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Toyota Sienna Maintenance and Repair (2004+)

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Comments

  • easym1easym1 Member Posts: 218
    Hello beernut,
    I'm 70-30 in favor of Sienna at this point, unfortunately, I have to factor my wife's input along with my kids. Although I'm buying the minivan for looks and practicality, my kids were looking at MP3, videos and all sorts of electronic gadgets. I guess I have to include those so they don't get bored whenever we travel.

    Thank you all!
  • wschanwschan Member Posts: 6
    Hi
    I just want to know if you hear any noise from fuel tank while driving the car in a very quiet environment. Actually it is not noise but some sounds like the water flowing around when the car is moving. I bet it is gasoline.
    Thks
    Wil
  • beernutbeernut Member Posts: 329
    Yup, I just hung up with my brother in Chicago. He's is at exactly the same stage with Honda vs Toyota vans.

    I think the general consensus is that both are great vehicles and top most people's lists. They also both have all the electronics available that you could ever need.

    I maintain that it has to come down to YOUR personal comfort level during operation - driving. The catalog and these Edmunds boards can not tell your butt how the seat feels on a long trip, how smooth/quiet it is over various road surfaces, how comfortable the kids/guests will be on a long trip or how good visibility is. You and the wife must test DRIVE both models a lot. Sit in all the seats while someone else drives. You and the wife and the kids should each open and close all the doors and get in and out 25 times. Wear the demo out to your satisfaction and the choice will become clear. AND it will be YOUR choice, not the salesman's, Consumer Report's or MotorTrend's.

    My salesmen all hate me already but I could care less. $25K+ is a lot of my money and I will be driving it for the next 10 years.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Another word of advice, free, so it's worth what you pay for it.

    Never, NEVER, base your decision on the radio and/or audio system, not even slightly. You are making a ~$25,000 purchase, the audio system can be completely replaced/upgraded for a faction of that.

    Additionally the passenger cabin's average white noise level at speed on the highway will be in excess of 70db, even in a Lexus LS460. A CD's musical content is from 0 to 110 DB. Not an environment wherein one can truly enjoy the nuances of any type of music.

    And keep in mind that you can purchase a fully portable Nav/GPS system there days for less than $1000. The portable system can be just as capable as the one "trapped" in your vehicle and oftentimes can be updated inexpensively via the internet in the privacy of your own home.

    Vehicular Nav/GPS system updates are few and far between and expensive, ~$300.
  • wschanwschan Member Posts: 6
    Hi I bought a Sienna 06 LE less than a week. May I ask you a question that so far observed is a problem. I hear some noises making by the fuel tank while driving in a moderate quiet environment. It is not noise but I feel the gasoline is flowing around when the car's moving. It makes me feel dangerous and frustrated as well. Any comments? Have you come across if anyone can claim this for return or exchange? Thanks
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    in my '03 ODY, i could hear gas sloshing after fillups when pulling into the garage. a few times more, and i eventually didn't hear it at all. i suspect the same will be true for you. the brain is very good at locking onto the discrepant or novel.
  • wschanwschan Member Posts: 6
    Thanks for telling me your experienced. I still need to tell the sale dealer anyway just in case the sound doesn't go away. I drove the car couple times over the past three nights. The sloshing sound still there which made me feel uncomfortable. Even I did open the fuel cap for a while and tried if any squeeze gas air coming out, but seems that no such reaction which should happen to all cars.
  • beernutbeernut Member Posts: 329
    I assume this van has a standard baffle tank rather than a bladder cell as in some aircraft. If so, I suspect the sound is normal.
  • wschanwschan Member Posts: 6
    It is exceptionally normal as no one told me they hear that sloshing sound from fuel tank for their Sienna van they're driving. Even a standard baffle tank should be equipped function to surpress the fuel moving around in the tank, as I believe. Thks
  • geneegenee Member Posts: 170
    Several times in the past couple of months I have noticed the rotten egg stench when I park in the garage. At less than 21K miles, the catalytic converter on this 2004 XLE Ltd shouldn't be dead. Anyone else having/had this problem? Could you get the dealer to fix it under warranty?
  • liaisonliaison Member Posts: 49
    Just a suggestion, but you may want to consider the trailer hitch for the Ody vs the Sienna. Earlier posts mentioned some problems with the trailer hitch on 04 Sienna's. I have an 04 XLE and love it but do not have a hitch. I especially like the the fact that both passenger doors and the liftgate can be opened and closed with the remote. That's a really nice feature when coming out of the grocery store or when you have passengers. Just my two cents.
  • beernutbeernut Member Posts: 329
    Thanks!

    Any Sienna hitch problems out there that I need to know about? Any input would be very helpful.
  • thegagethegage Member Posts: 13
    As far as I know rotten egg smell has nothing to do with the function of the converter; it has more to do with the gas you use. Also, the fact that you park in a garage means the smell will be more concentrated and more noticeable. If it bugs you I'd try a different brand of gas.
  • thegagethegage Member Posts: 13
    All of the road cars I've owned have never had a baffle to prevent sloshing. Some have had baffles around the fuel inlet to help pickup at low fuel levels, but that's it. I've also heard sloshing to different degrees in most vehicles, from my Saab 9-5 to my '05 Sienna. I think you're worrying about something that's not really a problem.
  • ayosh5ayosh5 Member Posts: 3
    I purchased a new 2004 LE van and i've had a few minor problems but the latest one seems to hit me the most. I live in Hawaii and we hardly experience bad weather but this year has been very unusual (raining for about a month now). During a family get together I had to leave me van in the driveway. The next day the rear of the van was flooded iwth about an inch of rain. The dealer found a leak in my car which I believe was there for a while. There is mold growing which the dealer denies (but i'm having it tested myself) and I think my children and I got sick due to the smell we were experiencing prior to finding the leak. I would suggest to anyone who owns a 2004 sienna to park it in the rain to make sure you don't have the same problem. I didn't feel my brand new car needed to be parked in the rain but I don't know what else to do because the dealer won't help. I also found a similar problem on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If anyone of you have the same problem please let me know.
  • ayosh5ayosh5 Member Posts: 3
    If you decide to buy a 04 Sienna please test the rear for leaks. You will probable need to leave in the rain or drive through the car wash a few times. My solution was to stand for a while with my water hose in hand. Feel under the carpet to see if their is water if there is make sure to get it fixed. I'm currently in talks with my dealer to fix this problem.
  • tmdeptmdep Member Posts: 12
    I have a '04 XLE AWD and from the 1st month occassionally we'd have a problem with the egg smell. The dealer said it was gas, but my other car didn't have the problem and I've been using the same status for over 10 years. Anyway, at 23K, the van eneded up having to have both catalytic converters replaced under warranty. They said the air/fuel mix was off and it ended up burning out the cat's. Just something to mention to your dealer. In my case, the check engine light signaled they needed to be replaced.
  • tagitstagits Member Posts: 9
    We are looking to buy another minivan. We have an 03 Sienna, but with all the problems it had (radiator, fuel leak, seatbelts, etc), we thought we should consider the Honda Odyssey. However, on that forum, there seem to be many unhappy people with humming/vibration noises and poor dealer response to that.

    So, now we are in a quandary. Sienna or Odyssey? I am wondering how many of your new Sienna owners decided against the Odyssey for the noises or other problems? Thanks in advance for any help you can give us!
  • beernutbeernut Member Posts: 329
    I think you should buy the Toyota just because I don't like Hondas. Hondas have always been boring to me and the dealers act like they are better than everyone else. They seem to think their cars are made of gold rather than plastic (I know, there's more metal in in a Honda than a Corvette.)

    To me, the Od is dull, dull, dull - and its more money.
  • jntjnt Member Posts: 316
    All,

    Have any of you experienced the problem where the In dash CD changer fails to eject all loaded CD discs? After It fails for awhile, the radio acts like there is no CD inside.

    jt
  • widriver2widriver2 Member Posts: 36
    Hi,

    Is it just me or are the valve stems too short on the 2005 Sienna LE with the standard 16" steel wheels? They barely extend past the wheel cover making it difficult to check the pressure or inflate. Anyone else notice this?

    Thanks,

    KS
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    i think there are aftermarket valve extenders available at vehicle parts supply stores like autozone and the like.
  • nichromenichrome Member Posts: 7
    This one is a real poser. I have a 2006 Sienna XLE with traction control/sunroof option.
    There is only 2,350 miles on the vehicle. I open the sunroof all the way and begin driving. Following a short stretch where the vehicle is traveling at 50-55 MPH or more,
    I hear the sunroof motor engage for 1 or 2 seconds following deceleration. It usually happens as I am going up or down an incline. I have not been able to notice whether the sunroof actually moves when this happens. Toyota support had no answer for this. At first I thought it had something to do with the air deflector at the front of the sunroof. Any thoughts? :confuse:
  • ts15ms7ts15ms7 Member Posts: 4
    In reply to your problem. You may also check the site for siennaclub.org for further details in regard to my emails from 2005. In response to your question, I went the Lemon Law route and Toyota bought my van back. It was a big major headache, but I stuck it out. Basically you will have to contact Toyota directly and just call and call and call with your problem. In addition, you have to follow the Lemon Law in your state. It should be in your owner's manual. Also, since your family's health has been affected, you should also contact your physician and explain your situation. The physician should be able to provide you with information in regard to mold health problems. I myself had terrible headaches which were brought on when I bought the van. When I stopped driving the van, the constant headaches went away. Mold is very, very hard to get rid of, once there is humidity, the dry mold spores come alive again. In addition, the problem with the leaks in this van is that they are from the bottom, so that when it rains, all the dirty disgusting water and all the bacteria that it has in it gets into the van. My van was fixed three times, and all three times different leaks were found. The carpet was changed initially. On the second leak, the dealer refused to change the carpet. However, I started the Lemon Law route with Toyota, they replaced almost the complete interior of the van, except for the leather on the seats - which was their mistake, because mold can grow in leather also. The smell did not go away however. When the air was turned on, you could smell it, and as someone made a comment to me, it smelled like dirty socks in the van, and this was after all the interior replacement. When I finally turned in the van, the person conducting the transfer of the van did say to me that the van smelled "musty" - so after all the attempts, the problem was not resolved.

    My advice to you is to gather as much information as you can from this site, the sieannaclub.org site and the nhtsa.gov (I think this is the correct address for Highway & Safety) site. Also, gather information in regard to mold. Also, keep records of your doctor's visits and make sure you let your doctor know that they include your comments in regard to the mold problem. Mold is a very serious problem, which I never realized how serious until I got the van. You might even have to contact an attorney in regard to your problem. A lot of attorneys handle lemon law cases. Also, check on the site for the Federal Trade Commission since this will also be a breach of warranty for a defective product.

    The original owners of my van had it for 10 months and drove only 2,300 miles on it. They in turn traded it in for a Demo Sequoia. Apparently, they were unable to drive it (during the warm weather - it stunk very bad since the carpet had not been replaced - the replacement of the carpet made a huge difference - the van did not smell any longer like it had a dead animal in it - but nonetheless still had a bad smell in it). Their solution was to trade it in for something else instead of dealing with Toyota directly, and just passed the problem on to someone else.

    Good luck to you.
  • tspencertspencer Member Posts: 4
    I just bought a 04 Sienna XLE Limited AWD with 24K miles on it. I live in southwest florida, where we have pretty flat ground. I drove it on a 190 mile trip to Tampa (round trip) with just me and my wife and two suitcases, and we drove at 70mph using the cruise control the entire way and we got 17 mpg. The dealer says everything checks out ok. Does anyone else have this poor fuel mileage? Oh, we only get 14-16 in town, and Port Charlotte FL is not like New York City. I had really counted on the window sticker mileage (18 city 25 highway) but we don't even get the estimated city mpg on the highway. If I had known this I would never have bought it!
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    first thing i'd do is check to be sure your tires aren't poorly inflated.

    second thing i'd do is open the engine air filter enclosure and pull the filter out. if it's dirty, i'd replace it.

    in addition to these two things, i suppose i'd run a can of injector cleaner when putting in a full tank of gas.

    start with the cheap stuff. hope it helps.
  • tspencertspencer Member Posts: 4
    In my post, I said it had been all checked out by the dealer. Tires are inflated to the proper psi, the air filter is new, and it passes all of their computer checks. I will try the injector cleaner though, thanks. I did misstate the MPG that we're getting. We get 13 City, and 17 Hwy. It just seems to be unreasonably low. The dealer says that I'll have to learn to live with it!
  • widriver2widriver2 Member Posts: 36
    Easy to solve but it seems pretty dumb they came with such short stems to begin with!
  • ohresohres Member Posts: 46
    There is a small wind deflector on the front side of the sunroof that moves up and down depending on the speed of my Sienna. I think that the cut off was about 45-50 mph.
  • bosshogbosshog Member Posts: 2
    I have the same gripe. I have seen city driving of 15-16 mpg and highway of 18 mpg. Only if it is purely highway then I get up to 19-20 mpg at 65 mph 500 miles from SF to Socal. Driving 70-80 only eats 1-2 mpg so why hold up traffic eh. Less than 5 times have I got more, say 22-24 that was on trips going downhill while going up only got 14 mpg.

    I put 41 psi in tires. got some fair 18 mpg recorded but now back to 16 mpg. I put in injector cleaner regularly, new air filter. I guess you can't get around this van is heavy and it eats gas to get going.

    My B-body Impala SS gets almost the same mileage. More fun to drive too.
  • bosshogbosshog Member Posts: 2
    Anyone find a reasonable source for factory fog lights and install them in place of the plastic fillers?
    Wanted to know if wire harness is already there and just need to plug in lights to harness connectors and put in dash switch.
  • karstenbkarstenb Member Posts: 1
    Did you get the navigation to work in Europe? I am considering taking my 2005 Sienna XLE to Europe. What is your experience having a Sienna in Europe? Can you get it serviced?
  • lodgemanlodgeman Member Posts: 6
    I just returned from an 1800 mile roundtrip to Florida with a six-week old 2006 Sienna. Three adults and a teen with four large Bean duffles and several tote bags. Cruising speed of 65 to 75 mph, almost all highway. Averaged 26.3 mpg (calculated by hand, not by trip computer; tried to fill tank to maximum each time). Five stone chips in the bumper cover (one requires touch up) and one stone chip about three-quarters of the way up the hood (this requires touch up). I have the Toyota hood protector (this stopped lots of debris). I drive with lots of distance between vehicles -- didn't seem to help with road debris, although a car mask or magnetic bra would not have prevented the stone chip on hood. Overall, the performance was first rate. We especially liked playing an IPod and PSP through the van's radio.
  • tspencertspencer Member Posts: 4
    Hi, Is your Sienna AWD? It must be front wheel drive to get that kind of MPG. We AWD owners are jealous! ...Tom
  • lodgemanlodgeman Member Posts: 6
    It's a FWD Sienna LE.
  • tracy8tracy8 Member Posts: 1
    I love my 2004 Sienna and have taken many a road-trip like the one you described. So many people I know complain about things in their new vehicles. I'm so glad I have no gripes on my 2 1/2 year old one. It's the second Sienna I've owned and the first was the same. I may have to invest in a hood protector though. I do have one question - maybe a dumb one - how do you get your ipod to play through the van radio?
  • agnostoagnosto Member Posts: 207
    I 2nd that, I used to own a 2005 Odyssey EX-L RES and got rid of it with so many issues (rattles, clunking/cranking noises) oh boy what a disaster ... so I traded in for an awesome trouble free so far 2006 Sienna LTD ... never ever again HONDAs, stay far far away from HONDAs...
  • lodgemanlodgeman Member Posts: 6
    The 2006 Sienna has an auxiliary port (AUX) on the
    dash. You simply connect an IPod (by cable from the
    IPod's headphones port)to the AUX port and set the radio
    on AUX. Easy and sounds great!
  • edguzmanedguzman Member Posts: 1
    is your 04 Sienna has a cassette player? if so just get one of those cassette adapter then plug your ipod to it, it works great except for the tape noise, but its a cheap solution or get one of those idrive from Harman Kardon its expensive but it's for a Sienna.....
  • pineboypineboy Member Posts: 2
    My wife bought a 2006 Sienna 3 months ago and we are getting 10-11 mpg in the city. It has 1850 on the odo. We filled up with 17 gals costing $51.00+, zeroed the trip meter, the tank was at 1/4 and we got 170 miles when it returned to 1/4. We set our tires to 35psi every month, no hard starts or stops , etc,etc. When I notified the dealer at the first service, he says you have to wait to 3000 miles before you check that. The manual states the break in period is 1000 miles. I have a 2006 Infinity G35 with 1900 miles which gives as stated 19 mpg city. Part of the decision to purchase was the EPA rating and if it was truly stated, we would not have purchase this vehicle. I am very, very upset about this and am not going to sit and take it. I was supposed to be in the service dept at this time of writing, but cancelled after deciding to wait until 3000 miles because when I do take it in if it does not improve, I will be writing the customer relations dept. My letter is already written and waiting. What can magically happen to cause a 6-7 mpg increase??? I don't know about you guys but I am going all the way with this.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Is the city lots of short trips? Do you use an ethanol blended fuel? Are you very gentle with the gas.

    I get much better mileage than my wife because I try to get good mileage. Driving style and conditions play a huge factor.
  • pineboypineboy Member Posts: 2
    Is that not what city driving is all about and why there is a city and hwy average? This mileage is worst than a v8. I don't mean to be rude, but we are in NY and she drops off our 2 and 1/2 year old. We only buy SUNOCO, AMOCO BP, SHELL, etc. No GULF or CITYGAS and those no name types. How hard can she be driving. She really is babying the car.>
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    ride with her as she drives it. you drive it for a couple hundred miles in stop and go and compare...

    make sure tires are inflated properly. make sure the engine air-filter is clean. determine if the vehicle is idling properly.

    does the unit have a O/D on/off setting for the transmission shifter?

    sounds to me like you might have a stuck injector, or a bad engine temp sensor, or bad Mass Air Flow sensor / Idle Control Valve. Maybe it needs a check of the ECU (Engine Control Unit) or TCM (Transmission Control Module).

    A good dealer would recognize 11MPG as pretty off the bell curve.
  • beernutbeernut Member Posts: 329
    Does the wife brake with her left foot? Is it possible the parking brake is not releasing?
  • lweekslweeks Member Posts: 12
    I too have a knocking /ticking noise, when cold , in drive , and excellerating. I even taped a tape recorder under the hood.I left my van overnight, and took mechanic out next morning. He heard the noise and put it in wrighting, put it on the hoist listened with a stethescope, but could not identify. The recording is quite good.
  • orahovatsorahovats Member Posts: 7
    I have a Limited Sienna 06 with just 430 miles. Yesterday the car could not start because the battery was discharged. I had to jumpstart the vehicle. The dealer checked out the car and said that there is no problem. I am pretty sure everything was off except I leave the key in the ignition overnight but always in the LOCK position. Any input will be highly appreciated
  • grb1grb1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a Sienna 06 CE with 9,000 miles and have noticed an annoying level of vibration at highway speeds over 70 MPH. The vibration is present with both the summer and winter tires that I have had on the vehicle. When there are no passengers in the front passenger seat you can see the seat vibrating and items placed on the center tray rattle around. Any input will be appreciated.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    take your vehicle to an auto parts supply store where they will do an alternator / battery loading test. one or the other may be in need of replacement.

    also - there's the possibility that a circuit in the car continues to draw significant power with the key turned off.
  • happy16happy16 Member Posts: 1
    I bought a new 2006 Sienna LE model front wheel drive and it has only 150 miles on it. When I go up hill it is not able to pickup speed , is it part of break in or do I need to take it to the dealer. Any help appreciated
  • sheppard1sheppard1 Member Posts: 1
    Hi

    I just purchased a 04 Sienna. Have you sold your center seat? If not, what color is it? Is it leather or cloth.
    What is your best price?
    Thanks

    Jamie Sheppard
This discussion has been closed.