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Visitor,
Onalaska, WI, February 03, 2012 20:54
Toyota all my life (18 years). First minivan. A 2001 LE, bought Dec.2010 with 122K. Is now Jan.2012, with 134K. I bought via internet from dealer. Said it was the cleanest they had ever seen for the year. Okay, they don't deal with clean cars then. The first test drive the tire inflation light stayed on constant. The passenger seat belt light on/off/on. Higher speeds created a vibration in whole ride, tires were brand new. Braking is pulsating, and a little scary. Bought out of desperation for long family trip, not to mention the four hour drive just to go test drive it. Steering makes a clunk noise, due to front driver's upper control arm needs to be replaced. Engine makes "cam" ticking noise. Kid broke passenger handle, and same door latches hard. Looking for another one. I never have had problems with toyota except this van, i've owned 87,93,95,99camry,87,93corolla,91,90,91supra,87,88,96celica,91tercel, all more than once in differing years.
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Visitor,
Moreno Valley, CA, December 26, 2011 12:02
the brakes padel sinks to slow
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Visitor,
Raleigh, NC, September 26, 2011 05:16
I own a 2005 Sienna XLE. I have replaced the run flats with Michelin tires, 3 times! Currently at 92k. 4 sets of tires and the Michelins are supposed to be rated at 70 to 80K!!
At 18k rear lift gate went and I replaced the struts. Less than 3 month later, gone again. Called Toyota and they were not doing anything. Eventually, there was a recall and they would not reimburse me my money! So the rear door is used manually because I will not pay again.
I have complained several times about a noise I hear in the steering column and it doesn't seem to be able to be duplicated. I hear it every day. My sliding doors are beginning to hesitate when closing...Uh-oh.
The other issue I have is that the transmission gasket seems to be leaking. I wonder if that is covered under my 100k warranty? It would be just my luck that it will run out and then the transmission goes. I have not been very happy with the tires taking such a beating. The alignment is constantly out and I am a very anal car care person. I would still buy Toyota, but I am not happy with the tire issue and the doors.
I drove a 91 Camry 5 speed, whose only real mechanical issue was a distributor at 97k and I drove an 84 SR5 that had 157k. Oil leaked, but I still got 37 mpg...loved both of those cars.
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Visitor,
Orlando, FL, September 24, 2011 17:23
excellent car
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Visitor,
Bowling Green, KY, September 23, 2011 20:24
I thought i was getting a Toyota when I bought my first, well lets say I won't do that again. I have been a loyal Dodge Caravan fan for years. My first was a 90'. then a 93 twice and then a 97 and had a come back two or three times, another 93 and well all I can tell you is I really enjoyed them and only one or two of them had trans problems. My last was a 97 grand and could not get the trans right. So I bought my first Toyota, a 00' Sienna, it was a red and silver color, leather inside, got it from a local dealer with 75,000 miles on it, I would hear some people say it is barely broken in. Before we bought it off the lot, the oil light went on as we drove it. The engine went bad. They replaced it. Their dollar. Enjoyed my expensive van and then at 85,000 miles the trans started making a noise. Had it looked at and found out that the bearings in the trans were going bad. Toyota had a 100,000 mile replacement on that van, so no out of pocket costs. After that everything started breaking on it. Driver door strap that keep the door from swinging open, broke, the back lift gate handle broke, (plastic), the sliding door stopped working, the seat belt lights have always been going off and on, the handle on that sliding door broke off, the driver side window goes up slowly, if at all, the tire light keep going off and on, one of the ceiling light covers broke, and on and on. Just recently, the steering has been acting up. Like when you want to make a turn, it acts as if it doesn't want to. I've looked at all the main parts and they are all secure. I am tired of this van! Honda here I come.
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Visitor,
Lancaster, OH, September 19, 2011 06:53
I WANT TO KNOW IF MY VAN WAS BUILT FOR CALIFORNIA
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Visitor,
Fontana, CA, July 05, 2011 10:09
I'm a Toyota guy, and I take very good care of my cars. Currently own a 05 Sienna LE & 05 Camry. I must say, I'm pretty disappointed with this Sienna I bought new in 05. I think this was a MONDAY van :-)
The engine and transmission are excellent and have lived up to Toyota quality standards. My issues have been with the automatic sliding door, rotors and brakes are just terrible, very cheaply made. I am going to replace with performance rotors and pads and not use Toyota's anymore. Also the suspension (struts & shocks) didn't last too long. Replaced at 70K miles which i guess is recommended. The way this van is driven, I think they should have lasted much longer. On my previous Toyota's, I have replaced them after 120K miles.
I also have been noticing a loud humming sound when driving 40 MPH and up for over an year now. I though it were my tires but after swapping them with my Camry, I still hear it exactly the same. I have a feeling it's the drive train going out or something else (non tire related).
Other minor things (that still cost a lot of money to fix), my home-link button for controlling the garage door broke three years ago. Just to fix that, I need to buy the entire unit which costs $700. Again, just a cheaply designed plastic piece in my opinion.
Besides that, this is a pretty good van. I just hate the ride now because of the humming sound and poor brakes. My wife complains about it all the time and that makes it even worse. My Camry on the other hand has 115K miles, runs and looks as if it came out of the showroom. Amazing car!
I should also mention that my sister in law has the exact same model Sienna with about 75K miles on it and has never had any issues. I guess not all cars live up to the same reliability :-)
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Visitor,
Mentor, OH, May 04, 2011 14:08
2002 Sienna XLE
Have over 109K miles. Car has lived in CA, AZ, CO, OH, MI, NC under very extreme conditions. Excellent vehicle. Have had normal maintenance check up every 5k miles. Used 2 sets of tires, working on the 3rd. Go with Michelin for long wear and comfortable ride. Replaced battery, 1 tail light and catalytic convertor bracket (rusted out). 3rd set of brakes (wife is hard on them, especially in the mountains). V6 engine has a lot of power and pick up. Been great for pulling small trailers. Very flexible seating with seats that can be removed. I would buy this vehicle again. Even the dealers we have used have been friendly, informative and have "adjusted" their bills when complaining about their labor rates or costs for maintenance. Never a worry with this car.
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Visitor,
Paris, KY, March 22, 2011 19:42
The Sienna XLE bought brand new from the dealership. Now has 130,000 miles and has always gotten us from point A to B along with C to D. The only 2 problems we have ever had is the very back passenger window leak when getting a car wash and the sliding doors are very used but only one door motor and cable had to be replaced. Vehicle is equipped with a V-6 and has plenty of power. The van is capable of towing 3,500 pounds. The vehicle also has ABS, traction control, and vehicle stability control. vehicle has front and side airbags. Back seats fold back out of the way making plenty of room. The van is very roomy and comfortable for a family of 5. The van is used for travel, work, and a lot of after school activities. Best van we have ever had. Vans we have owned before are dodge caravan (which was exceptional and only in the shop a few times), and a Chrysler (worst mistake ever, always in the shop costing tons of money and very cheaply made). The van also has excellent brakes. Stops on a dime. Average mpg is around 25. I would definitely recommend this Toyota Sienna XLE to everyone. Excellent buy for the money and very safe and dependable.
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Visitor,
Buffalo, NY, February 27, 2011 11:56
Bought new in 2004 - 135K miles now on AWD LE. Had to reaplce front wheel bearings around 100K, now have converter issue.
Am on 4th set of tires also - thjis thing eats tires badly - I have done numerous alignments to try and save, but that and regular rotation don't help much.
Overall utility is good, but just too much maintenance cost.
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Visitor,
Pickens, SC, January 29, 2011 09:32
110K and still going. Never had a problem. Lots of room. Back seat a little uncomfortable but kids don't seem to mind.
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Visitor,
Albany, NY, December 27, 2010 09:36
I bought the van brand new. It only has 42000 miles on it now. The rear heat stopped working just after warranty stopped. The dealer told me I should have checked the heat sooner. I explained that I don't normally check the heat in the middle of August. Called Toyota and they did cover the repair. Here we are two yrs later and the heat doesn't work again. The sliding doors freeze all the time. Now that the heat doesn't work it is really hard to get the doors to work. I had owned two used toyota cars and they were great. This van - not so good.
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Visitor,
Bloomington, IN, December 08, 2010 02:18
Good so far
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Visitor,
West Windsor, NJ, November 30, 2010 13:19
Bought used in 2008 with 135k miles. It is now at 160k miles. Very quiet and smooth engine. AT is good too. AC is very cold. Replaced both air fuel sensors and MAF sensor after getting CEL. Replace both struts and shock absorbers, front brake pads. Drained and filled ATF 3 times. Used MMO to improve an old engine as said by many, but got minor engine leaks. Hope the leak will fix itself.
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Visitor,
Bath, ME, November 28, 2010 14:56
Our 2004 Sienna has been a very good vehicle, but here are the problems we have had. Light bulbs burning out in the rear door panel, the steering box had to be serviced, something about a rope material that had worn away, $500 repair. Now, the cables to the right side powered passenger door frayed and broke. I called Toyota minutes ago about any TSB's Technical Service Bulletins that may be out there regarding this problem. I feel it is a safety issue that they should pay for even though it is out of warranty.
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Visitor,
Gainesville, FL, November 25, 2010 10:01
In Jan 2006 I bought the 2006 Sienna in FL. It has been in for every scheduled maintenance from day one and the only thing we have had to do it replace the tires. We took the van in for the 65,000 mile service July 10. Everything was A-ok. We left for our TN vacation Aug 1st. On day 4 of our vacation we cranked the van to NO A/C. After driving 1.5 hrs to the only Toyota dealer around we were told for the low price of 2 GRAND we could get a new air compressor. He said the compressors are made in Pakistan and he was surprised it lasted 4 yrs. He said it should be under warranty at our dealership but no his at his a different state and they don't transfer. I have called my dealership for 2 days and only get sent to voice mail. Only thing I know is Toyota's are no longer made to last & I sure won't be buying another one.
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Visitor,
Marietta, GA, November 25, 2010 09:59
I have two 2004 Sienna - one base model and one LE
My LE has 100k miles and the following issues:
several seat release cables have stretched and no longer release (both back and one middle) - poor design
the passenger side power sliding door handle inside has basically come apart in several areas and can no longer be manually operated. - very flimsy design. The driver door stop closer weld broke - just out of the extended warranty - Most people have to replace the whole door as there is not enough meat in that area to tack weld. My roof mounted DVD player no longer functions. The radiator is starting to weep in both upper corners. The A/C is fully charged but for some reason stops working every so often and a few moments later starts up again.
The base model has no problems to report at 105k. Still like their utility but I miss my old VW Vanagon.
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Visitor,
Irving, TX, November 25, 2010 09:57
Michelin Hydro Edge tires jerk my 2007 Sienna to the right.
Had to replace defective diver-side mirror at my own cost of $706.00.
Rear hatch motor and struts had to be replaced year and one-half ago and now they need to be replaced again at a cost of over $2,000.00 at my cost.
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Visitor,
South Lyon, MI, November 25, 2010 09:55
This van is a piece of junk and Toyota should be ashamed 2 months after I bought this van I started having trouble with the sliding doors, The dealer couldn't find a problem, although I reported it every time it was in for service. 3 months after it was out of warranty both doors quit working. $900 a piece and $300 a piece labor. One year later trouble with doors again, dealer fixed(same problem) as it was within the year warranty on the new part(I'm afraid to use the sliders so have switched to manual doors. Have to take it back to dealer because the doors won't open manually part of the time. I also(out of warranty) had to replace a steering yoke($600) parts and labor. Struts and bearings($1000)parts and labor. This last with the doors and struts happened in the last month Oh yes, yesterday my air conditioning went out(husband thinks it might be the compressor). I bought this car new based on Toyota's reputation and Consumers Reports boy did I get taken. I have driven a lot of beaters over the years and have never had these kinds of problems. I am almost 70 years old and drove a school bus for over 35 years so I do know how to take care of a vehicle. Oh yes in the winter the doors(sliders) freeze up regularly. The dealer said I should park it in a garage.
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Visitor,
Milford, NH, October 26, 2010 08:26
I recently found out head gaskets are going on these vans around 80,000 miles. Mine has 72,000 miles and it's needed.
The wheel bearing and belts are also squeaking up a storm.
My sliding doors regularily freeze in the winter making this car not a reliable winter vehicle as I will try to open and then won't be able to open or shut them.
And I almost forgot about the interior lights by the shifter that don't always work. I have to move the shifter around to get the lights to come back on so I can see what gear the car is in.
I bought this Toyota due to the reputation and have been very disappointed mechanically, although the utility of the minivan is great.
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Visitor,
Auburn, AL, October 20, 2010 15:00
I've had several issues with my 2004 Toyota Sienna XLE I purchased new. I have never missed a scheduled maintenance or oil change: the side door will not lock except manually from the inside, a $300 repair. The back life door has a mind of its own and will sometimes simply not close; one time this cost me a dead battery b/c after starting the close process (which is automatic), it was closing, I walked off, and it caught and re-opened. It does this repeatedly, cost would be almost $1,000 to repair. I am on my FOURTH set of tires -- I'm not kidding. Even got a second opinion from Sears and the Toyota maintenance shop and nothing wrong with suspension, alignment is not off, tires regularly rotated. This thing eats tires. Then, there was a coolant leak and the engine would race in Park mode and ac would run hot; they fixed it, but then found another leak and warned me it might be the head gasket. Way too many issues, and I never had this problem with my little Honda I gave up after 300,000 miles.
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Visitor,
North Wales, PA, October 03, 2010 18:11
Love this car! Have had it since Feb 2000. This year I just had to replace the steering column and the struts at 180,000 miles. First major repairs ever. I don't like the squeaky brakes, but the car handles great pulling a horse trailer and in snow and ice. Am trying to hold onto it. The electric door stopped working a couple of years ago(still opens manually), but my kids were old enough by then I did not spend the money to replace the unit. Very comfortable for long trips.
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Visitor,
Young America, MN, September 13, 2010 06:20
Good car. Have 115,000 miles with no major repairs. Brakes sqeak. Creak in back of car when going around corners stopped after 75,000 miles. Don't love the brakes. Tends to skid more than other cars on ice and wet roads. Got new tires seems a bit better. Turning radius stinks. But may be a general minivan problem..
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Visitor,
San Francisco, CA, September 11, 2010 18:44
Had this minivan for 3 years and 40k miles. Am satisfied with the performance except some plastic body and engine parts broke/tore unexpectedly even when handled with care. I am meticulous when it comes to cars, so it is irritating. The way the engine layout was designed, makes it difficult for the weekend mechanic to work on (e.g. spark plug replacement.) Toyota wants you to bring it to the dealership. Something not everyone could afford right now in this recession. Would I buy a Sienna again? Nah! Maybe an Odyssey.
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Visitor,
Colville, WA, September 04, 2010 00:01
Best car I've ever owned. Just went over 200,000 miles last week. No problems other than standard maintenance. ...although I think the air compressor is starting to go out. Also, have a check engine light that is due to an improper setting - says it's the cadalatyc converter, but have been told it's fine. I also agree that the door handles are made of cheap plastic. Just hit a deer 2 weeks ago at 60 MPH, with minimal damage. 3rd deer I've hit. First two deer just cracked the plastic grill. Most recent deer hit did more damage, but only body damage. My biggest complaint about this car is it's turning radius. It can feel like parking the Queen Mary sometimes. Still love this car, and think it can probably make it easily to 300,000 miles. Engine is great. Transmission is great. Very comfortable on long road trips.
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Visitor,
Apple Valley, CA, August 29, 2010 21:15
Bought this 2000 Sienna in Nov. 1999. Still own it today Aug. 2010. I also own a 2005 Sienna and like the 2000 better. No major problems with this car to date. Have 180,000 plus miles. I would drive it cross country in the morning with no worries.
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Visitor,
Charlotte, NC, August 24, 2010 20:20
Very pleased with 2004 sienna. Main complaint is Goodyear tires only last 20-25000 miles. Switched brands, will see. Had to replace lower control arms at 133,000 for $740. My shop did not have the capability to press the bushings so i recommend checking with dealer to see if you can get better price.
Love the fold down seats and other amenities. We buy another when this one needs replacing. Currently averaging $1500 a year in maintenance, over last 3 years(45000 miles). Which is only 3 months of car payments!!
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Visitor,
Lincoln, CA, August 09, 2010 08:32
I have renamed this vehicle Toyota Millstone. It has never left us stranded, but it has caused us a lot of grief out of the strting gate. Engine Sludge problem, power sliding door went out, cold start valve, rear brakes squealing which they claim is normal, replaced steering rack at 10K, rear brakes are making a strange binding noise when they are applied, weatherstrip on windshield peeled up and Toyota would not cover under Platinum warranty. This little issue and Toyotas piss poor CS is the reason I swore to never buy a Toyota product again. Simply, they do not stand by their vehicles. Overall, I could have saved money and bought a Chevy and had the same results.
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Visitor,
Chicago, IL, August 05, 2010 15:58
bought car in 2000, it is a reliable car. The door handles/lock mechanism have to be replaced !! and one broke, agree with one poster, cheap plastic door handles, locks and exterior. Engine is great, brakes pad need replacing a couple of times but that may be due to teenage driving. Now have to replace struts at mileage 150,000, which is why I am on this site. First major repair outside of breaks.
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Visitor,
Palm Bay, FL, August 03, 2010 18:32
After 4 years things started going. The A/C is intermitent. The doors locks won't work with the door remotes. The front doors extenders broke. Just a bunch of things like that.
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Visitor,
Huntington Beach, CA, July 31, 2010 12:52
The front wheel bearing are out at 104k miles too. Pretty noisy at high speed when the front wheel bearing gone out. Think this is a common problem for the Toyota Sienna.
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Visitor,
Upland, CA, July 27, 2010 10:11
We bought this car new in 2004 and have had no major issues so far. The one thing that was surprising is that the right front wheel bearing started getting noisy a while ago. The dealer recommended to replace it and with it also do a realignment. By the time it was all said and done we are in for almost $1k but that was before I knew that this place here existed. I will come out much better next time for sure even though I really think this was a complete fluke. We had Toyota Cars for many years and we have always been extremely happy with them. The Sienna is no exception.
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Visitor,
Hamburg, NY, July 16, 2010 07:52
I bought it new. It is now at 108K. Nothing has gone wrong except one thermostat and word out brakes. Chaged timing belt and water pump at 100K. This is a completely reliable great car. I plan to give it to my son and expect that it will go another 100K miles.
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We bought our 2000 Sienna with 18,000 miles from our dealer but previously owned by a friend. It currently has 77,000 miles and is our "road car". To date it has been serviced by the dealer with no repairs. It is a very comfortable car for travelling and holds the road well. A great investment! We recently installed Michelin Hydroedge tires and the braking & tread life is considerably improved.
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Visitor,
Greencastle, PA, June 21, 2010 00:47
We bought ours new in '99, and it handled beautifully then. Now, not too bad. brakes are good, heating and AC good. No problems at all with exhaust and emissions. 2 coils went bad, caused hesitation on cold days, and it took a very long time (over a year) to diagnose by 2 different mechanics. The drivers side window motor needed replaced: about $300. The tailgate door opener/handle cost 300 to replace, the right sliding door handle/opener cost about 150....these all not prompted by any abuse as we are quite easy and gentle with our vehicles. The steering hose had a nick in it and it cost 400 to replace! (I think this may have been one of those mechanic induced traumas.) I have fixed a lot on mine, and now it runs great. I think I will keep it until the engine dies out.
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Visitor,
Independence, MO, May 28, 2010 08:27
We have owned this van since 2004. It has had several small fixes but all were covered by warranty. Transmissions seems to slip every once in a while. My only complaint is the paint. It seems that every little thing leaves a mark or chip. Unfortunately my 2001 Camry is the same.
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Visitor,
Columbia, MD, April 25, 2010 19:44
2000 model bought new in June 1999. As with all my Toyotas, this has been a great vehicle mechanically and I expect to have it many more years. It has only 64K miles (2010).
Problems: Air flow sensors had to be replaced over a 1 year period. Much too soon for me.
Hardware has fallen off, driver inside door handle broke for no apparent reason, the tailgate pull-down strap broke, and there are other hardware issues. It's indicative of cheaply designed and made pieces (plastic mostly) throughout the vehicle.
You can't beat a Toyota mechanically. I also own a 1997 Avalon with 120K miles and have had virtually no problems, and owned a 1990 Camry that had 180K miles and ran perfectly when it was totaled. It burned no oil and aside from normal maintenance (brakes, etc.) only the alternator was replaced.
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Visitor,
Jupiter, FL, April 05, 2010 16:30
Great traveling car
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b00y0h,
Richmond, VA, March 10, 2010 06:18
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cklich,
Franklin, TN, January 22, 2010 14:28
Bought this van new in 2003; one of the first off the line for the new body style. Have 114k on the van and we've loved it. The suspension is a little soft and it doesn't corner like teh Odyssey but after a while is very comfortable. At 114k, we've had two wheel/Axle bearings go bad following the Routine timing belt replacement. Otherwise, we've had few Mx issues since purchase.
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JR101,
Franklin, WI, January 06, 2010 08:47
Bought used, leased XLE. Have already bought tires, transmission fluid change, brakes cleaned, left front strut leaking oil so it and the right strut (allegedly) were replaced with alignment. Now the right strut leaked all of its oil and is scheduled for replacement after only about 3,000 miles. Do you think it was replaced? Is there a problem with the front struts on these vehicles? The rear door struts were replaced twice on recall. The front struts were covered by my extended warranty. Mechanically I have lost confidence in this vehicle. It is a functional design, but I have incurred too much maintaince regarding suspension.
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soupy2you,
Chandler, AZ, December 23, 2009 14:13
Just turned over 202,000 miles on my Sienna and it still runs great, doesn't use any oil and has no rattles or squeeks. It has been the most reliable vehicle i have ever owned. Over its lifetime it has had two sets of brake linings, a new door computer, and a new catylitic converter at approx 1195000 miles. Changed oil and filter every 5,000 miles. Also had to replace the A/C compressor last summer. Here in AZ A/C gets a lot of use.
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hinklet,
Ocala, FL, December 06, 2009 12:56
Has been reliable overall. Had Air Cond. problem this past summer that I heard was common to this particular model. Was repaired under extended warranty.
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Vehicle has 68,000 miles. Bought it from relative in GA. Recently failed PA state safety inspection for failed lower control arms (L&R). Cost to repair: $930.00! The rubber bushings were chipped and cracked. Anyone else have this problem?
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wingy,
Seaford, DE, October 06, 2009 16:36
vehicle has 83000 miles and absolutely no problems. the steering is a little quick and took a while to get used to also the tilt wheel doesn't tilt low enough but they are design related.
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Had to have A/c system recharged at 70,000 miles, had problems with A/C again at 129,000. Still having problems at 188,000. Also have a slight oil leak now. Other than that its been a great running car. Would buy another one. Probably after 200,000 miles.
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jimk_1,
Minneapolis, MN, April 14, 2009 17:42
My 2nd Sienna. Previous one had 198000 miles with only maintenance. The only gripe is wind noise in the car. No maintenance problems with this one.
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joemnk,
Pittsburgh, PA, April 11, 2009 11:47
Most reliable vehicle that we have ever owned. Runs smooth and quiet. Very versatile carrying people and things. Have 84,000 miles at almost 8 years and replaced a single light bulb other than tires, brakes and a battery.
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plez34,
Salem, OR, September 28, 2008 15:43
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