Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2003 earlier)

sienna_az · August 2000

Hmm....am I the winner? About 31 miles on the van when the engine light came on (we were driving it home from the dealer). Called them up, they gave me the song and dance about it being a "sensor". However, when I took it in today they changed their tune to "torque converter" My concern is basically whether it is safe to drive? They say it is, I am not so sure. I did call the 800# in one of the previous posts and open a claim, at least then Toyota can track this problem if we keep reporting it. Supposed to take 2 weeks to get the part in. Boy am I glad I didn't sell my other car, at least I don't have to worry about being stranded. I live in the desert and drive to work by way of nowhere every morning. Not exactly what I bargained for when I pictured myself tooling around in my new Sienna. Hope Toyota gets their act together and takes care of us folks with this problem. Incidentally, the vehicle is a new 2000 LE and was manufactured in Kentucky in July 00.

jeprox · August 2000

Normally, when you are done using your a/c - slide your lever back to "fresh" and this will eliminate that strange smell. For my van, if I leave the lever on "recirculate" over night and turn on my fan next day, I would get this smell but not stinky though.

What I do is I turn off my a/c and switch back to "fresh" when I'm 2 blocks from my final destination for the day. This brings in the fresh air and won't give me that smell the next day or next time I turn on my a/c or fan.

jo45 · August 2000

I purchased my Toyota Sienna 2000 CE yesterday. My engine light came on after a whopping 65 miles. I took it back to my dealer and told him about the torque converter problem on some of these vans. They checked that and said it was fine. My solinoid switch was reset, and so far no more engine light. Thank you all for these posts. They really helped me out when deciding what vehicle to purchase.

fireman6 · August 2000

Mine came on at around 500 miles. Purchased van in late July. Took it in and got the old "bad torque converter" story. I also called Toyota and told them to check out this website and see how many disappointed new Sienna owners with "check engine" lights there are. To their credit they said that they would and apologized up and down for my inconvenience. If the repairs come out OK and I no longer have any problems, my faith in Toyota will be restored. By the way, I'm waiting for parts and still driving the van with no other problems (1200 miles). Took in on a 500 mile trip and it just drives fine. Other than this fiasco, I really like it.

dmathews3 · August 2000

What is this smell crap. I have owned at least 10 american cars with air and I never had to put the air back to fresh before turning it off. I talked with a bunch of my friends and they too have never had a problem. Is this just part of the Toyota problems that are creaping up more and more.

jeprox · August 2000

I don't find the so-called "a/c smell" a problem. For my van, it doesn't stink or smell bad at all -
some people are more sensitive to smelling things and consider this a very bad smell. No, it's not a part of Toyota problems unless it smells like rotten eggs, then there's a problem. No car manufacturer is perfect, every single manufacturer have their share of problems.

I switch from fresh to recirculate to get the air inside moving. I don't find it annoying and it's not a big deal to me doing it. If you don't have to do this, then good for you.

brentg1 · August 2000

As I have said before, Toyota is NOT ARGUING with you people about your problem. They are FIXING the problem. Geez, loosen up a little. One misbehaving part on a complex machine does not make it a lemon.

timbf · August 2000

I just spent $30K for a car that's FAILED 3 times before I could even get home from the dealer. That's had at least the tranny out of it TWICE before 150 miles. That's been in the shop 16 of the first 18 days I owned it. That's cost me >10 hours either sitting in the shop or on the phone. And I'm supposed to cut Toyota a break?? I don't think so!

Toyota gets a premium price for their QUALITY, not their repair service. My expectations are higher. I could have bought a Chrysler product for this! I'd REALLY like Toyota to take this car back and let's start again! At a minimum, a DECENT apology for all the crap and BS I had to wade through to get it fixed. I look forward to the satisfaction survey I'm supposed to be getting %*)

BTW, I'm a 20 yr veteran mfg engineer for a large electronic instrument company. I KNOW how these bad part situations usually play out. I'd be surprised if it's not at least a 20% problem once the dust finally settles. There's big bucks involved.

cblake2 · August 2000

"brentg1," I have to side with "timbf" on this one. It all boils down to asking yourself, did you feel you got a safe, reliable means of transportation which will not be devalued due to inherent manufacturing defects. I am not too pleased with problems after the one year mark already; I am afraid I would be livid if my major powertrain components had to be taken out of my newly delivered van!! It is difficult to ask owners to *not* be emotional about the issue. WHO wants the headache and hassle so early??

Having said all that, I will say the BEST defense is to have good documentation while being clear about what you expect. Base your expectations on the federal and state laws. You have a right to demand fairness under the law. The laws are there to protect you...READ about them and use them to your benefit.

Network with as many other owners as you can. Check to see what the Center for Auto Safety can do to assist you in this matter. The more knowledge you have, the better position you will be in.

Personally, I think this torque converter thing is a real test for the auto manufacturer. If enough angry owners gather information and discover that Toyota has NOT informed them prior to purchase about a known possible defect, then things could get *very sticky*. Do check with the Federal Trade Commission on this and hold Toyota to the law! In my reading about auto consumer issues, I have not seen anything quite like this. Usually there is a much longer period before the problem surface allowing the manufacturer to "plead ignorance."

Now, to Toyota's credit...I think the memo which "dblum" (Thanks for your details!!) mentions above is very smart! At this point, Toyota cannot risk NOT taking some action in the predelivery stage. Just letting the vans sit on the lot, knowing full well that any one of them could have the problem once it is actually driven, is NOT A SMART MOVE. I have to give Toyota applause for taking this *small step* in the right direction.

I think that "dblum" is quite valid in EXPECTING a new van....ASSUMING the replacement is indeed NOT defective. He'd be wise to investigate all his legal rights. You may *not* need an attorney to get Toyota to be fair. BUT, you MUST know your rights and have a good general idea of what is fair under the existing laws. It doesn't hurt to consult with a "lemon law" attorney to find out if you don't want to take the time to learn on your own. I wouldn't recommend a general attorney who may or may not know these laws.

"brentg1," you have to understand that it is actually better to be level-headed, on guard, and constantly digging for information when in "dblum's" situation. One owner can hardly "loosen up" when faced with a manufacturer the size of Toyota! I would venture to say that Toyota is little worried about "dblum" alone; however, if many "dblum"s gather together, then Toyota would possibly blink, more than once!

No one is really berating Toyota here, as far as I can see. BUT, many want to send the message loudly and clearly that they are waiting (but not too long!) for fairness. I think owners are clever enough NOT to allow the manufacturer to "slip out the back door" on this one. I say, keep the heat up and EXPECT clear, decided action from Toyota. No mud-slinging is needed; a strong, united consumer front is needed, though.

I don't have the 2000 Sienna, but I relate FULLY with the owners....particularly those that left the Chrysler, vacation-bombing minivans to come over to Toyota! I have been reading with great interest the chronology of issues on the Sienna. WHY can't we get a quality minivan????

cblake@erols.com

eom · August 2000

Anyone have any idea as to exactly where the trans. serial # is actually located? I know...someone will respond that it's on the trans., but would appreciate a specific location as to where one might look to find exactly what serial no. is associate with our trans.

Thanks!

speedracer3 · August 2000

I have not read other comments on this board, but I see that I am not alone as far as Sienna problems. Well, here's my story:

I am what you call a Toyota loyalist, have leased many of them and have been extremely pleased with all of them.... well, I guess until the I leased my Sienna. I was one of the first to buy the van when it was introduced, and payed way above MSRP to get the priviledge of driving one. My Sienna is now two years old and so far these are the problems:

1) Left side mirror: just fell off.
2) Radio Buttons: all falling off
3) Driver's seat seat belt: It gets jammed...nice safety hazzard if god forbid you need to get out of the car fast.
4) Brakes: Will probably have to have them replaced...they are already shot.
5) Creaks and Rattles: Too many to count.
6) A/C : Sometimes it decides not to cool

I still think the Sienna is a nice van, it's engine is a true gem and IMHO it is the most confortable mini-van out there. Thankfully, my Sienna has not had any mechanical problems that have stranded me, but the quality problems are very unlike Toyota.

my 2 cents

Speed

duchess4 · August 2000

We have the same story. The check engine light came on at 187 miles. The service man tried to tell us "it was the first he'd seen!" The service manager finally acknowledged the problem. It was supposed to take a week for the parts to come in (that would be Mon), but they haven't even had the courtesy to respond to our phone call or to call us and tell us they don't have the parts! Toyota needs to compensate us all for this problem. Fixing it is not good enough! They need to extend our power train warranties at the very least! We're going to complain to NHSTA (you can do this right on the website) and to the FTC. If anyone has any other ideas on how to get action please post. We need to unite to force Toyota to compensate us for this big inconvenience and WHO KNOWS WHAT DOWN THE ROAD.

dmathews3 · August 2000

My wife leased a Cadilac Seville and they had a problem with the Alternator. After she got it fixed a couple months later she received a check from them for $100, and telling her how sorry they were that she had this problem. Boy wouldn't it be nice if all manufacturers did something like this, instead of denying the problem.

tbright1 · August 2000

Sounds like our story is pretty much the same as everyone else. We bought our Sienna LE van on July 18 (mfg July - our dealership ordered it for us as soon as it came off the assembly line). The check engine light came on the 1st time at 230 miles - the second day we drove it. This time we were told same story as some of you - gas cap not on tight enough (even though we had yet to put gas in it since it was filled at the dealership.) 2nd time at about 450 miles. We took it in and they reset the light and told us it was the solenoid which was backordered. We were told it was okay to go ahead and drive it on vacation as we had planned. 3rd time - about 700 miles while on vacation. When we got back from vacation, 8 days later we had no messages that the solenoid was in. We called the dealership and the part was in. I guess they didn't plan to call us. We took the van in the next day and they replaced the solenoid. 4th time - check engine light came on AGAIN yesterday at about 1300 miles!!! We are not happy to say the least. My husband is going to talk to them about the problem tomorrow morning when the dealership opens. I expect that we will find out it is the "torque converter!" We'll see how eager they are to please their customers tomorrow. We are not by nature complainers, but good grief!!! The main reason we purchased a Toyota is for reliability! Our main concern is that this problem is causing damage to our vehicle that will not be recognized until much later down the road.

jo45 · August 2000

So much for resetting the switch. My engine light came on again at about 300 miles. I'm calling the dealer tomorrow. I was told if the engine light came on again, the solenoid switch would be replaced. I was told the torque converter was fine, but now I'm having my doubts. How can I tell if this is really the problem?

anonymous · August 2000

I just checked my serial number on my 2000 Sienna purchased just this saturday 8/12 and it is in the range given in dblum's post #64. The car had 42 miles on the odometer so I'm going to ask the dealer if they did the test drive. So far I'm ok.

Anyway, the serial number is engraved vertically at the point where the transmission joins the engine block. It is about midway between the center of the vehicle and the right side. Below the black round metal (starter?) Pretty big numbers, you can't miss it.

jmsims · August 2000

It sounds like your dealership service department is a bit slow to figure out exactly what is wrong with your vehicle. 'Resetting the switch' probably just means 'clearing the error code', which basically ignores the problem. It doesn't do anything to address the underlying symptom. Ask them for the actual error code next time. Demand that they actually do something to fix it. If it's a P0770, mention the 'torque converter clutch slow lockup time' problem to them. Either the SL solenoid valve or the torque converter clutch could cause this error code, although the torque converter seems to be the more likely one at this point. They probably want to replace the SL solenoid valve first because it's easier (requires only dropping the tranny pan) than replacing the torque converter (requires removing the transmission).

If anyone gets the line about the loose gas cap after getting a check engine light, ask for the error code. Don't accept their quick guess. It only takes a few minutes to hook up an OBD-II scanner to the diagnostic port and let you know what the real problem is.

dali3 · August 2000

I also agree with timbf.

WE PAYED MORE FOR SIENNAS BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO PAYING FOR THE QUALITY.

If the quality isn't there, we could go buy one of the other less expensive makers and save a lot of money.

carleton1 · August 2000

Are these problems reported in the Town Hall an accurate indicator of Sienna reliability? This forum would indicate the Sienna is "NOT the Camry of minivans" as there are just not problems reported with Camry's that are abundant with the Sienna.

sam121 · August 2000

after we bought it and the light came on. the light came on after 25 miles. we found out what was wrong with our van on this site. thanks you guys.
we took 4 people and video cameras and just dropped the keys on the desk and said we don't want it. we stopped payment on the check.
they took it back and offered an xle for the same price as the le. we said no.
now that i am enlightened with this new info re: trans number, i will take another shot. i just don't like everything else out there except honda and i don't want to wait for that. so i will check out 2001 models.

iforgotit · August 2000

I get that stinky smell too when just running the vent, ie. without A/C. Why do people set their air flow to the recirculating setting during normal driving? I only set it there when going through a car wash. This is my third summer with the van and my method of eliminating that smell is to buy a can of that a/c cleanser, sort of like Lysol for your a/c, and spray it through the vents (as per the instructions). I've done this for the last 2 summers and so far so fresh!

carleton1 · August 2000

Although there are numerous reports in this
Town Hall forum of Sienna transmission failure,
compare these numbers to the tens of thousands of
Siennas with NO problems. My chance or your chance of getting a Sienna with problems is about as high as you winning a $50,000,000 lottery.

nairb2 · August 2000

I'm having a problem with my 98 Sienna with the passenger side sliding door. The door will not latch in the open position, thus if you are parked on a hill, it comes sliding forward. Obviously a very dangerous situation, particularly with kids getting their fingers caught etc. My dealer has tried everything including lubricating, adjusting and even replacing the whole latch assembly. I'm bringing it back to the dealer today for the 5th time. Anybody else out there having similar problems?

dmongillo · August 2000

Well -- unfortunately we also have a Sienna XLE that has to have the torque converter replaced! The check engine light came on with less than 500 miles and we were told today it is the torque converter. I am upset with toyota for not doing more in the way of customer service -- and will bring that to their attention. If any of you have had success in that area please let me know about it. Interestingly, friends of ours are dealing with the same problem from the same dealer.......I appreciate this forum and look forward to any suggestions for beter resolution -- Thanks

jlangford · August 2000

Don't even get me STARTED about the latch troubles! nairb2 - there is a little rubber stopper in the back of the top door track. When this stopper is just the right length, it stops the door right as it latches. When the stopper is sticking out too far, then the door hits the stopper BEFORE it latches open. For me, the dealer removed the stopper, took a razor blade, and trimmed the stopper to be a bit shorter. Now the door latches open just fine.

Good luck!

Jacob

jo45 · August 2000

Well, well, I bring the van back in to "replace the solenoid switch" and the guy went to get the mechanic. The mechanic told me he had spoken with the Toyota rep Friday and I would need my torque converter replaced after all. I must say I felt such a sense of satisfaction as a woman when I looked at that guy and said, "I told you it was the torque converter." I called the toyota consumer line and let them have it about not recalling all 2000 Siennas for this problem. I got an apology and a free rental while they fix my van. So, how will my van run after this thing is fixed? Is it like new again or does it run like a vehicle that has transmission problems?

brentg1 · August 2000

Why would they recall ALL 2000 Siennas "for this problem". That would be incredibly expensive (and stupid) on Toyota's part. It appears "this problem" only affects SOME of the Siennas built in a 2-month span. My 2000 LE was built last year in June and I don't have "this problem".

shawkins · August 2000

I hear you on the door latch stopper. Mine problem is on the passenger sliding door side. Haven't done anything yet to fix it, but was going to wait til I had more things for the dealer to fix under warranty. Fortunately, I have no other real issues with the van. It has been a gem since APR 98.

Scott

nairb2 · August 2000

Thanks for the response. Just got the car back from the dealer and that's exactly what they did - shave the rubber stopper. Now it's working fine. Sure wish they had done this the first time I brought it in!

tcwong · August 2000

Has anyone had their torque converters replaced yet? Does it fix the check engine light? I am curious as I have waited 3 weeks already for my replacement to arrive at the dealer.

mkovalsk · August 2000

I am still waiting for the part for TC to fix the check engine light. It's been more than 2 weeks waiting, the part is still not coming. (LE, manufac July 2000)

gusmcd · August 2000

It certainly does appear this torque converter problem happened in a few month span. Our 2000 XLE was built in June 2000 and it has not had this, or any of the other mentioned problems.

sgergen · August 2000

I have a 2000 XLE that was manufactured in June 2000 and I have 1,250 miles so far with no problems at all. It's a really nice van, we love it!

Scott

laran · August 2000

Picked up my 2000 XLE Aug 9 and after just 12 miles, teh Check engine light came on. They've ordered the Torque converter, but sounds like everyone is waiting for it. Is there any potential damage that can be done by driving with the 'out of spec' TC???

tomlh · August 2000

Check out www.toyotarepair.com and click on
"Breaking News" He describes the problem.
In short it appears that 1100 Sienna's built
in ~ 2 month span have faulty TC's. He also
says that this will not cause any problems other than not going into overdrive as fast, so it
sounds like there should be no problem driving the van until the replacement parts come in. I
wouldn't worry too much about it.

sbrandon · August 2000

The service manager (Honda) that told me about changing to fresh air prior to shut down did not say that a smell would definately occur if we shut down in recirc mode. Just that it has happened before and the culprit was a build up of bacteria in the system due to the moisture that is a result of the a/c process. Moving the slide, or pushing a button to fresh seems like an easy way to avoid a situation that may/may cause a problem.

robinpoohg · August 2000

I had the torque converter and SL solenoid switch replaced when my van had a little more than 300 miles on it. I now have about 900 miles, and so far, so good.

shawkins · August 2000

Amen Man!!

Scott

tbridgeman · August 2000

Wish me luck. I was just told today of this torque converter problem. My check engine light came on my new Sienna one week after I drove the van off the lot. I too received the "Check the gas cap" response. I figured since the light went off a couple of days after tightening the cap, all was fine. Well, it wasn't. It went on and off again for two more weeks until last Friday. Fed up with that and also a strange "revving" noise I heard upon starting the van and/or when braking at stop lights, I finally went in for service. I have under 1000 miles. I was told today that it is this torque converter problem and it would be a month before I can get the part. My feeling is forget about getting me a part. Get me a new minivan. And that's what I'm telling this guy when he calls back. I have to go on vacation next week and there is no way I'm driving my four kids in a van that "probably won't have a problem," as the service guy told me today. He also said if there is a problem, most likely the transmission would disengage. But "Don't worry about that, just pull over and turn off the van. Then start it up again. It should work." This is actually what he told me. Obviously this is unacceptable. If they knew about this problem beforehand, as the memo posted above from the KC dealership states, then I don't think it's legal to sell me a minivan that was manufactured with a bad part. I will be checking the NY State Lemon Laws and will also keep you all posted on what the outcome of my fight is.

Oh, and this is for the person who doesn't think this is a big deal...think about this...me and my four children driving down the Interstate, my transmission fails...I try to pull over to the right hand lane...oops, big trucks in my way, I can't get over....I stall in the middle lane...here comes a big old 18 wheeler with a very sleepy driver barreling up behind my stalled minivan....hmmmm. Not a pretty picture. This is a big deal. And we should all scared.

delaney3 · August 2000

Right on! Keepin' it real brother!

njcheney · August 2000

After waiting since 7/17 for my T/C, it has come in and is scheduled for replacement tomorrow. Light came on at 10 miles, before I made it home. Brought it in next day. (Dealer is across street from my work.) Part was ordered. There seems to be a backup in getting the part. Probably because this was just when the diagnosis of the T/C solidified. Maybe I'm stupid or gullible, but I've been driving all over CA with it, without fear and without any problems. Took the kids on several weekend trips and have 1400 miles in a little over a month. I'm not the most sophisticated driver when it comes to the mechanical performance of a vehicle, but I've noticed nothing unusual in the way stalling, hesitation, poor acceleration, lack of gear engagement. Nothing. It runs fine and feels perfectly safe.

Wish me luck on the new part,

Nancy

kraftie · August 2000

Well, we had already posted one question about these vans and were well aware of the torque converter problem, but because it seemed to only be affecting 2% of the vans produced our questions about it were essentially "blown-off" when we expressed concern to the dealers when we purchased our van. They said they had never seen the problem and were unaware of it. (This was first week of AUgust when information about it was readily available). Anyhow, we decided 2% was low odds and bought the van anyhow, and three days later started a long drive with the kids, dog, cooler and car-top carrier full etc etc. We thought we were home free because we started the trip with a couple hundred miles already on the vehicle and most of the reports had said the Check Engine light came on at about 100-150 miles. Well, at 550 miles, our light came on. We were a hundred miles from Ogden Utah so stopped at the dealership there. They were wonderful and gave very good service. It took about six hours of delay, with our family camped on their lawn, but they diagnosed the problem as being related to the torque converter and started calling around for one. They also discovered metal flakes in the transmission pan, and said the source was the converter, so they immediately said we would need a new transmission.

They pulled some strings and committed to taking a transmission and torque converter from another vehicle that was waiting for a replacement (yes, sorry to someone out there who now has to wait longer for their parts), to get the work done as quickly as possible. They sent us off on our week-long trip with a no-charge rental van while they changed our transmission/converter! So, we did have inconvenience, but feel we were treated well and hopefully (with the transmission new) will have no new problems.

SO - not to raise the alarm here, but for those of you who are unsympathetic about the problem, or who are continuing to drive the van while waiting for the new torque converter, be aware that there IS the possibility of transmission damage. This is not necessarily a benign problem. We were told by our dealer that the metal shavings were from excess grinding of the converter during continued driving and that those could potentially damage the transmission. Good luck!

njcheney · August 2000

Thanks for the info. Others have mentioned that during the changing the t/c, the transmission fluid is flushed. I would assume that this is to examine for the aforementioned flakes.

A mechanic friend says that it is common to have flakes on a brand new car for the first oil change and possibly in the transmission fluid since the car is brand new and the "friction points" are getting broken in. This is why they say not to go over 55 in the first 1000 miles. So the cause of the flakes might be the t/c or might be something else. To find out, one would need to open and flush the transmission fluid on brand new siennas without the check engine light on too.

Nevertheless, if I have ground my t/c into my transmission at their recommendation, I guess they'll have to fix it too. My dealer is very friendly and helpful, but they are aware I have documentation and have almost met the requirements of the CA lemon law. When I asked them, they said driving the car was "SAFE". Whether it was prudent mechanically can be debated.

With regards to safety, I outlined my experience only to indicate that I felt the car was safe to drive (not having a catastropic failure during operation). And, in my experience, that was the case. Truthfully, though, no one actually can predict the consequences of any of this, so trust your instincts. I was trying to be reassuring not unsympathetic. I am not unsypathetic to ANYONE who feels the van is UNSAFE or that they have been ripped off. If this is that unsettling, definitely go back and demand your money or a replacement vehicle. You have every right. Getting a new car with a crappy flaw like this stinks. It's a pain for me too; however, I'm also optimistic. I chose my dealer carefully and waited for just the options and color I wanted. I love the car, it has been performing well, and I still feel hopeful that Toyota will make it all right.

Regards,

Nancy

dmathews3 · August 2000

With the changing of the T/C I would think you would gain a lifetime warrenty on the Trans. or close to one. If it ever goes out I would be howlering to high heaven that it was caused by the defective T/C.

yuping · August 2000

The TC finally got replaced on my 2000 LE, manufactured in July after 3 weeks part waiting. Nothing is unusually now. Hope it fixes the problem. The check light want on and off repeatedly during 600 miles period.

long3 · August 2000

My 98 Sienna has the same passenger sliding door problem.The latch wouldn't hold it back PLUS the door was getting harder and harder to open. The dealer seemed puzzled and when my husband suggested they replace the rubber stopper, they told us it wasn't under warranty anymore!! This of course,resulted in an immediate termination of his relationship with the dealer! Now that door is almost impossible to open,and it doesn't stay latched. An adult has to pull the latch very hard from the outside of the van to open the door. I think the whole door has to be taken apart. Any body out there have the same problem?

sam121 · August 2000

I feel really terrible for all of you who boughtthe not so cheap seinna and experienced problems with it and the dealers. after we purchased our toyota vehicle, the light came on at 25 miles. we were pretty upset. so upset that we decided to return the car. so we did. the dealer denied they knew anything about this (we checked it out on the web). and the toyota number we called did not know what the hell we were tallking about. but, we just dropped the keys and told them to rip the contract. they did. of course, we had video cameras, a crew of 7 people who came to watch the fight.
anyways, there was no fight. they said ok.
after 3 weeks for shopping around for another van, we finally decided to go american. we bought a ford winstar and we love it. it was cheaper than the toyota and we will only pay $288 of interest over the life of the 3 year loan. plus, we can sleep at night. i have not bought an american car for 15 years cause of all the problems i have heard about them. but now i have experienced my first problem with japanese, hey what the heck, i will take my chances with american. after all, you don't know what the engine is under the hood do you? just take the dealer's word that the nissan maxima's engine is really a nissan engine, or is it a ford engine like the quest van?
too all of you with the t/c problem, don;t take any crap. you invested lots of money in this car and if i were you, a simple replacement is not good enough. demand a new transmission. and if not, how about an extened warrany on the tranny. like 10 years. that is a must. do it guys. don't settle for less. iwas lucky .

rward99 · August 2000

...Maybe you should have checked out the Windstar forum before getting rid of the Sienna. It would seem that the Windstar has a transmission problem AND a head gasket problem. But then, maybe you'll be lucky ;-) and the Ford dealer will take it back...

sam121 · August 2000

i did check out the windstar forum, as well as the honda forum, mazda forum, and crysler forum , etc.... every kind of freaking car out there - japanese or not- has its problems bud. All i was trying to convey to those who are going through this crap is not to let the dealers dictate what they think should be done to correct this defect. go ahead and ask for a new car. why the hell not. people just don't think to do it. the dealers sure as hell knew about this and they withheld information from us.. so screw them. unles you want to get screwed.
hey, if you have an extra $27,000 to spend every 1,2,3 years - go for it man. if you can sleep at night knowing your car had its transmission wide opened for this "fix" and god knows what other thing in the tranny could have been screwed up during this process..cool!!sleep on!!
i know the windstar has its problems. and now , we all know the toyota has its problems too - not just the t/c as you can read for yourself.
if you mr. or mrs. rward99 have a 2000 seinna, congratulations on your purchase and i hope it lasts for a good long while.

cblake2 · August 2000

The sliding doors do stick, "long3," but the dealership may imply that it is caused by "sticky drinks" put in the door cupholder. Rest assured, it is NOT this that causes the severe sticking which requires great force to open from inside OR out. I believe this could be a safety problem. Perhaps the manufacturer KNOWS this and wants to attempt owner blame if possible. Toyota isn't the only one to try this foolish tactic, however. I have spoken to one owner who has had the latches replaced but had the recurrence of the door sticking problem. This same owner has recently had the door come off the track, too. Her daughter was opening the door when it happened.

I agree with you "dmathews2" re: the extended transmission warranty. It is the LEAST Toyota can do considering the potential for future problems secondary to the problem/repair. You need to be persistent. You deserve fair treatment.

Well, "sam121," you certainly were your own consumer advocate....congratulations! It is disgusting to concede that there are problems in all these minivans, but it is reality. Rather than accept the poor quality, owners need to be outspoken and EXPECT more. Have you seen the Ford Windstar web page created by by an owner..."http://home.att.net/~ccatanese/ford/"? Granted, these owners had the earlier model years, but you could watch the development in his case and use all the great resources on his page. If ALL owners did this when major issues develop, the automakers would soon seek greater quality assurance to avoid problems if nothing else.

As in the Firestone recall (and as was in the Chrysler ABS recall), the automaker generally acts only when forced to by NHTSA. Unfortunately, NHSTA is slow as molasses. Information is kept hidden from the public until the last possible minute. I am pleased to hear the emphasis on changing the laws to better protect auto owners in a recall situation (or even in a defect investigation). We are *always* the last to know, and what we don't know can HURT us!

I don't know about you, but I am FED UP with the lack of quality. The automaker takes advantage of us....e.g. our lack of knowledge, lack of time, trusting nature, general inability to connect with others, etc. I really like the Sienna's style and comfort, BUT, I am not satisfied with its quality AT ALL in the first 18 months. I simply don't like anything else better, and I am frustrated that its inferior quality (and repeat problems) may cause me a lot of aggravation and inconvenience in the near future. With a hefty price tag, I should NOT have to worry about this so early!! I've been there and done that with the Chrysler minivan, and I am not interested in repeating history!

I sent Toyota a certified letter which was signed for on August 8. I have not gotten ANY response to date. My dealership, though initially extremely resistant, has come to understand my concerns. The dealership cannot change the inherent flaws in this van, however. I want Toyota to respond in writing. Have others received a written response promptly?

I will post my recent observations of the van during our recent long road trip soon. I continue to be interested in how others are resolving the road drift problem, steering issue, and/or increased vibrations at highway speeds (not to mention doors and brakes). Do we just have to accept these problems because they are "characteristic of the model?" OR, should we expect MORE quality?? Opinions?

cblake@erols.com

Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2003 earlier)

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