2000 Toyota Sienna

I WAS DRIVING THE 2000 SIENNA XLE MINIVAN AND THE BRAKES FAILED. IT TOOK A LOT OF PRESSURE TO PUSH THE BRAKE IN AND THE BRAKE DID NOT WORK. NOTHING HAPPENED. I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET PUSHING DOWN TO GET THE MINIVAN TO STOP. THIS PROBLEM CAME ON ALL OF A SUDDEN. I TOOK IT IN TO OUR MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER. I CALLED TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. TOYOTA SAID THEIR FINAL ANSWER WAS THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AS IT ONLY COVERED THE DRIVE TRAIN. OUR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY! BUT TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER THIS ADDITIONAL FAILURE -- THE CAR IS A LEMON, CLEARLY. SO I HAD TO PAY $1350 TO HAVE THE BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACED. THEN THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE! THE BRAKES FAILED THE DAY I PICKED IT UP FROM THE SHOP. THE MECHANIC TESTED IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND SAID HE COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE FAILURE. I HAVE TAKEN THE MINIVAN HOME, BUT I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT FOR FEAR OF THEIR SAFETY. HELP!*JB

DT: THE CALLER STATES THAT THE OIL IN VEHICLE WAS DISAPPEARING FROM THE ENGINE. HE DROVE 800 MILES TO FLORIDA AND HAD TO PUT 4 OR 5 QUARTS OF OIL. HE HAS TO PUT THAT MUCH OIL EVERY 1500 MILES. DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE AUGUST 5, 2005 AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER SENT THE CALLER A LETTER STATING THE ENGINE COULD FAIL BECAUSE OF THE OIL PROBLEM. IT WAS AN OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. *AK

DT: CONTACT STATES THE SLIDING DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS CHECKED TO SEE IF THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK WAS ENGAGED, BUT IT WAS NOT. THE CONSUMER STATED HER SIX YEAR OLD CHILD BROKE THE HANDLE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE DEALER YET.*AK

I HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA IN WHICH SEAT BELTS LOCK WITH LITTLE MOVEMENT AFTER BEING RETRACTED FROM THE CAR WALL (I DO NOT KNOW WHY IT IS DESIGNED THIS WAY, AND HAD BEEN BOTHERED BY THE DESIGN WELL BEFORE WHAT I REPORT HERE). ONE DAY MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MOVED AROUND WHILE UNDER THE SEAT BELT AND WAS ENTANGLED IN IT. SHE KEPT TRYING TO GET HERSELF OUT, BUT THE BELT WOULD ONLY MOVE A FEW MILLIMETERS INTO THE WALL, AND NEVER OUTWARDS. BY THE TIME I REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON SHE WAS GROANING IN PAIN WITH THE BELT TIGHTLY AROUND THE BELLY AND TO THE SEAT. I HAD TO CUT THE BELT TO GET HER LOOSE (WHICH LATER COST ABOUT $200 TO REPLACE). THE REPAIRED BELT WORKS WITH THE SAME TECHNOLOGY AS THE OLD, AND ALL OTHERS IN THE CAR. *NM

ENGINE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHEN DRIVING, WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER, SERVICE REP. INDICATED THIS WOULD POTENTIALLY BE A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. AFTER A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED AN "ISSUE" WITH THIS ENGINE AND A CALL TO TOYOTA NATIONAL AND SOME "DISCUSSIONS" WITH THE DEALER THE CAR WAS TAKEN FOR "DESLUDGING". PROOF OF OIL CHANGES HAD TO BE PROVIDED, MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW IT WAS "OUR FAULT". SINCE WE ARE BOTH ENGINEERS AND TYPICALLY KEEP OUR VEHICLES A VERY LONG TIME, THIS WAS INSULTING. VAN WAS RETURNED, BUT OIL LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN 10 MILES. IT THEN STAYED FOR QUITE A WHILE (I THINK THEY SAID IT HAD AT LEAST 6 OIL CHANGES). NO OFFER OF RENTAL CAR WAS MADE. AFTER IT WAS RETURNED WITHIN A MONTH IT BLEW A HOLE THROUGH THE VALVE COVER (MECHANIC FORGET TO TORQUE ONE OF THE HEAD/CAM BOLTS, BOLT BACKED OFF AND WASHER BLEW A SMALL HOLE IN VALVE COVER).OIL/SMOKE EVERYWHERE. IT BURNED OFF OIL FOR MONTHS AFTERWARD. IT WAS TOWED BACK. HOLE WAS ON EXTREME DRIVERS SIDE OF ENGINE. VALVE COVER WAS REPLACE, BOLT/WASHER EITHER REPLACED OR RETORQUED. *NM

AUGUST 2003: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO CRYSTAL MOTORS, A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. CRYSTAL MOTORS REPLACED "IGNITION COIL". PROBLEM APPARENTLY RESOLVED. COST: $350-$500. JANUARY 2005: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. VEHICLE TAKEN TO CRYSTAL MOTORS. REPLACED "ALL INJECTORS AND COILS". ALL SIX FUEL INJECTORS AND THREE COILS WERE SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED, ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN. PROBLEM APPARENTLY SOLVED. THE SERVICE COST APPROXIMATELY $2100. JULY 2005: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. CRYSTAL CLAIMS THAT A COIL HAS GONE BAD, ONLY 6 MONTHS INTO ITS USE. CRYSTAL IS UNABLE TO PRODUCE THE DEFECTIVE PART ON DEMAND. I WAS NOT CHARGED FOR THIS SERVICE.

ABS BRAKES FAIL. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED BY TOYOTA BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2001 AS A USED CAR. IN 2003 THE BRAKE PETAL STARTED TO VIBRATE THE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. TOYOTA DID REPAIRS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRENTEE. YESTERDAY THE LIGHT CAME ON, I STOPPED THE CAR, TURNED IT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. AS I STARTED TO PROCEED I HEARD THIS LOUD SOUND FROM THE BRAKES AND HAD TO STAND ON THE PETAL TO STOP THE CAR. ONCE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN THE BRAKES WORKED FINE. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION I REMOVED THE ABS FUSE AND WILL NOT REPLACE IT FOR FEAR OF A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE SENT AN E-MAIL TO TOYOTA AS WELL. I AM SENDING THIS MAINLY SO THERE IS A RECORD IN CASE OTHERS HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT I WILL NOT USE THE ABS BRAKES EVEN IF TOYOTA OFFERS TO FIX THEM. THEY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL TWICE AND I WILL NOT RIDE IN THIS CAR WITH MY GRAND KIDS. TOYOTA SIENNA 2000

DT: VEHICLE HAS A SLIDING ELECTRIC DOOR ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. DOOR STARTED OPENING OR STAYING OPEN AT THE WRONG TIME. FINALLY, THE ELECTRICAL DOOR STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE BUTTON ON THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE OR THE REMOTE. CONSUMER JUST NOTICED THAT THE DOOR WILL ALSO NOT OPEN MANUALLY FROM THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE, BUT WILL OPEN MANUALLY FROM THE OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER DID TAKE VEHICLE O DEALER IN JANUARY 2005 FOR AN ESTIMATE OF REPAIRS, AND FOUND THAT THE COST OF REPAIRS WOULD BE $1886.00. *AK