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This van is suspicious so keep looking, they're plentiful on the used market.
Mine's been flawless, but it's not for sale. :shades:
So I have put up with this problem, until yesterday. Cardboard boxes in the back were destroyed after a heavy rainfall. I had not complained since my last visit to the RockGuard specialist. I called the service manager and let him know that I was still having water problems. I was told that the van was no longer under warranty. He was told that the problem was never fixed and that I expected that the original warranty repair was never completed to my satisfaction. He made a few phone calls and said that they would take it back to the body shop, they would have another look at it early next week and "we would go from there". I am not sure if this means that the warranty will cover it or not.
I am on my way into the dealer today for a little face to face with the service manger and his body shop manager. I guess my message just doesn't get conveyed clearly over the phone. I will keep you updated.
We don't have a sunroof in our Sienna, but I am definitely going to try moving the strike plate as you suggest. This sounds most promising.
I went into the service manager's office and he asked me to take it in. He keeps telling me that they will not be able to repair this for free as my Sienna is out of warranty. I insisted that it was a problem that had started within my warranty coverage. He reluctantly said for me to take it in and they would "have a look at it and go from there". Not much faith in them at this point that I would have them tear out the inside again, but charge me for the labor, only to tell me that they still can't get my water problem resolved. I have a couple of things I want to try before I let them at it again.
My friend put adhesive (it looks like some kind of glue) around the rubber trim on the rear hatch and the leak is fixed. He didn't replace the trim because the rubber on the trim is fine so it looks like the fitting of the trim may not be very good.
Waiting for the Spring/Summer to come around to dry up my carpet...still a bit damp as the water leaks to the front of the van.
You have to replace the seal and remove the carpet to dry it. The carpet has a waterproof base, which will prevent the inch of padding under the carpet to dry without removing it. If the padding remains wet it will create a horrible mold problem. You can remove and dry the carpet yourself, but allow an hour or two to remove the carpet, and an hour to reinstall it.
To remove the carpet: Remove the backseats, pull the little screw covers off the back seat bracket covers and remove the screws under them, remove the front seats by removing the 4 big screws holding each of them down (carefully unplug the passenger seatbelt sensor beneath the front passenger seat first), pull the plastic driver foot rest plate, and pull the carpet out from under all the plastic scuff plates and trim plates.
Hang the carpet up in your garage. I draped mine over a horizontal beam with the padding side facing out and set a big fan up under it. It took a day to stop dripping, and 3 more days to dry out the 1 inch thick padding. I then sprayed it with Lysol, Oust, and mold order remover.
We were able to work the carpet back under the plastic scuff and trim plates without removing them, but there are still a few minor wrinkles in it.
Note – I had originally tried drying the carpet while it was in the car by propping up some of the wet areas and sticking hair dryers under it for 2 days. I gave up and removed it.
The official Toyota response was the same: “so sorry – we know of no common problems - please take it to your dealer for repair”.
One of the other responders suggested removing the carpet and just driving with the floor mats. This was an excellent suggestion. If the padding is wet and you have to wait for a repair appointment or seal delivery, then remove the carpet and start drying it now.
Looks like the water sipped through the rubber housing and and ran down to the floor on the back of the van. Since the van is tilted forward slightly, the water accumulated under the driver's and passenger's carpet.
This is to finalize a long history of my 2002 Sienna water leak (I now have traded it by a 2004) so I hope this info to be a help to someone. Just a few days before we did the trade, I brought my van to a body shop and they indicated to me that on the rear hatch door, on the outside was a little rust around the glass trim (bottom) and that could potentially be the culprit. However, I did not have them check it, I really think that was the reason for this leak. For I had many times prior, tested it myself positioning a water hose in various positions and staying inside the van looking for signs of water which I never found, reason being, I never put the hose over the rear glass. So here's is the thing, when placing the hose, try to put it over the van leaning against the rear glass. Again, I did not test this (because I don't have the van anymore) but I am positive that is where water is coming in. Right before you do the water test, remove the chairs, the bottom plastic trim of rear hatch, and pull the plastic plugs and floor covers that hold carpet to the body, then pull carpet from back towards the front. This way you got an open view to better spot any water from inside while hose is running. Please check my other postings where I explained reason that Oxygen sensors and catalitic converters go bad, specially on this van. Believe it or not, related to this very water leak, I think. Like I've said before, I loved this van, very smooth ride, except the water problem, good luck I hope this helps someone.
I am seriously about to lose my flipping mind over my van.
I'll try to make a long story short. Last summer I had the van open in the driveway to vacuum it out. My son was aiming a squirt gun at the back of the van - door open. I noticed water in the back - where the 3rd row folds into - and I asked him what he was thinking and made him put the squirt gun away. A few days pass and it isn't drying out. And it smells. I decide the water must be leaking in from rain, and my son had nothing to do with it. Take it to the dealer and they say that there are leaves and stuff in the crack/seal of the rear lift gate and that is the problem. It doesn't seem very plausible to me but I don't really have a lot to argue against here. Clean that out, figure that's it, but the smell remains. I try lysol, alcohol, sun - can't get the smell away. My solution is to keep the third row down so at least I can't smell it.
Just had a baby a few weeks ago and now we need to use the rear row. Opened it up and it is VERY wet underneath and smells like an open grave. I go to an independant mechanic and say find the leak - they find it but say since the car is so new, I should go to the dealer. Back to the dealer - this time they find the leak and say it has something to do with a floor seal recall and MAYBE that spare tire recall? The paper work says "floor seals replaced during open recall." Is this the spare tire recall??? I asked if they would cover getting the mildew taken care of since this was a recall issue. They told me to call main Toyota - after some back and forth the dealer agreed to clean it. When I went to go pick it up they were making vague references to "You must have left a window open."
It still stinks. I am now trying to get the dealer to replace the carpet. The customer relations lady is saying this has nothing to do with the recall, this is not our fault, we did everything we can. I told her I had paperwork stating floor seals were replaced and the leak should now be fixed. She was like, OH. Can you fax that over to me?
All I know is, the water was coming from UNDERNEATH my car. All winter. I did NOT leave a window open (under my car?). The car smells so bad that anything left in it for any length of time needs to be washed. I can't leave my stroller in the back or it stinks - even being in there a few hours, it will smell a little. There's no way I could take this car anywhere like on a road trip where things would have to be left in the van overnight. I don't even feel like it's safe to be driving my kids in this van.
Has anyone else had this problem? What exactly is the floor seal recall? And does it pertain to the 2008? Because I am just waiting for their response to be, this paper work doesn't matter, the recall doesn't pertain to your vehicle, this is a mistake.
Worst case scenerio I guess we pay out of pocket to replace the carpet but I don't feel like we should have to do this when the van was leaking from underneath due to no fault of ours.
So at this point ... I don't know what to do. Maybe I should take it to another dealer and have it tested for leaks???
The lady at my dealership did say these seals have nothing to do with water leaking in but that was NOT what the service people told me. Hence my confusion. I really don't want a mildewy car again - it was SO gross!!!
Maybe I should sell it while it smells good and be rid of it? LOL Only problem is we have an 8 seater and I HATE the redesign of the 8 seater so I would want a used one... which could put me right back where I am.
There are a few plastic plugs in the underbody that lead into the seat well area and into the rear quarter panels. If you look at some of the hitch instructions, they show places where you can route the wiring in from outside. I'd start by making sure they are intact.
Next, when it rains, open up the jack door (right side) and make sure that area is dry. It could be a roof leak that finds it's way down thru the "C" or "D" pillar and into the lower body structure. It is possible to remove the large plastic interior piece on the left side to check that side as well.
You will also find the rear AC unit is in the right wall, and there is a condensation drain hose that runs by the jack holder that could be disconnected or leaking.
Any of these could back up water into the interior.
As far as selling the van, you really need to weigh out all your other positive experiences with it, plus the $$ hit of a short sale. But agree, replacing the carpet is worthless unless you can find and fix the underlying cause - because it will just come back again.
Please, let us know what you find. This way we all advance our body of knowledge. That's the best way of thanking this board for assisting you!
You should check under the carpet on the back of the van near where the lid shut. if they are wet, like mine was, it meant the black seal where the lid shut against the van is leaking water (at least in my case). Since the rubber seal was still soft, I had it re-sealed (I think it was silicone) and my water problem largely disappeared.
I have the odd wet spot but no puddles.
Both windows continue to be stuck. Then yesterday the side power door got stuck just a little bit open and I had to drive with the alarm buzzing. No fun. Got that figured that out finally.
Anyone have some advice on how to get the rear windows to close.
(The body shop that did the work back in 2007 or '08 said there's a lifetime warranty on their work, but to have the windows checked out I'd have to leave the van with them for about a week, which I can't do, as its the only vehicle I have.)
I am not physically able to removed and replace the carpets and padding and am quite upset that perhaps this problem could have been avoided - but I guess if a sticking gas pedal didnt concern Toyota why a wet carpet? I live just a few miles from where my Sienna was manufactured - any ideas of how to get help with this?
THANKS TO ALL WHO POSTED
which is how they will remain forever more.
some and was allowing water in.
At the time I searched some online forums to find an inexpensive solution to the problem. Didn't really find anything, but happily the leaking stopped. Not sure how, it might have just been because I had tucked in some loose rubber trim around the window? (I didn't contact Toyota as my warranty had long since expired.)
The rear door seal leaking can cause it too. The rear padding and carpet would be wet too though.
I've tried to screw it back into the radiator, but it just won't catch.
The van is undrivable now due to "open" in the transmission fluid line.
Any suggestions ?
What a mess!!!
My husband and I purchased a certified 2008 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD in April 2011. About two weeks ago we noticed that under the third row seat the rug was wet. We contacted Toyota directly and was given a claim number and a case manager. The case manager instructed us to bring the car back to the dealer. The dealer couldn't find a leak so they hired another company that specializes in leaky cars. Today they found the leak. The water was coming from under the car in two areas and also through the 3rd backup light area. They are washing the rug but we did request a new rug. Waiting to see what happens. When we brought the car in for water problem we mentioned about the recall and they said that since this was an XLE it wasn't included in the recall because we don't have a spare tire well. This just show how wrong they can be.
In the end the leak was so obvious I don't know how they missed it. I feel stupid because I didn't check but I had no idea how to even get the carpet out and I am not a mechanic so at least I have that to go on. :-)
(editing to say clearly the floor seal issue did not cause the leak, so the paper work is wrong, but I have it! the dealership actually claimed this, this is not a misunderstanding on my part)
and they said that since this was an XLE it wasn't included in the recall because we don't have a spare tire well. This just show how wrong they can be.
Unless you changed your name, you are yelling at the wrong guy. You might look back a few posts and remember that I provided you with a lot of information early on. I'm once again trying to help someone else out who doesn't thoroughly understand the situation, or what they are being told.
To those having the stale smell, this is nothing new either, My solution was to use fabreze, spray it into the intake vent on the outside of the van before replacing the cabin filter.. It seems to cause the filter to get black with crud... once you run it through the vents for a few minutes replace the cabin filter and you should notice not only the smell gone, but the vents should run better.. I guess after 10 years dust just builds in the vents..
I had to take my van in for some significant maintenance and repairs this past Fall, (to the tune of over $2,000). The one mechanic had made some major mistakes, (like when he said that I could pick up my van, while they were waiting for a new catalytic converter to come in). But when I picked it up after hours, after turning my rental car in for the weekend, there was no converter in it!! Idiot!! Anyway, in an attempt redeem himself a tiny bit, he said that instead of putting in a new sunroof, which would cost a lot, he could permanently seal it up for free. (Normally $25.00). Since I very rarely opened the thing up, I agreed to that fix. It's really nice not to have to worry about car washes or rain anymore!(Especially with the torrential downpours and hail that we had recently in San Diego!) Patty T.
Probably the best design ever for a family minivan - hate the new Siennas, Odyssey is a lukewarm runner up.