Toyota Issues Voluntary Recall on 94,000 2011MY Sienna Minivans

Toyota said on Monday it will conduct a voluntary safety recall of some 94,000 units of its new 2011MY Sienna minivan (built before early November 2010) because of a potential problem with the brake light switch bracket. According to the Japanese automaker, due to the proximity with the parking brake, the stop lamp switch bracket could be deformed by the driver’s foot during parking brake operation.

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SEMA 2010: Sienna Swagger Wagon Supreme pops some Viagra, grows 44 inches

Apparently stretched Toyotas are going to be a big thing at SEMA this year. After recently revealing Cartel's "All Stretched Out" Scion xB, it now appears that Toyota will also show off a limousine/rolling office Sienna at SEMA in order to commemorate the popularity of its "Swagger Wagon" video.

Built in partnership with B.A.D. Company, the V6-powered "Swagger Wagon Supreme" wears a coat of Blue Swagger Opal and been stretched 44 inches. Also, this Sienna now rides on 20-inch KMC rims that hide an airbag suspension setup to make it more comfortable and easier to drive on the open road (...).

Due to the 44-inch extension, the roof panel has been replaced with an acrylic unit measuring about 8 feet. The new roof is meant to improve the "functional family vehicle's" interior ambiance.

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Question: Will Ford keep the Flex, and Moreover, Should it?

Ford has barely been moving half of what it predicted at the low end of annual Flex sales. However, since its platform is so spread out through the FoMoCo portfolio, the Flex helps spread some costs around while giving Ford a big people-mover. But there's more to the Flex than just being a box on wheels, and not enough people get it yet.

With the new Explorer "SUV" coming out, people are insinuating that the Flex could be put down if it can't start pulling more of its weight. Some argue that the two vehicles are much too similar, both seating seven, offering AWD, and being "aimed squarely at families".

Yes, they are family cars, but for different kinds of families. Two related products with two unique customers? My goodness, good thing Ford has a marketing division.

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What's One More? Toyota Announces Voluntary Safety Recall on 1998-2010 Sienna Minivans

In what is shaping up to be a huge corporate nightmare, Toyota today announced that it will launch yet another voluntary safety recall, this time involving approximately 600,000 first- and second-generation Sienna 2WD minivans sold in the U.S. to address potential corrosion in the spare tire carrier cable.

The Japanese automaker said that the recall affects certain 1998 through 2010 model year Siennas that have been primarily driven in cold climate areas with high road salt use.

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Toyota Debuts Auto Access Seat for U.S. Market 2011 Sienna

Toyota chose the 2010 Detroit Show to unveil an Auto Access Seat designed for use in the all-new 2011 Sienna minivan, which goes on sale in the States in February 2010. The Auto Access Seat offers owners a transportation solution for elderly and disabled passengers or for that matter, anyone who may need assistance getting in or out of a vehicle.

The seat, which features a one-touch operation and has a lift capacity of up to 330 lbs, rotates 90 degrees and can be lowered to within 19 inches of the ground to further facilitate easier passenger transfers at the exact height required. It also allows up to four inches of slide travel and reclining of up to 24 degrees once the passenger is inside the car.

While we've seen most Japanese automakers offering this option in their domestic market models, Toyota is the first automaker in North America to offer a factory-installed, rotating, power ascending/descending lift-up seat in of its vehicles.

The Auto Access Seat will be available on Sienna LE and XLE models with the seat fabric matching the vehicle interior fabric. Toyota said that it will come with a three-year/36,000 mile factory warranty.

2011 Toyota Sienna Minivan Priced from $24,260, Starts Lower than 2009 Model But...

Toyota has supposedly announced some good news for prospective buyers of the 2011 Sienna as the company said that its all-new people carrier starts lower than the outgoing model with the entry-level model priced at $24,260 (not including a delivery, processing and handling fee of $800) or $280 less than the 2010MY.

What Toyota avoids to emphasize is that, whereas the base version of the 2011 Sienna is powered by a 187HP 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine, the entry-level 2010MY Sienna features a 266HP 3.5-liter V6...

Same goes for the 2011 Sienna LE that is said to start lower at $25,345, but it also comes with a four-banger unlike the 2010MY Sienna LE V6 which is priced at $26,065. If you opt for a V6 on the 2011 Sienna LE, you'll pay $28,900.

But anyway, the third generation minivan's prices top out at $39,770 for the Limited all-wheel-drive model with a 3.5-liter V6 generating 266 horsepower.

Both engines are matched with an electronically controlled six-speed transmission with the Japanese automaker announcing an EPA-estimated fuel efficiency ratings of 19 mpg city / 26 mpg on the highway for the four cylinder model and 18 mpg city/24 mpg highway (AWD: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway) for the V6.

Toyota said that the new Sienna will go on sale in the States in February with the arrival of V6-powered LE, XLE and Limited models, while the four-cylinder models will begin arriving at showrooms in April.