2000 Toyota Sienna

LTR FWD FM FHWA RE THEIR DEFECTIVE 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE, THE VAN HAS PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE SLUDGE...*MR THE VEHICLE STARTED TO BLOW BLUE SMOKE AND RAN ROUGH. THE DEALER DISCOVERED ENGINE GEL DEPOSITS. THE MALFUNCTIONING LIGHT HAD COME ON DUE TO THE OXYGEN SENSOR PER DEALER, THE BRAKES SQUEALED WHEN STOPPED AT LOW SPEEDS(PROBLEM CONTINUED), AND PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. THE ENGINE SLUDGE HAD COME BACK AGAIN DUE TO A BURNT HOLE IN THE VALVE WHICH WAS IN THE PISTON. THE TACHOMETER ILLUMINATION APPEARED TO BE OUT AND THE BULB WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE HOTEL STAY AND THE VEHICLE RENTAL. *SCC *JB

FR 680 02 FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURE ON 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA. *MR LOW TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE LOST PRESSURE REPEATEDLY. DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS A NAIL IN THE TIRE. HOWEVER, AT A LATER DATE THE CONSUMER FOUND A BULGE IN THE REPAIRED TIRE. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED TIRE HAD SPLIT FROM THE INSIDE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE TIRE. CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF FIRESTONE RECALL AND REQUESTED THAT ALL TIRES BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE SPARE TIRE. HOWEVER DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE TIRES INCLUDING THE SPARE UNDER WARRANTY. DOT # UNKNOWN. *TT *JB

LTR FWD FM FHWA RE HIS DEFECTIVE 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE THAT EMITS A LOUD BEARING WHINE, THE TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO TRACKING & PULLING PROBLEMS. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE REP THAT 31K MILES ON A MICHELIN WAS ALL TO EXPECT ON THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ON IT'S FOURTH SET OF TIRES AT 55K MILES. THE TRACKING PROBLEMS WERE RESOLVED ON THE TWO SETS OF FOUR WITHIN THE FIRST 15K MILES. THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED WHEN GOING BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. THERE WERE RESULTS FORM AN ENGINE OIL ANALYSIS THAT MAY INDICATE EARLY SLUDGE BUILD UP. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 AT 75-80 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION ALL OF THE SUDDEN STOPPED WORKING. THE ENGINE RACES WHEN GAS PEDAL DEPRESS AND NO TRANSMISSION ENGAGEMENT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY, WAS ABLE TO WEAVE OUT OF HARMS WAY AND COAST TO AN EXIT AND ENOUGH SPEED TO STOP AT A GAS STATION. CALL FOR TOW TRUCK AND TOWED INTO O'STEEN TOYOTA @ BRUNSWICK. LONG WEEKEND PREVENTING ANY CAR RENTAL (ALL CLOSED) AND ENDED UP TAKING A TAXI (58 MILES AWAY) ALL THE WAY TO JACKSONVILLE AIRPORT FOR A CAR RENTAL TO GO BACK TO MELBOURNE, FL. TO TAKE ON VACATION THE NEXT DAY. CAR LEFT AT O'STEEN AND WAS TOLD A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION IS REPLACED AND POSSIBLE THOUGHT OF PINION GEAR FAILURE. SINCE THEY CANNOT OPEN UP THE TRANSMISSION FOR ANY DETAIL LOOK AT FAILURE. SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAN OCCUR IN THIS KIND OF FAILURE. LOOKS LIKE A WHOLE LOT OF SAME PROBLEMS SINCE 2000, WHY IS THERE NO EQUIPMENT RECALLS IS BEYOND ME. *JB

I OWN A 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA LE. I NOTICED A COOLANT LEAK. I TOOK IT IN TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WAS THE LEAK FROM THE COOLING PIPE. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE COOLING PIPE WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE POWER STEERING LINE (ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR) AND THE COOLING PIPE WORE OUT. I ASKED IF IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. HE REPLIED THAT HE NEVER SAW THIS BEFORE, BUT THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING BETWEEN THE COOLING PIPE AND THE POWER STEERING LINE TO PREVENT THE RUBBING. THIS FIX IS $410 FOR PARTS AND LABOR AND IS NOT COVER UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SINCE IT IS A PIPE THAT BROKE. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW BY TOYOTA. *NLM

CHILD WRAPPED REAR SEAT BELT AROUND NECK. SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE. HAD TO CUT SEAT BELT TO RELEASE CHILD. THIS WAS THE REAR SHOULDER HARNESS. CHILD WAS HANGING BY THE NECK. SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FULLY RETRACT SEAT BELT TO HAVE SOME SLACK. I HAVE HAD OTHER PASSENGERS REFUSE TO WEAR THE OTHER SEAT BELTS COMPLAINING THEY "LOCK UP" AND SOMETHING WAS WRONG. A CHILD COULD BE CHOKED TO DEATH. *NLM