NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
39 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · May 30, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
SIENNA ENGINE SEIZED WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 75. WE HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED PRIOR TO LEAVING TO GO ON VACATION. TOYOTA BLAMED US FOR THE PROBLEM: SAID IT WAS DUE TO LACK OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE DESPITE OUR FURNISHING PROOF OF REGULAR OIL CHANGES. COST OF REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS ESTIMATED @ APPROX. $5000. WE COULD NO…
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SIENNA ENGINE SEIZED WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 75. WE HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED PRIOR TO LEAVING TO GO ON VACATION. TOYOTA BLAMED US FOR THE PROBLEM: SAID IT WAS DUE TO LACK OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE DESPITE OUR FURNISHING PROOF OF REGULAR OIL CHANGES. COST OF REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS ESTIMATED @ APPROX. $5000. WE COULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER THEM. VAN WAS REPOSESSED BY OUR FINANCE COMPANY. WE HAD TO TAKE OUT A HOME EQUITY LOAN TO PAY OFF THE BALANCE OF $6,000 OWED TO OUR FINANCE COMPANY.*AK
NHTSA ODI #762460
Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
WE FEEL THAT KINGSPORT TOYOTA (KINGSPORT TENNESSEE) DID NOT WANT TO BE BOTHERED WITH THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT THAT PROBLEMS WERE STARTING TO ARISE AND CONSUMERS WERE QUESTIONING TOYOTA ABOUT SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINES.*AK
NHTSA ODI #761330
Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
AT 44,000 MILES WE HAD TO HAVE OUR CYLINDER REGROUND AND THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. WE CHANGED OIL EVERY 5,000 MILES LIKE THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAID. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT IT SHOULD HAPPEN AT ALL! THIS IS A FAULTY ENGINE. WE SHOULD HAVE RECIEVED A NEW ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY, NOT HAD THE DAMNED CYLINDERS REGROUND. NOW, THEY'RE TEL…
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AT 44,000 MILES WE HAD TO HAVE OUR CYLINDER REGROUND AND THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. WE CHANGED OIL EVERY 5,000 MILES LIKE THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAID. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT IT SHOULD HAPPEN AT ALL! THIS IS A FAULTY ENGINE. WE SHOULD HAVE RECIEVED A NEW ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY, NOT HAD THE DAMNED CYLINDERS REGROUND. NOW, THEY'RE TELLING US TO CHANGE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES! WHAT IS GOING ON? WE'VE OWNED TOYOTAS SINCE 1969 AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THEM--AND CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THIS IS POOR QUALITY OF THE ENGINE AND TOYOTA SHOULD GIVE US A NEW AND IMPROVED ENGINE TO REPLACE THIS ONE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #760883
Mileage unknown · Mar 16, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
ALL THE OIL PORTS WERE COMPLETELY PLUGED AND THERE WAS NO WARNING EITHER TIME. IT IS A WONDER THAT WITH ALL THE PORTS PLUGED AND THE ENGINE BOTH TIMES NOT GETTING ANY OIL TO THE UPPER ENGINE THAT IT DID N OT FREESE UP AND CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCADENT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #759422
Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
DIAGNOSED AS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE DUE TO "OWNER NEGLIGENCE"; OWNER HAS PROOF OF REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE; OWNER ACCUSED OF "NEVER CHANGING THE OIL"--NOT TRUE; TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IN THEIR SIENNAS AND AVALONS, SAYS WE ARE INELIGIBLE FOR "ASSISTANCE" BECAUSE WE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE 60000 DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY;…
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DIAGNOSED AS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE DUE TO "OWNER NEGLIGENCE"; OWNER HAS PROOF OF REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE; OWNER ACCUSED OF "NEVER CHANGING THE OIL"--NOT TRUE; TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IN THEIR SIENNAS AND AVALONS, SAYS WE ARE INELIGIBLE FOR "ASSISTANCE" BECAUSE WE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE 60000 DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY; PROPERLY MAINTAINED ENGINES DON'T SEIZE UP AT 64K MILES!! WE ARE OUTRAGED!!*AK
NHTSA ODI #758630
Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
DRIVING TO PHOENIX, ENGINE WENT IN OGDEN UTAH, SAID SLUDGE IN ENGINE, ALTHOUGH HAVE OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS, TOYOTA UNINTERESTED. CLAIMS IMPROPER MAINTENANCE SO NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #756972
Mileage unknown · Dec 31, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
TITAN CHECKUP ENGINE ANALYSIS OIL SAMPLE RESULTS REVEALED EXCESSIVE FUEL IN THE ENGINE'S OIL AFTER 6700 MILES OF DRIVING. OIL NOTED TO BE TOO THIN AND SOME LEAD FROM BEARING SCUFFING NOTED. SILICON ALSO PRESENT IN TWO OIL ANALYSIS SAMPLES TO DATE. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD WITH REDUCED FLASH POINT. FULL INVESTIGATION NEEDED ON 19…
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TITAN CHECKUP ENGINE ANALYSIS OIL SAMPLE RESULTS REVEALED EXCESSIVE FUEL IN THE ENGINE'S OIL AFTER 6700 MILES OF DRIVING. OIL NOTED TO BE TOO THIN AND SOME LEAD FROM BEARING SCUFFING NOTED. SILICON ALSO PRESENT IN TWO OIL ANALYSIS SAMPLES TO DATE. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD WITH REDUCED FLASH POINT. FULL INVESTIGATION NEEDED ON 1998-2001 MODEL SIENNAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH CURRENT ENGINE FIRE INVESTIGATION ON THE 2002 MODEL. *AIK
NHTSA ODI #756226
Mileage unknown · Dec 24, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE ENGINES IN 1999 SIENNA VANS ARE POSSIBLY HAVING EARLY FAILURE OF THE CRANKECASE VENTILATION SYSTEM THAT CAUSES OIL TO SLUDGE UP AND THE ENGINE BEGINS TO BURN OIL AT A VERY EARLY AGE. I RECENTLY DE-SLUDGED MY VAN'S ENGINE AND NOTED THAT THE CRANKECASE VENT BAFFLES ARE VERY NARROW AND HAD LIKLEY BEEN STOPPED UP FOR A LONG TI…
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THE ENGINES IN 1999 SIENNA VANS ARE POSSIBLY HAVING EARLY FAILURE OF THE CRANKECASE VENTILATION SYSTEM THAT CAUSES OIL TO SLUDGE UP AND THE ENGINE BEGINS TO BURN OIL AT A VERY EARLY AGE. I RECENTLY DE-SLUDGED MY VAN'S ENGINE AND NOTED THAT THE CRANKECASE VENT BAFFLES ARE VERY NARROW AND HAD LIKLEY BEEN STOPPED UP FOR A LONG TIME. FROM THE AMOUNT OF POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. *AK
NHTSA ODI #755987
Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
CAR USING OIL SINCE 20000MI. 9/01 DEALER FOUND SLUDGE IN ENGINE AND CLAIMED IT WAS MY FAULT AND WOULD NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #753554
Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
PURCHASED A MANUFACTURER-CERTIFIED SIENNA AND IT SPEWED BLUE SMOKE ON THE FIRST COLD START. ENGINE SLUDGE WAS BLAMED FOR THE PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER COVERED THE ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS CERTIFIED AND RECENTLY PURCHASED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #750326
Official recalls
2Apr 20, 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2010 SIENNA PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 7, 1997 AND JANUARY 4, 2010, CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SPARE TIRE STOWED UNDER THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN THE COLD CLIMATE REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE ROAD SALT IS FREQUENTLY USED, WATER SPLASHED BACKWARDS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT CAN REACH THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER AND CORRODE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER ASSEMBLY CABLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND THE SPARE TIRE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS WITH AN INTERIM LETTER INITIALLY INSTRUCTING THEM TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED DEALERS TO INSPECT FOR CORROSION. A SECOND NOTICE WILL BE SENT WHEN THE PERMANENT REMEDY IS AVAILABLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE TOYOTA'S AMENDED RECALL REPORT OF JULY 19, 2010. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Oct 19, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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