# 2009 TOYOTA SIENNA — STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
> NHTSA complaint `966840` · 2013-03-06 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** SIENNA
- **Year:** 2009
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
- **Miles at failure:** 48,000
## Narrative
THE AUTOMATIC REAR LIFT GATE CLOSES PREMATURELY.  THE ABOVE DATE IS THE LAST TIME AN INJURY WAS CAUSED.  I THINK THAT THE GAS STRUTS ARE DEFECTIVE, AND CAN NO LONGER SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE LIFT GATE, WHICH CAUSES THE GATE TO CLOSE PREMATURELY.   THE FAILURE HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR.  ON ONE OCCASION, THE GATE STRUCK THE BRIDGE OF MY NOSE AND CAUSED A SMALL LACERATION.   I THINK THAT THE STRUTS CAN NO LONGER SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE LIFTGATE WHEN IT IS OPEN, SO THE LIFTGATE WILL FALL ABOUT TEN INCHES AFTER IT REACHES THE FULLY OPEN POSITION, AT WHICH POINT THE POWER MOTOR WILL ENGAGE THE POWER LIFTGATE TO THE FULLY CLOSED POSITION. THIS HAS CAUSED INJURY TO ME BECAUSE I WAS STRUCK BY LIFTGATE WHEN IT FALLS OR CLOSES. I THINK THAT TOYOTA SHOULD CORRECT THE DEFECT BY REPLACING THE GAS STRUTS WITH REDESIGNED GAS STRUTS THAT HAVE LONGER SERVICE LIFE.   *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*