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"Unfortunately these things do happen but the bumper should absorb the impact."
Yours apparently did.
If the bumper did not dent inward, the bumper mounts would shift instead. Or, as I found in my late Ford Aerostar, which was hit when parked, the "tougher" bumper could crack, and the whole bumper would require replacement.
These bumper designs are not bad.
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#2284 of 2289 bumpers... by davedave1 Dec 30, 2002 (03:04 pm)
my 2k sienna le was also the victim of my backing into a concrete column (luckily not another car) crunching the drivers side rear bumper, dinging the metal below the tail light and destroying the outboard lens.
The bumper has a 2 inch cut in it from the steel support underneath;
With some patience you can take the cover off (i did it in about 15 minutes). It is held on by a bunch of plactic fasteners that are reusable (push the center of each fastener in about 1/4 inch to release the fastener, pry out the fastener from the edge; install: reset the center to be 1/4 inch ABOVE the surface of the fastener, press fastener into the mounting hole, then tap the center flush to attach the fastener), and 4 10mm bolts ( two under the lift gate, and one under each rear wheel well - use a 12" extention to get to these under the back edge of the wheelwell liner)
I popped it off, and in a soft grassy area to avoid scratches, stepped onto it from the inside and popped it out) Reinstallation was easy.
The cut in the plastic and some scratches are still there; just got a bumper sticker.
good luck
Fatlittle
Steve, Host
insepection - have failed the tire inspection as
the front tires rotated to the back - had worn
out central treads. i put in new tires.
dealer told me that since its front wheel drive
they wear out faster. i have rotated tires earlier.
either bad quality tires or something with seinna
front tires design.
Just got a new 2003 Sienna. The sun visor, when pulled down and pushed against the driver's side window (protecting my eyes from the sun coming in from the left), will swing out and hit me in the head during right turns. It doesn't stay in place.
Has anyone else had a problem with this?
It happens on the passenger side as well (but it takes a pretty hard right turn for that one).
But, I don't see how it can be adjusted. Do you think the service department would address this? It's really a pain, getting hit in the head every left turn (while the visor is against the side window).
Steve, Host
What's "fit and finish" mean?
Steve, Host
The dealer insists the b/u lights are to advise those behind us that we are backing up, not to light the area.
Further proof that nothing is perfect in this world. There are so many points to consider in any purchase. There are give and takes with everything. When making comparisons between competitors in deciding what to buy, it comes down to priorities. The problem is when you do purchase something but then discover a negative that you were unaware of before the purchase.
.
They are available and replacement is simple and detailed in the Owners manual.
my rear windows have 5% limo tint and hard to see when someone else drives my van. for me, i'm used to having tint so no big issue for me. when you can't see, roll down your window and stick your head out!
Toyota Carlsbad (San Diego County) treated us like we were a cross between a turd and an idiot as we tried to get this problem "fixed" under our warranty. They would take our car in, and either do nothing at all, or look at the brakes and tell us there was nothing wrong with them. I had one guy in service tell me it was normal for brakes to squeak. I asked him if he thought I had never owned another car.
At one point they tried to charge us a service visit fee because they were tired of us trying to get this problem resolved under warranty. We were actually renting minivans in order to be able to leave our Sienna for the day at the dealership.
Finally after close to two years of attempting to resolve this, somebody at Toyota Carlsbad authorized having the rear drums turned. I don't believe they replaced the shoes when they did this but they might have. The squeak actually went away for about 2 months!
I will NEVER buy another Toyota. The problem isn't so much that there was a problem, but the way they treated the problem. As any of you who has ever owned a car OTHER than a Sienna, it is possible to build back brakes on brand new cars that don't squeak. This means that Toyota could 1) fix the problem so it doesn't occur on new Siennas (I believe I have read on this group of it occurring on 1999, 2000, and 2001 Siennas) 2) build a replacement part that eliminates the problem and install it under warranty for those people who complain. But instead they dealt with the problem in the great tradition of the worst stories you have ever heard of "the mechanics shrug" reaction to a real problem.
I have a Chevy Tahoe now. The brakes are the strong SILENT type.
I also own a Chevy (Lumina LTZ, not a Tahoe). The brakes are indeed strong and silent - and the rotors warp if I even THINK about braking hard. I have honestly lost count of how many times I've had the rotors turned or replaced on that car. I got the turd/idiot treatment from 2 GM service departments before finding one that treats the customer with respect...but the brake, transmission and electrical problems continue unabated. It may very well be my last Chevy ever, although I know better than to state that absolutely... :-)
It's all perspective and perception - and the dealership you frequent (by choice or necessity) has a huge impact on your P&P...
I'll step down now...someone else can use the soapbox for a while. ;-)
Larry R
2002 Sienna XLE
As for the brake squeak, my dealer turned the drums and scuffed the surface of the shoes. It's just barely starting to return now, about 4 months and 20,000 KM (12,000 mi)later. Some here have gone to aftermarket shops to have their shoes replaced. If it bugs you that much, try that.
BTW, the earlier poster seems to have more of a dealership issue than a Sienna issue. My local dealer treats me like a customer, even supplying Laura Secord loli-pops, free coffee and a shuttle ride to work. I actually look forward to my regular Oil/Filter change visits.
Unfortunately, I don't know if this is an issue that the service dept will take seriously. Much like the brake noise, it may be considered an annoyance rather than a safety or mechanical issue. I plan to bring it up at my next oil change, which should be in 2 or 3 weeks. I'll let you know what response I get...
Larry R
2002 Sienna XLE
My question is:
" Does anyone else have this valve tap "
any automatic transmission is like this when cold - some worst than others. for manual tranmissions, it's also harder to shift when cold. so it's always good to warm up your car before driving off. it's also important that you let the tranny shift by itself when cold instead of flooring the gas and force it to shift!
as for the clatter, it takes a while for everything to be lubricated and this is why you get the clatter. this happens more with older cars or when temp. is really cold.
bottom line, warm up your car before driving off. drive gently and smoothly until your engine temp. reaches the normal operating temp.
-Valve clatter is normal in many engines -- if they have hydraulic lifters. Has nothing to do with temperature per se, but lifters pump up much faster when the oil is warm and thin. VWs and Subarus are known for that and it's not a problem... typically disappears in a few seconds to a minute or so.
AFAIK, Toyotas use solid lifters. Those aren't supposed to clatter, cold or hot. I'd at least talk it over with somebody competent and experienced (as opposed to a bunch of yahoos on the internet. myself included. no offense). Toyota engines are supposed to have their valve clearance checked periodically, though it's rare for any adjustment to be necessary. I remember a post by a "Master Diagnostic Tech" on the Toy usenet group who said of the Corolla 4cyl engine: Check valve clearance: Every 50k miles. Adjust: Never done one yet.
I believe it... 4cyl Corolla 1.8l solid lifters 181k miles... I have all the records and NO mention of adjustment.
Sold it this week to buy a Sienna... I'm new here... Hi...
Anyway, good luck,
-Mathias
East Lansing, MI
It's interesting to note how little grunts and groans are noted by Sienna owners...due to the vehicle's quietness!
i also have a 87 camry with over 200k kms and when its warmed, one can hardly hear anything.
I ahve a 2001 XLE with the JBL premium sound and it ounds terrible. It sounds like there is too much bass, but I have already turned that way down. Does anybody else have the same problem?
Thanks