2004 TOYOTA SIENNA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE BRAKES SEIZED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY AFTER SITTNG FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 143,339.

THIS IS MOST LIKELY A KNOWN PROBLEM. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO GET IT FIXED, AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIME, INCLUDING A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. PROBLEM: VERY UNPREDICTABLE TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM WHICH IS GETTING WORSE. WHETHER DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, GOING AROUND A CURVE, OR JUST DRIVING ON SLOWER CITY ROADS, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND SENSOR WILL GO OFF - FREQUENTLY LOCKING UP THE STEERING, BREAKING, AND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS OFTEN CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, AND IT HAS EVEN CAUSED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE. THE ONLY WAY I HAVE FOUND TO MANAGE THIS IS TO COAST UNTIL IT CLEARS OUT. I AM FEARFUL EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. I FEEL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I AM INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY IF THE ROADS HAPPEN TO BE WET OR ICY. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, AND I HAVE FILED A CASE WITH TOYOTA. BACK ON 6-26-14 WHEN I FIRST CONTACTED TOYOTA AFTER NOTHING SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THERE WERE NO REPORTED PROBLEMS FROM DEALERSHIPS. I JUST SPOKE WITH THEM AGAIN WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS OR NEW INFORMATION. *TR

MY 2004 SIENNA IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES AS DESCRIBED IN THE 11/09/2011 VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL. THE BELTS HAVE BEEN SQUEALING AND THE STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT TO TURN AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN SIENNA MODELS BUT MY SPECIFIC VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ALL NEW BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACE AND THE ISSUE CONTINUES. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHER VINS IN THE 2004 SIENNA SERIES? HTTP://PRESSROOM.TOYOTA.COM/RELEASES/TOYOTA+VOLUNTARY+SAFETY+RECALL+TOYOTA+LEXUS+VEHICLES+REPLACE+CRANKSHAFT+PULLEY.HTM. *TR

IN THE EARLY SUMMER OF 2013, I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON I-15, APPROX 5 MINUTES TO ST. GEORGE, UTAH ON A BEAUTIFUL CLEAR DAY WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SWERVE AND THE YELLOW SKID LIGHT CAME ON AND THE EMERGENCY BEEPING SOUND ALARMED AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN ON ITS OWN--I NO LONGER HAVE CONTROL OVER ACCELERATING THE SPEED OF THE CAR. IT FRIGHTENED AND ALARMED ME AND MY PASSENGERS. WITHIN ABOUT 5 SECONDS THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE ALARMING BEEPING SOUND STOPPED AND NOW I HAVE CONTROL OF THE SPEED OF THE CAR. I HAVE TRAVELED THAT ROAD SEVERAL TIMES SINCE AND THE SAME INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED AT APPROX THE SAME SPOT. HOWEVER, IN 2014, DURING MY TRAVELS TO AND FRO ON THIS SAME HIGHWAY WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 65-75MPH, THE INCIDENT OCCURS IN SEVERAL OTHER SPOTS ALONG I-15 NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND. THE SKID LIGHT AND THE ALARMING BEEPING SOUND EVEN WENT OFF WHEN COMING TO A STOP GOING APPROX. 5MPH. THE INDICATOR LIGHT AND ALARM SOUND SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE AND MORE SENSITIVE. THE SAME INCIDENT HAS BEEN OCCURRING THIS YEAR EVERY DAY ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AT THE SAME SPOT ON I-215. EVEN THOUGH THE SPEED LIMIT IS 65MPH, I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO LESS THAN 50MPH IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS OCCURRENCE. THIS CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION SINCE I AM SLOWING DOWN FOR APPARENTLY NO REASON TO THE CARS BEHIND ME WHO ARE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED LIMIT. *TR

THIS VEHICLE HAS TWO ELECTRIC SIDE DOORS, MOVE THE TWO WIRES RUNNING OUT THE DOOR. IN STATES WHERE A LOT OF SNOW, SALT DESTROYS THE CABLES AND THEY BREAK EASILY. WHEN I TRY TO BUY THE CABLES, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE TOYOTA DEALER ONLY SELL THE COMPLETE ELECTRICAL MACHINERY. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKS STARTED TO APPEAR ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS GARAGE KEPT. THE CRACKS HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPAND AND BRANCH OUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE DASHBOARD. I FEAR THAT IN AN CRASH THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG MAY MALFUNCTION GIVEN THE STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS IN THE SURROUNDING DASH. *TR

THE DASHBOARD HAS CRACKS ALL OVER IT. READING ONLINE, I NOTICE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. WE BROUGHT THE VAN USED AND NOTICE SMALL CRACKS. AS THE YEARS PAST THE CRACK ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE. IT SEEM THAT IT WOULD CAUSE A HAZARD IF THE AIR BAGS EVER WENT OFF AS IT WOULD THROW SHARDS TOWARD THE PASSAGES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VSC ACTIVATES, THE BRAKES ENGAGES, THE CARS SLOWS DOWN AND IT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME MORE THAN 10 TIMES. MIND YOU ITS ON A DRY SURFACE AND NO CURVES. VERY SCARY I DRIVE IT WITH NOBODY INSIDE JUST IN CASE... THANKS *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE TRACTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. ..UPDATED 12/02/14 *BF THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES. UPDATED 01/13/15

STEERING IN MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA IS VERY TIGHT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. THE PROBLEM APPEARED LAST SPRING, WHILE IT WAS STILL COLD OUTSIDE. STEERING IMPROVED DURING THE WARM SUMMER MONTHS. NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS COOL AGAIN, THE STEERING PROBLEM HAS RETURNED, BUT WORSE. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS CHANGED, WITHOUT HELP. DIFFERENT AUTO SHOPS, INCLUDING MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, HAVE OFFERED VASTLY DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF WHAT IS WRONG. THE DEALERSHIP FIRST WANTED TO REPLACE A 'LEAKING' POWER STEERING FLUID HOSE, DESPITE A NORMAL FLUID LEVEL. THEN THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED IT'S THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE JOINT (U JOINT). AN EXPERIENCED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAYS THE INTERMEDIATE JOINT IS FINE, BUT IT'S THE RACK AND PINION THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ONLINE FORUMS HAVE OFFERED VARIOUS ADVICE, INCLUDING THE AFOREMENTIONED FIXES, AMONG OTHERS, INCLUDING JUST LUBING THE U JOINT. IN OTHER WORDS, NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITH CERTAINTY. I'VE READ ON VARIOUS FORUMS THAT OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA OWNERS WITH THE SAME MODEL YEAR HAVE HAD IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT TIGHT STEERING WHEN COLD, BUT TOYOTA CONSIDERS THE PROBLEM 'CLOSED'. NOW I'M FACED WITH SPENDING OVER $1000 TO FIX A STEERING PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED LONG AGO. EVEN THEN, I CAN'T EVEN BE CONFIDENT THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED, GIVEN CURRENT LACK OF CONSENSUS AMONG EXPERIENCED MECHANICS. I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD WHO RIDES WITH ME DAILY, SO THIS STEERING PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! CLEARLY THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE POWER STEERING FOR MY MODEL YEAR. POOR STEERING IN MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROMPT NHTSA INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE (WHICH HAS AFFECTED MANY SIENNA OWNERS), AND A RECALL BASED ON THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT!! *TR