2003 Toyota Sienna

HERE IS A LIST OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS INDICATING MANUFACTURING DEFECTS ON MY TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CURRENT MODELS RECALLED BY TOYOTA MOTORS DO NOT COVER ALL VEHICLES WITH DEFECTS. BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, TOYOTA MOTORS HAVE A LOT OF LYING EMPLOYEES IN THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. IN SHORT, TOYOTA MOTORS PUT THEIR BUSINESS INTEREST WAY AHEAD OF THE LIFE SAFETY OF AMERICAN PEOPLE. I HOPE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION WILL CHECK THIS MANNER AND ENFORCE PROPER REGULATION. UPDATED 03/14/10 *BF *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD STALL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE AND COOLANT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED HE HAD PROBLEMS STOPPING THE VEHICLE, WHICH LED TO AN ACCIDENT. UPDATED IVOQ 10/12/10

2003 TOYOTA SIENNA, SPONTANEOUS, UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION. FIRST OCCURRENCE ON OR ABOUT 7/20/09. AT LEAST 3 SUCCESSIVE OCCURRENCES. TOYOTA DEALER (LARRY H MILLER BIG TOYOTA CITY) WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM IN ROAD TESTS. WHEN IT HAPPENED TO ME, I THREW TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. ENGINE HIT REDLINE IN TIME IT TOOK TO TURN KEY TO OFF.(1-2 SECONDS) FIRST MIS IDENTIFIED AS STICKING THROTTLE CABLES. TOYOTA REPLACED CABLES EVENTUALLY (AFTER RECURRENCE) REPLACED THROTTLE BODY. WIFE NEARLY HAD ACCIDENT WITH FIRST OCCURRENCE, HAD TO STAND ON BRAKES TO GET CAR STOPPED. SHUT DOWN VEHICLE IN LEFT TURN LANE ON BUSY SIX LANE ROAD. VEHICLE TOWED. I HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES/ROTORS. ABLE TO AVOID ACCIDENT WITH RECURRENCE BY SHOWING WIFE HOW TO THROW TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND SHUT DOWN VEHICLE. WIFE DOES NOT TRUST VEHICLE ALTHOUGH NEW THROTTLE BODY SEEMS TO HAVE SOLVED PROBLEM. TOYOTA KEPT VEHICLE TWICE FOR TOTAL OF TWO WEEKS, WE PAID OVER $1,300. TOYOTA NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED NOR ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. OFFERED FREE CAR WASH WHEN WE COMPLAINED TO SERVICE MANAGER. *TR

WHEN PICKING UP MY VEHICLE FROM TOYOTA TOWN IN STOCKTON, CA, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE OIL LIGHT WAS ON FOLLOWING A 60,000 MILE SERVICE. THE MECHANIC RELEASED THE VEHICLE TO US WITHOUT EXPLANATION. THEN AFTER TWO VISITS IN THE SAME DAY TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, MY HUSBAND DEMANDED AN EXPLANATION. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS OUR PROBLEM THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE OR "GEL" IN THE OIL THAT WAS RELEASED WHEN HE REMOVED THE HEAD FOR SERVICING. AFTER CHANGING THE OIL HIMSELF TWICE, MY HUSBAND SAW THE OIL LIGHT GO OFF. THINKING THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, WE TOOK IT ON THE HIGHWAY THE NEXT DAY. WITHIN 100 MILES THE ENGINE FROZE, LEAVING US STRANDED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE. CURRENTLY, THE DEALER IS REFUSING TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA RECENTLY SETTLED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE OWNERS OF THE 2002 MODELS. OUR VAN IS A 2003. THIS PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY CONTINUES TO EXIST. *TR

OUR 2003 SIENNA VAN (TOYOTA) HAS BEGUN THROWING BLUE SMOKE OUT THE EXHAUST. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT TOLD US THAT IT'S A VALVE,RING SLUDGE PROBLEM IN THE MOTOR . HE SAID IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO THIS PARTICULAR MODEL . I RESEARCHED IT ON GOOGLE AND FOUND THIS WEBSITE FROM OTHER OWNERS OF SIENNAS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND HAS IN FACT FOUND A "LOOPHOLE"THROUGH AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE PROBLEM. SO, HERE I AM WITH MY COMPLAINT. HOPE THAT YOU CAN HELP US OUT AS I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO BUY A NEW ENGINE. THANK YOU. *JB

WE OWN A 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA THAT WE BOUGHT NEW IN JANUARY 2003. DURING MARCH 2005, NOTICED KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE DURING COLD STARTUPS. TOOK TO TOYOTA AND AFTER 4 DAYS OF VARIOUS REMEDIES WHICH DIDN'T WORK (CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT, OIL CHANGE, ENGINE CLEANING), THEY CHALKED IT UP TO A "KNOWN PROBLEM" WITH "PISTON SLAP" AND SAID IT CAN'T BE FIXED, THAT "THEY ALL DO IT", AND RETURNED VAN TO US.*AK

AUGUST 24, 2003 SUBJECT: SULFUR ODOR FROM EXHAUST ENTERS PASSENGER CABIN COMPARTMENT (THIS IS WHAT THE DEALER SAYS THE PROBLEM IS).I HAVE A MODEL 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA THAT HAS A BURNING/SEWAGE SMELL, WHICH THE DEALER CALLS A ROTTEN EGG SMELL, ENTERING THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING WITH THE AIR ON OR OFF. MY DASHBOARD AIR SWITCH IS ALWAYS SET TO RE-CIRCULATE INTERIOR AIR (NOT TO BRING FRESH AIR FROM THE OUTSIDE IN). THE SMELL GETS SO BAD THAT I MUST OPEN THE WINDOWS TO AIR OUT THE STINK. IT HAPPENS NO MATTER WHAT OCTANE OF GAS I USE. IT MAY HAPPEN OR NOT HAPPEN AT ANY GIVEN TIME. I FREQUENT GAS STATIONS NEAR ME THAT ARE NO OLDER THAN TWO YEAR OLD. WHEN I BROUGHT IN THE VAN TO A FACTORY TOYOTA SERVICE DEALER AND AFTER THEY CHECKED IT OUT, THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NORMAL WITH ALL TOYOTAS ESPECIALLY SIENNAS & SEQUOIAS. THEY HANDED ME A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) ENTITLED " SULFUR ODOR FROM EXHAUST" ALL MODELS, DOCUMENT NUMBER EG003-03. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND TSB THIS ON YOUR SITE OR ANY OTHER INTERNET SITE. THIS MAY BE NORMAL TO SMELL AT THE END OF THE EXHAUST TAILPIPE, BUT SHOULD THE SMELL OF SULFUR BE GETTING INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN AREA WITH THE DOORS & WINDOWS CLOSED AND THE AIR ON RE-CIRCULATE? SHOULD IT BE SO STRONG THAT IT FORCES THE OCCUPANTS TO OPEN THE WINDOWS TO GET FRESH AIR IN THE CAR? WHY IS SULFUR ODOR THAT IS A COMPONENT OF GAS EXHAUST ENTERING THE CAR? HOW SAFE IS THIS FOR US, KIDS, AND INFANTS? SHOULD NOT MY VENTS AND WINDOWS BEING CLOSED, PREVENT THIS SMELL FROM ENTERING THE PASSENGER AREA? THE DEALER SAYS NO, BUT MY CLOSED VENTS KEEP OUT OTHER CARS' EXHAUST, EVEN IF THEY ARE BURNING OIL AND MAKING WHITE CLOUDS OF EXHAUST IN FRONT OF US WHEN WE ARE DRIVING BEHIND THEM. PLEASE RESPOND. WE HOPE YOU CAN HELP US. THANK YOU, FRANK AUTORE & FAMILY. *AK