X

Toyota recalls 744,000 Sienna minivans for doors that may open while driving

This wouldn't be a problem if 100 percent of people buckled up, but we know that's not a feasible goal.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
See full bio
Andrew Krok

When a vehicle is moving at speed, doors are at their most effective when closed. One that inadvertently opens could cause a world of trouble, which is why recalled more than 700,000 Sienna minivans .

Toyota issued a recall for approximately 744,000 Sienna minivans. All the affected vans are between the 2011 and 2016 model years. Build dates for the vehicles in question have not been supplied.

The issue relates to the electrical system for the Sienna's sliding doors. In certain circumstances, if a sliding door is impeded while opening, it could overload the door's motor circuit and open a fuse. If that happens when the door isn't closed, the door might pop open while driving. Naturally, thais presents a huge safety risk, especially considering children are often in the back of minivans.

There is no official fix on the books yet -- Toyota is still engineering itself a remedy. Regardless, the automaker will still send out recall notices to all affected owners by first-class mail. That campaign should be complete by the middle of January.

Owners can also head to Toyota's website and input their VINs to see if they have any open recalls.