Sending another letter to Toyota:

Last evening, December 26, 2025, the cable in the driver-side power sliding door on our 2018 Toyota Sienna SE broke off. We were able to close the door manually, but now it can’t be opened. We are on our ski trip to Vermont, which is about 500 miles away from home. We are deeply concerned with our family safety. We are a family of 6: my wife and I with 4 small children.

We also own a 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE. One cable broke off last year and another cable broke off about six months ago. Both of our sliding doors broke, but they can still be used manually.

The cost for replacing the cable is around $2,500. For 3 doors, that will cost us $7,500. Once the passenger door on our 2018 Toyota Sienna SE snaps off as well, that will cost us $10,000. But the more pressing issue is that we cannot open the driver-side sliding door on our 2018 Toyota Sienna SE.

We are in the process of looking for a new minivan. We almost went with the 2026 Toyota Sienna Woodland, but the sliding door issues have made us change our mind. We loved Toyota and had been loyal customers. Is there anything you can do for us?

Thanks,
Donny Truong

On December 29, 2025, two days after I sent a letter to Toyota Brand Engagement Center, they responded:

Dear Donny Truong,

Thank you for contacting us at Toyota. We are sorry to hear you are experiencing inoperative sliding doors on your 2018 Sienna. We appreciate the description you provided regarding the door and cable assembly. Based on your description it is possible you are experiencing an issue that might be covered under a Customer Support Program.

We have researched your [2018 Sienna SE] and have determined your vehicle is involved in Customer Support Program ZKD provides an extension of warranty for Certain 2011 – 2018 Model Year Sienna Vehicles Coverage for the Power Sliding Door Cable Sub-Assembly. We would recommend contacting your local Toyota dealer for an inspection of your vehicle to determine if your vehicle qualifies under the customer support program based on an inspection. If you are currently on a trip, it may be best to schedule an inspection with a dealer near your residence.

Each Toyota dealer has a Customer Relations Manager who oversees operations and addresses customers’ concerns. We’d like to refer you to the Customer Relations Manager, at Priority Toyota Springfield, so they can address your sliding door concern.

If you’d like us to contact Priority Toyota Springfield on your behalf and have a member of the dealer’s management team follow up with you directly, please reply to this comment.

Please know, we have documented your experience here at Toyota National Headquarters under reference #***********. If you have any other questions, please contact us.

Sincerely,
Matt
Toyota Brand Engagement Center

On Monday, after we came back from our ski trip in Vermont, I took our Sienna 2018 SE to Ourisman Toyota, which is closer to our home than Priority Toyota Springfield. With the authorization from Toyota National Headquarters, the dealer went ahead and fixed the sliding door on the driver side with no additional charge.

After our Sienna 2018 SE, I brought in our 2011 Sienna XLE to see if they would fix both sliding doors since they were broken. Ourisman Toyota informed me that they can’t replace them because the Customer Support Program ZKD had expired on my vehicle. Once again, I wrote to Toyota Brand Engagement Center on January 7, 2026:

Dear Brand Management Advocate,

Several years ago, both of the cable sliding doors on our 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE broke off. We only recently learned about the Customer Support Program ZKD provides an extension of warranty for Certain 2011 – 2018 Model Year Sienna Vehicles Coverage for the Power Sliding Door Cable Sub-Assembly.

We took our minivan to Ourisman Toyota to replace them, but they declined because the warranty had expired. We took our minivan to Ourisman for oil change every 10,000 miles for many years and they never told us about the cable recall. Furthermore, we never received any notice about the recall from Toyota Corporation. We found out about the recall because our 2018 Toyota Sienna SE had the same issue and had been replaced.

Is there anything you can do to help us resolve this issue? We have been loyal customers of Toyota for many years. We own two Siennas and in the process of buying a 2026 Sienna Woodland edition.

Again, we would appreciate your help. Here’s the dealership contact info:

Ourisman Fairfax Toyota
(703) 359-1010
10441 Fairfax Blvd.
Fairfax, VA 22030

Sincerely yours,
Donny Truong

On January 8, 2026 at 1:48 pm, I received a respond from a Brand Management Advocate:

Thank you for contacting the Toyota Brand Engagement Center.

We are sorry to learn your 2011 Toyota Sienna is experiencing concerns with the sliding doors.

Toyota strives to produce long-lasting, trouble-free vehicles and parts, and while we can’t predict an average life expectancy for any specific part or component, we do provide our Toyota limited factory warranty, which reflects our confidence in the products we offer.

According to your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), ************, the warranty for the sliding doors is 3 years, or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first starting from the vehicle’s in-service date: 12/13/2010. In addition, Toyota initiated a Customer Support Program for the sliding doors cables for your VIN. This was not a recall and was dependent on a Toyota dealer inspection during the warranty period. This program expired: 12/13/20. We have confirmed there are no current recalls or customer support programs related to your sliding door cable concerns. Once a vehicle is outside of the manufacturer’s warranty, repairs become the owner’s responsibility.

We aren’t able to offer any assistance in this instance due to the age of your vehicle. If we were to initiate any type of Safety Recall Campaign in the future relating to your vehicle, we will notify you directly via first class mail.

We truly appreciate your feedback. Through communication like yours, we learn about our guests’ dealership interactions as well as guest’s expectations to help improve the customer service experience.

Please know, we have documented your experience here at Toyota National Headquarters. If you have any other questions, please contact us.

Sincerely,
Michael M.
Toyota Brand Engagement Center

An hour before I received the respond from Toyota Brand Engagement Center, Brett Maclean, Parts & Service Director at Ourisman Toyota, called me to let me know that Toyota won’t cover the sliding doors. Again, the reason was that the Customer Support Program ZKD had expired. I argued it was expired because I didn’t know about it. I took my car in for oil change every 10,000 miles since I purchased our car in 2011. The technicians always gave me a list of issues that would cost thousands and thousands of dollars to fix, but they never mentioned about Customer Support Program ZKD for the sliding doors. The only way I found out about it was because I contacted the Toyota Brand Engagement Center. He informed me that Ourisman Toyota as well as Toyota Corporation didn’t tell any customers about the issue unless customers come to them, like I did, to tell them about the issue.

I was horrified to hear about their shady business practice. Toyota Sienna is a family car and they are willing to put our family members at risk. When the cable on our 2018 Sienna SE sliding door snapped, the sliding door was completely shut. If we were in an accident and the car were caught on fire, the kids wouldn’t be able to escape. Both of the sliding doors in our 2011 Sienna XLE are now being used manually. If we park the car on the hill the doors would slide really fast because they don’t have the cables to hold them. I have to make sure that my kids’ arms and fingers were all clear from the sliding doors so no body parts get jammed for cut off.

We had always loved Toyota, especially the Sienna model for our family, but I am disappointed with their shady business practice—with safety issue in particular. They need to do better.

If you own a Toyota Sienna from 2016 to now and your sliding door cable snapped, bring your car to the dealer to get them fixed with no charge.

On Tuesday, I took the jacket test to be able to teach skiing for Vail Resorts. I went through the entire level-one lesson according to the course progression I had learned. I passed the test.

I am now among a few instructors who can teach both skiing and snowboarding. Teaching skiing is easier than teaching snowboarding. Learning skiing is also more pleasurable than learning snowboarding.

If you are going to spend three days or less on the slopes, learn skiing. If you can spend over seven days, learn snowboarding. If you return to the slopes season after season, learn both. I am definitely glad that I did both. The Epic Pass had allowed me the time and the affordability to learn.

On Monday, I taught three teenagers snowboarding. While we were on the chair lift together, they informed me that they wished they had learned snowboarding when they were younger. I assured them it was never too late to learn. I only learned to snowboard three years ago at the age of 44. I learned to ski, figure skate, and rollerblade when I turned 40. In recent months, I dabbled in skateboarding too.

Even though these sports have some similarities—they required balance—each one needs tremendous amount of time to advance. As a result, I only carved out what I wanted to learn. Yes, my goal is to carve and to enjoy my time during the winter season.

I didn’t know anything about Harry Bliss except that drew covers for The New Yorker. I picked up his graphic memoir, You Can Never Die, and learned so much about his life. The pieces came from his journal. He wrote about his dogs, his family, his work, and his personal issues.

My kids have always wanted to get a dog, but I have been strongly opposing it. Of course, I understand all the benefits of having a dog around, but also know that I can’t handle my emotions. Once I attach my emotions into a dog, I won’t be able to carry on if the dog passes away. Reading his entries about his dog Penny and how he and his wife dealt with Penny’s passing, I am confident that I had made the right decision.

Memories of his parents weren’t so good. He describes it as, “ living with family dysfunction marinated in narcissism.” He reveals:

Two years ago my mom told me that for most of my life, up until I was in my thirties, my father thought I wasn’t his son. I know, crazy! My mom became pregnant with me shortly after a trip to California to visit her parents. So, naturally, Dad always suspected she cheated on him while she was out west… traveling with her three kids!

If what Mom told me is true, it explains a lot, mainly why my father treated me like I was the child of another man who fucked his wife.

He writes honestly about his drinking:

I am an alcoholic. There, I admit it. Now leave me alone. My wife worries about my drinking, and sometimes I do too, but I don’t know what to do. I’ve cut back. The truth is, drinking makes my life better. Don’t we all want a good quality of life? Of course we do. Some find coffee improves the quality of their mornings, and others find that it’s certain foods, working out, nature, meditation, money, drugs, or sex-so many choices! But for me, it’s booze.

On bullying, which I am going to quote a long passage, Bliss writes:

A few weeks later, during one of our neighborhood soccer games on the front lawns, Marky was playing with us. At one point he tripped and fell on the ground. I piled on top of him, gave him a few punches in his ribs, and when we both got up, I kicked him back to the ground. I was surprised to find his father watching the whole thing. Marky’s father came over and helped his son off the ground, and as he did this, he leaned over to me and said softly, “Harry, don’t you ever lay a hand on my son again.” When he said this, I was silent; I didn’t respond. I believe I was in shock. He put his arm around his son, and together they walked back to their home. I simply turned around and walked back to my house.

The whole thing felt so strange. I didn’t know what to make of any of it. I went into my bedroom, shut the door, and sat on the edge of my bed. I have a vivid memory of crying, bawling my eyes out. It wasn’t the kind of crying I was used to—angry crying. This was another kind, maybe it was shame crying. I bawled in that room for about ten minutes. I remember this because I put on “Riders on the Storm” by the Doors to drown out my sobs so that no one in the house could hear me. I know that song is about eight minutes long.

Something had happened to me. I realized that Marky, this poor kid who I bullied, had people who loved him and cared for him. He had a father and a mother and a little brother, a family. If they found out what a bastard I had been to him, it would’ve broken their hearts. I suppose sitting there on the edge of my bed I understood this, and I couldn’t stop crying. I hated myself. I still hate myself for what I put that kid through. Marky’s family moved away that year, and I never had the chance to tell him how sorry I was for hurting him. I wish I could go back in time and be Marky’s friend, but I can’t.

You Can Never Die is poignant, honest, and sometimes hilarious. Reading his memoir makes me want to go back to my blog entries, which are 10,161 posts at this time, to put together my own memoir. One day I will.

I was planning on taking all the required clinics and taking the test so I can teach skiing, but no trainer came to work today. I was assigned to teach a four-year-old boy snowboarding. He gave me a great workout for three hours. I was surprised that he could last that long. Apparently, his parents had been watching us from afar. His father gave me a generous tip afterward. Last season, I did not get any tip at all; therefore, today was a great start.

I thought I was off the hook in the afternoon, but I was assigned to teach three teenagers who had never snowboard before. One girl skied when she was young. A boy and a girl can do RipStik. As a result, they picked up snowboard really fast. I also had two new instructors shadowing me. We had three students and three instructors. We were able to take the guests to Sidewinder. It was a fun lesson.

Today I had one-on-one training with Mr. Tim Schlaile, an experienced ski instructor who had been teaching for 25 years. He walked me through the entire progression of teaching a level-one skiing lesson. Even after a quarter of century, Mr. Schlaile was still filled with passion in his teaching. I learned so much from him. I am now confident that I can teach first-time-ever guests with proper techniques. I am going to take the test to teach skiing as soon as I can.

At the end of our training, I thanked him for showing me the rope. His reply made my day: “It’s rare to have someone who can teach both [snowboard and ski]. You’re a good asset to our school.”

As a note taker, I asked Mr. Schlaile if I could pull out my phone to write down all the steps and he was cool with it. Here are the steps:

1. Introduce yourself (learn guests’ names)
2. Check boots, helmet, and mittens
3. Explain parts of the ski
4. Talk about the poles
5. Demo athlete stand (goalie position)
6. Skate with one foot or both feet
7. Side step uphill
8. Glide straight down bunny hill
9. Glide wedge (brake emergencies)
10. Make a left turn (put right hand on right knee)
11. Make a right turn
12. Explain the lift (2 people per chair)
13. Explain how to get off the lift (lean forward and go straight down)
14. Traverse across the hill with braking wedge
15. Make J turn
16. Make C turn
17. Make S turn

Today kicked off my second season as an instructor for the ski and ride school at Whitetail. We welcomed many new snowboarding instructors. As a result, the trainers needed to train the new instructors first. I asked our lead instructor if I could take skiing clinics instead and he approved.

I switched out my boots and my snowboard fellows sarcastically shook their heads in disapproval. Ski vs. snowboard battle never ended. I loved them both and I wanted to coach in both. As I joined the ski crew, I talked to another skier instructor who had taught skiing at Whitetail for a decade. He told me he lives in Vienna, which made me remember the conversation we had five years ago. I recognized his face and his voice. Five years ago, I took my first ski ever with David Mendelowitz right at Whitetail. That first lesson, which my wife signed me up without my consent, changed my wife.

I told Mr. Mendelowitz that he took me on the First Class Magic Carpet at the end of our lesson. I zoomed straight down without stopping or crashing into anyone else while he was yelling, “Pizza, pizza, pizza.” He laughed and joked, “I guess I didn’t do a bad job.” Since I was standing next to him this afternoon as a fellow instructor, he had done a phenomenal job. I finally had a chance to thank him.

In hindsight, Whitetail and I are meant for each other. On January 20, 2020, I took my first ever skiing lesson at Whitetail with Mr. Mendelowitz. On February 21, 2024, I took a skiing lesson with Ms. Mary Poscover and she encouraged me to become an instructor. When I applied for the ski and ride instructor position, I chose Liberty because it was 10 minutes closer to our house. Liberty rejected my application. I applied for Whitetail and was hired.

In retrospect, I had only been skiing for four seasons and snowboarding for three. We skipped 2020-2021 because of Covid. It seems as if I had been skiing and snowboarding for a while. I hope to continue for many years to come.

Nas is, without a doubt, a hip-hop living legend. Thirty years in, he is still lyrically at the top of his game. With DJ Supreme holding down the productions, Nas takes us back to the good ole days of hip-hop: “Welcome to the underground, that basement life / Way underneath the earth, dig up dirt, termites and baby mice, scatterin’ / Below the surface, we deep in the soil, we jackhammerin’.” Those storytelling details epitomize Nas.

If you are interested in how hip-hop was created, check out “Pause Tape.” Nas reminisces: “Grab a piece of vinyl, drop the needle at the top / Listen for a beat to rock, ninety minute tape, I got enough time / Play it one time, four bars / Press record, then press pause, then restart / Record, loop, repeat / Do that ’bout twenty times, yo, I made my first beat.”

Hip-hop was not just about DJing and MCing, graffiti-writing was also essential. Nas rhymes, “See, I’m a writer in rap form / But these are writers that bomb trains and subway platforms / Courageous, bravest, street creators / They synonymous with DJs, rappers, and breakers.” He also gives a shout-out to all the female MCs: “Startеd with Sha-Rock, fifty years later, women is on top / Bahamadia, Missy, Moniе, Lyte, and Queen Latifah / Ms. Lauryn Hill, it’s an honor for me to even meet ya.” He went on, “Roxanne Shanté, we both call QB home / Doechii pushing the culture, I’m inspired by Salt-N-Pepa / Nicki, Foxy, and Kim, and Megan, Cardi, and Left Eye (Plus) / Nothin’ realer than Latto, GloRilla, and Rah Digga / Remy, Rapsody, and Eve, all straight killers.”

Nas even recognizes his Chinese community in NYC: “Stress’ll cut your life short, I’m from egg rolls and duck sauce.” Nas has always been a storyteller and he has figured out a formula to evaluate his storytelling: He uses one producer. Light-Years is a solid collaboration between Nas and Mc. Premier. When Nas rhymes, “The illest style right here, ’til I got white hair / Gettin’ foul-type stares. We ahead, light-years.” You better believe him.

As I was catching up on emails, I came across the following message from our kids’ elementary school principal:

Dear Laurel Ridge Elementary School Community,

I am writing to let you know that we have recently been made aware of a student using racist language at school today.

I want to reiterate that FCPS does not tolerate discriminatory harassment in our schools. This incident does not align with the environment we seek to cultivate at Laurel Ridge Elementary School. FCPS has made a commitment that when incidents like this occur, we will be transparent in addressing them and clear in our commitment to our school environment.

Every student in FCPS has the right to feel safe, respected, and affirmed in our schools. Words matter — in every context and every situation. In partnership with the FCPS Chief Equity Office, we will continue working within our school to foster dialogue about dignity, belonging, and humanization. I encourage you to engage in these conversations at home as well.

I am grateful that FCPS doesn’t tolerate these types of behavior. In reminiscing, I wondered if the middle school I attended had this policy in place. In my middle school, I was called all sort of names including “Chink,” “Ching Chong,” “Gook,” and “Slanted Eyes.” Even though I did not understand English, I could tell the sounds of those words weren’t nice. Of course, I could read the smirks on their faces.

Most of the time, I ignored their bullying. One time—after my father left us to go back to Vietnam permanently—I couldn’t take it anymore. I got into a fight with another kid because he called one of those names. After the incident, the assistant principal asked me what happened. I didn’t know enough English to tell him that another student had used racist language against me. I was suspended for three days.

I didn’t even know what suspended meant until he told me to pack my bookbag, go home, and stay home for three days. Staying home for three days was a punishment? The consequence of staying home for those three days was that my grades dropped from As to Cs. My name was taken off the honor roll list. From that day on, my revenge was to focus on my studies. If I couldn’t beat them with my fist, I could beat them with my GPA.

Even though those years are now way behind, I can never forget. Raising four boys, I always checked with them to see if they were being bullied or discriminated against with racial slurs. I am relieved that they haven’t had to deal with these incidents.

I am glad that our principal addressed the issue and brought it to our attention. Racial discrimination has no place in our schools.

Last season, I documented each day I spent on the terrains. I spent 57 days teaching, skiing, and riding with my family. It was a great way to track my progress. This season, I want to try something different. I only write when I make notable progress.

The first two days back went horrible. I was so excited to be back that I forgot to take it easy. I even forgot to stretch. On the first day back, I hopped on my skis and went straight to the blue and double-black terrains. By 1:00 pm, I was wiped out. The second day, I switched to snowboarding and I did the same thing. Once again, my legs and feet got burned out so badly that I had to wrap up before 2:00 pm.

My body couldn’t handle these winter sports anymore. I either am getting old or was drinking too much during off season that it put a toll on my body. Or that I needed some liquor to keep me going. After I had two sample bourbon shots on Tuesday, I hadn’t had a drink since I started to ski and snowboard.

On the third day, I took it easy. I stretched and started off skiing on the green terrains in the morning. In the afternoon, I went on more challenging trails. Still, I wrapped up around 2:00 pm again. My legs gave out.

This morning I woke up with a migraine. I just wanted to stay in bed and read, but I knew in my heart I had to go. The mountains were calling. I took my time to stretch out in my dorm room. I popped a pill of Aleve, ate breakfast, and managed to catch the shuttle to Stowe around 8:20 am. I needed the Aleve to clear my head.

I told myself that it was going to be an easy snowboarding day. I just needed to ride down the slopes making nice “S” turns. I was not going to work on carving with my body low to the ground. I was not going to touch the snow with my hands. I laid low on the green and blue terrains on the learning side (Spruce Peak). Yet, the blue trail was icy.

After lunch, I headed over to Mansfield to take the Gondola, which opened for the first time today, to the top. I missed riding the Gondola. The blue trails were so nice. They weren’t icy and they weren’t too steep that I couldn’t carve. Unintentionally, my left hand touched the snow on my toe side as I dip low. I didn’t have to try too hard and I didn’t fall down. I tried with my right hand on my heel side and I had a bit of trouble. I fell on my butt a couple of times. I was determined to keep working on it. I hopped on the Gondola once again. I fell a few more times on my heel side before I got a hang of it.

I hopped back on the Gondola two more times before the lift was closed at 3:30 pm. I wanted to do more. For the next two days, I will focus on snowboarding. I had wanted to work on this technique in the last two seasons. I was about to give up this time because I thought my weak, aged body couldn’t handle it. All of the sudden, it clicked and unlocked my riding. I couldn’t believe that I could begin to reach my goal this early on. I still have lots to learn, but I am happy with my progress.

I had been fighting a lot on this trip. I fought against the cold. I fought against my body. I fought against my mind. I fought against my emotions. I fought against my loneliness. I fought against my conscience. Even with my wife’s blessings, I felt guilty for taking this solo trip. I miss her and my kids dearly. Then again, I also needed a bit of time to myself to clear my mind. When I skied or snowboarded downhill, I didn’t zoom down fast like the kids. I just took my time strolling down the hills looking for quiet spots near the trees where I can sit safely to reflect on my life and all the recent events that had happened to me and my loved ones.

In those freezing moments, I looked up at the sky and I could feel deep in my soul that my mother had been watching me from above. I could still hear it in her voice that she told me I had gone crazy. Just a year before she passed away, I started skiing. When I called her on the phone to tell her about my new adventure, she would say, “Mày bị khùng rồi.” I wish she was still here to see my ski and ride. I still love her and miss her every single day.

Tập văn ngắn Đong tấm lòng của Nguyễn Ngọc Tư mở đầu với bài “Giữa người với người” nói về tai hại của mạng xã hội. Bài này đập ngay vài đầu và hồn tôi cho nên tôi cứ tìm mãi những bài tương tựa như thế. Việc đó đã làm tôi phân tâm đi khi đọc những bài kế. Tôi nghĩ nếu không đọc bài này trước mà đọc cuối thì sao? Có một số bài tôi không rõ nội dung lắm nhưng một số ấn tượng ngay như “Răng của chúng mình” (vợ bị chồng đánh đập), “Một chỗ nương tựa” (lấy chồng Hàn Quốc), và “Vực mở” (chuyện bồ bịt). Trong “Vực mở”, Cô Tư mỉa mai nhạc sĩ Vũ Thành An: “Có ông còn nhận thẳng thắn nhận ra chuyện người tình không lấy mình là lựa chọn sáng suốt, lúc đầu hỏi ‘con đường em theo đó đúng hay sai em’, sau tự trả lời luôn, con đường em đi đó đúng đấy em ơi”. Trời tuyết đọc những bài văn này càng nhớ về quê nhà.