2000 Toyota Sienna Power Train

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND STARTED SLOWING DOWN VERY QUICKLY FORM THE HIGH SPEED THAT CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD GIVEN, CONSUMER HAS HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE, ALSO THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED.*YD

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON FLORIDA TURNPIKE. THE VAN HAD TO BE TOWED TO BEV SMITH TOYOTA IN FT. PIERCE WHERE IT REMAINS TODAY. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION ARE ON BACK ORDER IN CALIFORNIA WHICH MEANS THEY MUST COME FROM JAPAN. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL HUNDRED SIENNA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT OUR REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE A "FIX" BUT NO ONE WILL TELL US WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION. IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE INCURRED NEARLY $2,000 ADDITIONAL EXPENSES TO DATE, WILL BE INCURRING ADDITIONAL EXPENSES FOR RENTING A VEHICLE, HAVE LOST FOUR DAYS OF WORK (THREE FAMILY MEMBERS), AND HAVE NO IDEA WHEN OUR VEHICLE WILL BE RETURNED TO US. IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA MOTOR SALES IS AWARE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE 2000 SIENNA TRANSMISSIONS, BUT ISN'T TELLING OWNERS OR POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN INTERSTATE 15 AT 70 MPH,I SUDDENLY LOST SPEED AND TACHOMETER WENT UP.THE ENGINE RUNNING BUT SPEED GOING DOWN.I JUST USE INERTIA TO PULL INTO THE MEDIAN. DEALER SAID THEY HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION.THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM,PLEASE ACT ASAP. *AK

COMPLETE AND PERMANENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND PERMANENTLY LOST ABILITY TO ACCELERATE/TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. BARELY COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD WHILE TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC BEARING DOWN ON US (TWO ADULTS AND THREE SMALL CHILDREN). WE HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT THIS DEFECT WITH SIENNAS, WAS KNOWN AS EARLY AS JUNE 2000. THIS DEFECT USUALLY CAUSES COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE DURING SUSTAINED HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOYOTA WAS NEGLIGENT IN NOT WARNING OWNERS OF THIS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS DEFECT. OUR VEHICLE IS NOW ABOUT 300 MILES FROM OUR HOME, WITH NO FIX CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM TOYOTA. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINTAED, DEALER STATED THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACED, ON DECEMBER 25TH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED, AXLE SHAFT WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT NOT BEING SEATED PROPERLY, HOWEVER THE DEALER PUT THE WRONG BOLTS IN CAUSING A METAL TO METAL SOUND TO HAPPEN WHILE TRAVELING OVER THE SLIGHTEST BUMPS. *SLC

WE WISH TO PLACE THIS REPORT AS IT IS AN UNUSUAL FAILURE FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THE APPARENT BACK ORDER OF TRANSMISSIONS FROM TOYOTA SHOWS FAILURES MUST BE OVERWHELMING. IT IS A SUDDEN FAILURE AND PRESENTS A TREMENDOUS DANGER TO DRIVERS. OURS FAILED WHILE AT HIGH SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. WE WERE NEARLY REAR ENDED AND THE CRASH WOULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTING. WE CERTAINLY ARE INTERESTED IN DISCOVERING HOW MANY OTHER SIENNA'S OR SIMILARLY EQUIPPED VEHICLES USING THE SAME TRANSMISSION HAVE FAILED.*AK

TOYOTA WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE RENTAL OF ANOTHER MINIVAN DURING TWO WEEK REPAIR. I DROVE FOUR CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT OF A CAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 7/29/00 VAN WAS TAKEN IN 7/31/00 AM WAS CALLED SAME DAY PM TOLD TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WAS GIVEN A RENTAL CAR SINCE MY AUTO WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 8/1. WAS INFORMED TOYOTA IS UNABLE TO RECEIVE PART DUE TO BACK ORDER DUE TO SAME PROBLEMS AND TOYOTA ONLY RELEASING A COUPLE A DAY. YESTERDAY I WAS CALLED AND TOLD THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE PART BUT AUTO IS DRIVEABLE. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SVC AND REPORTED INCIDENT. TODAY I RECEIVE PHONE CALL FROM HAMER STATING I NEED TO RETURN AUTO DUE TO MEMO RELEASED MY AUTO IS DRIVEABLE BUT PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 8/16/00. WHY QUESTION WOULD BE WHY WAS NOT MY AUTO DRIVEABLE LAST WEEK BUT IS TODAY. I HAVE REFUSED TO PICK UP MY PURCHANSE AND HAVE RETURNED RENTAL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SINCE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE REALLY HAVING ALOT OF PROBLEMS BY THE DEALER , TOYOTA CUSTOMER SVC AND ALSO FROM THE CUSTOMER SVC REPS AT ENTERPRISE CAR RENTAL.*AK

VEHICLE STALLED ,AND LEFT CONSUMER AND PASSENGER STRANDED ON HIGHWAY DUE TO FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION. DEALER PULLED OUT TRANSMISSION, AND SENT IT BACK TO FACTORY TO GET INVESTAGATED. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS PUT ON, AND ABOUT 1000 MILES AFTERWARD WHEEL BEARING FAILED.*AK

BOTH PROBLEMS/INCIDENTS OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER ARE TIED TOGETHER. THE TOYOTA SIENNA WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND HAD 9,900 MILES ON IT. CRUISING AT 70MPH THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED AND THE ENGINE RACED TO 7,000RPMS. PULLING THE SIENNA OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY OF THE FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS. THE SIENNA HAD TO BE TOWED TO DUBLIN TOYOTA FOR WARRANTY REPAIR ABOUT 65 MILES AWAY. DEALER CANNOT TELL ME WHAT FAILED, THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO SEND PARTS INTACT BACK TO THE FACTORY FOR POST MORTEM DIAGNOSIS. I HAVE OPENED A REPORT WITH THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER ON 8/31, #20000-8311289. ALSO HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO THE DUBLIN TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER, JANET FRASER ABOUT FINDING THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO THESE DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS. IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS WITH NO RESPONSE.

ACCORDING TO AN EMPLOYEE OF THE GLENDALE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TORQUE CONVERTER. MANY CARS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR. THE PART WAS MANUFACTURED TO BE PLACED IN THE SMALLER TOYOTA CAMARY, AND APPARENTLY CAN NOT TAKE THE SIZE/WEIGHT OF THE LARGER VAN. IT SEEMS THAT THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME NOW - BUT THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THE VEHICLE WITHOUT NOTIFIYING POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS; AND CUSTOMERS WHO BOUGHT THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM BECOMING KNOWN.*AK

SUBSEQUENTLY INFORMED BY DEALER THAT METAL FRAGMENTS HAD CONTAMINATED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE UNCOMMANDED DOWN-SHIFTING.

AS WE WERE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 65 MI/HR THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH NO WARNING. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING LOT AND DRIVE ANOTHER MILE BEFORE THE VEHICLE LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT MOVE. DEALER IN SAN ANTONIO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER. REPAIR TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED DUE TO TORQUE CONVERTER BEING ON BACK ORDER.

WITH 100 MILES ON NEW VEHICLE, THE ENGINE SENSOR INDICATED FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. DEALER SAID IF SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, BRING THE VAN IN. SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AFTER WAITING TWO WEEKS FOR NEW TORQUE CONVERTER TO BE DELIVERED, DEALER REPLACED IT. NEXT DAY, THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF "PARK". SHIFT LEVER MOVED, BUT TRANSMISSION REMAINED IN "PARK". PROBLEM WAS DEFECTIVE CLIP. CLIP IS OF DIFFERENT DESIGN THAN THAT OF PREVIOUS YEARS' MODELS OF SAME VEHICLE. MECHANIC SAID THAT THE DESIGN OF CLIP WAS TERRIBLE AND INSUFFICIENT. DEALER ORDERED NEW CLIP AND WILL INSTALL IT UPON ARRIVAL. TOYOTA SERVICE ADVISOR ACKNOWLEDED BROKEN CLIPS OCCURRING ON OTHER MODEL-YEAR 2000 SIENNA VANS. IF SO, THEN WHY DID THE DEALER NOT PUT NEW CLIP ON MY VEHICLE WHEN THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED? WHY HAS NOT TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS CLIP? THE DEALER KNOWS THE CLIP IS BAD AND I BET THE MANUFACTURER DOES ALSO..

OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN WE WERE ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. THE PART WAS REPLACED AFTER A 3 WEEK WAIT. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT FUTURE ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS FROM HAVING MY TRANSMISSION OPENED

THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MILES PER HOUR. THE OUT OF STATE TOYOTA DEALER, TOYOTA WEST, IN STATESVILLE, N.C., COMPLETELY REPLACED OUR TRANSMISSION AND CONVERTER ASSEMBLY. WITHIN TWO AND A HALF MONTHS THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY FAILED AGAIN. OUR LOCAL DEALER, KOONS TOYOTA, REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND CONVERTER AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY DID NOT PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN BUT A REBUILT ONE. WE WERE TOLD NO NEW TRANSMISSIONS WERE IN THE UNITED STATES!

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON - INFORMED TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PART STILL ON BACK ORDER PER DEALER 15 VEHICLES AT THIS DEALERSHIP ARE ON BACK ORDER FOR SAME PART. DEALERSHIP STATING OK TO DRIVE PER TOYOTA COMPANY.

TOYOTA IS UNABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AS THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE. THERE IS AN INDICATION THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AS OF 7/24/00 ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT WARNED PRIOR TO PURCHASING OUR CAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER WHICH IS ON BACK ORDER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK, THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING, THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT SET, AND NOBODY WAS IN/NEAR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A VERY MILD DECLINE ON CEMENT/ASPHALT SURFACE. VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS, DROPPED OFF AN 18" LEDGE AND CAME TO REST AGAINST A STORAGE SHED, WHICH THE VEHICLE PUSHED BACK ABOUT 5'. VEHCILE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE 2 MEN TRIED TO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE VEHICLE WITH NO LUCK.

MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIENNA'S TORQUE CONVERTERS,TOYOTA SAYS IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE IT.FOR MY WIFE'S AND 14 MONTH OLD I HOPE THEY ARE RIGHT.

AT 70 MPH ON A MAJOR FREEWAY, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY GAVE OUT. NO GEAR WORKED, THE TACHOMETER RACED. A TRUCK ALMOST HIT ME IN THE REAR END. WITH INCREDIBLE LUCK I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SEVERAL MORE SUCH FAILURES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MILES CAUSED ME TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND HAVE THE VEHICHLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER. WITH A GREAT DEAL OF LUCK, I AM ALIVE TO FILE THIS REPORT. IT WAS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY AND MUST BE INVESTIGATED. SERVICE MANGAGER REPORTED THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE METAL CHIPS ARE PRESENT IN TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY WHICH CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO LOCK-UP. YH