Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2003 earlier)

bigfrog · January 2004

Hi i don't want to sound like i am putting you down but toyota uses sealed nonservicable wheel bearings. Thay do not get repacked or lubed. (except on T100 land cruiser older rear tercel)I is more likley that the customer hit something just right or the cv joint was not tight or the tech missed the bearing problem and replaced the rotors the frist. But found it the seconded time around. Pretty hard to damage the bearing when removeing the rotor. We are only human to so i guess anything is possiable. I personly have not seen any bearing problem's on toyota except for corolla. But i do know toyota rotors warp easy?

wicnut · January 2004

Hi! Thanks to all that had responded on my sienna problems.

To jasdmw, at 39,000 miles that was my second set of rotors. What could cause the second set of rotors to go and have it replaced again? It's a new car, delivered to me with 10 miles on it. The reason why I brought the car in again was that each time I drove the car at different speeds on or off highway, I would get this rubbing sound. I'm not sure how to explain it. And that rubbing sound would get worst with speed. It's gotten to the point where I would feel vibration through out the front car. From my steering wheel to the floor. This problem was there after replacing the first set of rotors. When I brought it in, thats when I found out that I need new rotors. The same one that was replaced at 32,000 miles. I was so mad, I didn't know what else to do but to have it changed. When I got my car back after replacing the rotors (2nd). The problem that I had brought it in after the first set of rotors was still there. I called the dealership and complained that the problem was still there. So I had to go back in the following week and took it for a test drive with one of the service manager there. It took him less than 5 minutes to diagnose the problem. Whats up with that? I'm wondering to my self what else could go wrong? The reason why I brought a new car is to avoid all this hassle. I found myself visiting the dealership where I got the car more often than I visit my in-laws.

I contacted National Toyota about my unsatisfaction of the new car after I had found out I need another set of rotors at 39,000 miles and how I was treated at the dealership.
I was told that they would contact customer relation dept. and would hear from them in 3-4 days. Weeks went by, nothing. Called national again, weeks went by, again nothing. I just want some answers to why I'm having so much problem with the new car. It's gotten to the point it's at the regional office. Their response to me was " every body have different driving habits." To my understanding that they are blaming my driving habits. I personally don't buy it. If its my driving habits, I would be going through rotors like crazy, right? I asked them to expand on it their conclusion, "everybody have different driving habits ."
I'm not sure what to make of it. What do you or anybody think? Any personal experience with arbitration out there? Maybe I'll get an answer by going through arbitrator. Any suggestion? Does this dealership have incompentent mechanics working on my car. I feel like dealership is passing the buck, and no one whats to deal with me.

Thanks wicnut

bigfrog · January 2004

you might want to keep in close contact with you service department tone things down a bit become more friendly try to get your reagional reps number speak to the tech working on the car and requset he works on it all the time. but at the same time get real nit pickey but nice nit pickey not pain in the [non-permissible content removed] nit pickey. keep all your records and write personal notes to keep for your self also try to keep a written track of your driveing habbits. it is a real pain to do this all the time and might be expensive to keep bringing it in but if you want to win your case with toyota you will need to do this i wish you the best of luck. oh buy the way we just had a ladey get a buy back at 32000 because she didn't like her tires so don't give up if you realy feel you have a serious problem

stever · January 2004

32,000 miles on a set of rotors these days isn't bad at all. 7,000 miles isn't good.

I wonder if they over-torqued the wheels when they reinstalled them after replacing the first set of rotors. That can warp them.

Doesn't explain the bearings though (or maybe it could?).

Have you put this in writing? Maybe a written complaint to regional and cc the dealer and your local Consumer Protection agency would get you some relief since they seem to be ignoring your phone calls.

Steve, Host

32valveuser · January 2004

Thanks for the information on the bearings. This is a great forum.

nadavi · January 2004

the outside door handle for 98 Sienna sliding door brook. got the part already but do not know how to remove the panel. can someone help?

payson · January 2004

Our 2000 Sienna steering wheel controls cycle through the radio in the following order: FM1,FM2,AM,and then CD.

deepan · January 2004

Thanks for the info. When i chked the controls again over the weekend it worked fine!!! Do i attribute this behaviour because of the frigid weather we had last week. Infact the van was parked in a indoor heated garage for a day during the cold spell and it still didnt work until Saturday!!!

sj1bj1 · January 2004

I just had my 2000 Sienna XLE in for its 60,000 mile service at our Toyota dealer. Again I complained about the squeal I've had for a couple of years, and again, hundreds of dollars later my brakes still squeal. I asked about new drums, but they just keep saying, all we can do is lube them. Somebody please tell me how to convince Toyota that there is a problem!!

hottmusic · January 2004

There is a fix. Toyota has newly designed rear brake drums that so far have worked for me. Contact the service manager, let him/her know that you are aware that the new brake drums are out. On my invoice it appears that the part number is 472151. I also have the 2000 XLE with 53,000 miles, and I have been complaining to the dealer for 1 1/2 years now. I also sent an email to Toyota about the problem. Mine was fixed on November 3, no charge, and so far so good. If you're dealer seems to be unwilling to help you, ask to speak with the regional rep for Toyota.
Good luck.

jasdmw · January 2004

Had my drums changed per the TSB on Wednesday last, no charge. Also, so far so good. However, notice that the rear brakes seem to grab more, a good thing I guess. When hard braking, do hear a bit of a rumble from the rear which was not heard before.

sj1bj1 · January 2004

Thanks for the replies, I did email Toyota.com and the buck was passed on the brakes, and my local dealer seemed content with squealing brakes. I'll try locating a regional rep, how do I find my regional rep?

sj1bj1 · January 2004

What is a TSB? If its technical service bulletin, why does my dealer say there is no fix, and Sienna brakes just squeal?

stever · January 2004

You, Your Vehicle and the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB)

Steve, Host

toyoguy2 · January 2004

Hi Eric, please email photo on where to put the magnet on the rear backing plate to fix the noise. My email address is yusbrk@aol.com, I have a 99 XLE with 80000 miles. thanks

toyoguy2 · January 2004

Thanks Eric, I only spend $15.00 on the magnet and didn't even have to jack up the van or remove the wheel, the noise is gone. thank you so much.. Now I am driving a nice quite van....Keep up the good work guys...why bother going back and forth to your dealer....

sj1bj1 · January 2004

I'd like to try the magnets to stop my squealing brakes. Eric, can you or someone email me the type and where you got the magnets, and pictures or description of how to install them. Thanks a lot and I hope Toyota comes up with a fix other than cleaning the dust. My email is: sj1bj1@aol.com

5star · January 2004

Radio does work but the radio light sometimes doesn't come on, although the radio is on. Other times it just blinks on and off. Then other times it stays on like it is supposed to be. Anyone have any feedback? I did take out the radio and checked for loose wire connections, but it did not help.

bicalino · January 2004

I have an '02 sienna , in may of '02 .now w/ 10,300 miles . prior to purchasing , I was well aware of the rear brake squeal. I noticed it as early as 1500 miles, though it wasn't that bad . 1st. oil change 3,000 miles mentioned it, but it was not documented. 2nd. oil change 6500 miles, mentioned it and was told , "they all do that " which , I knew , but didn't tell them. third oil change 10,000 miles, I complained again, and it was documented. they told me they checked and everything was fine . afterwards ,I came on this site , saw the recent posts regarding the toyota fix, re: replacing the drums w/ new type drums. I called the dealer , told him that I knew of others who had this repair done on their sienna. I didn't mention this site though . he said he'd check the vin and see if it applied to my vehicle. he called me back, said it did , and when the parts came in would schedule a repair under warranty. I just picked it up today , he said they replaced the drums and brakes , but he wasn't sure what else if anything else was done . so far , 8 miles , no squeak, lol. I would like to thank those that participante on this site , for their valuable information.

jasdmw · January 2004

As noted earlier, I had my drums replaced about 2 weeks ago. I now notice a significant rumble when braking from speeds over 50 KM/Hr (30 MPH). Will need to have dealer look into this. Anyone else with the new drums hear this rumble as well? Note that the rear brakes seem to bite much more than before.

sj1bj1 · January 2004

When you called your dealer, did they have something from Toyota telling them to change the drums, or were you just persistent enough to have them do it for free? Do you have the part number for the new drums? What area of the country, or what dealer is doing this change. I still am getting nowhere with my dealer. Thanks.

bicalino · January 2004

actually , I'm not persistent at all. I knew b4 I purchased the van that they had a tendancy to squeal. didn't realize it was that loud.
I figured , toyota needed time to address it . when I got the recent info from this site ,(about a fix being available ) I became persistent.
I did told them the the van squeals like a pig. it's a new van, did it from 1500 miles, has only 10,000 now and it's unacceptable.

I'm in westchester ,n.y. I mentioned to the dealer service dept. that I had a part # . didn't tell him I got it from this site. he wasn't interested in it . said he'd check if there's an applicable fix using my vin #.
when he called me back , all he said was that they would order the parts , & schedule an appointment when they came in .

the service inv. says
472021 rear brake shoe R&R
2 42431-08012 drum brake
1 04495-08010 shoe kit,brake
2 47427-08010 plate, parking brake
I hope this helps . I havent driven it more than 50 miles . not long enough to see if the squeal is fixed. I haven't felt the brakes to be grabbier yet,but , I will pay attention to it, after reading one of the above posts.

sj1bj1 · January 2004

Hey thanks, I appreciate all the info!!

eugenea1 · February 2004

If anybody replaced a mirror on Sienna 2000 LE(or similar)please share your experience. I have to replace damaged passenger side power heated mirror and wondering if any gotcha's to do it yourself.

velobob · February 2004

One of the lights which illuminates the temp gauge and the left side of the tach has burnt out.
How difficult is it to replace it; can a mere mortal do it, or is it surgery of the type that I should have a mechanic tackle?
thanks for your input!!!

toyoguy2 · February 2004

Passenger seatbelt warning light doesn't work correctly. Mine works the other way around ( It blinks when the passenger buckled up, but if the passenger keep pulling the seatbelt all the way out it stops blinking ) It won't blink if passenger doesn't buckle up.** 99 Xle

payson · February 2004

I have had the same problem for the last 3 months.I did a search on the web,and found a couple of others with the same situation. One woman took her van to the dealer,and was quoted $200+ to fix. When she picked it up,they told her it was no charge. She was out of warranty.My 2000 XLE has 48K miles.I live 60 miles from my dealer,and haven't had time to take it in. I don't think it is a safety issue,just a sensor.Please post what you find out,if you take yours in.

newcar4newfam · February 2004

I had dreaded the day that I would have to own a mini-van. However, I am now a born again mini-van owner. I bought a used '99 Sienna with only 35,000 miles on it and I have fell in love with it over the past 6 months. It is awesome! Especially with a new born and a 100 lbs. golden retreiver. Now I can't imagine not owning one for the rest of my life. Especially a Toyota. Its so awesome.

However, I have now run into a little problem that I would greatly appreciate some help with. My CD player won't let me put a CD in it. I'm pretty sure there isn't a CD in it. I have obviously hit the eject button and nothing comes out. However, my wife was driving it the day before I noticed the problem but she does not remember putting a CD in it either.

It seems that there is a single bar within the unit that prevents a CD from entering the player. I would guess that I need to hit a reset button our something, but I don't know how or where it would be. If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it. I don't want to have to pay a mechanic for a seemingly simple problem.

Thanks,
Barkley

deepan · February 2004

Try this and it might work. Disconnect the battery and reattach after say 10 mins or so. This should reset everything and hopefully the CD player as well. Ofcourse you'll lose all radio settings and the clock.

newcar4newfam · February 2004

Thanks deepan. Disconnecting the battery did the trick. CD popped out and works fine now.

cnuck · February 2004

Why would exposure to rain or driving through a puddle cause the a/c button to blink and the a/c to shut off?

velobob · February 2004

Anyone out there have any advice re: removal of the dash/instrument cluster to replace a bad bulb behind one of my gauges? How tough a job will it be......Should I do it myself or should I leave it to Toyota to do for me?

imo · February 2004

It happened to me a couple of years ago when
I drove through a big puddle of rain water on the
Interstate.
I still don't know why the AC light blinked and
the AC shut off.

davenow · February 2004

I've had experience with electrical problems behind the instrument cluster of my 1980 VW (vw are notorious for electrical nightmares, even in today's models believe it or not) Dasher Diesel back in Fall of 1986 when i was in College. I know i can tell (warn) you if it's going to be anything like that, don't go it alone, have proffesional help. My advise to you is to have the dealership do it no matter what the cost. I've almost set the my car on-fire by crossing a hot wire. I smelled melting rubber in the car till the day i gave it away! Long story on my VW "Dunkie" as i called it.

I had to take it to the dealer to get the dashboard lights to work again. They fixed it, but it was never the same, the dimming feature never worked, and i was always wondering when it would eventually cut out on me again.

velobob · February 2004

Well, nobody answered, so I figured it out myself.
The instrument cluster can be accessed using nothing more refined than a phillips head screwdriver. Just pay attention to where the screws came from. It will also be necessary to disconnect the electrical plug connectors to the mirror, emerg flashers, rear vent wings and rear fan, etc. but this is simple. Plan on it taking probably an hour or so to do. One piece of advice....if you are replacing a bulb as I was, beware of the fact that there are different sizes of bulbs which illuminate the instruments....unfortunately, I had ordered the wrong one from toyota ahead of time, so I needed to drive around without the instrument cowling for a day or two (it was either that or put it back together and take it apart again when the right bulb was available).

steine13 · February 2004

Thanks. This is the kind of stuff I read this board for. -Mathias

aclarke3 · February 2004

Response to message #2766. Yes. My 2002 Sienna pulls left in general and particularly when braking. I had a local (non dealer) mechanic work on the allignment and although to spec he could not get rid of the pull. He assumed that something had been damaged by a pot hole. Today the van is with the dealer her in Morristown, NJ which is a big dealer. They are also looking into the allignment problem and the brake squeal which , so far, they claim to have no knowledge of.

Clarke

aclarke3 · February 2004

My dealership fixed the squeal today. New drums.
Thanks for all of your help. I do not think that they would have done the fix had I not gone in loaded with the info that I received here. It still pulls to the left but they tell me it is the tires. We'll see!!

Thanks again,

Clarke

jasdmw · February 2004

Now that you have the new drums, have you noticed any more noise eminating from the rear under medium and higher braking pressure?

jasdmw · February 2004

Note to all getting the rear drums replaced; mine is in right now to have the shoes replaced as well. Had the drums replaced 2 weeks ago, but noticed a definite rumbling bnoise on aplication of the brakes. Apparently shoes are part of the TSB, but dealers are only installing them if you whine about the new rumbling noise! Seems Toyota wants us to visit our dealers twice for the same issue.

sbrandon · February 2004

aclarke3 · February 2004

Man, will that make me mad!! My invoice does not list pads, just drums. Did the rumbling start immediately or after a few miles? I do not have the TSB number listed on the invoice but it does have a Factory T2 code of : 99 and T1 code of : 91, if that means anything. As cause it lists Service Bulliten per Tom S operation 472151A. Part number 42431-08012 for the drum.

Clarke

sj1bj1 · February 2004

What year Sienna's do you all have that are getting the new drums? My dealer still stays there is no TSB for my Sienna. I was wondering if it was for a specific model year and I could reference that TSB for my Sienna model. I ordered the magnets from Ace.com and will install them, but I really want my drums replaced by my dealer. Thanks for any advice and help with the model year.

jasdmw · February 2004

Sorry, don't have the TSB number. The noise was evident right away. It's not so much a rub as a rumble, which gets much louder the higher the speed you are braking from is. My van is a 2001. I would suspect it applies to all years prior to 2004.

BTW, the new shoes worked out; no more noise :-). Nice to have a new, free set of rear brakes, too!

In my case, I suspect the shoe noise may have been due to the mileage, my van has travelled 75000KM (45000 Mi). The original shoes probably were seated to the original drums. When the new drums were installed, the shoes didn't "fit", i.e., the braking surface of the drum was flat and smooth and no longer matched the surface or seating position of the shoes.

payson · February 2004

Our drivers outside door handle cracked this morning when I pulled it.My husband glued it as a temporary fix until we can get another one.Can anyone advise of a toyota parts site where we can order one? I have done several searches on google,and I can't find a door handle.Since they are plastic,I'm sure that other people have broken them.We live an hour away from our dealer,so I would rather order it for less than their cost,and have my husband replace.Thanks

jelhz43n · February 2004

Clarke, me too ! They only replaced the Brake drum and not brake shoe !
Mine is MY2001 with 27700+ miles only. Invoice shows

472151 REAR BRAKE DRUM R&R

2 42431-08012 DRUM, BRAKE

C/S REAR BRAKES NOISY REAR DRUMS OUT OF ROUND REPLACED

This was done last Saturday by Brunswick Toyota, Rt 1, New Jersey

I had printed the info from this site and gave to the service advisor.
Thansk everybody!

John

aclarke3 · February 2004

My Sienna is a 2002. My dealer only came around after I suggested that they consult with tech assist and/or a factory field service tech. No TSB number listed on the repair invoice.

Clarke

jyoung77 · February 2004

Hi,

I have a 2000 Sienna which just passed its 3-year warrantee period. My rear liftgate cannot be opened because its handle mechanism is broken and will cost around $300 ($180 labor plus $60 part).

Actually the broken part is only a tinny, plastic, cable actuator that can be seen outside from underneath the handle. When you pull the handle outward, the actuator transfers your pulling force to the internal cable. In theory glue can be applied to connect the broken parts but I wonder there is such strong glue.

Could somebody tell me where I can get an after-market part? I want to try DIY but don't know how difficult it'll be. Any suggestion is really appreciated.

Tony

stever · February 2004

You could try an auto salvage yard but they may want to sell you the entire hatch. Searching the net for Sienna parts may turn up cheaper prices than at your dealer.

I think the worst that could happen is that you may break a couple of clips getting the inner panel off the hatch, and Home Depot & Lowes sell universal replacement clips.

There's always epoxy if you want to try a kludge fix first.

Steve, Host

velobob · February 2004

join the club!!
my handle on my '99 broke about a year ago....I have the TOYOTA super-duper, platinum, no deductible extended warranty!!!!
........it was not covered!!! Cost me north of $200 to have it fixed by the dealer.
Not pleased to admit it, but misery loves company.
The problem is that due to the design, there is NO way to open the liftgate other than with the latch, Makes you wonder what would happen if god forbid you were stuck in the van (rollover accident) and had to try to get out thru the rear gate.

Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2003 earlier)

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