2003 Toyota Sienna

THIS IS FOR A NEW TOYOTA SIENNA VAN. THE STEERING HAS ALWAYS HAD A SHAKE IN IT FROM DAY ONE. DEALER CHECKED TIRES FOR FLAT SPOTS. FOUND ONE BAD TIRE AND REPLACED. SHAKE STILL THERE.TOOK THE VAN TO ANOTHER TIRE STORE TO HAVE BALACES ON TIRES CHECKED AND THEY WERE NOT BALANCED PROPERLY. HAD TIRES RE-BALANCED AGAIN. SHAKE STILL THERE. DEALER THEN CHECKED STEERING COMPONANTS AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. DEALER THEN ROTATED AND RE-BALANCED TIRES AND STATED THAT THE SHAKE MAY WORK ITS WAY OUT WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MILEAGE PUT ON THE TIRES AFTER THE ROTATION. WAS ADVISED TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE VAN ON VACATION AND SEE HOW IT GOES. AFTER VACATION MILEAGE OF 1600 MILES,SHAKE STILL THERE. DEALER RE-INSPECTS AND FINDS AN INNER TIE-ROD DEFECTIVE(LEFT SIDE). TOYOTA SENDS A WHOLE NEW RACK AND PINNION STERRING SYSTEM TO BE REPLACED. DEALER COMPLETES WORK BUT SAYS THEY DIDN'T REPLACE RIGHT SIDE OUTER TIE-ROD BECAUSE THE DEFECTIVE TIE-ROD WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE. NEXT DAY THE SHAKE STILL THERE. BACK TO DEALER FOR MECHANIC TO TEST DRIVE. HE STATES THERE IS A DEFINATE SHAKE IN THE STEERING BUT DOESN'T KNOW WHY. SO THEY HAVE MY VAN AGAIN TODAY FOR THE FOURTH TIME TO TRY AND FIGURE IT OUT.

THE DOOR LATCH BUTTONS ON THE SLIDING DOORS(WHERE MY CHILDREN SIT) HAVE GOTTEN STUCK. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO HEAT (DAYS WHERE THE CAR SITS IN THE SUN WITH TEMPS OF 95+). WHEN THE BUTTON IS STUCK THE DOOR EITHER ( MAY NOT LATCH OR MAY NOT OPEN). IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO MY CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THIS KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED DOOR LATCH FAILURE, I HOLD TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE. *ON 30AUG03 OUR FAMILY WAS GOING TO OUR POOL (IT WAS A HOT DAY). WE ALL GOT IN THE VAN. MY DAUGHTER CLOSED THE SIDING DOOR. UH-OH THE BUTTON IS STUCK , THE DOOR WONT CLOSE AND LATCH. OUR TRIP IN THIS VAN IS OVER. I STAYED WITH THE VAN, CALLED OUR TOYOTA DEALER AND SCHEDULED A TIME TO REPAIR THE DOOR. TOYOTA COULD NOT RECREATE THE STICKING BUTTON AND WILL NOT FIX OR REPLACE. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THE BUTTON STUCK.

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

VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING. *MR THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED, BOTH LOCK NUT(S) WERE LOOSE AND THE TIE ROD(S) WERE EQUALLY ADJUSTED 1/8 OF A TURN TO COMPENSATE FOR THE STEERING WHEEL, A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, THE TOE IN AND CAMBER WAS ADJUSTED, AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE MOUNTED AND BALANCED. *SCC *JB