2011 TOYOTA SIENNA Complaints

SATELLITE BUTTONS OVERHEAD CONSOLE FOR SLIDING DOORS ARE NOW INOPERABLE FOR DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR. TOOK TO DEALER WHO AFTER SEEING THE ISSUE CAME BACK AND SAID UNABLE TO DUPLICATE.VERY CONCERNED...... *TR

BOTH POWER-SLIDING SIDE VAN DOORS ON MY 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE AWD DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY OR SAFELY IN ALL INSTANCES WHEN USING THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. APPROXIMATELY 25% OF ATTEMPTS TO OPEN THE SIDE DOORS USING THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES TO ACTIVATE THE POWER SLIDE MECHANISM FAIL. THE FAILURE RESULTS IN THE DOORS ONLY OPENING ABOUT SIX INCHES, THEN STOPPING IN PLACE WHILE AN AUDIBLE ALARM SOUNDS. THE GAP IS LARGE ENOUGH FOR AN ADULT OR CHILD TO PUT ARM THROUGH THE GAP. AFTER THE AUDIBLE ALARM CEASES, THE DOOR CAN BE MANUALLY CLOSED IN A "JERKY" FASHION. THE DOOR FAILURE ONLY HAPPENS WHEN USING THE EXTERIOR HANDLES. WHEN USING THE KEY FOB, INTERIOR CONTROLS LOCATED IN THE CEILING ABOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, OR INTERIOR CONTROLS NEAR THE SLIDING DOORS, THE DOORS WORK CORRECTLY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON A CITY STREET, I LOST BRAKE FUNCTION. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A COMPLETE STOP, THANKFULLY AVOIDING OTHER TRAFFIC AND OBSTACLES. ONCE I WAS STOPPED, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A LONG BOLT ON THE FLOORBOARD UNDERNEATH THE GAS PEDAL. WHEN THE TOWTRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED, HE REACHED IN AND PULLED THE GAS PEDAL COMPLETELY OFF - THERE WAS NOTHING FASTENING IT TO THE CAR. HE WAS ABLE TO REINSTALL THE BOLT, BUT SAID THERE WAS "A PIECE" MISSING, AND TOWED IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER FOUND THAT TWO PEDAL PIVOT BOLTS WERE MISSING, AND THE ONE THAT WAS PRESENT (WHICH HAD ENDED UP ON THE FLOOR), WAS NOT SECURED BY A NUT. THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE WHY THIS HAPPENED - THAT IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FACTORY - BUT SAID THAT THEY REPLACED THE THREE BOLTS AND TORQUED THEM PROPERLY, AND THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. WE ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A MANAGER FOR BETTER EXPLANATION, AND THE MANAGER AVOIDED ALL OF OUR ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. *KB

ROOF RACK DETACHMENT ON HIGHWAY: WE HAVE THE TOYOTA SIENNA OEM ROOF RACK CROSS BARS INSTALLED WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, BUT NEVER HAD ACTUALLY ATTACHED ANYTHING TO THE CROSS BARS. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, WE HEARD A BANG, LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND SAW MY CROSS BAR IN THE ROAD. IMMEDIATELY, PULLED OVER AND CONFIRMED THAT THE CROSS BAR HAD IN FACT DETACHED FROM OUR CAR AND FELL IN THE ROAD BEHIND US. THE REMAINING CROSS BAR WAS STILL ON, BUT WAS COCKED AND THE TIGHTENING MECHANISM WAS LOOSE. OUR CONCERN: THE SPECIAL INSTALLATION PRACTICE HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME BY THE PARTS MANAGER. APPARENTLY, THIS NEW CLAMP DESIGN REQUIRES THE USER ASSURE PERPENDICULAR ALIGNMENT OF THE LOWER CLAMP PLATE TO THE ROOF RACK, OTHERWISE WHEN YOU TIGHTEN THE SCREW YOU CAN GET A FALSE TIGHT SENSE, WHEN THE PLATE IS COCKED AND NOT TRUE. SO, I SEE MANY THINGS WRONG WITH THIS DESIGN: (1) TOO MUCH RELIANCE ON FOLLOWING PROPER INSTALLATION TO ASSURE PRODUCT IS SAFELY SECURED. (2) HOW TIGHT IS TIGHT ON THE SCREW? NO INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED? (3) EXCESSIVE RELIANCE ON THE OWNER TO CHECK THIS PART FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR - SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THIS MUST BE INTERMITTENTLY TIGHTENED BY THE OWNER? WHERE IS THIS IN THE SERVICE MANUAL? (4) IT ALSO APPEARS THAT TOYOTA MAY HAVE INTRODUCED THIS "EASY TO REMOVE" DESIGN TO APPEAL TO THOSE CUSTOMERS WHICH COMPLAINED ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO REMOVE THE EARLIER MODEL ROOF RACKS (<2011), BUT IN TURN HAVE COMPROMISED ON QUALITY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY SAFETY. (5) NOT ONLY IS THIS A UNIQUE DESIGN FOR THE TOYOTA LINEUP OF CARS, IT IS ALSO A UNIQUE IN THE INDUSTRY DESIGN, WHICH HAS FOR MANY YEARS NOW ESTABLISHED A HISTORY OF HAVING POSITIVE LOCKING AND REDUNDANT INSTALLATIONS FOR ROOF RACK CROSS BARS. I WROTE LETTER, AND TOYOTA SAID OUR INSURANCE COVERS SUCH THINGS, AND FOR US TO WORK WITH OUR DEALER, RATHER THAN MAIN COMPANY. UPDATED IVOQ 03/20/12 *TR

THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLS. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING TURNS. I HAD TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME OFF FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN THE ENGINE AND LIGHTS HAVE BEEN SWITCHED OFF. IT IS POSSIBLE TO START THE CAR WITH THE PUSH BUTTON WITHOUT PRESSING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL SOMETIMES. *TR

WATER ACCUMULATING IN FOLD-DOWN COMPARTMENT FOR THIRD ROW SEATS. STANDING WATER NOTICED UNDER CARPET. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO REPLICATE LEAK. *TR

AFTER PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND DRIVING FORWARD LESS THAN 100 YDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL LEFT AND RIGHT AS IF VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL WERE TAKING OVER. VERY SHORTLY AFTER, THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP WITH BRAKES SEEMINGLY APPLIED ON THEIR OWN (POWER BRAKE ASSIST?). THE SCREEN LIT UP WITH THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS, "CHECK ABS," "CHECK VSC," AND "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM," FOLLOWED BY "HAVE YOUR VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER." THE ABS, VSC, EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON AS WELL. UPON TAKING A LOOK UNDER THE HOOD, WE ALSO DISCOVERED WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN OIL LEAK AT THE HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A TOYOTA ENGINEER WAS FLOWN IN TO HELP DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE RESULT WAS THEY CLEARED THE CODES, WIPED UP THE OIL, AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. ABOUT A DAY AND A HALF LATER, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE VEHICLE PULLING, WARNING LIGHTS, ETC. THIS TIME, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY FOUND "HARD" CODES AND THAT THE FLOOR WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOW BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR 16 DAYS. WE SHALL SEE WHETHER THE WIRE HARNESS FIXES THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER SAID THEY PUT DYE IN THE ENGINE OIL TO TRY TO DETECT A LEAK. NOT SURE WHY THEY DIDN'T INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM WHILE THE OIL WAS SITTING THERE. IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS WHERE THE LEAK WAS. *TR

PROBLEMS : LOST ACCELERATION WHEN THE CAR WAS FREE RUNNING (NO GAS PEDAL APPLIED) DOWN HILL OR DECLINED ROADS AT ABOUT 8-10 MPH, WHILE THE ENGINE SPEED WAS 1100RPM OR ABOVE ( THIS MOSTLY HAPPENED IN WINTER WHILE THE ENGINE WAS COLD OR NOT WARM UP, BUT IT HAPPENED IN HOT ENGINE TOO), IF I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE THE CAR AT THIS TIME, THE CAR WOULD NOT PICK-UP SPEED AND ACCELERATE; IT ACTED LIKE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN NEUTRAL; THE GAS PEDAL FELT LIGHTER THAN NORMAL; EVEN IF THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING UP FROM 1000RPM TO 1800RPM, I STILL COULDN'T FEEL THE ACCELERATING; IT ACTED LIKE CONTINUING ITS FREE RUNNING. ONLY WHEN THE ENGINE RAN UP TO1800-2000RPM THEN THE CAR STARTED PICK-UP SOME ACCELERATION. IN OTHER WORDS, THREE CONDITIONS MUST HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME TO SEE THIS PROBLEM: 1)FREE RUNNING (NO GAS PEDAL APPLIED) DOWN HILL OR DECLINED ROADS, 2)FREE RUNNING AT ABOUT 8-10 MPH, 3)ENGINE SPEED IS AT 1100RPM OR ABOVE THEN STEP ON GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE. THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAPPEN ON UP-HILL ROAD, OR ACCELERATE SLOWLY FROM SPEED BELOW 10 MPH. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR INSPECTION TODAY. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE THIS PROBLEM ON A ROAD TEST WITH ME ON THE CAR. HE TESTED OTHER SIENNA LATER, WHILE I WAS WAITING. HE SAID ALL THE SIENNA ACTED LIKE THIS WAY. HE RESET THE COMPUTER FOR TRANSMISSION TO LEARN MY DRIVING HABIT, HOPING IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN IN COMPUTER PROGRAMMING PROBLEM. RESETTING COMPUTER WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THAT UNABLE TO ACCELERATE MY CAR WHEN I NEED TO IS A DANGEROUS, FOR I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID SOME DANGEROUS SITUATIONS ON THE ROAD. *TR

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH, WHEN STRUCK IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE BY A VEHICLE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS ROADWAY. NONE OF THE VEHICLES AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DESPITE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO DRIVERS SIDE FRONT. *TR

MY CONCERN IS THE DEAD ZONE CREATED BY THE HEAD LIGHTS ON MY CAR. THE PROJECTION OF THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY CAR ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DUE TO THE DEAD ZONE IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE DEALER RESPONSE IS" THAT IS JUST THE WAY THESE NEW HEADLIGHTS ARE". ON DARK ROADS IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT AN ACCIDENT MAY OCCUR BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SEE WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND IF THERE IS A SLIGHT CURVE TO THE ROAD IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHICH WAY THE ROAD IS GOING. ON MY LAST TRIP AT NIGHT WE HAD 3 OCCASIONS THAT IF WE HAD NOT FLASHED THE HIGH BEAMS WE MOST CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE A WRECK. *TR