Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2003 earlier)

cliffy1

Check with your salesman to see if he can get the cost down for you. I can't comment on the bolt on units, but I can tell you what my internal cost is to install a genuine Toyota hitch. It costs me $385 for the hitch and wiring installed. Your original salesman can probably get approval to get similar pricing for you, rather than paying retail to the parts and service department. This still isn't cheap, but at least you know it is correct for the van and the wiring harness is done without splicing into the wrong wire.

eomckamey

I purchased the "Hidden Hitch" from J.C. Whitney....on sale... saved few dollars. I was impressed by the design (truly hidden once installed)and the quality of finish on hitch. (Most all name-brand hitches are coated with the cheapest, least-lasting, guaranteed to rust in short order....finish. Look at name-brands of hitches installed on vehicles next time you are behind one, in traffic..and judge how well they are being protected, for yourself.) As you have found out, Toyota's hitch is dearly priced...even with discount.

I would strongly recommend (as I did)that you purchase the "wiring kit" from Toyota. It provides proper snap-on terminals and complete instructions. It is high priced but worth it!

Good Luck!

ibjo1

Yes, Our 2000 sienna Le transmission went out on the freeway on Sunday march 11th. We were driving about seventy miles an hour. The van has only 14,300 miles. We bought it brand new a year ago. We are very surprised that the transmission is bad at only one year. We have to wait a week the dealer said and we might get a rebuild tranny. I can no longer trust our sienna especially on long trips with my family.

minpin1

I am wondering how many others have the continued pulling problem in the Sienna. Have you had to replace tires frequently?

Do you notice a noisy power steering? Have you repaired any part of the power steering?

Have you seen increasing white smoke on start up? Are you noticing any strong gasoline smells from the front end?

Have you had any ABS peculiarities? Or, clunking with backing up and brake use?

Have you had lots of creaking in the interior, especially around the sliding doors? Is the ride not as smooth as you had expected?

I do appreciate your feedback. This van is very comfortable but recurring problems are not acceptable.

Thank you.

inky

I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma and have 2001 XLE. I took the Toyota tow hitch off the very first day I bought it due to zero towing. 4 bolts. The harness unclips. I also have the receiver stuff in a box. Was on the van did not want it. I could solve your problem and I could get it out of my shed (sjcroston@aol.com).
INKY

scottr85

Add another transmission horror story to the list. My transmission just failed this weekend in the middle of the desert between Las Vegas and Salt Lake. I have less than 15,000 miles on the van and have only had it for a year and a half. We were cruising down the freeway at 80 mph when it went bye-bye. Fortunately, we also were able to coast to the side of the road and had a cell phone to get help. I don't think I will ever trust the vehicle with my family on a long trip again. Does anyone know the reliablity of the replacement transmissions on these Siennas or should I just plan on selling my vehicle ASAP and getting in line for an Honda Odyssey? Any help from previous owners of Siennas with failed transmissions would be helpful. Thanks.

leslieldf

scottr85 Mar 19, 2001 3:42pm

There is a little info at the www.yotarepair.com site (under Sienna then transmissions) that would indicate your replacement would hopefully be fine. I don't know if your problem is the one he's talking about, having to do with Toyota identifying "that the spacer for the drive pinion was not to correct thickness specification."

It supposedly affected VIN's before 4T3*F1*C*WU043545. However, I think this is for pre-2000 Siennas and he mentions that 2000 Siennas in the west are showing up with problems - he doesn't know any more.

Please keep us posted if your dealer has more info - especially if a TSB exists. I'm keeping my eye on this...I have a 2000 with almost 10k miles!

Good luck.

smfran

What is the straight scoop on this transmission situation. Is there a TSB? Are there specific VIN numbers or production dates to be concerned with?
If there is a problem, is it as simple a replacing a spacer before a transmission failure? Is there or should there be a recall?

leslieldf

I asked my dealer today about any TSBs and his software would only say that there aren't any for my VIN. I'm on the east coast w/ a 2000LE.

Besides smfran's questions, I would like to know from people who have had the transmission break, what was the cause, assuming the dealer/service dept. could tell them.

By the way, the easy fix for the washer fluid drip on the back window didn't show up when he checked for my VIN...so TSBs may not be the only source to check.

There are less than a third of the posts that there were for the torque converter problem regarding this sort of transmission failure. I think it may be too early for Toyota to know whether there is a failure somewhere, VINs affected, etc. And the timeframe is wide open, again, unlike the T/C problem that popped up within a span of 3 months or so. I'm still hoping this may be simply that things occasionally go wrong and not a systemic problem in any way. Although, the comment over at www.yotarepair.com regarding one dealership seeing "a bunch" out west doesn't bode well!

Again, the best thing would be for the people affected to get back to this site with the info they receive from their personal experience.

cliffy1

I don't have anything on the transmissions. I have sold over a hundred of these vans and I have had only one customer that I know about have a transmission failure. This is an all or nothing proposition. Either it works perfectly or you have catastrophic failure. All of them seem to be 2000s built before July. I only say this from what I have seen here though and don't have anything beyond that.

As for the TSB route, our system does not list all TSBs by model. My service department keys you VIN into the system to see what it comes back with.

grplavloff

"I don't have anything on the transmissions. I have sold over a hundred of these vans and I have had only one customer that I know about have a transmission failure. ...."

If anecdotal information means anything (and since you posted this, I assume that you believe it does), then you are showing a transmission failure rate close to 1%. That is very high.

minpin1

I was just reading some posts about the Ford Windstar. Is it just me or does the general quality of the minivan seem to be extremely poor? Based on posts at Edmunds alone, owners are very upset with premature failures.

At first, I thought it was just the American vans. Then, I bought a Sienna. Now, I know it is not just the "Big Three." Some owners are angry enough to do a protest. I see one woman is doing just that in my area at a local Ford dealership. It may be time to join her...make it an effort on behalf of owners of other makes with significant, premature problems and costly repair bills...not to mention safety issues.

Yes, I might just see what can do to assist this person. Why, *everyone* knows how bad the GM head gaskets are, too! The problem seems to be epidemic in all GM models.

Sad to say that Toyota is following suit. The number of occurrences of major failures is appalling and totally unacceptable, IMO. Something must be done...and SOON!

Thank you.

pilot13

So, are we advocating marching on your local Toyota dealer now Minpin (aka Charlene Blake)?
I would be curious to know the justification for this suggestion, particularly in light of the comment "The number of occurrences of major failures is appalling--etc." Truth is, there seems to be no evidence of major failures in epidemic numbers, nor has any clear evidence that warranties are not being honored been shown.
So why are we being asked to believe otherwise? Especially in the face of what are essentially inferences and suppositions put forth by a well known consumer advocate?

bob57

What/who are we protesting here?
Manufacturers have warranties for failures, etc. That in itself indicates they know something "might" go wrong. That's what warranties are for. Has Toyota refused to fix anyone's transmission out there? Do you really expect a perfect car or whatever you purchase? My 27" TV has lasted 10 years with no problems. My last can opener died three weeks after purchase! We are not perfect people living in a perfect world. There are no perfect cars. Some may be better than others but they're not perfect either.
"Things" happen (had to clean that one up... )
I usually expect something, somewhere, to go wrong - when it doesn't, I'm happy.

fischda

Think of this: If Cliffy has sold over a hundred Siennas and only seen one come back with a tranny failure, and his limited study group tells him that these failures seem to be resigned to 2000 models built before July, then I'll bet my 37,000-mile-working-flawlessly-without-any-failures-Sienna that these "problem" trannies came from a very specific number of days when a bad part or two made its way onto the line.

No, this is NOT epidemic. And to the guy who said minivans in general are declining in quality based on the Edmunds posts he's read - where are you coming from, dude? Before you take time off of work to protest your Toyota dealer, better jog your memory about what this forum is for, and that is maily people with problems trying to get answers. SOME problems are large, most are not. Don't construe the existence of these problems here to mean the auto industry has gone to pot! It hasn't. When asked about the industry as a whole, most experts say cars are of the highest quality ever.

We can't be so quick to jump on the consumer rights bandwagon ESPECIALLY when problems get fixed under warranty! No, service is not always perfect. Is it anywhere? Subway got my order wrong again today. I asked for harvest wheat bread, not plain wheat. Perhaps I should have thrown my meal in the face of the "sandwich artist" that made it and spent the rest of the afternoon in front of the store with a bullhorn shouting how Subway doesn't care about the customer!

pilot13

Thanks for the posts telling it like it really is, folks. The "advocates against Toyota" often get a little carried away with rhetoric intended only to support their position. Looking at both sides of an issue isn't in their training manual--for obvious reasons.
Before we all march upon our local car dealer with banners and placards, it's a good idea to put things in perspective, and your comments do that very nicely.

inky

So if a dealer sold two and one tranny went bad, that would be a 50% failure rate--yes for that subset. Only Toyota has the facts-we can only speculate.
INKY

cliffy1

The anecdotal experience of one salesman in VA certainly does not create a proper statistical sample. I just shared my personal experience because that is all I have heard of this issue.

scottr85

My van is a 2000 model that was purchased in September of 1999 in Salt Lake City. The dealer doing my repair work (and has now seen 3 failed Sienna transmissions)is Stanger Toyota in St. George, Utah. Unfortunately, replacement transmissions are currently back-ordered (not a good sign, I think), and I was told I would be getting a rebuild transmission "without the defect". When I asked if I could get some information regarding "the defect", no one could provide any information. I called Toyota national customer service and no one there knew anything at all about Sienna transmission failures or had any record of complaints, recalls, defects, or otherwise.

I too have the feeling that this is probably an all or nothing defect and it will either show up early or you'll drive it for 200K and never have a problem. So far, Stanger Toyota in St. George has been very pleasant to work with, Toyota has agreed to cover the expenses regarding my repairs (towing, rental, etc.) and the tranny is obviously covered under warranty, so its not like they aren't doing everything they can to fix my van. However, it still feels like they probably know more than they are telling and it seems that other owners should have a right to know if there is something they can do to prevent a similar catastrophic failure.

I'm certainly not in this to promote any kind of consumer revolt, I basically just want my van to perform like one expects a Toyota to perform and have the peace of mind to drive it anywhere I want with my family. That would certainly be much easier to do if Toyota would 'fess up to the reason for the failure and what is being done to assure that it will not happen again.

wildcard1

What is the Toyota National Customer Service telephone number, if you don't mind?

bob57

It sounds like (from previous postings) that the transmission just gives up the ghost. It appears no preventative maintenance will promote longevity in regards to the failed part(s).
Cliffy: Is this transmission unique to the Sienna?
My 2000 hasn't had any problems but then again I barely have over 6000 miles on it.
My rear windshield wiper rubber insert tore two or three months ago and I thought the dealer was going to fall on the sword over that. I received two letters and a phone call after that from Fred Haas Toyota (Houston) apologizing for my "problem". If my transmission fails I suspect they will commit mass suicide......

cliffy1

The Sienna transmission is the same as is used on the Avalon, Camry and Solara. The 2000 Sienna produced between roughly March and late June seem to be the ones that fail. Again, this is anecdotal on my part but from what I have read here, that seems to be it.

I'm glad you have such a responsive dealer. If you ever do have a problem, it is nice to know you have the right guys to take it to.

ray123

I have not seen any posts here about rattling noises in the Sienna. We picked up our new LE this morning and did not notice any noise until we drove over country (gravel/asphalt) roads near home. There is a distinct rattle (sounds like plastic parts popping) directly in front of the driver. (No, it's not the keys--seems to be inside the dash.) I called the dealer and he said to bring it in to the service dept on Monday. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Are rattles usually easy to fix? I'm a little concerned, but I think the dealer will work it out for us. We love the van otherwise.

yaman

We bought our XLE in April 2000 and it was manufactured in March 2000. So it looks like it falls within the period when the problem was occuring.So far 15,000 miles and no hint of a problem-If it goes I'll post here

kw6

I have a 2000 Sienna, and I had the popping noise in the front, which felt like it was right under my feet. It was a loose windshield washer bottle. The dealer tightened it down and added more padding around it, and it hasn't happened again. It was repaired 2/14/2001. Hope that will help you.

scottr85

Toyota Customer Service: 1-800-331-4331

ray123

Thanks, I've been thinking it might be something under the hood. Went over a little bump on the way home and it started up again today. It's funny how a little noise can be so annoying. I had all kinds of rattles in the old van, but since it was old, I didn't care.

I'll see if I can find anything loose under the hood. I don't want the shop tearing into the dash unless they have to.

juliedel

I haven't seen anything posted on this. I have a new LE 2001, and there seems to be too much wind noise, like the sound a gust of wind makes, when I'm only going 45MPH and up. I also keep checking to make sure my windows and doors are all closed, because when traffic goes by, it sounds like something is still a little open. I've visually checked all the seals around everything, and when I bring it in for its first oil change, I'll mention it to the dealer. There's no water leaks - just air. Even when I have the heat on, I feel cold air coming from who knows where, and I can't figure out what's going on. Has anyone experienced this? Is this just how it is? Any ideas of what this could be? How would this kind of thing be fixed? Everything else seems fine.

smfran

Our 2000 Sienna LE is fairly quiet as far as wind noise is concerned. However, after I took delivery of another vehicle I own, I complained about excessive wind noise coming from the bottom left corner of the windshield. They test drove it and agreed. They removed the windshield to find no sealant in that area. They added sealant and replaced the windshield. The car is now as quiet as it should be.

juliedel

Is it a big deal to remove the windshield? Any problems after they did that? I'm afraid of the cure being worse than the problem!

smfran

Removing and resealing and replacing the windshield is no big deal. Have your dealer confirm that this is the cause of the noise first. If it is, they will have a glass company take care of it. You have nothing to worry about. You are completely under warranty for this. Maybe Cliffy has a comment?.

nygreg

Had my Camry windshield replaced about a year ago by mobile glass company (can't remember the name). It was quick and easy. They did a great job - can't tell at all!

-Greg

cliffy1

Here's an idea to experiment with. Try flipping the air selector to recirculate. I have found that if you have it in the fresh mode on a windy day, you can get extra air jammed through the system and this creates extra noise. The only down side to this is that you may fog up your windows if it is cold out.

I don't know that this will fix your problem, but it is worth a try.

juliedel

Thanks for all the responses! Yes, I tried "recirculate," but it didn't help. The sound seems to be coming (as much as I can tell so far) from the upper front of the doors, both sides front, almost like they were still a smidge open, but I've pressed those electric "up" buttons as far as they will go! I hope my dealer can figure this out, because that whoosh can be annoying!

leslieldf

To Juliedel:

Let me know what your dealer says. I noticed that sound myself last night, for the first time. I doublechecked that the windows were shut, and I tried the recirculate setting. It was a soft whoosh, although I had the radio on and could still hear it. I expect it's just that way! But let me know if you find out anything.

juliedel

To Leslieldf

I'll see my dealer when I bring it in for it's first oil change. It really does sound like the two front doors or windows are not quite shut. Especially in wet weather I can hear everything zoom by. I hope it's just a matter of weather stripping.

Rear heater - how do I get them to work?? No matter what I set the tempurature knobs at, I get no air/heat out of those two vents under the front seats that are supposed to heat the second row! Are mine somehow disconnected??

I love my van and just need to work out a few kinks!

kw6

You must set the temp knob on the rear controls (above the left rear door) to a warm setting. Then turn the rear fan on using the dash control. Don't set to rear, use one of the 1/2/3 settings. This should get it to work. If you need AC in the back, then set the temp knob to AC. I've found that I only need about 25% into the heater for sufficient heating.

workmanfamily

We have a 2000 Sienna that we've had for only about 9 months. Prior to 11000 miles the brakes began squeaking when applied -- at first only very seldom then after a while more often. I have had it in several times trying to get this worked out. They replaced some shims on the front brakes the first time and are glazing (or is it deglazing) the brakes this time. Anyone else had a problems with the breaks squeaking? Other than that they seem to be working fine.

We love our Sienna but this is the first time we've had a vehicle that needed brake work this early in ownership.

yaman

Ours squeak also.We just took the car in last week for its 15,000 mile service and we asked the dealer to check out the brakes because of the squeaking.They said that everything was okay.Like yours they seem to work fine.

nygreg

We have a 2000 Sienna with 18K. Our brakes squeak when going slow. A squeak is a vibration and usually is nothing to worry about if it is occasional. My understanding is this - brakes use to be asbestos based. The new brakes are metallic based and thus squeak more. There are typically three types of metallic brakes in terms of hardness. The harder brake pads will last longer, but, can be noisier and can more easily warp the rotors. My guess is that OEMs are the harder type to last longer. Just my understanding - anyone want to comment?

-Greg

tom189

I'm looking for a used Sienna. Found a 2000'LE from a private party who wants to get out of her lease. 20k miles. MSRP was $28k. Her financing/credit union where she is leasing contacted me. I do not want to lease. What is it worth? What should I offer? Anything will be useful.

stever

Did you go to the main Edmunds.com page and click on Used Prices & Info? Be sure to check out the "Customized Appraisal" button next to the True Market Value stuff when you get to the 2000 Sienna page. Good luck!

Steve
Host
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beckp

I have a '98 XLE that the drivers side exterior door handle broke. It broke on the right side (looking at it) where the plastic pulls out when you open the door. The left side is hinged and is still intact. I haven't had it replaced yet it but will soon.

I also have a severe rattle in the door somewhere, close to the latch/handle area. I don't think the two are realted. I've had this rattle longer than the broken handle. Now my question:

When I get the handle replaced, should I have them investigate the rattle? Will they have to remove the inside panel to replace the handle? If not is this something I could fix myself. I have removed several dashes and door panels over the years but never a van sliding door one. Does anyone have a quesstimate for the handle replacement cost? Thanks All

keithlca

I have a '99 XLE with 27k miles that also squeak right before I make a complete stop. However, it does not squeak all the time. I have taken a look at the front pads, but both have lots of pad life left. As far as I can tell, the brake work just as good as before. If anyone find a solution, please post.

dardson1

I have to admit, in spite of the superb engine/power train, the interior of my 32k Sienna XLE w/ less than 5k miles rattles, squeeks, and creaks way too much. I traded a 98 Expedition which was too tall, cumbersome, and hungry for fuel, but the darned thing didn't have a rattle, one, when I traded it. I feel sure this Sienna will be as reliable as 30 years of stellar ratings from Consumer Reports promises, but can I stand 200,000 trouble-free miles without a good pair of earplugs?
Does anyone out there find the interior of a Sienna surprising prone to rattles? My driver's side sun visor rattles, driver's side window pops and buzzes if the window is opened an inch or so, the passenger side middle captain's chair squeeks, the power door creaks when I accelerate or brake, and there's an assortment of noises that seem to come and go from the rear.
If I had bought a Chevy Venture for about 10k less, I might think "you get what you pay for". But, h___, I thought I was buying the famous, standard of the world, bullet-proof, untouchable high-holy of personal tranportation. I thought that extra 5k-for-the-very-same-stuff Toyota requires you to cough up to get into one of their cars guaranteed something mighty close to perfection.
All that said, I have never driven anything with a better engine/power-train. It is absolutely wonderful. The switches and buttons have a quality feel that rival the best. It is totally easy, comfortable, smooth, quick, and well thought out in every detail. So what happened? This rattle-prone interior is shameful on a car that is otherwise, close to perfection.

nygreg

The seems to be consistency here on squeaky seats (mine included), dash creaks, and power door rattles. Is there any way to get feedback from Toyota directly on these issues?? I will check the owners site at Toyota.com for more info.
Thanks,
-Greg

cliffy1

Other than the comments made here, I have not heard any complaints about rattles and squeaks. This does not diminish the legitimacy of your concerns but it means that I don't have any information to help you.

nygreg

Thank you.

-Greg

bob57

I haven't experienced any squeeks or creeks yet (6K miles) but a soft "bump" when I turned and stopped was bothering me for two days that I couldn't find. I checked the seats because it sounded like one of them was loose or something. I couldn't find a thing until yesterday. My son was in the far back when he said "Oh, there's my soccer ball"....
Arrrgh!

nygreg

if you purchase a Sienna in April they will throw in a soccer ball.....and a kid!