Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2004+)

sljbfam · November 2004

Thank you marlenelin for the info. for the bug deflector is about $80 and if that doesn't do anything to stop the chips, I guess nothing else will. I guess my hood will be covered with touch up paint. I e-mailed Toyota and they do not have any recalls or anything on the paint chip problem of course they will not admit to anything like that. They said to talk to the dealer, like they will do anything about it. Just have to live with it and wonder if I'll ever buy another Toyota again if all their models are like that.

Thank You
Siu Wah

jross · November 2004

Hi, i would like to hear what you find out, i am with Dunlops and 7000 miles and 50% gone. i think the problem is not the tire as much as that there is not a tire designed for the AWD and the weight of the vehicle.
My SErvice MAnager here (Vancouver Canada) admitted a problem told to him last several months by his service guys. he told me to call Toyota CAN.

jross · November 2004

I have Sienna LE AWD with Dunlops and 12,000 kms (7000 miles) and 50% wear.
I called Toyota Canada and they admitted a problem.
I encourage all to call Toyota Canada OR USA and complain.
I was told the more the better for results. i think that a tire recall is in the works with enough pressure.
My service Manager at our dealership where we bought also said he sees it. it is only on the AWD model and appears the Dunlop that came with the car was not designed properly.

letsdoit · November 2004

I have been looking at the XLE  LIMIT

What is the Z1 package?

Carpet floor mats, door ceils, cargo net etc..

Can anyone confirm the details what is within the Z1 package?

heywood1 · November 2004

Finally got my 17" run-flat Blizzak LM-50's from the Tire Rack. At $134 each, the 225/60-17's are a reasonable deal--especially when the only other run-flat snow tire option they sell is the Dunlop Graspic for $177.

Mounting (on separate rims) at my local shop was $20 per tires vs. the usual $12, as run-flats are more time-consuming.

Going this route certainly isn't cheap, but it's reasonable. Let it snow, baby!

vlee · November 2004

I don't have answer for you, but I do have similar problem, maybe to a lesser degree. I started to notice my 2004 Sienna LE 2WD when it was about 3000 miles old, every time I slow to stop the car, the RPM never slows down and rests on 650 (I assume 650 is the idle RPM), instead, it always goes down and back up to about 1000 then comes down and stable. Sometimes, it does that twice.

Thanks for your mail, I will not ignore it any longer even it has not effected any performance of the car.

minivanmom3 · November 2004

Yes, that is correct! The minivan's parts are made in various parts of the world and the VIN is what tells the dealership where your particular parts were made and if there have been recalls.

minivanmom3 · November 2004

We bought our 04 Seinna in April. We have the same seatbelt problem. They replaced it and the same thing keeps happening. I was told it was a design flaw and to keep poping it back in place! I have 5 kids and was not happy that I have to continually check to make sure the selt belt is retracting the proper way! Also, the screw in the that same seats arm rest came out as well as the handle above it. NOW, I'm experiencing the same nightmare I experienced with my 2000 Seinna... TRANSMISSION!!!! I used to Love TOYOTA. I drove several over 250, 000 miles. My 2000 van had 56,000 when the engine and transmission went within 2 weeks of each other. My new 04 van only has 8,000 miles. I am not a happy camper!

minivanmom3 · November 2004

Yep, I have the same problem with my manual door behind the driver's seat. I really do have to slam it! I also hear rattling noises, but only bothers me when I'm driving alone. The kids are usually making too much noise for me to hear it!

minivanmom3 · November 2004

The same thing has happend to me twice in the last 2 weeks. No lights were left on. The frustrating thing is that there is not key hole to open the hatch on the trunk! I had to wade through five pairs of little legs and 5 carseats to get to my jumper cables in the pits of the trunk. By the way, it was pooring down rain both days! I have had way too many problems with two different year Seinna's that I will NEVER buy another one!

minivanmom3 · November 2004

Ok.. this is our second Sienna. Our first was a 2000 which lasted for 4 years and 56k miles. The transmission went and 2 weeks later the engine went! We bought our 2004 on Easter Monday at 9pm when I had to have a working vehicle to transport 5 children on Tuesday. Now my 2004 is acting up. The transmission is slipping. My battery keeps dieing and with that there is no power to the van, obviosly. Did any of you notice there is no key hole on the hatch! I had to wade through 5 carseats and 10 legs to dig in the depths of the huge trunk (which I love) to get my jumper cables! I can't believe you can not get in the trunk from the outside with no power in the van. This is a huge oversight! I have an appt early in the am to have my transmission and battery checked. I hope it's all in my head! If I have spent yet another 25k+ on a LEMON I will TOTALLY LOSE IT!

badgerfan · November 2004

I cannot understand the logic in having horrible experience with a 2000 Sienna with low mileage on it, then turning around and buying another one. Am I missing something here?

rorr · November 2004

You could probably ask a large number of DC minivan repeat buyers the same thing. It probably stems from the feeling that the first one was just an aberration and was not necessarily endemic to the entire line.

wwest · November 2004

a minivan, where would you go except for Toyota?

badgerfan · November 2004

Ah, maybe Chrysler, Dodge, or Honda?

You've got your Toyota blinders on way too tight.

If I had engine and transmission failures before four years and 56K miles, I would switch brands and never look back, no matter what the overall reputation of the company is.

Once burned, I wouldn't touch the same flame again for quite a few years.

stever · November 2004

That's so illogical.

I haven't looked at a Volvo since driving a problematic one in 1974 :-)

Steve, your illogical Host

ewt · November 2004

Funny, my family hasn't owned a Volvo since we unloaded the 1973 wagon my parents had the misfortune of owning. I'm guessing they must have improved since then or the company couldn't possibly still be in business.....

momstruck1 · November 2004

I have to agree here I had the GM headlights on too tight too at one point had a venture then a trailblazer hated both went to toyota on their reputation alone and the fact that everyone i knew that had one loved it. Only minor things bothering me here the paint i feel chips just looking at it too hard and we had to have the headlight fixed (faulty seal) other then that no other things except that recall on the power steering . i must say i love the van and will hopefully love it forever!! just knock on wood!! there are a few rattles here and there but nothing that with 3 kids i ever hear unless i am alone with no radio on (very rear) so that is not an issue.

newcar35 · November 2004

I've read some other posts talking about a clicking or cluncking in their steering wheel. On my car, I feel it in the gas pedal. When backing up, after about a car length, I feel a click/clunk, as if there's a gnome under the car smacking the drive shaft with a hammer. It also happens when I am coasting, and then lightly apply the gas -- about a second later, I feel the clink/clunk.

Does anyone have the same problem? What was your fix? Do you think I have the same problem as the ones who feel it through the steering wheel?

I have gone to 2 dealers about this, but they say they couldn't feel the problem (in their defense, it doesn't happen 100% of the time...).

Any help out there?

mcase2 · November 2004

Wow! Is there a lemon law in your state? If so read it carefully. There a little things that can make a big diffrence in some states. IN MA for instance the clock starts ticking on the repair date time the moment you physically bring the car to the dealer - if you merely call about the problem they get a five day grace period to address it. So read carefully and get things going. In the mean time consult an atttorney. If My Sienna had half your problems I would not hesitate for an instant.

kozakid · November 2004

A couple of days ago I went to start my brand new (purchased in August) 2004 Sienna XLE, but, when I turned the key, nothing happened -- nothing at all. No noise, no clicking sound, no nothing. To make matters worse, the van is all the way into my garage which makes it quite difficult to get a boost, if that's what I need.

I hadn't driven the van in three or four days, so I'm wondering if I may have somehow left a light or lights on, though I really don't believe I did. I talked to a Toyota service person this morning and he told me that nothing more than a sudden change in the weather -- warm to cool -- may have caused the battery to go dead. In other words, he said that it may very well not be my fault. He asked if I wanted a tow truck sent over and I said no. At least not yet. He told my that my warranty would cover everything, including towing.

Incidentally, my battery indicator is displaying green, which according to my manual indicates that the battery should be okay. At least that's my interpretation. (The service person told me he didn't think my battery would have an indicator, so now I don't really know what to think.)

After talking to the service employee, I called my salesperson for reassurance, and he said that the battery for sure would be under warranty, BUT that I may have to pay the towing bill if I didn't have ToyoGuard protection. I feel that under the circumstances I should pay nothing at all!!! I've been going through my papers and so far I've seen no specific reference to ToyoGuard, but I do see that I paid $1,295 for an extended warranty. Well, I bought the vehicle less than four months ago. We've made several lenthy trips and in the process have racked up slightly more than 10,000 miles, but if the problem is indeed the battery I believe that Toyota should cover any and all expenses incurred in clearing up this problem.

I previously purchased a brand new 2003 Avalon from this same dealership and had MAJOR problems twice -- once with sales and once with service. The salesperson swore -- literally -- that she had given me all three keys and that I should look around until I found the one that was missing. She was really nasty over the phone. She was off work the following morning, so I went over to complain and within five minutes an employee, smiling broadly, brought me my key.

The other problem occurred when I took my Avalon in -- for the fifth time!!! -- to try to correct a CHECK ENGINE light problem. They had gotten the light to go out four times previously, but it would invariably come back on after a couple of days. They kept my car for several days this time and finally were able to fix my light problem, BUT during this time someone, presumably a Toyota employee, had been driving my Avalon AFTER ELEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT and was caught by a traffic camera running through a red light!!! When I picked up my car the woman in the service department informed me that "an employee" had driven my car through a "yellow light" and that as a result I might be getting a traffic ticket in the mail, and if I did to just send it the Toyota dealership and it would be taken care of. Well, I did get the ticket and was actually able to go online and watch my car run a RED light! I complained locally about both of these incidents, but now feel that I should have taken my gripes to a higher authority. At this point I feel Toyota owes me something, so if they should bill me for towing my Sienna I will absolutely refuse to pay it.

ceo1 · November 2004

If you accessory lights were on but the starter failed to make any movement or sound, your problem is probably not battery. You may want to try a few minutes longer. I had a similar situation. Sometimes, I had to turn the keys for three minutes before the starter would work. Toyota finally replaced the starter under the warranty.

ceo1 · November 2004

Recall? Impossible. This is not safety related problem. It is more likely Toyota will give you the prorated credits for a new set of tires. However, there are very few choices on the market today that are exact match for the spec. I am not sure what Toyota will replace it with.

My oem tires were worn out at 20K miles. My local Discount Tires Co. helped me to file the warranty claim with Good Year (parent company of Dunlop). I got 50% credit toward a new set of Dunlop Winter Sport runflat. The size is not exact, but close enough. It is categorized as a winter tire but it behaves very well, much like a all weather tire. I don't know yet how many miles I can get out the set. My other user reviews were quite favorable.

elizasmom1 · November 2004

My husband took our 2004 Sienna in on Friday for an oil change and the power steering recall. When I went to drive the vehicle a few hours later, I opened the door and was overwhelmed by the smell of gasoline or oil in the interior of the car. I could smell it from several feet away. We called the dealer, and they said it could be fumes sucked in from the engine because they may have had to clean the engine with a brake cleaner after doing the work. They suggested driving it around to burn off the smell. My husband has now driven it around for about 3-4 hours. The smell has diminished a lot, but it is still there. It is clearly not coming from the engine at this point as the interior smells even after the car has been sitting all night. This is extremely upseting to me as I am 8 months pregnant and will not get in a car that smells like that. At this point, we may be bringing the baby home in our Nissan Sentra.

We have called the dealer a second time because we noticed that the smell seemed to be concentrated around the pwr sliding door. They said that the door was probably lubricated. My husband has cleaned the door and door hinge and all the mats, but I still smell it. Does anyone have any idea what may have happened to my van, and what I can do about it? I am not interested in something to mask the smell because my concern is that this is a health issue and masking the smell will not solve that.

elizab · November 2004

Our driver's side sliding door is not powered, and we only use it now and then. About 25% of the time it will not catch properly when it's opened and will just slide back closed if we're on a hill. I have to hold it open with my elbow. My husband sometimes uses a key to push open a hook at the bottom, and then it does latch. It seems that this little hook is not opening and catching like it should. Of course, most of the time it latches open properly and stays open until we close it. This makes it difficult to duplicate the concern at the dealer. They saw the problem once and just lubricated it, which didn't help at all. This last time, it worked fine and they did nothing.

Does anyone else have this problem? Have you found a solution for it?

mcase2 · November 2004

Be more demanding of dealer. If they still won't fix it explore your lemon law options. This is arguably a safety issue. There is case in Massachusetts where a child was killed in a Ford Windstar when the door slammed forward (Windstar has no safety catch). Lemon laws commomly apply to safety features. Find out the details of your lemon laws (asking specifically if this issue would be covered). Your dealer will be less obstinate if they face the possiility of having to take the car back.

deepan · November 2004

most likely from the oil change. when they take the oil filter out a little oil spills out. My regular dealership hoses this off after the change but the last time i changed the oil out of town and the dealership didnt hose it off. The smell was there for quite a while. As a temp measure turn on the recircle button and the smell should be less. You might have to open the window slighty though.

mcase2 · November 2004

After I read and responded to your post. I dropped my kids off at the bus stop and while waiting tried out my non-power drivers side (04 Sienna) door. I noticed that if I kept holding the handle lever out as I slid the door it would not catch. This happened half the time before I realized why it was not catching. If I released the handle it caught every time. I found this took some conscious effort. The intuitive thing seemed to be to pull the handle and slide the door back. What you need to do is to pull the handle, slide the door, and release the handle before the door reaches the catch point. Give it a try and see how it works for you. Let me know what happens.

postman · December 2004

I just waxed my '04 Sienna and noticed two 1/2" long cracks that are rusting and peeling. Both are on the rear door next to the inside corner of each reverse light where the metal bends. You won't see them unless you kneel down to about license plate level. Since they are in the exact same spot on each side, I'm suspecting this is a manufacturing defect and wondering if anyone else has this problem?

trashman3 · December 2004

I have been having problems with my transmission. Funky acceleration and deceleration. I put my 04 Sienna, 21k miles, in the shop for the recalls and a noise coming from the front wheel.

The noise was a wheel bearing. I had the trans flushed while it was in. The problem now seems to be fixed.

A friend that owns a bodyshop told me that some manufacturers are reccomending tranny flushes every 20k instead of 50k.

mcase2 · December 2004

Perhaps, but not Toyota. The service sched for the Sienna calls for an "inspection" of the tranny fluid at 60,000 miles. You should not be having problems at 20,000. If this becomes an issue get to it before the warranty expires

wwest · December 2004

When I inquired at Lexus the other day about why my transmission fluid was already looking burnt and smelling burned at only 38k miles the service manager said that Lexus is now recommending fluid flush and change every 15k.

For a vehicle wherein the fluid is supposed to be good for the life of the vehicle.

sportymonk · December 2004

Here is a quote from the Car And Driver Article on the Sienna. Comments.

"ll was not beer and skittles. The logbook contained sentiments of outrage over the electrically operated side doorsmostly because that's the only way they can be opened and closed. The rear hatch can be opened manually or electrically but can only be closed electrically. Art director Jeff Dworin put it best when he wrote, "Sliding side doors are painfully slow. Same for the rear hatch. Absolutely the worst operation from a key fob I've ever seen. I thought the battery in the fob was dead, but it turns out to be a poorly designed system instead." The need to close the rear hatch electrically became a problem whenever the space behind the last row was filled with stuff. As one user noted, "You aren't allowed to close it yourself, and it refuses to shut if it encounters the slightest resistance. More than once, we closed the hatch and walked toward a restaurant or hotel only to reach the door and realize the liftgate had touched our luggage and opened back up." Nov 04 C&D

ewt · December 2004

I don't understand the comment about the speed of the sliding doors at all. They operate quickly (as fast as any others I've used) and I've never felt like I was waiting a long time for them to open or close. I usually open the one on my side as I'm exiting the car via the button on the ceiling, and it's fully open by the time I get out and shut my door. If they moved any faster, they wouldn't be safe IMO.

The rear door is a little slow because you have to hold the button down for a second or so before it starts to move, and doesn't raise that quickly once it starts moving. However, with the remote, you can hit it far enough in advance that it's open by the time you get there. I've had the door reverse once or twice on me as well. You have to be careful that nothing is in the way or it will go back up. The power closing feature is a nice feature I initially thought was a gimmick. I didn't really realize how nice it was until I had to shut the rear door on my dad's filthy Yukon and then had to clean my dirty hand off. Much nicer to just hit a button inside the van or on the remote.

Car and Driver had a couple of other inaccuracies in that article as well. The Sienna does not have one of those annoying beepers that goes off when you back up and DVDs can be played over the speakers rather than just the headphones as stated in the article.

heywood1 · December 2004

Took my AWD Sienna to the dealer for the radiator and power steering hose replacements. I was given a new Highlander as a loaner. Work was done in half a day, including car wash. Other than license plate frame with dealer's name that they put on EVERY TIME they work on the vehicle (and I always remove as soon as I get home), I have no complaints.

mcase2 · December 2004

The misinformation and distortions in Car and Driver sound worthy of the New York Times. Guess what! there is an easily acessible manual override on the left lower dash. The slow closing comment on the doors makes me wonder if the author was on the take from Honda or Chrysler. Maybe he is..

joeb24 · December 2004

I just bought a 2005 Sienna XLE All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) and am concerned (as others are)about not having a spare tire on long trips in the middle of nowhere. I am still confused about possible solutions.
1. Can I buy a doughnut spare from Toyota that will work with the AWD and the 17 inch wheels?

2. I guess I can buy another 17 inch factory wheel and tire. The problem in this case would be where to store it (maybe in a car top carrier?). Also would the tire on the spare have to be a run flat?

Thanks for any suggestions.

heywood1 · December 2004

Yes, Toyota sells a (non-run-flat) temporary spare for the XLE AWD. Problem is, you must keep it in the cargo compartment of the van, which prevents you from stowing the entire rear seat. If you put the entire rear seat down first(if your trip doesn't require the 3rd row), you still need to find a way to secure the loose tire.

And a conventional spare would not need to be a run-flat, any more than the temporary spare would need to be.

In general, I'm beginning to wonder if this whole RFT idea (PAX or conventional) is doomed. So many people are wanting to buy spare for systems that supposedly don't need them. Really, though: When was the last time you actually had a flat tire? I seem to be averaging about one per decade per vehicle.

joeb24 · December 2004

Thanks "hewood1". I'll check with a dealer to see the cost of both options: doughnut versus fullsize. Isn't it true that you can travel only so many miles on a temporary spare? If so, seems like you may be in the same boat as having a flat on a run-flat, and not having a spare.

I can't remember the last time I had a flat (I am almost sorry I just said that!). I just feel insecure about being on a trip, getting a flat, trying to locate within a 100 miles a dealer or store that will repair the run flat!

wwest · December 2004

you can use an undersized spare if you simply remove the ABS pumpmotor fuse.

The Toyota/Lexus AWD series no longer uses a partially locking (VC) center differential but uses brake modulation instead. If the ABS pumpmotor cannot supply pressurized brake pressure fluid then you simply have an open differential 4WD.

weedshasta · December 2004

I had kind of put this problem to the back of mind again. But it is a worry. I am thinking I might buy one runflat of the correct size (TireRack?) and keep it in the car on long trips. It will be much lighter to handle (and cheaper) without the rim. Also might be able to put it on the roof rack? There should be some tire dealer within 100 miles who could mount the runflat, even if they can't repair or replace the one on the car. I am also hoping as more cars use runflats, and as the Sienna AWD owners are getting more and more mileage on their tires, that they will become easier to find at dealers.

toyotarolla · December 2004

We recently traded in our 2000 Sienna for a 2005 Sienna LE. I do not understand the downshifting that is going on with this new van. When going 70mph on a flat stretch of road, the tach indicates about 2000 RPM. On a slight incline it seems to downshift and runs at around 2500 RPM. On a steeper hill, it will downshift again and run around 3000 RPM. The thing is, when I manually downshift to 4th gear it runs at 3000 RPM (70mph). What I want to know is what is that intermediate downshift to 2500 RPM (at 70mph) Can anyone explain this?

vcheng · December 2004

... the torque converter shifting out of its lockup mode.

toyotarolla · December 2004

>... the torque converter shifting out of its lockup mode.

Thanks for the reply. Last question. Is that normal operation?

Thanks.

carman123 · December 2004

Yes, it is normal operation. If you don't want the van to do this, then you can drive without cruise control and lift the accelerator slightly when going up hill. You will lose a few miles per hour on inclines, but 5th gear will remain engaged to keep the rpm constant.

wwest · December 2004

a good idea to remain in OD, at least the lockup torque converter mode, with the engine under heavy load, towing, uphill, etc.

With the torque converter unlocked the engine will/can turn at a higher speed (more torque) than the torque converter output shaft.

You can actually do serious damage to the transmission running in OD in these conditions. Think about what happens with a manual transmission if you try to start off in third gear, the engine over-revs and the clutch slips. That's exactly what can happen if you remain in OD with the engine under heavy load, the bands and/or clutches in the transmission will slip and burn.

I always pop mine out of OD as I begin to climb, instead of waiting for the transmission to do it for me.

rorr · December 2004

"...with the engine under heavy load...."

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't the "heavy load" be accompanied by additional throttle input? And wouldn't that AUTOMATICALLY cause the transmission to drop out of OD into a lower gear? I mean, if you aren't giving it enough gas for the engine to drop out of OD, then are you REALLY under a 'heavy load' situation?

joeb24 · December 2004

Has anybody bought an original-equipment, alloy wheel for a 2004 or 2005 Sienna XLE AWD? The size is 17" X 6.5". The dealer wants about $500., although they say I can use a 20% discount coupon. I have searched on-line for cheaper solutions, but all I could find are aftermarket 17" X 7" (not 6.5")(Tirerack for example). I assume I could not substitute the 7" for the 6.5". The reason for my search is to have a spare tire available in case one of my run flat tires fails.

heywood1 · December 2004

If all you want is a spare, then only the diameter is important, not the width. You can substitute a 6.5" wheel for spare duty. Besides, an OEM alloy wheel for a spare would be like having a lifeboat made out of expensive wood. All you want it to do is save your bacon in a pinch.

Keep checking Ebay; be patient, and you will find one. I bought a complete set of never-used OEM Sienna 17" rims for $400 (not including shipping). Seller didn't help himself that he misspelled 'Sienna,' though.

carman123 · December 2004

It is an AUTOMATIC transmission. If the engine load is too heavy, the torque converter will do what it needs to do to prevent damage. It will either "unlock" or downshift to a lower gear if necessary. All I meant to say was that if you don't want your transmission to constantly hunt for the right gear while traveling through rolling hills, then you can choose to not use the cruise control. Maintaining a constant 75 mph while going up and down hills is not necessarily the most quiet and comfortable way to cruise along the highway for a hundred miles. With careful modulation of the throttle, you can allow the vehicle to slow down a little when going up a hill and maintain 5th gear. This allows the engine to stay at constant rpm for quiet, relaxed driving and no hunting of the transmission. IT will shift itself if it needs to.

Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2004+)

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