Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2003 earlier)

phillipm · January 2003

I think I have the same brake noise that you described. No one has yet to determine the cause nor cure for mine. Pls. review my previous post and see if it sounds like the noise you have.

deepan · January 2003

Phillipm & cwsibley, the question is when does this sound arise. Does is only arise when the road is wet, snow covered or always. If its the former then its normal as the ABS in intervening and one can feel the pulsating on the pedal. If its the latter then there might be an issue.

phillipm · January 2003

Irregardless of road conditions. Dry, wet, snowy, makes no difference. Sound is most noticeable when you gently, slowly apply the brakes. A clunk,clunk,clunk eminates from the rear brakes. Almost like a flat spot or knot on a defective tire will make. However, a new set of tires made no difference and I have closely inspected the tires for any defect and found none. The brakes perform well,just noisy. I have had several passengers who were in the van inquire what the clunking sound was. It's that obvious. The van is out of warranty and that's the reason I hoped someone on this site might have had the same problem so I wouldn't have the expense of taking it in to the dealer. Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated.

jeprox · January 2003

i suggest you jack up your van and try to turn the rear wheels and observe if you can hear anything and if the wheels rotate freely.
if it rotates freely and you hear nothing, i suggest you remove the drums and inspect your shoes/drum.

it could be due to:
- hot spots on your brake shoes
- shoes not installed properly
- drum needs to be turned

duckshooter · January 2003

I'd second jeprox's analysis. If the sound occurs when you apply the brakes, chances are it's the brakes, not your tires.

garellano · January 2003

Does anyone get a vibrating/humming noise when your 2003 Sienna Symphony edition is at idle? Specifically when you are in drive and stopped? It sounds bassy when the RPM's are around 600 or so.

This happens to me when the engine is at operating temperature. I have brought it into the same dealer twice and while the mechanic notices the noise they tell me its normal. This is because no one else has addressed this issue.

I went and test drove another 2003 Sienna and got the same noise. I called toyota corp and no one else has called on this. companies usually don't do anything until enough people complain about the same thing. I am pursuing arbitration on this car with toyota, to me its unacceptable! Let me know what you think, I'd be interested to know.

mayerofrf · January 2003

Has anyone had an issue with a clicking noise coming from the front end of their Sienna when shifting from reverse to drive? My '01 XLE has 30K miles on it and has been meticiously maintained from day one. I jacked up the front and checked out the CV joints and they seemed to be in good shape. With the front end off of the ground and the tranny in park, when I try to spin one of the tires it sounds like that same clicking noise is coming from the tranny. Please tell me this isn't common.

tonyc39 · January 2003

03 Symphony w/7k on it. Also have the squeaking breaks. Interested if anyone who purchased their Sienna new and has had the problem recur and tried going through their local state lemon law?

This is the third time I've brought the car in for service and they replaced the rear drums.

I love the van. Had a 91 previa that had 150k. had a fender bender and the insurance co totaled it. Own an 88 corolla w/130 k on it as well. I've had good luck w/Toyota, hope it doesn't run out...

Anyone gone through their state lemon law on this?

kkeiper · January 2003

I also have a problem with rear brake noise.It is hard to beleive that toyota does not correct this problem .As good as the van is there should not be hard to correct this problem.After all every other minivan manufacter can build a van that the rear drums don't squeak when stopping.There should be a fix for this.go

mayerofrf · January 2003

Somewhere I had heard or read that the squeaking brakes had to do with the lining of the Toyota brake shoes. I think it was that they were asbestos-free or something that caused them to glaze over easily. Replacing them with generic Auto Zone shoes worked, I think. My '02 XLE does the same thing. I tell my wife that it's a "feature".

mojako · January 2003

03' Sympho at 3520mi. I notice that humming noise too during idle. I'm not sure if it is the A/C or something else.

yaman · January 2003

We replaced the battery on our 2000 XLE this past weekend.Now the radio is nothing but static.Is this a coincidence or is there something that the mechanic replacing the battery needed to reset?
Anyone have any ideas?

bob57 · January 2003

You just need to reset you stations on the radio. With the battery disconnected it looses it's memory.

yaman · January 2003

Thanks -I'll give it a go.

tlmartinez · January 2003

I have a 99 XLE Sienna. I recently had my brakes replaced and about 15 days later I noticed that everytime I went in reverse and stepped on my brakes I would here a clunk. It sounds and feels like I'm hitting a pot hole in the road. I took it back and they resurfaced the brake pads. Everything was fine then about 15 days later it happened again. The brake place told me that sometimes the suspension gets loose, so they tighten the suspension. Later that day I was driving down the road and my Van started shaking violently, I couldn't drive. I called the tire place and they towed my van to the shop. They went ahead and replaced the brakes with the Toyota Factory Brakes. I'm still having the same problem. The tire store has been very gracious on trying to fix the problem without charging me. But this is the 4th time that I will have to be calling them again. Has anyone else had this problem?

charlontario · February 2003

I am looking for a used 99 Sienna as I have read from Consumers and Edmunds that they appear to be a good choice. I cannot afford new. My question is.. Anyone who has a 99 Sienna what do you think? Has it been good value with few problems. If there are problems, what are the ones to watch for? I'm guessing sludge could be a concern? How can you check for that anyways? Anything else?

jeprox · February 2003

i have a 1999 model and no sludge or major problems.

things you should pay attention to:
- brake squeal
- alignment problem
- rattle above the speedometer

these are the three things well known to the sienna. brakes would squeal when you slow down to stop. van would pull to the right or left even on flat roads. annoying rattle above the speedometer.
as far as the sludge, have someone look at the tailpipe when you start up the van - if you see a puff of blue smoke then don't buy the van. check the dipstick to see if the oil clean or black n thick. sure way to find out is to remove the valve cover.

innovations2 · February 2003

..the brake squeal is a "feature" on all current Sienna's, not just the 1999 model.

It will be interesting to see if it is "included" with the 2004 year model.

duckshooter · February 2003

innovations - did you pay extra for it? It didn't come on our 2000 LE or my brother's or my sister in law's. We're at 48K miles, though... going to need new brakes soon - perhaps they'll install the "squealers" then?

innovations2 · February 2003

duckshooter - it came standard, I guess. In fact, it must have been on some kinda delayed activation or something. I had been telling others on the board a couple of years ago that the "feature" didn't come with mine, but as soon as I opened my big mouth, I noticed that it had been "activated".

yaman · February 2003

Our's were included free of charge on our 2000 XLE.Other than that, car has had no problems through 45k miles and 3 years.
Last time we asked the dealer to look at the "squealers" he said they were almost like new.So perhaps duckshooter you might have a ways to go before getting yours.

kw6 · February 2003

Mine squealed, but not very bad UNTIL I had the 60K service done. Now, they are worse than ever. I also have the clunk when taking off after a stop. (The same one you get when backing up, except mine does it both ways.) The pads had 50% left at 60K. If I wasn't thinking about "TRADING UP" (pardon the pun), I might try replacing the pads.

dougb10 · February 2003

I just traded my 99 XLE for a new Camry. The Sienna had 117,000 KM. on it when it went in to the dealer. Dealer service done every 6,000 km. with virtually no problems. Had slight brake "groan" coming from the rear drums, which disappeared with a brake service around 24,000 km. The van was traded with the original drum brakes (lots of wear left). Only one set of front pads was installed when I had it...at 72,000 km.
I installed a new set of Michelin X-1's at 72,000 as well. The car never required alignment, and the only "problem" that bugged me was the washer fluid that dripped from the rear washer when the summer heat was excessive. This car was a gem....hope you can find one as good as the one I just traded. Good luck.

rlei · February 2003

Doughb10, mind I ask how much you got for the trade in? That's like something my wife's looking for.

dougb10 · February 2003

riei....what they gave me for the trade doesn't mean much....what the dealer is asking for it is the real question.
The dealer is Milton Toyota and they may still have the car...it was just traded two weeks ago.
Go look at it if you want to....all the service records are with the car. These are nice folks and I was very pleased with their ethical behaviour.
Ask for Daryl Strong....the sales rep who handled my deal.

rlei · February 2003

Thanks Dougb, thought it would be nice to know what they paid for before talking to them. But that's fine. Milton is bit too far from where I live (Markham) so I will let this one go.

jeprox · February 2003

for a 1999 sienna, depending on the model, condition, your location and mileage - prices range from C$18,000 to a max of about C$25,000. this is what i've seen anyways in our area

to give you an idea of trade-in price... example, a 1999 sienna CE with about 64,000kms. in good condition can be sold for roughly around C$21k-C$22k. dealer will take the van off your hands for about C$15k-C$16k. some dealers will give you more.

all figures are approximate of course - just to give you an idea.

rlei · February 2003

Thanks for the info, jeprox. My wife actually tries to avoid an used car. But a brand new XLE costs around CDN 50K, for that price I'd really like to have a Pilot which does pretty much everything a Sienna does and more.

We're very worried about getting a lemon. A Toyota lemon is way worse than a Dodge lemon, for it costs more to buy and repair.

This will all change after I win this Friday's super 7;-)

jeprox · February 2003

well, the AWD XLE Ltd. 2004 sienna starts at C$51k! unless i'm super rich, i wouldn't spend that much on a minivan. with that amount, i might as well buy a mercedes SUV.

deepan · February 2003

on 04 sienna. Its US based but i guess one can do some calculating.
chk out
shabbycat "Sienna Owners: Future Models" Feb 13, 2003 4:19pm

lekn · February 2003

deepan, no calculation needed. Some of the official Canadian prices have been released:
lekn "Sienna Owners: Future Models" Feb 12, 2003 11:41pm

As for Pilot vs XLE Ltd AWD, there is no comparison. Sienna offers more than Acura MDX, let alone the Pilot.

mctodd444 · February 2003

My 2002 XLE also came with the standard brake squeal. It only occurs just before the van stops. The dealer is perplexed and we have contacted Toyota who knew nothing about it but intends to get to the bottom of it. Everyone with this problem needs to contact Toyota directly and let them in on the secret. The first thing the dealer tried to do to correct the problem was replace the drums. This invoked the "clunking sound". We were fortunate enough to get the Firestone tires on the van that we bought also (intense sarcasm), I am now on my 3rd set with only 15000 miles on the odometer. (Free of course, but come on guys). The Sienna is a great van in regards to luxury and when it's not in the shop, we love it, but it more akin to a Chevy when it comes to "problemless" ownership. My Previa didn't give us one problem in the 190000+ miles that we owned it....Did I mention that two of the visits to the dealer resulted in body damage repair? Thanks for the opportunity to vent.

rfp1nc · February 2003

Rear brake mind bending squeal at final stop... the same as reported dozens of times here. It's embarrassing and it's driving me CRAZY! Dealer says "they're all like that". Thanks a lot. 37,000 miles and plenty of pad wear left - why should I have to pay for better pads?
If your having this problem, please complain to Toyota. Go to Toyota.com - contact us - click on FAQ - click on email Toyota and let 'em have it. This is a serious customer satisfaction problem.

kjs5 · February 2003

I just got my Sienna yesterday and been playing around with the radio station selector on the steering wheel.

I can't believe when you press up and down on the buttons that it scans through the radio stations instead of going to the next preset.

That's the way it works on my Honda Accord. Any way to do this or am I stuck having the scan?

The point of having the feature on the steering wheel is so that you don't have to look down at the radio display. This way, I have to keep looking down to figure out where it's scanning to.

fvp · February 2003

Mine does the same thing and I thought it was a little unusual. I also had a Honda and it went to the next preset station. Very handy.

dododede2003 · February 2003

When I make turn at about 10~20 MPH, my body seem to lean to one side. Dealer said it could be due to soft suspensions, small tires and it is a mini-van.
Anyone has the same driving experience at all?

cliffy1 · February 2003

There is a trick to this. If you just tap the up and down buttons, it will just "seek" up or down. If you hold it for a second, it will give an audible beep and stop only at the pre-sets. At least that is how it works on the Tundra and 4Runner. I've never tried it on a Sienna but it should be the same.

fvp · February 2003

I tried what you suggested regarding the steering wheel button and if you hold it down, it doesn't stop at all. Endless cycling across the dial.
Any other ideas?

jeprox · February 2003

read the owner's manual and it will tell exactly how to operate the steering radio buttons properly/ what it can and cannot do.

as far as i can remember...
if you hold down the button, it will keep going and not stop even if you have preset stations.
press it down and let go (right away) will make it jump to the next station with a good signal, including your preset stations.

cliffy1 · February 2003

Well, that isn't the first time I've been wrong. I had assumed it worked like the new generation on steering wheel controls but apparently not.

fvp · February 2003

Thanks anyway - you know what happens when you assume don't you?

cliffy1 · February 2003

Yes, but I'm used to it. It stopped bothering me several years ago.

sgoodwin · February 2003

I bought my Sienna used with the factory radio and the reception (FM) was poor. Had the radio replaced with a Pioneer at Circuit City and the reception is a little better but still very poor. The installer said the problem was common with Toyotas and that the dealer could do some kind of "shielding" to prevent the interference. I asked the dealer and the mechanic and they didn't have a clue. ANY IDEAS?

smfran · March 2003

I know you are sometimes "off on an island", but when did you move?

buzzny1 · March 2003

I have laready brought my van in four times to have this problem corrected. I have had the drums cleaned/replaced twice but within a week the squeal is back and gets progressively worse. I see I am not alone with this problem. But my question is has any had this problem corrected???

Help!

stormyzkid2 · March 2003

We just bought our XLE in November of 2002. Right away I noticed the brake squealing...rather a "singing" type of noise. The dealership says they can't duplicate the problem. Evidenly they didn't drive it!
Also......while we were on vacation in another state our engine started running "rough". We took it immediately to the nearest dealership and lo and behold! Engine sludge! It burnt a hole through the valve and into the piston! It has been 2 weeks now with my van in another state getting a new short block installed. Toyota says they will reimburse me $30 a day for car rental and will pay towards our motel room.
I just want the darn thing shipped back home!
Anyone else have this problem?
I don't feel confidant in my van now.
A short block for heavns sake!
And there are Tech Service bulletins on this engine sludge!
Ugh!

stever · March 2003

Sorry to hear about your problems. Sludge was a problem with some Sienna model years. I forget which year(s). The link in the Additional Resources box has more info.

Did you buy the '00 Sienna used in '02? Any idea of whether the previous owner maintained it (esp. oil changes)?

Steve, Host

deepan · March 2003

from what i remember it was the mid 2000( may-jul) production model. the warranty is for 8 yrs.

kw6 · March 2003

What deepan is thinking about is the torque converter problems. The sludge was covered in a separate forum. The warranty is 8 years. Toyota sent a letter to every owner last spring. The repair should be covered in full. The Toyota phone number is 888-802-9436 for claims.

mommakim · March 2003

2002 Sienna, leased new, August, 2002.

Rear seat belts: Had my 4- and 5-year olds booster seats in the rear seat because the center seats have a top-tether on only one side (why?). The kids want to sit together, of course. Within a 2-week period, both back seat belts locked-up. Only solution is replacement (warranty). The center row seat belts are already starting to "get sticky" when setting the locking mechanism. How safe are these in a crash????????

Has no one else had this problem? I'm getting nervous, especially since the snow and ice seem to be here to stay for all of 2003!

Also - has there been a solution to getting your head knocked off while making a turn with the sun visor down over the driver side window? It's a really stupid kind of problem to have, but, I agree with Mr. 381catnip that it is a safety hazard. I've had my glasses knocked off while turning. I could have had more than a slight headache afterward.

Thanks.

Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2003 earlier)

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