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Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2004+)

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Comments

  • phillipm1phillipm1 Member Posts: 21
    I traded my 1998 Sienna for a 2005, Salsa Red, LE, Option Package #5. The 98' Toyota Oil Filter was #08922-02011. The filter on the new 05' has printed on it: 90915-20003 & 115010-5011 Denso. They look the basic size and shape but the new filter does have more of a concave top and has more drain holes. Can I use the old filters on my new Sienna or does the newer filter have improvements or changes that are better? My first impression of the new Sienna, compared to the first yr. 1998 are: 05' much quieter, smoother, refined, less rattles and squeaks, less interior wind noise with the windows down, the 5-spd. auto tranny shifts MUCH smoother, and my MPG is at 25 to 26 mpg while the older model was a consistent 22 mpg. If I had known the newer model was so much better I might have traded sooner!
  • ontario543ontario543 Member Posts: 2
    I also have a 2004 Sienna AWD with about 70,000Km (40,000Mi). For the last two winters 03-04 and 04-05 I put snow tires on. So the original tires have about 1/2 that on them (around 20,000 miles). They are pretty much gone. I'll be putting the snows back on this weekend since I don't want to drive even in the rain with them the way they are. I will need new tires in the spring.

    I am unimpressed by the life on the original equipment tires.

    If there's a trick to the alignment or something to improve this, I would love to find out.

    I haven't found this from drivers I know with non-AWD Siennas.
  • weedshastaweedshasta Member Posts: 85
    That sounds about right. People seem to be replacing their first set of run flats about 18-20 thousand miles. Many are replacing them with non run flats, but then of course you need to get a spare.
    Being extra diligent about checking the tire pressure seems to help a little with tire life.
  • duppedbytoyotaduppedbytoyota Member Posts: 1
    MY 2004 sienna XLE battery has died under varied circumstances 7+ times in the past six months. The battery has been replaced under warrenty twice and the best explanation that the dealership will give me is my cell phone charger is to blame fir the repeated battery drain. My doors have been left open for less than an hour , every thing has been unplugged and turned off , yet the still feel it has to be something I'm doing. I am very disgusted and feel I have purchased a :lemon:
  • bigfeetsbigfeets Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone experienced problem of shifter going into reverse while driving forward? In my '04 Sienna the shifter will move with a light one finger touch, and it's a straight line from drive to reverse. The gated shifter does not really prevent this. The previous generation Sienna had a lock out button on shifter, I believe, so putting car in reverse accidentally was unlikely. To compound situation, the tray folds down and folks can pass from front seat to back, very likely nudging the shifter in the process -- maybe into neutral or reverse. Of course the car won't actually go into reverse, even though the shifter does, until forward speed gets down very low. But from what I understand from service dept the gears suffer damage when shifter is accidentally placed into reverse, even if only for a few seconds, which may show up down the road with transmission problems. Wish Toyota would get back to the basics.
  • sjbrodysjbrody Member Posts: 39
    How do I dim the heater/AC control display on my 2005 XLE Limited? The knob that dims the instrument panel does not affect the heater/AC control panel and the bright light is annoying at night.
  • paulepaule Member Posts: 382
    I believe you are referring to the power "cinch" latch. This is a latch in the rear of the slide door body opening that power closes the striker at the back of the door.

    I'm pretty sure this should not be active when the power slide door button is off. Not sure on that though.

    Sounds like it's time to take it into the dealer.
  • paulepaule Member Posts: 382
    The power cinch latch DOES remain active even when the power door switch is off.

    It helps to fully latch the door even when closing under manual mode.
  • toyo_van_ownertoyo_van_owner Member Posts: 31
    Please help - how do I stop it from automatically unlocking the doors when I put it in park?

    I followed the instructions in the manual, but couldn't turn this off. Anyone here managed to accomplish this yet? :confuse:

    Thanks for any help!
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    put it into neutral and apply the parking park...???
  • joel11joel11 Member Posts: 3
    I have driven a total of 7 AWD Sienna's at 2 different dealerships. Every one of them has a constant vibration that can be felt in both the steering wheel and the seats. It seems to be worse the further back you are in the vehicle. The plastic on the 2nd row seats vibrates constantly.

    Has anyone else with an AWD Sienna experienced this? All of the FWD Sienna's I drove were very smooth in comparison. Little if any vibration.

    Does anyone know if this has anything to do with the run-flat tires or is it just a result of the AWD ? Would installing regular tires help?

    Thanks for any experiences and solutions as I otherwise like and want the AWD. :confuse:
  • joel11joel11 Member Posts: 3
    I am curious what experiences folks have had with the FWD Sienna in snow and on hills in the winter. Does the AWD Sienna make that much difference? Is there enough weight over the front tires of the FWD Sienna to keep you going in most situations?

    Thanks
  • mcase2mcase2 Member Posts: 160
    I have followed the Sienna forums fairly closely and I do not recall any complaints about vibration in the AWD. There were plenty of other complaints; especially about the run-flat tires which evidently often wear out at 15000 miles and cost $250 each to replace. Also, there were complaints about a gear whine that Toyota cannot identify and correct. But if you noticed vibration in seven new AWDs thats a lot. Anyway, I live in New England and have a FWD and there is plenty of weight up front. In fact, I find the Toyota-recomended tire pressure (35 psi, all around) to be too low in front under the engine. However, if you are concerned about traction by all means get rid of the stock tires provided by Toyota.
  • weedshastaweedshasta Member Posts: 85
    At the top of this forum where it says "go to message" type in 348. There are clear instructions. The key seems to be that you have to do it quickly - within 10 seconds. I am usually alone in the car so I did not want all the doors to unlock when I put it into park. It worked for me.
  • moatgoatmoatgoat Member Posts: 2
    Not sure if you are describing the same problem I had with my Previa van, but it took quite a while to figure out the cause. They eventually traced it to a faulty throttle position control (I think that's the proper name for it). We originally thought it was transmission related becaue of the strange surges and changes in RPMs. Hope this helps.
  • toyo_van_ownertoyo_van_owner Member Posts: 31
    Thanks - we had already tried those, which are also in the current manual. I don't know if its a 2006 fluke or just my van, but the toyota techs couldn't get it to work for them either. They ended up having to use a scanner to set it the way I wanted. It took two tries and a bigger chunk of my morning than planned for. However its worth it to have everything just the way we want it.
  • melissa1965melissa1965 Member Posts: 1
    Help! I bought a 2004 Toyota Sienna last year. The turn signals have never worked properly. They only work about half the time. When they are out the hazards do not work either. Every time I take it to the dealer I am told they cannot find/replicate the problem. I feel unsafe in this car when the blinkers are not working and I have a little baby. When does the lemon law kick in? Thanks in advance to anyone who has had this problem and can maybe offer some advice.
  • nelson33nelson33 Member Posts: 100
    Wow. They can't duplicate the problem so they just send you back home? I used to have an 99 Intrepid that had a similar problem. The signals would work intermittently and when it didn't, the hazards wouldn't work either. Since it was no longer under warranty, I refused to take it to the dealer for service for I figured they would overcharge me (ie rip me off). After hunting high and low for the signal/flasher relay which I finally located under the steering wheel and dashboard, I replaced it and the problem was solved. It simply malfunctioned. It was tough to replace because of it's location. See if you can get it at your local Pep boys or equivalent. If they don't have it, then go to the dealer. It's not expensive and worth a shot. If the relay is easy to find, it's a very simple fix. Hope it works.
  • mcase2mcase2 Member Posts: 160
    The "lemon law" varies from state to state, but they all have time limits - usually a year. This is a safety issue and may be covered. The simple thing would be to bring the car to another dealer. Having bought my car from a dealer with a less than stellar service department I do this myself. Dealer "A" may be a negligent criminal or a simpleton, but dealer "B" may a responsible business person. Ask around and find a reputable dealer. If this does not work and the lemon law cannot be invoked you could have the defect assessed in writing by several independent mechanics and pay for the repair yourself and then sue for the cost (court cost too of course).
  • joel11joel11 Member Posts: 3
    Appreciate the info. Do you put snow tires on in the winter or just good all season radials? I'm used to a Subaru so going to FWD seems like a step backwards from AWD and I just need to get used to FWD again. Too bad Subaru does not make a minivan.
  • joshg1joshg1 Member Posts: 1
    I'm considering a Sienna and really need a navigation system. I like the toyota system but HATE the lock-out function while vehicle is in motion... even prevents passengers from accessing navigation.

    Some Prius owners have found a way to easily over-ride this...

    I'm hoping a Sienna user can try this on their Nav system and report back if it works? It's just button-presses, not wire clipping... it has to be done each time vehicle is started but (according to Prius owners) is completely harmless.

    http://wiki.ehow.com/Override-Toyota-Prius-Navigation-Gray-out

    Can an owner of a Sienna with Navigation system please try this and report back?

    Thanks! It sounds silly, but if this works, I'll get a Sienna, if not, I'll get an Odyssey that allows in-motion use of the Nav.

    --JoshG
  • leftylouieleftylouie Member Posts: 3
    We just bought a new 2005 Sienna XLE Limited and are still on the first tank of gas after less than a week of driving. Does anyone know how to reset the MPG computer on the overhead counsel?
  • sjbrodysjbrody Member Posts: 39
    Easy. While the MPG indicator is showing, press both of the outside buttons at the same time and hold them for a few seconds. You will see the indicator blink and then become zero.

    Spencer
  • jksledsonjksledson Member Posts: 14
    My wife and I just bought a 2005 XLE Limited with DVD. Since Honda wouldn't budge on 2006s and there were great deals to be had on 2005 Siennas, we went for it. Overall we are very pleased.

    Pros
    - Smooth Ride
    - Power Equipment (doors, etc.)
    - Seat comfort - Leather is very comfortable and seat is supportive
    - Gas Mileage (first tank came in around 20mpg, not bad compared to the Explorer we traded in)

    Cons
    - turning radius - needs just a little improvement
    - Soft Braking - I've seen some posts here and ones that indicate new ones are an every 10-20K mile occurrence. Does anyone see the best way to avoid this issue and deal with it when it comes up? What is considered reasonable for brake life? Our 2002 Accord finally needs them at 62K miles. That's reasonable to me.

    We noticed the sound issue (lower volume) with the DVD player, but it's not the end of the world.

    So I only worry that the stopping distance in an emergency will be compromised by these soft brakes, but I'm not sure whether I should lug this van back to the dealer right now or even bring it to an independent shop to get looked at...

    Any advice is appreciated.

    Again, overall we really enjoy the van. Makes me think about trading in the Accord for another toyota.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Worry, "soft" brakes...??

    When I buy brake pads I want the most aggressive pads I can buy. If that means they EAT rotors for lunch every time I apply the brakes then so be it.

    What that means to me is that I might have to replace the pads as often as 10,000 miles and the rotors every other pad change.

    I don not want long lifetime pads, I want a long lifetime.
  • sasas1sasas1 Member Posts: 11
    I have had at least 7 dead batteries in the last 2 years - all at BAD times! (Sienna 2004) I called Customer serveice several times in the past 2 years - again yesterday after my daughter was stranded and they had to call me back. They did 4 hours later to tell me even the 2006 has not been fixed. The manual still says there is a battery saver. It says the lights will go out if the door is open and the switch to the "door" position after 20 minutes. I couldn't believe her so I went to the dealer today and had them experiment. Hours later, with the lights to door and the door open, the lights stayed ON.

    I have to say that I am frustrated enough that I am going to start shopping for a HONDA tonight. I can't live with the stress. I have 4 children and am constantly checking that my doors are closed. But I won't catch them all. They are children! Isn't that who minivans are designed for ? I can't miss another child pickup or doctor's appointment - never mind an emergency!
  • tkaztkaz Member Posts: 69
    This override in-motion works on our 2005 Sienna.
  • mcase2mcase2 Member Posts: 160
    I'm lazy, hence I got expensive heavily treaded rain-channel tires that do better than conventional all-weather tires in snow. But as you know, there is nothing that matches actual snow tires. So if you did get the AWD Sienna you would have to replace the run-flats if you wanted AWD with snows tires. This means you would be driving without a spare. The AWD looks less attractive all the time. Your right, it is too bad Subaru Doesn't make a minivan.
  • mcase2mcase2 Member Posts: 160
    So the timer fails, Hmm.. I'll remember that. You do not have to even leave a door open though. A related flaw has to do with the design of the lights. If the kids (like mine do) push any lights on, they STAY on, even if the doors are closed. There are lights all over this van and of course they are fun to push on. The head lights go out after a time, why not design the interior lights the same way?
  • stilllookingstilllooking Member Posts: 6
    I guess you read my post. I brought a 2005 XLE just over a month ago and had the same problems that you described. I took it back to Fremont Toyota and they said those two "problems" are normal. My wife loves the van, but I would prefer the Honda. Unfortunately, she has 51% of the vote. :cry:
  • sjbrodysjbrody Member Posts: 39
    I believe that Bridgestone makes a run-flat Blizzark snow tire--we have ordered a set for out Limited AWD.
  • sam_chansam_chan Member Posts: 10
    Is there a way to disable the drive-side auto window up feature?
  • kedwards2kedwards2 Member Posts: 1
    This is my first post, so please excuse me if I'm reapeating a question that's already been answered. Overall, I LOVE my Sienna, but I'm having 2 very minor problems: 1. The speaker in the passenger-side door buzzes with heavy bass beats - even though I've adjusted the tuning so that the bass is lighter than it's supposed to be. I had this problem with my last car - but it cost half as much and was American-made. 2. The driver's-side power sliding door "creaks" - the creaking stops if you crack the window even 1/2 inch. Has anyone else heard of or experienced these problems? Thanks in advance for your help!
  • seriousdriverseriousdriver Member Posts: 4
    I am planning to get a 2006 Sienna CE AWD, because my two sons love skiing, and we need to frequently drive in snow and slippery conditions, but I am very concerned about 2005-06 Sienna's seat/head restraint Poor rating by IIHS, see:
    http://www.hwysafety.org/news/2005/iihs_news_091805.pdf
    My two son are both over 6 feet tall, and I am concerned that they may not get adequate protection from whiplash injuries in case of a rear-end collision with the current 2006 Sienna's seat/head restraint.
    Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do about this? Is it possible to replace the current 2006 Sienna head restraint by something better?
  • duck6duck6 Member Posts: 1
    2004 sienna AWD-2nd set of run flats. 10-01-05

    We first replaced our Dunlop run flats at about 16,000 as well, but odd handling was present much sooner. at 30,000 (14,000 miles on 2nd set) we are told not to rotate because the tires are so bad. We have been told by two places that van can not be aligned w/in factory specs. Dealer disagrees. Were planning on converting to regular tires but based on your experience I won't. We have had other repeated issues w/our doors coming loose. Drivers front coming ajar 4 times by 28,000 miles then a weld at the window frame door noticed. Body shop at dealer tells me this is happening to a lot of sienna's. Also the inner door panel is broken. The fix is amateur at best and door is loose again, now the 5th time. I'm trading it in and it's the last toyota i will ever purchase. The manufacture has been horrible and refuses to fix anything right. I tried to go through arbitration, what a joke. Good luck.
  • joeb24joeb24 Member Posts: 111
    I had a similar problem on my 2005 XLE. It seemed strange to me that the creeking would stop if I opened the window? I used WD-40 on the door latches. Also, if you look towards the top of the door post, you'll see a black piece of plastic (like a male plug) that fits into a black plastic whole (female portion) in the door when the door closes. Lubricate these pieces also. So far I seemed to have solved the problem.
  • ohresohres Member Posts: 46
    If you already spent time to collect & submit all the data for the arbitration then why don't you look for a Lemon Law Lawyer? I also have all kind of problem with my 2004 Ltd AWD and am planning to go through arbitration once I receive the mailed form from Toyota. I already went through the process once with my Dodge years back. It was a long and dragging process. Even if I could not settle with the arbitration board (the PA lemon law could not be applied because the vehicle was more than 1 year old and has more than 12k miles on it), a lemon law lawyer could resolve the case within a matter of days. The lawyer tried to mediate the difference in mutual standing and I was fine as far as I can get a replacement. Make sure that you are not charged for his service. My lawyer charged Chrysler for his time when we settled. The lawyer I used decided to take the case for free after reviewing all the data that I sent. If the case was weak then he could refuse to take it. You can find how stronger a case you have. Toyota may be different than Chrysler on their policy. Good luck!
  • jcchaplinjcchaplin Member Posts: 1
    I have a sienna AWD with dunlop run flats. I understand there are many dissatisfied customers ou there! Anyone with info., please e mail me at JCChaplin@optonline.net. Thanks
  • 04siennaawd04siennaawd Member Posts: 1
    I have the infamous Dunlop RFT. After 2500 miles, tires showed wear, but dealer denied that the tires are feathering. Service writer accused me of either driving too hard or hitting too many curbs. Bear in mind that there is not a mark on my tires or rims so I am unsure how he arrived at that conclusion. At 5000 miles, took car to same dealer to complain about excess wear and made sure new service writer knew that I had complained about the previous one to the general manager. Also, I stated that their is a great amount of negative comments about these tires from Sienna owners. Service writer confirmed that there is unual wear for tires and would replace the front two. Service writer stated that it may be because tire was under inflated by 3 psi. Keep in mind that I took delivery of car with only 25psi. Btw, two different mechanics at Toyota tried to inflate the tire to 32 psi after they had deflated them. When they checked, tires were set at 32, instead of 35. In addition, I stated that the flat sensor may not work on this car and how am I to know when I have a flat? Dealer checked by deflating my tire to 15 psi and drove for a few miles. They then lowered it to 5psi. Warning light indeed did not come on. Subsequent consultation by the head mechanic to the Toyota tech line confirmed that light will only come on at freeway speeds. In other words, I would have to check my tires every 75-100 miles. In Southern California, we seldom hit 60 mph for more than a few miles at a time.

    Spoke with Toyota 800 line. They asked me to talk to dealership again. Dealership contacted regional customer service rep. Long story short... Toyota is willing to replace 4 tires with Goodyear Comfort Tred for free. I am not satisfied. I bought car for passenger capacity, cargo storage, and safety with awd. I want them to at least throw in a spare tire/carrier. Especially when I switch out of RFT's and do not have a spare tire. Btw, like most people, I was not informed that awds do not come with a spare. Am I asking too much? Anyway, I am attaching a link to the California Dunlop class action lawsuit.

    http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?scid=185&did=1165

    The attached link is the actual attorney who is going to try this case. I have personally spoke with him and he is looking for a person who has the Bridgestone RFT's to add to their lawsuit. From my conversation with him, I find him to be a very nice gentleman and I hope that he gets Toyota to reinburse all the owners for expenses on their RFT's and get awd owners a spare. In addition, Mr. Anderson stated that he would be willing to speak with any RFT's owners.

    http://www.kabolaw.com/mark_f_anderson.asp

    2004 Toyota Sienna LE AWD with Dunlop RFT and NO SPARE!
  • geneegenee Member Posts: 170
    Just tried the sequence ... well, tried to try the sequence ... in my 2004 XLE Ltd. For starts - there is no MENU button on the bezel. Secondly, no speaker icon in the speaker menu. I poked all corners in multiple sequences and nothing. :cry: Does anyone know of a bypass for the 2004? There has to be a way to get to the service menu to upgrade the software. :confuse:
  • jb_shinjb_shin Member Posts: 357
    Press Menu button on right side of Nav Screen. On this Menu Screen screen, it includes the "Suspend Guidance button, etc." In the top right corner there is a DVD button. Press the DVD button which takes you to the DVD Information menu which tells you what DVD version is installed in your car
    On this screen, press the touch activated screen as follows:

    1. Top Left
    2. Bottom Left
    3. Top Left
    4. Bottom Left
    5. Bottom Right (not the cormer of the screen itself, but the menu page, "inside" of the tab)

    The Service Menu will appear. Press and hold the "Override" button until you hear a beep and the button is highlighted. Unfortunately, this has to be done each time the system is power cycled. (restart engine)
  • lastarlastar Member Posts: 30
    I am considering a Sienna or Highlander V6 and wanted to hear from owners of both on their experience. I know the specs say they can tow up to around 3500 LB, but wanted to know if they have any engine or tranny problems over time.
    Thanks
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    Well, it's certainly no surprise that the first lawsuit regarding these tires was filed in the litigious state of California.

    I received my spare tire kit last week from my Toyota dealer, free of charge. It consists of a 17" limited-use spare, carpeted cover that is color-matched to the 'Fawn' interior, and some attachment hardware. Though this remedy isn't ideal (I only carry the spare on long-distance trips due to the loss of use of the folding seat), I'm certainly satisfied with the response from Toyota's regional representative, as these parts list for about $500. I replaced the Dunlop RFT's with conventional tires last month, and the ride is much improved. Also, Dunlop has provided me with a $280 credit (valid until 2010) toward another set of tires.
  • hondaconvert1hondaconvert1 Member Posts: 60
    I did test the Battery-saver feature on a 2006 Sienna, and I believe that it functions correctly only when you have the general lights switch on (switch next to the rear view mirror). The brochure also states the below:

    "Battery-saver feature - deactivates personal lights after 30 minutes with lights on"

    I believe the "with lights on" refers to the genenal switch for all internal lights to be turned on. Yes, it does not work (will not shut off after 30 min.) if you turn your own individual light on.

    As an FYI, I do have an 2005 Odyssey (full of problems and poor quality) and l am considering trading it in for a 2006 or later Sienna ...
  • donnie2494donnie2494 Member Posts: 14
    my 2005 did the same thing. after the second visit to the dealer they discovered that there was a sticky substance on the belt pulleys. possibly overspray from the factory or something. they cleaned the pulleys and retorked the alternator strut and it took care of the problem.
  • lastarlastar Member Posts: 30
    I don't see any mention in the Tow Package or Standard Specifications whether this is on the 2006 Sienna or not. Does anyone know?
  • rwenigrwenig Member Posts: 1
    What magic did you do to get a free spare tire kit for your Sienna AWD?
  • ohresohres Member Posts: 46
    I have the same problem with my RFTs.
    I cannot see how tires can be the blame for the uneven wear.
    I am wondering if your new non-RFT replacements are evenly wearing now.
    Some contributor posted that their new non-RFT replacements still developed uneven wear. Thanks for your info.
  • ericcpaericcpa Member Posts: 6
    I have this problem as well. The dealership says "its normal" for some pinging. Our van has 13k on it and we love the van. I do have the xtend warranty but this van needs to last...... Any updates related to this problem? I will be taking it in for service soon and will revisit issue. Thanks!
  • heywood1heywood1 Member Posts: 851
    The non-RFT's seem to be wearing fine, although it's probably too early to tell. But I can tell you the harsh ride and road noise have been eliminated. We drove to Hilton Head and back last month (25 hours round-trip), and I couldn't believe the difference.

    Also, I really didn't have a problem with uneven wear-- it was pre-mature wear, harsh ride and road noise that were my complaints with the Dunlop RFT's.
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