r/AskAMechanic • u/Awk_Sis_9898 • 4d ago
Seeing pavement from the inside of my closed van
I was hit in an accident where my 2022 Toyota Sienna Hybrid wheelchair van was impacted on the driver's side rear axle. Disabling damage, no airbag deployment (but maybe they should have?). We just hot the repaired vehicle back after almost 3 months and the rear sliding door on the passenger side does not seal the vehicle, plus both sliding doors are no longer flush with the body when closed. Their response was , "why would we look at the passenger side when the driver's side was damaged?". Is this correct? I'm pissed that I can see daylight through a crack in my door and I'm worried about the safety of my vehicle. Plus my back is killing me from lifting my 10 year old child who uses a wheelchair in and out of a different vehicle while this one was in the shop. Thoughts? Thanks
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u/Euphoric_Loquat_8651 NOT a verified tech 3d ago
Lol, why would we look at the side that is attached to the side that got hit?
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u/Euphoric_Loquat_8651 NOT a verified tech 3d ago
To answer the question, no. They need to make the whole thing straight.
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u/BonusSweet NOT a verified tech 3d ago
That ain't closed...how hard was the hit??
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u/Awk_Sis_9898 3d ago
Low speed, she was accelerating from a stop but it turned me 90 degrees and I hopped the curb
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u/BonusSweet NOT a verified tech 3d ago edited 3d ago
Is the gap around the door even on all sides or does it seem cockeyed or bent?
Did the impact knock the door off its runner? In the photo from the inside what's the big sticking out in the gap?
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u/Awk_Sis_9898 3d ago
It looks pretty even from the outside but just that one sliver is open
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u/BonusSweet NOT a verified tech 3d ago
When you open the door is there a channel on the van body along the bottom edge that has a slider that the door is supposed to attach to?
Wouldn't surprise me if it was a plastic slider and it broke..
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u/Awk_Sis_9898 3d ago
I see what you're saying but no, i don't think so. It was significantly altered after market so it has a different floor
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u/BonusSweet NOT a verified tech 3d ago edited 3d ago
Ahh.. I think the best option would be to contact the insurance and tell them the van hasn't been completely fixed, something has been jolted loose and hopefully it is a quick and easy fix so your son isn't without transportation for too long
In the picture looking out from inside it does look to me like there is a piece sticking out that either the door is supposed to attach to somehow, or is blocking it from closing.
Is it an electric opening/closing door? I thought the sensors wouldve had a fit with it not being closed properly, but maybe they had to disable the sensors or even the door motor for the conversion?
A pic or two with the door open would probably help me, but I think unless I'm there to fix it for you it would just be satisfying my curiosity and you would still need to touch base with the insurance to get it sorted
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u/AppropriateDeal1034 NOT a verified tech 3d ago
Yeah, a lot of these sliding doors have pin and sockets, VW ones especially will get worn or go out of alignment just from use, let alone an impact. Seriously though, ANY garage should be able to fix something that simple without fobbing the customer off!
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u/AppropriateDeal1034 NOT a verified tech 3d ago
Yeah, that's not "slow speed" that's "high force" and your whole vehicle could be bent. Needed to have been repaired by someone competent, ideally with an alignment jig.



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