1999 Toyota Sienna

I AM REPORTING ANOTHER TOYOTA STICKY ACCELERATOR PEDAL. OUR 1999 SIENNA MINIVAN HAS HAD 3 INCIDENTS OF STUCK ACCELERATOR, THE MOST RECENT WAS JAN. 21, 2010. I BELIEVE IT HAS BECOME "STUCK" BETWEEN 40 AND 45MPH. OTHER INCIDENTS WERE IN SUMMER (CANNOT REMEMBER DATE) AND OCTOBER 2009. THE 1ST INCIDENT WAS BRIEF AND CORRECTED QUICKLY BY PUSHING DOWN ON THE PEDAL TO "FREE IT", THE 2ND INCIDENT REQUIRED BRAKING AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND SHOVING THE PEDAL WITH MY FOOT TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT TO FREE IT UP. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN THE PEDAL SEEMED TO WORK OK, ALTHOUGH A BIT SLUGGISH RESPONSE. OUR MECHANIC FIXED THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE CAR HAS NOT HAD ANOTHER INCIDENT UNTIL LAST WEEK. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS MORE HARROWING IN THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH ROOM TO MANEUVER THE CAR SINCE WE WERE HEADED FOR LOTS OF CARS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I TRIED TO SLOW THE CAR BY BRAKING HARD WITH THE LEFT FOOT AND SHOVING THE ACCELERATOR. PEDAL DOWN AND SIDE TO SIDE WHILE IN NEUTRAL BUT THIS DID NOT WORK QUICKLY LIKE THE OCTOBER INCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A SHOULDER BEFORE CRASHING BUT IT TOOK MUCH LONGER FOR THE CAR TO STOP THIS TIME, AND I ACTUALLY THREW THE CAR IN PARK TO STOP THE CAR! I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, WAS COMPOSED ENOUGH TO DRIVE IT. OUR DEALER WILL CHECK THE CAR JAN 29. THE FLOOR MAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE INVOLVED JAMMING INTO THE PEDAL, SO IT IS PROBABLY A MECHANICAL "CATCH" THAT IS GETTING HUNG UP WHEN THE PEDAL IS DOWN A CERTAIN DISTANCE. WE THOUGHT THE SAFETY GURUS WOULD WANT TO KNOW. LUCKILY NO CRASHES HAVE OCCURRED YET! *TW

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE WITH OUR SONS (AGES 3 AND 1) IN THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE DIED. SHE COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE STAYED IN VEHICLE AND KEPT THE BOYS IN THEIR CAR SEATS AS SHE WAS ALONG A MAJOR HIGHWAY. A ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE VEHICLE PULLED UP BEHIND HER WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO. HE ASKED MY WIFE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SHE TOLD HIM AND HE ASKED HER TO POP THE HOOD. SHE DID. HE OPENED IT AND FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NEITHER HE NOR MY WIFE KNEW OR SUSPECTED A FIRE. NO FLAMES. NO SMOKE. NO SMELL. NO HEAT. HE YELLED TO MY WIFE TO GET HERSELF AND THE KIDS OUT OF THE CAR. SHE DID AND THEY WERE ALL UNHARMED. HE PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. OBVIOUSLY, MY WIFE AND CHILDREN PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED HAD THAT ROAD SIDE ASSISTANT NOT BEEN THERE. FL HIGHWAY PATROL ARRIVED. THE FHP OFFICER FILED INCIDENT REPORT # FHPK05OFF042549. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT, TOYOTA OF ORLANDO (3800 W. COLONIAL DRIVE ORLANDO, FL 32808 407-298-4500) I VIDEO TAPED THE BURNED ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE FROM HEAD TO TOE AND WILL BE HAPPY TO SUBMIT A COPY TO YOU. I WAS CALLED BY A MR. MANNY COLON OF TOYOTA OF ORLANDO. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT SLUDGE BUILD UP WAS FOUND AND SAID THAT WAS PROBABLY THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. I HAVE RECORDS (WITH A DIFFERENT SHOP-GOODYEAR) SHOWING THAT THE OIL WAS CHANGED REGULARLY AND NOT TERRIBLY LONG AGO. THERE SEEMS TO BE AN EXTREMELY WELL DOCUMENTED (AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY TOYOTA) SLUDGE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA'S - INCLUDING THE 99 SIENNA. I HAVE FOUND MANY ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET AND I AM COLLECTING THEM. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS ISSUE BY ANYONE. IF THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE, WHY ARE THESE VEHICLES BEING ALLOWED ON THE ROAD WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN RIDING IN THEM? MY ENTIRE FAMILY ALMOST DIED YESTERDAY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. I DON'T WANT OTHERS TO DIE IF IT CAN BE AVOIDED. *NM

MY VAN HAD FIRST ENGINE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM AT 32782 MILES IN MARCH 2003. FINALLY TOYOTA PAID THE REPAIR COST AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS. ONE YEAR LATER, ON JULY 5,2004, I FOUND THAT THERE IS NO ENGINE OIL LEFT AGAIN DURING THE MIDDLE OF OUR FAMILY VACATION TRIP (AT 46000 MILES). AND BLUE SMOKE COMES OUT FROM EXHAUST PIPE AGAIN. TOYOTA COULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM BY CLEARING CHANGING SOME PARTS. I REQUEST TOYOTA REPLACE THE DEFECT ENGINE.*AK

OIL SLUDGE.STARTED BLOWING AT STOP LIGHTS AND ALL STARTUPS.CALLING TOYOTA THIS WEEK. THIS SIENNA IS IN MINT CONDITION.WE BOUGHT IT FOR SAFETY AND DEPENDABILITY FOR OUR 7 WEEK OLD SON.NOW WE'LL SEE IF TOYOTA STANDS BEHIND IT.THIS IS OUR 1ST TOYOTA,BUT THERE ARE 7 LEXUS/TOYOTAS' WITHIN OUR FAMILIES.THIS ENGINE IS DAMAGED AND FROM WHAT WE HAVE READ,EXPECT A COMPLETE NEW ONE.