Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Toyota Sienna Sliding Door Problems

17810121316

Comments

  • dave_pettydave_petty Member Posts: 7
    I'm in the same boat with my '04. This van has been miserable to own. Both doors are shot and only one now opens - albeit without the snapped cable. My 1993 Ford Ranger was of better quality. I was blown-off by Toyota's national call line. The dealer MAY be willing to help you out but it depends how much you have spent there in the past on service - I was told this directly by a service manager in the past...

    I was disappointed to see the cable system carried over into 2011. This for me is a deal breaker when we replace the Toy.
  • cole1434cole1434 Member Posts: 1
    Home inspection is really helpful to those who are going to purchase new home.. home inspector helps you in
    purchasing home by telling the current condition of the home!! http://equityinspection.com//
    site helps you a lot in doing this work!!
  • unospam777unospam777 Member Posts: 6
    I'm planning to buy a used 2nd gen Sienna, how can I test/what should I look for on the doors to be sure there isn't a problem?
  • northener1northener1 Member Posts: 1
    I hope someone can help with me with this. The cable snapped on the driver's side power sliding door a while ago so since then we've been opening the two doors manually.

    More recently however the passenger side door refuses to open at all.

    We've tried the lock lever in both positions and tried opening it from both the inside and the outside with no luck. In desperation we even re-enabled the power door function. With this we can hear the lock release and, what sounds like, the door trying to open, but it remains closed.

    I haven’t approached the dealer on this yet because I’m afraid it will be an expensive fix.

    Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks.
  • tillsonburgtillsonburg Member Posts: 29
    Sounds like the same problem I had.
    There are 2 latches that need to be released. 1 at the front and 1 at the rear. Which latch are you hearing release? When my door would not open, the rr latch was not being released and the door would try to cycle open but couldnt. I ended up opening the door by prying the cover open (where the window switch is) Once you get this open you can use a screw driver and manually push the cable that releases the rear door latch. Then you can take the 2 screws out on the edge of the door that hold this cover in place.
    Look at this assembly and you will see 2 white plastic bushings. The top more visible 1 is for the child lock, The bottom 1, which is hidden, is for the door lock and is probably broken and when the door tries to open the lever is not being moved because of this. This assembly is around $600 plus installation. I repaired my own by machining a replacement aluminum bushing. Took a couple of hrs and saved me the $1,200 the dealer quoted to fix it. If you have an email I can send you a photo of the assembly unless you know how I can post attachments here.
  • tillsonburgtillsonburg Member Posts: 29
    Send an email to amendld@gmail.com and I can send you some photos and some info from the manual
  • irina01irina01 Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2010
    Hello, I have a 2005 Sienna and my passenger side sliding power door stopped working from the buttons inside the car and on the remote. When any of those buttons are pressed, the motor makes a sound and slight movement like its trying to work, but the door does not open or close. When you manually pull on it to get it started, it will continue in the power mode and open close. So the only way to open or close this door it is manually. Any ideas? I'd really appreciate it! I don't want to take it to the dealer and have them take the whole door apart! Thank you in advance. I can be reached at is97@yahoo.com. If there are any repair people near Oakland CA that can fix this, email me!
  • jjllcaljjllcal Member Posts: 31
    Check the latch/hinge ( an L shape metal that hold the door to the body of the van). It could be the screws are loose and the door is touching the body. It could be the latch/hinge need to be replaced (cushions has worn off).. about $200. This is exactly what happened to my 2004 van.. Thank you Toy for using lousy parts... (cheap parts).
  • wmisiawmisia Member Posts: 1
    Have same issue with Sienna pas. pwr. door....and pics...ect. would be much appreciated!
    my email:

    waltmisia@hotmail.com
  • mcannon1mcannon1 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, I have the same problem on my 2005 Sienna. Were you able to come up with a solution to fix it? I'm also in Oakland. Thanks.
  • tillsonburgtillsonburg Member Posts: 29
    Please email me at amendld@gmail.com and I will send what I have. Thanks
  • 98camry98camry Member Posts: 5
    Northerner1 I am having the identical problem Can you email me a drawing and photos of the part that you machined? I would really appreciate it.
  • macdukepmacdukep Member Posts: 14
    I took my van to toyota who quoted me $975 to fix my manual sliding door which would not open. It felt as if locked even when the door was unlocked. I was quoted close to a thousand to fis it. My own mechanic got the part and chared me $115 for the part (a simple latch) and installed it in a matter of an hour. Total about $235.00. He said there was a plastic part that was broken and he got a replacement. The part on the handle that was supposed to push the latch open had broken. The new part was metal. I think Toyota used inferior insufficient parts when they made these doors and realized it but would not own up to it so they decided to make a metal replacement part but make the consumer pay exorbidently for the mistake. I am NOT a fan of TOYOTA service. Overpriced and inferior.
  • jjllcaljjllcal Member Posts: 31
    Be aware, they are not only using part on the door. I found on my van, the window and door weather strip start melting ( sticking to the window) or ripping apart (both side of the sliding door) . I have a 2004 sienna and always park inside a garage. I have ask my mechanic and it will cost me 2 -300 dollars for each door. It really pissed me off. My daughter was driving my old 1996 camery and it was parked outside all the time and did not have these problems. They really screw the customers up dearly. I have spent a total of at least 5000 to fix this stupid van.
  • pimentel87pimentel87 Member Posts: 1
    Good Evening: I leave in Puerto RIco and I have a Toyota Sienna 2005 about two days ago my two passangers doors are close and didn't open even with the locks open. I also have two children that have to climb the front seats to get back. I need to know if you can send what you have about the part that need to be replace or whatever you have on this issue. You can send me anything to shaymar2002@yahoo.com. I appreciate the help you can give me in this matter.
  • toyotamomtoyotamom Member Posts: 1
    '04 sienna. Frozen doors every winter!!!! Live in Northwest. Our passenger auto door cable snapped the first winter we moved here and the part alone is $1000!!! You'd think they'd sell just the cable? Nope!! So it's on manual and that's what we live with now. I hate it. It's a huge problem. And it still freezes shut. Pain in the butt. My parents bought a sienna as well but loaded and I told them to turn off all auto doors or they'll break the cable. So far so good but had they not known, it'd be snapped as well. Wish it were a recall!!!!!!
  • 98camry98camry Member Posts: 5
    Any chance you would have access and could post the fix for a 2005 passenger side sliding door fix? Mine will not release the Latch so the door can move. Thanks.
  • 98camry98camry Member Posts: 5
    tillsongburg. can you email me or post a link to the photos and dimensions of the part that you made?

    Thanks,
  • harmonravenharmonraven Member Posts: 2
  • harmonravenharmonraven Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 toyotal sienna van.. power door right side works some of the time... I have disabled, taking the fuse out, and so on, but there is still a drain on my battery. I have to jump start with a portable battery starter each time to get going,... what can I do ? I don't really need the door, just want to be able to start van without hotshotting each time... Anybody got a clue??? poor rick in Oklahoma
  • corona_calicorona_cali Member Posts: 2
    Hi there, I was wondering if you know where can I find the procedure to apply tension back to the power sliding door cable for the Sienna 2001? It looks like you know a lot of toyota's sliding doors malfunctions. I appreciate any help on that.
  • corona_calicorona_cali Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know the procedure to apply tension back to the cableon the 2001 power sliding door?
  • cerrilloscerrillos Member Posts: 1
    I have had work done on both the sliding door and the passenger door once at a cost of $1800 with the local Toyota Dealer. They are again not working, and this time the dealer wants close to $3000.00 for the repairs. The car is only valued at about $4500. If you think about it, if I repair the 2 doors it would be about 10% of new car. Yes the doors when they were working would be frozen doors every winter. Toyota did a terrible job with this van. I will not purchase another one from them. They should have a recall on the doors.
  • macdukepmacdukep Member Posts: 14
    I agree. Mine froze shut every winter. I have had a ford windstar and a dodge caravan and neither had the problems of this Sienna. The doors are definitely defective and Toyota, instead of owning up to the defect, is PROFITING from it. My local mechanic repaired my sliding door for less than $250.00 when Toyota quoted me close to $1000.00. The part that was broken was plastic. The part they sent as replacement was metal. Obviously they (Toyota) were aware that the plastic part was defective yet they charge exorbidently for its replacement if done at Toyota. My advice: Have a local mechanic or body shop fix it. And next time buy Honda.
  • 98camry98camry Member Posts: 5
    Can you post a picture of the part that was replaced or a part number?

    Thanks in advance.
  • bearsybearsy Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2010
    I bought a 2004 Sienna Limited in 2006. I bought it used from the Toyota Dealer. I decided to buy the extended warranty (7 years/100,000 miles), since the car has so many electronic parts on it. I paid $2K and thought that it was expensive, but bought the warranty anyway with zero deductible. I am SO glad I did. I've had some small things that needed replaced that was covered. But...

    ...the passenger sliding door started making a grinding sound when trying to open or close it with the remote or with the power button and then would not function.

    After reading the posts here, I was concerned that the door would not be covered for repair.

    I am happy to say that the door was covered for repair with absolutely no problems. They said it was the motor, and the motor is a covered part. Just thought I'd share my experience with a sliding door problem.
  • tillsonburgtillsonburg Member Posts: 29
    Your quite lucky. I purchased the extended warranty from Toyota and it didnt cover the internal door parts just the buuton. Go figure. They must have know the design was crappy right from the start. I see now the LEs dont come with power doors std now. Its nice to see Toyota struggle. I have bought 3 new cars and Toyota service has been the worst. My GM and Chrysler service people were great. Toyota does not entrust their dealers and employees to make decisions so you are directed to a 1 800 number to report your problem. Toyota corporate then makes a decision on whether your problem is worthy of them fixing it. Maybe if they listened to their customer concerns through their dealers they wouldnt be in this predicament of Record low sales.
  • 98camry98camry Member Posts: 5
    Any chance you can get the part number from your mechanic and post the part number here?

    Thanks.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Record low sales.

    ?? :confuse: ??

    Sienna sales:

    YTD 2010: 89,509
    YTD 2009: 75,509
    up 19.0%

    Did you mean record high sales? I think 2010 will be a record year for the Sienna.
  • bearsybearsy Member Posts: 2
    Tillsonburg...
    I called the 800 number before I went to the dealer because of my concern that the sliding door would not be covered under the extended warranty. The representative told me that the door would be covered UNLESS it was the hinge, which he said it sounded like it was not and the door would probably be covered. After taking the Sienna to the dealer, the warranty department did come out to look at the door, and covered the repair. I paid nothing. I think if I were you, I'd get a copy of my receipt and forward it to the warranty department to see if you can get re-imbursed. I don't know how long ago you tried to get your repair, but maybe things have changed.
  • kboulekboule Member Posts: 1
    I am so frustrated with this car, specifically the doors. Every winter - frozen out of the car and my automatic door cable snapped and the dealer wants $2000 to repair a problem they should have recalled! I have a question for you, you state that a local mechanic fixed something on your door for you, what was it?
  • tillsonburgtillsonburg Member Posts: 29
  • jjjjyipjjjjyip Member Posts: 2
    12/14 early rainy morning, I dropped my daughter off at school, and when I tried to close the 2004 sienna power sliding door, it stopped half way. I got off the car tried to push it back manually, but suddenly the the door fell off the track and hit the car. OMG, big dent and scratches; I never scratched my car before. I called my husband and he asked me to drive back home w/ the door half way open. He found out the cable was broken and the remaining cable became locked, so the door would not close, so he grabbed the cutters and cut it. But we can't find our wire cutters and we had to use the garden cutters to cut it for long time. We called the dealer and took it there, they said it would cost $2000 to replace the cable and motor. We asked if we could change it to manual door instead of a power door, but they said they couldn't do it. After this incident, my husband said this is our last Toyota, and we will sell it after 1 or 2 yrs. Instead we will look for the Korean car; at least Korean cars have 10yrs warranty.
  • slyonsslyons Member Posts: 4
    We use ours as a manual door now. Just disconnect everything and turn you slider off up front. I guess that is if you only have one electric slider.
    We are not happy with our Toyota either and will not buy another one.
    Supposeably they have fixed the problem. Obviously knowing that there was a issue in the first place. Our door stop working 2000 miles out of warranty and they would not fix it.
  • occasitaoccasita Member Posts: 5
    Slyons..... that sounds exactly like what happened with our door. Thank goodness I was in our driveway though. I had AAA tow the car to the dealers. They would do absolutely nothing for us. Considering all the other recalls on this (2004) vehicle, you'd think they'd want to fix the door. Families are the ones that buy the Siennas, and really like the automatic doors, right? Why piss off your best market target? We are looking at getting a Hyundai. If we go American we will go Ford. Best of luck to you all.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    at least Korean cars have 10yrs warranty

    The powertrain warranty would not cover the door cable. A 2004 Kia's B2B warranty would have expired in 2008 or 2009, depending upon when you bought it.

    You may want to consider an extended warranty, just make sure it covers your door.
  • johns397johns397 Member Posts: 1
    Our 2004 Sienna has had problems with inoperative left AND right doors at least four times each since we've owned the vehicle (new). Here are the list of problems we've had with these doors:

    Mar 04: Left siding door not opening (dealer fixed) (~ 20000 miles)
    Sept 14, 05: Right sliding door not opening, left sliding door intermittently not opening (dealer fixed)
    Sept 21, 05: Right sliding door not opening(dealer fixed - notice a week after previously brought in for SAME problem!)
    July 06: Right and left sliding doors not opening (dealer fixed)
    Feb 09: Right sliding door intermittent (dealer notes that latch needs replacing), left sliding door does not open at ALL
    Mar 09: right and left sliding doors not opening (dealer replaced both left and right door control assemblies)
    Dec 10: left and right sliding doors not opening, right power cable broke and right rear latch broken (dealer is going to fix but at an exorbitant cost of $1500!! I'm opting to do only the right side (for my family's safety) at a cost of ~ $850, which is outrageous given the fact that this has been an on-going problem since day-one with this vehicle! ~113000 miles)

    We've given up fixing the left door since they want about $800 just to replace the front and rear latches on this door (w/o labor)!
    I've also contacted Toyota Consumer affairs about this on-going problem and basically they will NOT do anything for us! Their 'explanation' was that it was fixed before under warranty so this latest occurrence is not covered (i.e. too bad, you're on your own!). Because of this response from Toyota this will be the LAST Toyota vehicle I purchase!

    I've also submitted complaints to NHTSA:
    ( https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ ) and suggest that others who have this problem do the same.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Good idea to complain to the ODI.
  • montegobaymontegobay Member Posts: 2
    Well, I just experienced the same problem and my mechanic did diagnose it exactly as u did.

    The price however was $599 for just he part - I have 2005 Sienna XLE Limited.

    Was that your year and model? If u got it for $103.09, that was a great steal !
  • owegoowego Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2006 Sienna that had sticky side door latches (manual doors). Both doors were failing. The latches were failing due to dust in the latch at the back of the doors. I was able to flush them out with some WD 40 then re-lubed them (without removing them from the door). This took a few hours to diagnose and fix. The latches have been working ok for the last 9 months.
  • macdukepmacdukep Member Posts: 14
    My manual sliding door would not unlatch. It was as if it was locked when it was not. I took it to the dealer and they said it would cost over $950.00 to fix. Meanwhile they said they could fix my driver side front door for free. I said, there's nothing wrong with that door and they said something on it had been recalled. I let them fix it and then it got stuck shut and I couldn't get out that door either! So I had to climb over the passenger seat! That happened two more times after they "fixed" it. I couldn't afford to fix THE SLIDING DOOR it so I lived with three doors. Then the other sliding door started to stick and I took it to my regular mechanic who got the part (a small latch like piece) and replaced it for less than $350.00. He said the original piece was plastic (the one that went bad) and the replacement was metal. Obviously the dealer is gouging people if the mechanic could do it for 1/3 the price! Obviously the part was inferior. Toyota has gone down the tubes trying to cut corners and ending up alienating their customers. I won't buy a Toyota again after their customer service dept got an "F" in my book. They used to send surveys after you got service. They quit sending me any because I had nothing positive to say about them. I reported it to the attorney general but nothing ame of it. It seems obvious it is a defect if you read these forums.
  • macdukepmacdukep Member Posts: 14
    TOTALLY AGREE! they should have been recalled. Mine also freeze shut every time the temp is below freezing. POOR QUALITY! WON"T BUY ANOTHER!
  • jabba3jabba3 Member Posts: 1
    Both of my doors are defective. They won't close without manual effort. I had one close on me because it doesn't stay in the open position at times. I had to fight it off because it did not detect the resistance. It would have caused real injury had it done that to my 3 year old. I notified toyota and they referred me to the dealer. Dealer said 900 per door. I think we're looking at a class action lawsuit, but I am getting rid of the piece of crap. Paid 37k for it in 2005. Carmax quoted me yeaterday, with the door issues, it is worth abut 9k. Hello Honda.
  • avery1avery1 Member Posts: 373
    I have been following this thread because I have a 2006 Sienna. I've seen the problems creep up so that now I am seeing 2005 and a couple of 2006 Siennas with problems. I am holding my breath. I assume Toyota follows these discussions so this is for you. I also own a Lexus RX300 which had a transmission go out at 140,000 miles and a likely engine "gelling" issue now surfacing at 167,000. They did extend the warranty for the engine gelling problem but I am now past that extension. I cannot believe how this company has tried to avoid taking responsibility for problems. I am in the market to replace my Lexus and Toyota/Lexus are not even being considered. I will never buy another Toyota/Lexus again and will certainly not recomment them to friends and family.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If this were a Dodge Grand Caravan thread people would be high-fiving each other if their transmissions went 140,000 miles.
  • occasitaoccasita Member Posts: 5
    I doubt Toyota is following these discussions. They are really too big to care about 1 2004, maybe 2005 and 06, van series.
  • macdukepmacdukep Member Posts: 14
    RE: Classs action suit: I'm in!
  • ceoberry6ceoberry6 Member Posts: 1
    Both of my automatic sliding doors do not work. The Toyota dealer indicated that both actuator motors have to be replaced, which is quite costly. I have @84,000 miles on it, and can't afford to repair it or get a new car. Of course I didn't purchase the extended warranty given (what I thought then but not now) Toyota's reputation. I'm very concerned about the automatic doors not working, as my kids have a hard time manually using the doors. God forbid we get in an accident and they can't get out. It looks like a lot of people are having the same problem, so I contacted Toyota as the dealer couldn't do anything. According to Toyota, they won't pay for the repairs unless there is a recall. So, I filed my complaint with nthsa.gov and hope that if enough people log their complaints Toyota will be forced to pay for their defect. If anyone else has the same problem and/or knows of an inexpensive fix, please let me know.
  • montegobaymontegobay Member Posts: 2
    The followup to my 1st post is that I was lucky to have an extended warranty. The previous owner had the foresight and money to buy an extended warranty.

    It was covered completely. But I was at 65k miles. I have 10k miles left of coverage - I hope the other door doesn't go bad after.
  • tillsonburgtillsonburg Member Posts: 29
    Have they given you a price for the actuator motors? I dont think these are the motors that shuttle the door. They are motors (actuators) that release the latch cables to allow the door motor to shuttle the door open. You might check an auto wrecker to see if you can find thses parts.
Sign In or Register to comment.