2001 Toyota SIENNA: complaints, problems and recalls

BRAKES HAVE BEEN ACTING UP SINCE PURCHASED AND HAVE TAKEN THIS VECHICLE IN SEVERAL TIMES, THE NOISE STOPS WHEN I LEAVE WITH THE DIFFERENT THINGS THEY HAVE DONE BUT IT CONTINUES TO COME BACK. BEING A NEW VECHICLE I AM DISSATISFIED WITH IT AND HAVE ASK TO BE PLACED IN A DIFFERENT VECHICLE BUT THEY REFUSE. I FEEL UNSAFE

Owner-reported narrative. 1,272 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000116 at NHTSA ↗

2001 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE VAN, VIN [XXX], APPROX 34,600 MILES. VEHICLE STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY OF 36 MONTHS, 36,000 MILES. DRIVING STRAIGHT, LANE 2, NB 880 N OF MARKET STREET, APPROX. 50-55 MPH (ELEVATED FREEWAY, BROKEN CLOUDS, INTERMITTENT SUNSHINE WINDY AND LIGHT RAIN (RAINBOW CONDITIONS), ROADWAY GROOVED, AND ROADWAY UNDER 4 YEARS OF AGE). SUDDENLY, STEERING LIGHT, SIMULTANEOUSLY SENSED REAR SLIDING COUNTERCLOCKWISE VIEWED ABOVE, STEERED RIGHT, COUNTER SPIN. VEHICLE 1 DARTED UNCONTROLLABLY RIGHT, GROSSLY OVER STEERING, HEADING …

Owner-reported narrative. 34,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000309 at NHTSA ↗

INITIALLY OIL LEAK AFTER OIL CHANGE. WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION PAN WAS LEAKING AND PAID FOR REPLACEMENT. TRANSMISSION FLUID THEN STARTED LEAKING. RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER; TRANSMISSION PAN WAS TIGHTENED. NOTICED FLUID STILL LEAKING; RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETECT SOURCE OF FLUID LEAK; PLACED DIE IN OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUIDS; ASKED TO RETURN VEHICLE IN A FEW WEEKS. RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP; WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK SURROUNDING ENGINE SEAL AND SEAL WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003059 at NHTSA ↗

LEASED VEHICLE NEW IN APRIL 2001. TO DATE, HAVE HAD 11 BRAKE REPLACEMENTS IN A PERIOD OF 21 MONTHS. BRAKES SQUEALING IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING REPLACED, SOUNDS LIKE A SEMI COMING TO STOP. FILED UNDER FLORIDA LEMON LAW, WHICH DEALER SAID "COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN-OPERATING TO DESIGN & INTENT". BRAKES GRIND METAL TO METAL AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. VIBRATION & UNEVEN, PREMATURE TIRE WEAR DESPITE SEVERAL ALIGNMENTS. VEHICLE ALSO MAKES CLUNKING SOUND WHEN BREAKING IN REVERSE & INITIAL ACCELERATION.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003524 at NHTSA ↗

07-08-01 34 MILES STEERING FAILURE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. 01-29-03 7552 MILES STEERING FAILURE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. AFTER SLOWING DOWN AT TOLLS,FAILS TO ACCELERATE,LOUD NOISE FOLLOW. WET/RAINY SURFACE,FRONT TIRES SPIN AT TAKE-OFF. WIND NOISE VERY PROMINENT ON HIGHWAYS. RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER LOCK DOES NOT LATCH/UNLATCH AT TIMES. REAR HEATER IS DEFECTIVE.

Owner-reported narrative. 7,552 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005292 at NHTSA ↗

DEFECTIVE ENGINE DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011322 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER MY ENGINE REGISTERED "LOW OIL", THE MECHANIC FOUND SIGNIFICANT SLUDGING. IT WAS FLUSHED AND CHANGED AND THEN IN <1000MI THERE WAS NO OIL AGAIN. NOW TOYOTA SAYS THE LEAKS AROUND THE VALVES ARE DUE TO MY "NEGLECT" IN CHANGING OIL. I HAVE THE RECEIPT FROM 4 MOS AGO FOR OIL CHANGE. I ALSO WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT CONSIDER PAYING FOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS MY LACK OF OIL CHANGE THAT "CAUSED" THE SLUDGING (DESPITE MY RECEIPT) AND THAT I NEEDED ALL MY OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS FOR THEM TO CONSIDER A CLAIM (2 1/2 YEAR OLD CAR.)

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013931 at NHTSA ↗

THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE WHEN EVER I APPLY THEM. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR A COUPLE OF TIMES. FIRST 2 TIMES, THEY SAID NEED SERVICE. THEY DID SERVICE TO CLEAN DUST. EVEN AFTER THAT, THE SOUND DID NOT GO. THEY MENTIONED THIS IS NORMAL FOR ALL SEINNA'S. THEY SAID THE SOUND COMING WHEN METAL PADS HITS METAL RINGS, DRUM. I BELIEVE THE SOUND IS DUE TO DESIGN FAULT OR FAULT MATERIALS. I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND ONLY 20000 MILES ON IT. THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE ANY PARTS. THEY SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND EVERY THING NOR…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016507 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-03-05 (March 5, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUB FRAME ASSEMBLY HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY WELDED.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF THE ASSEMBLY FOLLOWING LONG-TERM USAGE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FRONT SUB FRAME, IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 9, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2010-04-20 (April 20, 2010)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2010 SIENNA PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 7, 1997 AND JANUARY 4, 2010, CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SPARE TIRE STOWED UNDER THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN THE COLD CLIMATE REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE ROAD SALT IS FREQUENTLY USED, WATER SPLASHED BACKWARDS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT CAN REACH THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER AND CORRODE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER ASSEMBLY CABLE.

Consequence: THE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND THE SPARE TIRE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS WITH AN INTERIM LETTER INITIALLY INSTRUCTING THEM TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED DEALERS TO INSPECT FOR CORROSION. A SECOND NOTICE WILL BE SENT WHEN THE PERMANENT REMEDY IS AVAILABLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE TOYOTA'S AMENDED RECALL REPORT OF JULY 19, 2010. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.