Toyota Sienna 2004+

weedshasta

My XLE AWD is also illuminated around the keyhole. It is very small and not bright, and yes, you probably would have to lean over to see it. But I do that anyway if I am getting in the car in the dark.

heywood1

Sure enough, mine does look like it illuminates, although it was hard to tell in the daylight. This smaller ignition switch seems to be what Toyota is installing on newer models across the line. I'm sure there's some cost savings involved. Older models, like my Tundra, the Sequoia, and the Landcruiser still have the oldie-but-goodie dash-mounted kind that first appeared on my '92 Camry.

Also, do any of you use your wheel locks? I took mine off. Didn't see any point in them. I've been told there are fewer than a dozen different lock patterns, and I'm sure a professional thief has them all.

jimmylee1000

Drive where I drive and you will have no cell phone signal and no AAA for miles and miles - close to 200 at a clip. Drive it at night, pitch black and hilly. You will want a spare. Hit a piece of muffler on the road, have it cut your sidewall, you will want a spare. I have used my spare only twice in 10 years. It was a Godsend each time. I carry a can of fix-a-flat for minor issues, but a spare tire of some sort - even a donut spare, is a requirement for me.

jimmylee1000

On Toyota, no rim changeout is necessary. But there is noiweher to mount the spare on the AWD version unless you mount it inside the car. Then you will not be able to fold down your rear seat. You do not need new rims. But you need a place to stow the spare that will not destroy the car's functionality.

You can indeed mix run flats with non run-flats for temporary situations. Just go a litte slower, and don't corner like a NASCAR driver.

samnoe

Seems that you can choose one of them, either the shifter on the steering column or the ignition switch, you can't have both in the dash :-)

markhoot

I am interested in the XLE with package #3, that does not have leather seats. The XLE does come with a leather wrapped steering wheel. Does this include a leather wrapped shifter also, or is this part of the leather seat/leather interior option?

Thanks.

Mark

ilufx

i have a 2004 XLE. Has anybody installed after market moonroof/sunroof in XLE. is it true that since in the after market ones, since they have to cut the metal, it exposes the metal for potential of getting rusted in future. any preference over webasto v/s asc. also if i were to install an aftermarket dvd system on the roof will it be problematic to have both the dvd and the moonroof, especially since the XLE has a rear seat audio feature which i want to keep if possible.

any input will be very much appreciated

markhoot

I answered my own question. I saw an XLE today without leather seats, and it DID have a leather shift handle. Learn something new everyday....

 

Mark

doug889

Hi all:

  

A question about the accuracy of the NAV: My wife has a 04 Lexus RX330 and we just bought a 05 Sienna Ltd with NAV. If we enter a destination address in the NAV, it doesn't quite guide you to the door. It says you have arrived at the destination even 100 or 200 yards before the actual address. We went to a party last night and had to spent a few minutes looking for the house in darkness after the NAV announced we had arrived. This happens with both the Lexus and the Sienna. All the time when we arrived at destinations, the weather was good and we weren't in someplace that had bad satelite reception. My old portable Garmin Street Pilot had beeter accuracy. Any thoughts?

  

Thanks,

  

Douglas

roseyck

I found out yesterday that my tires are now at 3/32 (PA minimum for tires is 2/32) so the dealer says they all need to be replaced now. My mileage is at 9712. The tire wear problem was identified after my car has been sitting at the dealer's for 2 days while they searched for a replacement tire for one of my run-flats, which has a blown side wall. These tires, Dunlop sports, carry no warranty for tread and the service manager at the dealer where my car is serviced, said that neither the dunlops nor bridgestones are holding up in real world driving experience. THE BIG PROBLEM IS: I cannot find replacement tires for these. Toyota is recommending run-flat replacements for me, but the only tires available to me are the dunlops and bridgestones. It's hard to justify plunking down $194x4 for tires that did not last 10K miles. The bridgestones, although cheaper, don't offer any improvement in wear over the dunlops. My car is now stuck in a garage without tires until I can decided which brand of lousey tires to replace them with.

 

Depending on who you speak with at Toyota, the manufacturer's position is that this is a tire manufacturer's problem: they are not making a good enough product and/or enough of it to supply consumer demand. While toyota sympathizes, they tell me they have no control over this problem. My alternatives are to purchase run-flat replacements which I know will not last, or buy regular tires that will fit plus buy myself a spare.

 

Toyota's official position, at least to me, is that they are unaware that consumers are having problems with tire wear or tire replacement. WE SHOULD LET THEM KNOW, LOUD AND CLEAR, especially since those of you with 2004 Siennas are going to face this same issue sooner or later.

 

I plan to file complaints with my state attorney general in addition to toyota. Until we do something in numbers, each consumer is own her/his own in facing unresponsive automobile and tire manufacturers.

heywood1

I think if you take these to a Dunlop tire dealer (or that of whatever Dunlop's parent company is), you will get some (pro-rated) warranty satisfaction. Your mileage experience is by far the lowest I've heard of.

 

Have you been checking tire pressure? Rotated at least once or twice in that period?

 

 

I removed my Dunlops last week to put on my RFT snow tires, and they had about half the tread left. I'm right at 14,000 miles on this van.

 

You can get replacement RFT's much cheaper from the Tirerack.com. Don't buy them from the Toyota stealer. If they can't even locate any, it doesn't sound like they're being very helpful anyway.

 

Where is PA are you?

joeb24

Heywood1, can the runflat tires be replaced by conventional tires when the runflats wear out? I have a full size, run-flat spare (which I bought) for my Sienna XLE AWD. I would also replace the run-flat spare with a conventional tire. I am just wondering if the suspension system on the AWD model is specifically designed for run-flats?

heywood1

Run-flat tires CAN be replaced by conventional tires. The 17" rims on the Sienna LTD are EXACTLY the same whether you purchase the FWD or AWD. The suspension system is no different. Your full-sized, run-flat spare is overkill.

samnoe

Some information on the 2006 Sienna: Optitron gauges for the XLE and Limited models; new front and rear lights (of course); power-assisted 3rd row seat; and probably XM satellite radio.

 

Still no word about more hp, battery saver feature that actually works, memory seats, Larger DVD, transmission that doesn't hesitate, better front grille, etc.

library1

I also have a G unit, the Street Pilot 3, top rated by Consumer Reports, and it is off by about 500 feet on my street and 200 feet on the main road- my address is on the wrong side of the road! I think its the maps, not the GPS systems- And for 911 services all buildings SHOULD have clear, large numbers- Should!

vanbuyer

Needs suggestions on what to put underneath so the child car seats do not scratch the leather.

heywood1

I use a towel under our car seats. But children and keepingyourvanlookingnew don't mix. If you're looking for high re-sale value on your van, don't let your children ride in it. Otherwise, you're spitting into the wind. So go ahead and grind a few Cheerios into that leather and step on that carpet with muddy feet--and get used to it!

 

jm38

I have had my 2004 XLE Limited for almost one year. Yesterday my 30 year old daughter was getting in the back seat. My wife didn't see her getting in and hit the "close" button on the remote. The door did come back after hitting her, but it gave her a pretty good whack. If it would have been a little child it would have been alot worse. Aren't these doors supposed to go back easier? Is there some adjustment the dealer can make as to how much resistance the door has before it goes back? Or is it just set at the factory? Seems a little dangerous to me. Thanks.

4rider

During the winter break, we had a long drive on our 04 sienna, which is mainly the wife's ride. I have found several designed flaws:

 

1) Seat is not supportive enough particularly in the lower back for my 180 lbs body.

 

2) the tip of the headrest tilts toward front too much and that makes any person with long upper body impossible to sit in an upright position.

 

3) The steering does not tilt up enough. It blocks all the warnings lights for me.

 

4)The lateral leg room is unnecessary narrowed due to the egg shaped front interior spacing. This is particularly di

4rider

Sorry for the previous post was incomplete

  

 

During the winter break, my family had a long drive on our 04 sienna, which is mainly the wife's ride. I have found several designed flaws:

 

1) Driver’s seat is not supportive enough particularly in the lower back for my 180 lbs body.

 

2) Seat back is too low and the tip of the headrest tilts toward front too much and that makes any person with long upper body impossible to sit in an upright position.

 

3) The steering wheel does not tilt upward enough. It blocks all the warnings lights for me.

 

4)The lateral leg room is unnecessary narrowed due to the egg shaped front interior spacing. This is particularly disappointed for a van with 77’ width.

 

5)Substantial under body noise in highway speed.

cccompson

It seems to be the price to be paid for "jam protection." In 1998 we got one of the first '99 Honda Odysseys. While showing a friend how the power doors worked, I encouraged him to extend his arm as the door closed. Oops, bad move as it gave him a good "whack."

 

So far as I know, the sensitivity of these devices is not adjustable. Perhaps someone else who knows more can chime in here.

samnoe

I agree to # 3. I too complaint many times that the steering wheel does not tilt upward enough and blocks the upper part of the meters even when fully upward (if the power seats are also on the most upward position which I need to have a good view over the gauges which is also way too high positioned).

 

The power sliding door problem is almost the same with any minivan. How about adopting a similar system as an elevator? The door will reopen once it is touching you, without a good whack?

2004xle

If there was one thing that I wish were on this van, it would definitely be memory seats.

samnoe

As your name indicates, you have a 2004 XLE. Memory seats is very important for a vehicle with such a big price tag, and perhaps Toyota will get the message and add them soon. But they will certainly not add this feature for lower trim models, the CE and LE, and I doubt the XLE, perhaps only for the Limited. But the lack of a tilt steering wheel which does not tilt upward enough is a flaw for ALL models, from CE to Limited.

 

I personally think that all cars which have power adjustable seats should have memory seats as well, since it's very difficult to find a good driving position, and when you finally find it, you should be able to set it in memory. Especially if there are 2 drivers in the family and they are different sizes...

 

The Oldsmobile Silhouette did have on many models power memory seats (except for their base model).

 

What I can recommend you and others, to email Toyota (link below)

and ask them one time and a second time your request. That way we can hope our voice to be heard!

 

http://toyota.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/toyota.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php- ?p_sid=q75EhXuh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX- 3Jvd19jbnQ9MTg5JnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=

2004xle

Yes, I do have the XLE Sienna. I am not 100% sure of the options that you get in the USA but my van has leather, sunroof, power tailgate, power driver seat and the 17" rims. I really didn't see alot of value in the AWD model for the price because I had decided before I bought the van that I was going to get winter tires.

 

One pretty good thing that I did have done on the Sienna is I had an invisible mask put on the front bumper and side view mirrors for added protection.

 

Again, if they only would have made this vehicle with power tilt and telescopic steering with memory seats, then they could hook up the steering wheel as well as the side view mirrors to the memory settings like they do on the Lexus models. Other than that, I love the van and I never thought I would say that.

jeffinrtp

I first put a cotton towel down, then I bought a cheap rubber floor mat to put on top of the towel. The floor mat is the same size and color as the seat. The rigidity of the floor mat guards against the corners of the car seat digging into the leather. It also catches some of the spills before they soak into the towel and eventually the leather.

dudleyr

What is the deal with the rear DVD system. On the Toyota web site, when you build a Sienna, you can't configure one that has the rear DVD anymore. I tried more than one zip code.

 

Anybody else notice this. I was looking to buy in a few months. I realize they don't build all combinations all the time, but it still seems strange to have no combos that have a DVD.

vanbuyer

Thanks for the info. I was able to go to Kids R us and purchased a product called the Two Stage Seatsaver by Prince Lionheart. Its worked so far since it includes 2 pieces so it covers the whole seat and will even accommodate child seats with a latch system.

pemarsh

I met with a toyota rep and the arbitrator a couple weeks ago...took the van for a drive, and the decision by the arbitrator was a new vehicle for me.

 

The process is very easy, and quite quick actually. Everyone was very nice.

 

I told both the toyota rep and the arbitrator that if the toyota field service tech rep took my concerns more seriously, it probably would not have came to this.

 

All four tires had serious wear problems. It is unknown if the drifting to the left was a result of bad tires, or the other way around. Toytoa would not even discuss changing tires with me several months ago...they said everything was ok. I took the van to 3 other tire places...all said the tires were shot (miles=10000).

jipster

A quick question for all you Sienna owners.Do you use regular unleaded or premium gasoline when filling up? I have read that using regular is okay.. that Toyota "recommends"... but does not require...premium.Did this factor into your buying decision any? Thanks.

cccompson

Based on a number of posts on this question, this is a non-issue (although several Honda loyalists have suggested the contrary).

 

No Toyota owner here has reported any problem running regular grade fuel in a Sienna.

stever

Good question though - any Sienna owners running premium fuel and can you tell any difference in performance or mileage?

 

Steve, Host

heywood1

With regular, I notice a slight about of engine knock for a second or two when accelerating hard from a dead stop.

monkey3

I have 2004 Sienna 04 XLE with 7500 miles, took van to Goodyear tires for routine tire balance and rotation last week. Service tech. told me that all 4 tires/wheels were severely out of balance. Do you know if Toyota routinuely balances the tires/wheels at the assembly plant before shipping the vans out to dealers?

cccompson

Perhaps you've said that before, heywood. If so, I apologize for the inaccuracy in my previous post.

heywood1

Well, it certainly doesn't bother me. I've noticed this knocking only briefly--and again, only when accelerating hard from a stop. Also, my other vehicles REQUIRE premium, so I'm sort of used to pushing that '93' button at the pump. In addition, the extra pennies per gallon for premium don't bother me, as I check my tire pressure regularly-- and probably make up much of the price difference compared to those who drive under-inflated.....

dans1

I am also in this same situation. 16,400 miles on 04 Sienna Limited AWD and the Dunlop runflats are at 4/32 tread left and dropping fast. This is with regular rotation!! Love the vehicle but the original tires are ridiculous. The dealer refered me to a Goodyear/Dunlop dealer, and in fact they are trying to make things right by offering a new set at 50% off- Here in No. Calif they list for $232 each!!, but I don't really want another set of lousey tires. I understand that the Bridgestone runflats aren't much better then the Dunlops- Has anyone had and experience with the Michelin run flats- I think they are LX4's???

hux

Re: #2

 

I had the same problem with the headrest when I test drove the 2005. The salesman just laughed and pulled it out and turned it around! Feels fine now!

stever

"be surprised if Toyota lets Honda's power upgrade to the Odyssey go unchallenged."

 

Is the Avalon's V6 coming to Sienna?

 

Steve, Host

strausy

I purchased a new Sienna today and the dealer offered to treat the paint and fabric for $550. The paint protection is TST 5000 with PTFE(teflon) and the fabic protector is TST Tough Screen. Has anyone heard of these products? Are they worth the money?

 

Thanks,

Tony

wwest

Only to the dealer's college age kids...

stever

Mop and glow packages from the dealer are rarely worth it.

 

You can ScotchGuard the seats/carpet yourself for ten or fifteen dollars, and all the paint needs is wax now and then.

 

Steve, Host

rcf8000

I assume that all "protectant" and "sealant" packages are scams, and have refused to pay for them even when the car I bought had them added to the window sticker.

heywood1

I believe ScotchGuard has been removed from the market, as it was found to be carcinogenic. But I realize lots of people use the term generically, like 'Kleenex.'

 

While I was in college, I was the credit manager at a furniture store (a regional chain that later imploded in a spectacular bankruptcy). We sold a fabric protection product called 'Soil Shield.' It was delivered in a 40-gallon drum which cost around $100 (back in the late '80's). We would apply it to living room suites with a garden sprayer, for which we would charge $99 in the credit office. I'll bet each drum treated 500 suites of furniture. Literally. You do the math.

heywood1

Here's a great strategy I use with salespeople when the fabric protection and/or paint sealant have already been applied: I politely ask them to take it off. Nine out of ten times, the salesperson is at a loss for words. This used to work pretty well with pinstripes too-- back when they were actually painted on. Nowdays they can remove the decal stripes with a hairdryer.

rorr

Hmmmm, let's see......500 suites for $100 for materials works out to......

 

20 cents worth of fabric protection. For $99.

 

Your labor rates must have been ASTRONOMICAL.....8^)

heywood1

Well, I can tell you the commission I made selling the fabric protection WAS pretty astronomical....

 

As a result, sometimes I would apply it myself if the warehouse guys were busy. It was just like spraying your tomato plants.

 

It did gnaw at my conscience. After all, these were customers who were having to finance (cheap and cheaply-made) furniture. But there was a lot of pressure from management to sell it-- for obvious reasons.

rorr

I think I'm beginning to understand some of the.....questions....thrown isell's way. You've seen retail sales from the sales perspective and some of the practices used were.....not to your taste?

 

I can respect that.

heywood1

It all came back to haunt them. The year the company went under, I read in the 'Wall Street Journal' that 1 in 10 people who filed personal bankruptcy owed this chain money.

stever

I understand it got reformulated a few years ago (I remember when 3M took it off the market). They didn't fix the name though, and I always misspell it.

 

Scotchgard

 

 
Some sites just encourage you to live with dirty carpets!

 

Steve, Host