2004 TOYOTA SIENNA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN, THE CABLE WHICH HELD THE SPARE TIRE UNDER THE CAR SNAPPED AND THE SPARE TIRE FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH USING THE CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AND ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED PRIOR THE FAILURE THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE WITHOUT WARNING WHENEVER TRAVELING UP AN INCLINE USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73099.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, FOLLOWED BY AN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND SURGE. THE DRIVER APPLIED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

ENGINE OVERHEATED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, SLOW LOSS OF RADIATOR COOLANT NOTED, AND 2 ENGINE THERMOSTATS REPLACED BEFORE CRACKED RADIATOR WAS DISCOVERED. WHILE OWNER WAS INVESTIGATING PROBLEM, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO A TSB AND A LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO REPLACE RADIATORS FROM THIS YEAR (2004) AND THE NEXT (2005) OF THE SIENNA VAN. HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN ONLY OWNER OF THIS VAN AND HAVE RECEIVED EVERY OTHER NOTICE FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THIS MODEL YEAR OF VAN INCLUDING THE BAD DOOR HINGES (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY), GAS STRUTS ON REAR HATCH (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY), AND BAD SEAT BELT BEZEL (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY) - BUT WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF THE RADIATOR ISSUE - OUR RADIATOR IS NOW DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT AND TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS APPARENTLY A WELL KNOWN ISSUE AT TOYOTA. THERE SHOULD BE A FULL RECALL ON THIS ITEM GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF KNOWN BAD RADIATORS OUT THERE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE RADIATOR IS PRONE TO SUDDEN AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE ONLY KNOWN REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THERE IS EXTENSIVE ONLINE DOCUMENTATION OF THIS ISSUE - BUT TOYOTA CONTINUES TO STONEWALL MOST OWNERS ON THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE EXPENSE (THIS IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO FIX THAN THE BAD HINGE, GAS STRUT, AND SEAT BELT BEZEL THAT DID HAVE SAFETY BULLETINS ISSUED ON THEM. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/SIENNA/2004/TSBS.SHTML HTTP://WWW.CANADIANDRIVER.COM/FORUM/INDEX.PHP?TOPIC=58487.0 HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/MAINTENANCE/RECALLTSB.HTML?TYPE=TSB&STYLEID=100458140&ZIP=#18 HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/TSB/TSBRESULTS_DRILLDOWN.CFM?START=1&SEARCHTYPE=DRILLDOWN&TYPE=VEHICLE&YEAR=2005&MAKE=TOYOTA&MODEL=SIENNA&&TYPENUM=1&SUBMIT=RETRIEVE+RECALLS&PRINTVERSION=YES HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/WEBX?ED_SEARCHRESULTS@@.F0B4803!KEYWORDS=ALLIN%3AMSGTEXT%20LIMIT%3A.F0B4803%20RADIATOR&COUNT=20&SKIP=20. *TR

SLIDING DOORS FREEZE PERIODICALLY - THEY WON'T OPEN OR CLOSE. PEOPLE INSIDE CAN'T GET OUT WITHOUT CLIMBING OVER FRONT OR BACK SEATS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR SENSES THAT DOORS ARE OPEN AND LOUD BEEP SOUNDS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY TO RESOLVE THIS AT THE TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 3 - 4 TIMES PER SEASON. *TR

LOSS OF POWER STEERING DUE TO INTERNAL LEAK OF FLUID INTO RACK. MADE HIGH PITCHED SQUEAKING NOISE AND FLUID WOULD SLOWLY LEAK (INTERNAL, COULD NOT FIND EXTERNAL LEAK) FIRST OCCURRED AROUND 11/08 AND REPAIRED FIRST UNDER WARRANTY ON 3/09 AT 34,749 MILES. NOW HAS OCCURRED AGAIN AT 80,000 MILES . *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR ON MY 2004 SIENNA XLE WOULD NOT OPERATE.THE OPENING CABLE HAD FRAYED. THE TOYOTA DEALER WANTED $1,700. TO REPAIR THIS WHICH IS WAY TOO MUCH FOR A PROBLEM I DIDN'T CAUSE. THE DEALER CUT THE CABLE AND IT NOW WORKS MANUALLY BUT I CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT . I CAN'T USE THE DOOR IN AN ACCIDENT. TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THIS. *TR

MY AIR CONDITIONING FAILED ON MY SIENNA TOYOTA VAN. I HAD MY MECHANIC UNPLUG IT. I DID NOT HAVE ANY DAMAGE BUT CAN NO LONGER USE AC. ON LINE, I FOUND MANY OTHER SIENNA 2004 OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. SOME HAD CARS STOPPING. TOYOTA NEVER ISSUED A RECALL BUT DID A BULLETIN. THE COST IS TREMENDOUS TO FIX. *TR

UPON ENGAGING THE BRAKE WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT OUR LOCAL PIZZA SHOP IN GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO, OUR TOYOTA SIENNA ACCELERATED RAPIDLY AND HIT THE BRICK BUILDING 10 FEET AWAY. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES BUT DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND A WINDOW IN THE PIZZA SHOP WERE SIGNIFICANT. THE CAR WAS STILL GOING AFTER THE CRASH AND IF THERE HAD NOT BEEN A BRICK WALL TO STOP THE CAR I FEAR WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE INCIDENT WAS IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO THE POLICE AND THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THOUGH WE LOVE THE CAR WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE, NOR ARE WE WILLING TO SELL IT CONSIDERING WHAT COULD HAPPEN. WE NEED A PROPER WAY TO DISPOSE OF IT. *TR

IM WRITING ABOUT MY SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT THE 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS SUMMER. I LIVE IN A CLIMATE WHERE IT IS BELOW FREEZING FOUR MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. THE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE THE TEMPERATURE HAS DROP WHERE THE SLIDING PASSENGER DOORS HAVE FROZE SHUT AND I COULD NOT GET THEM OPEN. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL DIFFERENT MODELS OF VAN AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. THIS IS NOT JUST HAPPENING WHEN THERE'S FREEZING RAIN, ITS SEEMS TO BE WHENEVER THERE IS ANY SORT OF MOISTURE BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE WEATHERSTRIPING. THANK YOU *TR