2004 TOYOTA SIENNA User Comment / Complaint

(1) we have a 2004-2005 toyota sienna xle with the back hatch that opens and closes automatically. we used our back hatch regularly and it hasn't been misused. we have opened it using the keyless remote, the ceiling mounted keypad, and manually. however, our hatch has not been working properly since february 2006. (2) when we use the button on our keyless remote or on the ceiling mounted keypad, the hatch opens but as soon as it reaches the maximum height, it automatically closes. when it encounters an obstacle, it does not open again as it should, but rather continues to close unless extreme force is applied. i have been trapped by the door on several occasions and my daughter (age 3) was almost pinned by the door as well. when we try to open the door manually, the automatic hatch does not work at all so we have to prop the door open with a large wooden stake or try to hold it open with one hand while attempting to place items in the trunk with the other hand. at times the stake has fallen causing the door to slam shut quickly. also, at a certain height, the door will just begin to close automatically even though i am attempting to hold it open. i find this situation to be extremely dangerous and have avoided using our back hatch whenever possible. in addition, the automatic side doors are also supposed to reopen if they encounter an obstacle, but i have found that this is not the case. they require a great amount of force to reopen. the doors have almost shut on our children several times. had i not been standing right there to force the door open, they would have been pinned. i am very concerned about the danger of this situation as well. (3) we attempted to fix the back hatch earlier this spring, but the service department did not have the part and said it would take 30 days b/f it would come in. we have not taken it back, particularly b/c the cost of replacing the part was $300+ which is too expensive for us at this point.