is to determine the qualification of your vehicle. The second step is validation that the vehicle is still covered under the statute of limitations. The next step is determining if you need to file a lawsuit or just a claim. What distinguishes the two is generally the documentation that you have that proves qualification and is authored by the dealer. If the proof is there, the dealer is likely to contact Toyota and work with you. The documentation should cover the following:
- All original documents for the purchase, including any documentation on your warranty
- The records for your vehicle repairs and scheduled maintenance
- All documentation regarding the repair efforts of the vehicle, including dated records of drop-offs and pickups to account for the time without your minivan
- Your out-of-pocket receipts for money spent when it wasn’t drivable, like towing costs, rental, or similar
How Do Lemon Law Claims And Lawsuits Get Resolved?
Resolution of a lemon law claim or lawsuit is done in one of two ways. The manufacturer can replace your vehicle with a similar model if available and at a similar value. The other option open to you and them is a vehicle buyback. The value of your vehicle is established as the purchase price, any fees paid, with a deduction for miles put on the vehicle prior to your very first repair claim. There is a third option that is sometimes used, where the manufacturer will offer you a cash settlement, and you get to keep your vehicle. This generally occurs during negotiations, though it is less common than the two resolutions outlined under the California lemon law. When we file your Toyota Sienna sliding door malfunction lemon law lawsuit, we are committed to getting you the very best outcome we can.
The remedy that you wish to have is your decision. The other things that we will pursue for damages is your out-of-pocket expenses. Things like lost income while dealing with the issue and taking the car to Toyota to deal with, as well as any related expenses like towing costs, car rental fees, and similar. In California, the manufacturer is responsible for your legal fees as well.
Guardian Lemon Law And Our Zero-Fee Guarantee
When you need an experienced lemon law attorney, there are a few differences that demonstrate why Guardian Lemon Law is suited to represent you.
Our initial consultations are always free of charge. There is no obligation for you to hire Guardian Lemon Law either. If you have been working with another law firm and they have gone dark, are not responding to your questions for updates or status, you have a right to change lawyers. If that happens to you, we also offer a free second opinion on your case. You can evaluate us and how we respond, and we will be honest in what we tell you about your case, including the chances of winning against Toyota.
Guardian Lemon Law offers a Zero-Fee Guarantee. This means you will never have to worry about out-of-pocket expenses being paid to us before we go to work. The guarantee extends all the way If we don’t win your case, we will not bill you for representation. Please call Guardian Lemon Law when you need a Toyota Sienna sliding door malfunction lemon lawyer that will pursue Toyota to get you what you deserve.
