2002 Toyota Sienna

I HAVE 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CAR WAS PERFECT UNTIL AFTER 30K MILES. WE FIRST NOTICED THE CAR OCCASIONALLY HAD DIFFICULTY OF STARTING DURING WARM WEATHER OR WARM ENGINE CONDITION. THEN THE SITUATION GOT WORST, THE NO STARTING GOT MORE OFTEN. WE EVEN GOT STUCK IN THE FREEWAY AND BUSY STREET BECAUSE WE STOPPED THE CAR AND HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULTY TO GET THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. THE SITUATION COULD BE DANGEROUS IN A TRAFFIC BUSY LOCATION. I HAVE TWO FRIEND WHO HAVE SIENNA AND THEY BOTH HAD THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SIENNA. THE USUAL SYMPTOM OF THE PROBLEM: THE CAR TAKES MORE CRACKING TO START AND THEN ITS RPM IMMEDIATELY DROPS TO 400-200RPM AND THEN THE ENGINE DIES; SOME TIMES PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR WOULD HELP RAISING THE RPM AND GOT THE CAR REALLY STARTED; AT SOME OTHER TIMES, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT ALL UNTIL THE ENGINEER COOLS DOWN AND/OR THE WEATHER COOLS DOWN; TODAY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN AN OUTDOOR PARKING LOT. I AM STILL TRYING TO GET IT STARTED. *NM

OUR 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA WAS TRAVELLING STRAIGHT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR WHEN A 2005 FORD MUSTANG TRAVELLING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION MADE A POOR LEFT TURN AND IMPACTED THE DRIVER'S-SIDE REAR QUARTER OF OUR SIENNA. THE SURPRISE AND IMPACT COMBINED TO PUSH OUR SIENNA OUT OF THE ROADWAY WHERE IT HIT A UTILITY POLE HEAD ON. AIRBAGS ON THE SIENNA DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SIENNA HAS BEEN JUDGED A TOTAL LOSS.

TOYOTA HAS BEEN PLACING DUNLOP SP40'S ON THEIR SIENNA VAN'S AT LEAST FROM 2000 TO 2003. THEY ARE EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE WEAR (LESS THAN HALF OF THEIR 80,000 KILOMETERS. PLEASE REFER TO 1010TIRES.COM UNDER REVIEWS FOR THAT TIRE (VERY NUMEROUS). MY TIRES WERE WORN OVER 75% AT 33000KMS. EVEN PRIOR TO WEAR THEY ARE EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE ESP. IN THE SNOW AND RAIN---I HAD SPUN OUT ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF SNOW COVERED HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES ENTERING ONCOMING TRAFFIC THE WINTER PREVIOUS. THE SIENNA HAS A HIGH SAFETY RATING BUT IT IS IN FACT AN UNSAFE/HAZARDOUS VEHICLE BY VIRTUE OF THE TIRES PLACED UPON IT. I BELIEVE TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT ADMIT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THROUGH MUCH ARGUMENT, GOODYEAR HAS REPLACED THE TIRES WITH NEW ONES GIVING ME 50% OFF (I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN PLACED IN A POSITION OF PURCHASING NEW TIRES WHEN I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOR THE NEXT 3-4 YEARS). TOYOTA REFUSES TO COMPENSATE ME THE OTHER 50% AND WILL NOT ADMIT TO THIS UNSAFE (BUT NO DOUBT PROFITABLE) RELATIONSHIP THAT IT HAS WITH DUNLOP/GOODYEAR. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THESE TIRES ARE SUBSTANDARD IF NOT DEFECTIVE AND I AM UPSET THAT DUNLOP/GOODYEAR AND TOYOTA HAD PLACED MY FAMILY IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THEIR ARRANGEMENT. I HAD BOUGHT THE VAN BECAUSE MY WIFE AND I HAD A NEW BABY AND HAD TRUSTED THE SAFETY RATING BOASTED BY TOYOTA (UNAWARE THAT THE SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED BY THE TIRES THAT THEY CHOOSE TO UTILIZE ON THE VAN). *JB

TOYO TIRES DO NOT GRIP THE ROAD WHEN IT IS WET. THEY SLIP AND SPIN OUT EASILY ON WET ROADS. IN SAN FRANCISCO 2/19/05, ON A HILL, STARTING THE AUTO MOVING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE TIRES WOULD NOT GRIP THE ROAD AND KEPT SPINNING OUT. THE CAR SLIP BACKWARDS. I HAD TO TURN THE WHEELS TO FINALLY GET THEM TO GRIP ENOUGH TO GET THE CAR MOVING FORWARD. ANYTIME, ANYWHERE ROADS ARE WET THE TIRES SPIN OUT AND DO NOT GRIP WELL.*AK

PURCHASE 2002 SIENNA CE IN JUNE 2002. HAVE LEAK IN TOP RADIATOR HOSE WHERE IT JOINS THE ENGINE. LOOSES COOLANT OVER SEVERAL WEEKS. BROUGHT TO TOYOTA DEALER WHERE PURCHASED AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE HOSE. INSTALLED A NEW CLAMP. NOW 3 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM IS BACK. I BELIEVE THIS IS A BAD PART THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER IS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND.*AK

I BOUGH A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA NEW IN 2001. THE WARRANTY RAN OUT TWO MONTHS AGO AND NOW I HAVE A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THE CAR DOES NOT ACCEPT GAS AT THE GAS STATION. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER (PENN TOYOTA - 516-621-6800 ) FOR ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION. I CALLED TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT AND MENTIONED THE PROBLEM, ALREADY, BEFORE SEEING THE VEHICLE THEY SAID IT WAS THE CHARCOAL CANISTER THAT IS CLOGGED. THEY REPLACED IT AT A COST OF ALMOST 500 DOLLARS. I PAID, LEFT AND WENT STRAIGHT TO A GAS STATION. THE CAR STILL DOES NOT ACCEPT GAS. I RETURNED THE CAR. NOW IT NEEDS TWO MORE PARTS THAT REQUIRE FOUR HOURS OF LABOR AT 85 DOLLARS AN HOUR AND 200 DOLLARS WORTH OF PARTS. I MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT GONE AWAY AND THAT THEY REPLACED THE CARBON CANISTER FOR NO REASON. THEY SAID YES IT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED THAT THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM FOUR TO FIVE TIMES A WEEK. NOW WHAT??????? *JB

PROBLEMS: 1: THE STARTING IDLE WILL NOT KEEP CAR ON IF TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 60 AND I HAD TO PAY $200, JUST TO HAVE TOYOTA CLEAN IT, BUT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT. EVEN AFTER IT BEEN CLEANED THE PROBLEM STILL HAPPENS RANDOMLY. 2: TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE SENSOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON EVEN AFTER ITS BEEN RESET TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. 3: RANDOMLY THE FRONT WHEELS WILL VIBRATE THEN STOP AFTER ABOUT 15 MILES. I'VE REPLACED WITH NEW TIRES AND HAD BRAKES DONE TWICE BUT PROBLEMS STILL PERSISTS. *NM