Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
We have 82k on our 2000 Sienna and I am hoping it lasts til my youngest gets thru college (7 years away!)
Toyota also made a minor change to the PCV system in those engines back in 02 which made them more tolerant of poor maintenance. This helped to minimize the issue even more.
History has now shown beyond any doubt the vast majority of sludged engines occurred in vehicles which were not well maintained. Owners weren't changing oil at all, or going well beyond recommended intervals.
A number of other makes were plagued with the same undeserved publicity, for the same reason.
The so called "sludge prone" engines made by Toyota are reliable as they come--given reasonable maintenance. This requirement isn't any different for other manufacturer's engines.
Simply put, after all that past furor about it, sludge is no longer an issue.
It hasn't affected resale values at all for Toyota any more than all those failed Honda transmissions which happened at the same time. The salesman was blowing smoke.
The Honda salesguy did not know my van had the sludge before and I didn't tell him. He was just saying they couldn't offer much for it because it was one of the ones that could get sludge. I didn't feel like getting in a argument with him. I am still shopping around and haven't gotten to a bottom line yet. It just hadn't occured to me that it could lower my resale.
I am not wanting to keep mine any longer. After the sludge, the dealer said I should change the oil every 3000 miles to maintain the warranty, but they were never clear whether they would fix another sludge engine. I don't want to chance it. Other than the sludge and going through tires like crazy, it has been an ok van and has served its purpose. I am ready to move on when my youngest starts driving later this year and I don't need a van for carpooling any more yea!
A couple of months back I noticed an "extra noise" under the hood - sort of a thrashy, slurry sound. This is especially noticeable when the engine is cold and I am accelerating at a decent clip. It is harder to notice at higher speeds when the road and wind noise mask the sounds + the RPMs fluctuate less when on the gas. I have taken it to 2 different Toyota dealers and neither seems to be able to find anything wrong with it. At each dealer they claim to hear it - one technician even said it didn't sound that different from other Siennas he had driven. It doesn't sound like the buttery smooth Sienna I paid $25K for!
Just last night and again today I heard a new noise - last night there were two loud "clunk" sounds from under the hood. This happened under acceleration. Today at about 35 MPH and again under acceleration there was a single clunk sound.
The thrashy sound made me think that it could be an issue with the beginning of the exhaust system. The clunk sounds more like a universal joint/transmission issue. I am about ready to take it to a "good ole boy" mechanic, because I have little faith in the Toyota dealers.
Has anyone had a similar issue? Any advice? Thanks!
the tranny is designed in a way to delay shifting till the collant warms up. so you have nothing to worry about. dont floor the van till the engine warms up.
Jproc,
if youre doing regular oil changes i wouldnt bother spending the extra bucks for synthetic. my 2 cents.
Background
I purchased a 2001 Sienna in Nov 05 (its now Jan 06). I had decent gas milage (aprox 22 mpg) at first. After getting the 60K tuneup, which includes spark plugs, new air filter, and I had the fuel injector cleaning service done. In addition, I have had 3 emisions sensors replaced, and the valves adjusted (under waranty).
After all the above was done, I expected BETTER fuel economy. Any suggestions?
Has anyone had this issue resolved ?
Otherwise, at 45,000 miles we are very happy with Toyota quality.
Mike
When I got home I brought the vehicle to Kearny Mesa Toyota and they tell me this is not a warranty item. I asked them for a refund for the Platinum warranty I purchased since it is essentially useless then. Of course I was told no and I had to pay to repair what is obviously a Toyota Defect.
I called Toyota and asked them to cover it under warranty and they refused. I asked the CSR why should I purchase another Toyota when it is obvious that they will not stand behind the quality of their vehicles. All I heard was the static of the telephone line.
Needless to say, Toyota has just sold another vehicle for Honda. Wheres the Quality, Toyota?????
it's possible that either your fuel filler tube (goes from the place you remove the cap and stick the fuel pump nozzle into to the tank) is crimped, or perhaps there is a problem with a fuel tank vent hose (or solenoid if there is one).
i cannot seem to find a fuel system diagram on the web for a sienna, but i suspect one or the other.
gee the service people don't seem to be trying too hard to locate your problem. maybe the tubes are difficult to get to. i don't know.
good luck.
Pl. keep me updated.
BILLJ
(My teenager busted out the right taillight today, so I'm going to try to find a replacement from a junkyard, and want to know what years I can use.)
He also busted the right sliding door handle to pieces. Ah, the joys of teenage drivers. Anyone know a good list of online junkyard parts sources?
Thanks,
Bob
they definitely look better.
Did the 2000LE come with or without ceramics?
Maybe the New High Solar Energy-Absorbing (HSEA) glass is the root of the problem?
What should I do?
Thanks
Any thoughts?
Yet the after market folks had many available for my car.
Our 2000LE came with a defect in the door frame that has caused the weatherstripping to bind tightly against the glass. This has caused grit to accumulate, rather than be brushed off by design, and scratch the glass.
Toyota dealer in Wellesley MA denied this possibility since day one. They did replace the glass and weatherstripping under warranty when new, but the probem persists because of the improperly made door frame.
Can't buy just the converter box, and the wiring assembly is kinda expensive.
Does anyone know what the box does electronically? Is it possible to jumper the brake light wires and, if so, what kind of inline protection should I be adding?
My 99 has the same bulb out.
Photos of units at
http://www.members.shaw.ca/barrypendergast/sienna/sienna_problem.html
Oh yeah I have experience with this.
Took my hitherto flawless '03 Sienna to a trusted independent shop to do a "k" service. It's at 46k miles -- 74,000 km -- so I figured we'd do the 30k "severe" schedule and all inspections.
Sure enough, I need new lower control arms left and right, for $144 each (dealer item), because the $10 rubber bushings have failed. They aren't available separately, of course.
My control arms aren't removed yet, but they appear to have failed in exactly the same way yours have; the mechanic showed me how you can push the arm up and down and the metal sleeve moves around the piece of rubber. Pretty stupid design.
I think the dealer is right on with his diagnosis; the part is not strong enough to withstand use in a 4,000+ lb minivan. I don't think you ruined the suspension over rough roads, 'cuz I know we didn't. It used to be my car before the wife took it over, and neither one of us particularly beats up on cars.
I'm gonna keep the old parts.
As a friend of mine said, "it's a Toyota, so you know there are 150,000 minivans driving around with the exact same problem. It's a car chassis trying to do a truck's job."
I think he's right; I think it's not the end of the world; I think that in a year or three, there will be a way to rebuild these because more and more will fail.
If I hadn't asked to check out a weird noise my wife mentioned, I doubt they would have found it. I bet someone will come up with a way to fix 'em cheaper, and then I'll have my original ones redone.
Thanks for your information and commiseration,
-Mathias
Dealer? I took it to an indy I've been going to for years. And there's nothing to "admit", the darned things aren't supposed to fail... if it's a lousy design, they're all going to go bad early... if it's just a lousy part, it's just yours and mine.
Don't forget that minivans often don't get serviced all that well... mommy's too busy and all that. This failure isn't going to be found on a cursory inspection.
As far as "admitting" anything... admit hell -- the darned thing's out of warranty, it's on my nickel, lousy design or no.
I don't like it, but I accept it, and I certainly won't try to get any money out of either Toyota or the local dealership... I don't trust the mechanics there, so I never go and have no rapport.
The fact that my ATF was black after only 46k bothers me more than the stupid bushings. Maybe I should sell it; at least resale is stellar on these things.
-Mathias
Have they been covered under an emmissions or goodwill program yet? At $300+ a pop, these are becoming an expensive item to maintain on our 2000LE.
We've replaced the two sensors on the engine manifolds already, and now need to replace one again.
Denied the fact that this happened too all of the siennas I've seen. They never replaced my weather stripping or window. Just blew the sand out with air. The front wind shield also of low quality glass and scratches very easily. Also the passenger window motor died right after warrenty was up. I've seen this on other Siennas.
This an a few other things, will force me not to purchase another Toyota product.
http://www.alldata.com/tsb/Toyota/1081753200000_1082530800000_EG005-04/51.html
there may be another more recently issued TSB.
see if the VIN is in the expected range for this TSB.
even if not, this suggests the manufacturer had a problem with the coil packs produced and installed in a number of vehicles. your codes indicate misfiring (in every one but one cylinder? you sure you didn't omit code 0306?).
sounds like all they are doing for you is resetting the CEL (check engine light). are they going through all the diagnostic steps to deduce misfiring?
you could have an intermittent wiring problem to/from the coil pack or defective coil pack. then again, it might be something they aren't seeing because perhaps it is occuring when it is raining outside with moisture being kicked up into the engine compartment? ask if there is something they might do to rule out something that occurs as a result of excessive mosture (spray bottle test).
print out the TSB (all the pages of it), and bring it back to them.
hope it helps.
Photos of units at
http://www.members.shaw.ca/barrypendergast/sienna/sienna_problem.html
I just found your post.
we have the same thing on our 2000 sienna since new.
i think that this causes the van to wander and other things.
what did you do to fix the problem?
Wayne
I've recently bought a used 2002 Sienna, and I have 2 questions on noises:
1. There's an intermittent noise coming from my steering column that occurs occasionally when I steer in either direction. It sounds a little like a spring winding or some wires moving around. Anyone else experience this? Know what it is? Is it something to worry about?
2. Both power windows make noises - but different ones. The driver side makes a buzzing sound going down, but is quiet going up. The passenger makes a similar noise going up but not down, plus on one occasion (when it was raining) made an alarming scraping noise, as thought the glass was getting scratched. Both windows operate at just about the same speed going up and down. Anyone else experience this? Something to worry about? Anything to do about it?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Hank