toyota sienna Problems

toyota sienna 2008 Complaints

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i was programming a new sienna van homelink to my garage door opener. it started the sequence as one would expect.(.small house icon blinking )but never apparently moved on to the step of retrieving the signal. as required one must hold the garage door opener remote on to try to accept signal. after attempting this several times i stopped and was just in time to notice the motor of garage door opener was overheating and near fire! fire dept was called and it was all checked out. in fear of faulty equipment i took steps to replace both garage door motors. after new openers were installed professional installers attempted to program the homelink. it failed once again. we tried several times and even tried to program other buttons. end result was button 1 and 2 of homelink are faulty and 3 finally programmed. so after replacing my own equipment which i assumed was faulty ...we determined the homelink system in the car was at fault and malfunctioning. this was determined after we tried on new motors ...so in the end my original equipment was not the cause of the fire but merely a result of a faulty program chip in the homelink. i was fortunate that my house had not caught fire as my garage is under the family room. i spoke with my dealership as well as toyota customer care center and home link and non of the 3 sources will assume responsibility of the faulty equipment. the car was only a week old brand new 2008. i feel had the homelink worked properly the 1st and 2nd button would of programmed as easily as the 3rd and my garage openers would not of overheated and near caught fire and place my home and pets in jeopardy. not to mention i had a cost of $700.00 to replace equipment that wasn't faulty. i would like toyota to acknowledge that this may perhaps be the first of several homelinks to have a issue and to make consumers aware that there is a potential malfunction so they too don't overheat and possibly lead to fire in the motors in garage.

Reported in: N. EASTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C18S

EQUIPMENT

Reported in: N. EASTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C18S

VISIBILITY

i leased a toyota sienna from king toyota in deerfield beach. it is an xle with leather, sunroof, and dvd player. i requested the "factory dvd" player and sunroof, and was told i was getting one. when i got home with the car, i put the dvd screen down, sat in the front seat, and realized the monitor completely obstructed my rear view window. i cannot see behind me because the screen is too low and too large. what i later discovered was that the "factory" was actually a factory owned by southeast toyota, and not toyota in japan. in otherwords, it is the equivalent of an aftermarket system. the difference is that when se toyota installed the dvd player and sunroof, the actually lowered the roof so that it falls below the interior dimensions that the sienna with a moonroof is supposed to have. practically speaking, the lower roof makes it nearly impossible to install a dvd player that does not obstruct me rear view. had they installed the items in japan, like i thought i was getting, there would not be an obstruction. so far, king toyota is not willing to do anything to resolve this problem.*cn

Reported in: BOCA RATON FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C68S

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR

Reported in: BOCA RATON FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C68S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK

we have an '08 8 passenger toyota sienna le. my son likes to play with the lights... we kept warning him if they got left on the battery would die. it finally happened. had to go in through the front door using the key - stuck the key in the ignition and turned it and yup, sure enough - dead. totally dead. there is no way to unlock the sliding doors. there is no way to open the sliding doors (from inside or out). there is no way to open the trunk (which can't be opened from the inside anyway - another concern) i had gone out to the van because i needed something from the trunk. i am 8 months pregnant with twins - there was no way i could climb back. my son had to. i couldn't even get into the middle row b/c there is a baby bucket in the center. if you were in a front end collision such that the battery was destroyed - the only way out of the van would be out the driver's or passenger's side doors. maybe this is only true if the doors are locked at the time of the accident... but the van locks itself once in drive unless you have this feature turned off at the dealer. no one can get out the back or sides - no one could get in to help you. if the adults in the front were ok it might be very hard o get to anyone in the back if there is a car seat in the middle of the middle row - and then, getting back out would be hard. i totaled a car in college - it is possible for an accident to wipe out battery power. this has me pretty alarmed. it's not something you think of when you buy a car. no one thinks "will i be trapped if the battery goes?" but in this van, i think you would be, and it could be very dangerous. there should be an over ride where if battery power is lost everything automatically unlocks - and there should be a way to open the trunk from the inside! i am freaked out to think of getting in an accident and no one being able to get in to help out my kid(s). this is a huge safety concern!

Reported in: MILPITAS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY

Reported in: MILPITAS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Reported in: MILPITAS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

SEAT BELTS

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. while driving 55 mph, the contact found the second row seat belt wrapped around her child's stomach. the child could not be freed from the seat belt, and it continued to tighten around her stomach. the seat belt had to be physically cut in order to remove the child. the child was frightened, but uninjured. the failure mileage was 8,108. updated 07/15/08. *lj the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer to have the repairs made. updated 07/15/08

Reported in: LEVITT TOWN PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

to change a tire the floor jack was placed in front of the left rear tire a little too far toward the center (from left to right) of the vehicle. the placement appeared to be against steel but in reality the material was black plastic. when the vehicle was lifted the plastic gave way and damaged the filler pipe to the fuel tank causing fuel to be dumped to the station drive during the refueling process. it would appear that the plastic is there to protect the fuel filler pipe. this would occur each time refueling takes place. the consequences could be grave! a considerable amount of fuel was spilled because the slope of the drive was away from the operators view. replacement of parts will correct the problem. i have requested the old parts be returned to me.

Reported in: PARSONS KS || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C78S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the vehicle does not come equipped with automatic sliding side doors. the doors must be manually opened. on most occasions when the sliding side doors are opened, they make a clicking sound. oftentimes, the doors fail to remain open and slide shut. the contact is concerned that the doors may close while occupants are entering or exiting the vehicle, causing them to be injured. he called the dealer and was informed that the failure needed to occur in their presence because it was difficult to duplicate. the defect occurs on both rear passenger and driver side sliding doors. the failure mileage was 2,000 and current mileage was 7,200. updated 11/6/08 *cn

Reported in: NEWTOWN CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

TIRES

my wife was making a low speed right turn from leeland road (rt lane) onto deacon rd (left lane) in stafford county virginia when she simultaneously heard an "explosion" and felt a jolt coming from the driver's side front wheel. there is no curb or other obstructions in the intersection but after the "explosion" she was startled and lost control slightly grazing the curb on deacon road before regaining control. she managed to pull off into a safe area; my two children (ages 9 & 7) were also in the vehicle. upon visual inspection of the tire, it appears that a side wall failure occurred. the vehicle my wife was driving is a new 2008 toyota sienna that has michelin energy lx4 tires on it, approximate miles on the vehicle/tires was approximately 10,200. my wife contacted michelin that evening and reported the incident; she was instructed to take the tire to ntb who is an authorized dealer. ntb refused to honor the warranty citing the tire was "road damage" after a naked eye visual inspection. the ntb store we went to did not have the tire in stock and referred us to their other store. upon arrival, it was obvious the "road damage" assessment was phoned ahead and the "mechanic" also would not honor the michelin warranty and accused my wife of lying and hitting a curb. i ended up having to pay $198.73 out of my own pocket just to get a new tire put on for my wife. i have the tire in question in my custody, i would not let the tire store keep it; i also have photos.

Reported in: FREDERICKSBURG VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL

speedometer on my 2008 toyota sienna appears to be showing a faster rate of speed from 3 different speed radars in the city and county of honolulu. there is a 2-3 second delay, with the movement of the speedometer needle. it is clear, that all 3 radars show a consistent pattern of a 5 mile variance. the toyota dealership i purchased the vehicle from did not make appropriate vehicle checks to rectify the problem. they have referred me to a local auto repair with a dynometer which is demanding a $95.00 fee to check the speedometer. a mr. kitajima the local representative for toyota has is refusing to pay for the dynometer check and is indicating that the radar readings are inaccurate. all three radars could not be defective and coupled with the fact that i've also checked the speed with another vehicle using a cell phone to monitor the speed with the other driver. all of these checks, clearly prove that the speedometer is inaccurate. again, they all show a 5 mile variance of speed between my new toyota sienna (2008) and all radars and other vehicle checks.

Reported in: HONOLULU HI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

EQUIPMENT

bought a 2008 toyota sienna xle limited with all the options etc. the navigation system that was part of the package with our model van we bought states that is covers all of north america. there is a dvd that loads into the nav system each time the van is started, these maps include all of the lower 48 states and hawaii and even include canada. however nothing in alaska is covered. i feel as though we were mislead about this feature and have tried contacting toyota directly however the maps covered on the dvd is a software program that was provided to toyota by a 3rd party. is there anything we can do to get toyota to listen?? returned phone calls and e-mails from toyota suggest that the state of alaska doesn't justify their cost in producing a new dvd upgrade to include our state. when we purchased the van this was not clearly stated by the sales manager and we were told that toyota was coming out with a new dvd that will cover alaska, but now it's obvious they have no intentions of providing this. frustrated in ak.

Reported in: NORTH POLE AK || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C78S

TIRES

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna with dunlop sp4000 a/f p215/65s/r16 with dot da2hc4er3807. while backing out of the driveway at a low speed of 5mph the vehicle appeared unbalanced from the right to the left. the driver observed that the front passenger side tire was disengaged from the rim with aproximately 2/3 of the tire hanging onto the rim. the tire has not been repaired. the contact is aware of the saferty risk due to the defect. the current and failure mileages were 7,500.

Reported in: SYOSSET NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

TIRES

run flat tire commercial. it is true that you can travel on a run flat tire for over 100 miles with a nail punctured tire. this commercial does not tell you the prones of it and i experienced this problem. i have a 2008 toyota sienna all-wheel drive and it has the electronic indicator of low air pressure. it came on once in a while and just added some air. but lately it came on more frequently and i took the van to the toyota dealer in la crescenta ca., where i bought the van, for inspection. they told me there is a nail in the left front tire and this type of the ran flat tire can not be repaired. so i had to buy a new tire. lucky enough they could order it right away and got the tire mounted the next day. the dealer could not mount the tire on the rim and had to send it to a special tire place, because this are special rims, i have been told. the price for this one tire was $ 269.56 including mounting, balancing and sales tax. since this type of a van with this run flat tires, does not come with a spare tire. they told me, it is not necessary to have one. what will happened, when you are in the middle of the wilderness in the country. yes you can drive over 100 miles on the flat tire, but when you get to the next town and they have to order this tire and it can take days before they get one. there you will be stuck for a while. this does not sound like a good way to have this tires. it sure is a miss leading advertising and a bad experience. on tap of it the tires have no warranty. unhappy experienced owner, karl

Reported in: LA CRESCENTA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C18S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

my husband was driving in florida in our rented toyota sienna minivan, and five family members were in the car, on a highway. suddenly the engine hood came unhooked and flew up, hitting the front windshield. the glass shattered and we were showered with glass, but the bigger problem was that the view out the front was almost totally obstructed. we managed to see through a small crevice underneath the hood, which was now upright and covering almost all the windshield. we were able to pull off the highway without further incident. please note i am not the owner of this automobile, but rather my husband yonathan epelbaum had rented it from national car company. the car has been returned to national, and the incident was reported to the police at the time of the incident. we were very lucky to have escaped serious injury. the incident happened during daylight, which helped, as at least the daylight helped with visibility through the very small opening under the hood, from which we were able to steer and change lanes safely while exiting the highway. injuries were fortunately very minor so i am recording as "no injuries" but there was an issue with glass. considering we might have been killed, we feel very fortunate my husband managed to steer us out of it without hitting anything or being hit. other cars around us were going very fast so the situation was exceedingly dangerous.

Reported in: BROOKLYN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

Reported in: BROOKLYN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

VISIBILITY

i bought my 2008 toyota sienna in october 2007. the first defect i noticed is when the rear windows are open, the rear doors do not lock in place when you open them. the mechanic stated said the he thought the reason it was designed this way was as a precaution, in case a child is leaning out of the window when the doors are opened. this made no sense. my experience has been that the door slams really hard and then bounces back. if a child happened to be leaning out the window they would suffer serious injury because of this. no one has been injured thus far, but the slamming certainly startles everyone! this happens even if the window is only open slightly. another defect is the tire pressure light on the dash. it stays lit up constantly. after adding air on numerous occasions, i noticed that the light comes back on in just a couple of days. i discussed this with the dealer and he simply stated that tire pressure changes with the temperature. this is a safety issue because i would not know if the tires' inflation was really off or not. obviously i cannot add air to the tires every other day.

Reported in: CINCINNATI OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES

Reported in: CINCINNATI OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

EQUIPMENT

Reported in: CINCINNATI OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

2008 toyota sienna 3.5 v6 has had piston slap since new. toyota knows that there is a flaw in all of these engines but because there have been no failures and few complaints , they are choosing to do nothing about it. i like engines and i know that where there is noise there is excessive wear and potential future failure.

Reported in: CHICO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C38S

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

i was traveling in a 2008 toyota sienna south after just coming from being stopped at a red light when i was t-boned by a driver that ran the red light traveling west bound. i was hit between the driver's side door and front left wheel. the impact took the wheel off the axel and the car was inoperable after the incident. i hit my head on the driver's window as the air bag did not deploy and suffered a concussion and bruising.

Reported in: ROCKVILLE CENTRE NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK22C58S

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the vehicle was parked when the rear passenger vent window blew out due to excessive strong winds. there were no prior warnings or injuries. an authorized dealer was notified and the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the contact had concerns of the safety risk involved. the failure and current mileages were 33,000. updated 11/10/09 *cn the consumer stated the dealer denied warranty claim. updated 11/13/09

Reported in: SILVER SPRING MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

i own a 2008 toyota sienna with 17000 miles on it. recently while loading up the family to go out, the left passenger automatic sliding door was unable to be closed. i promptly took the vehicle to the dealer, who fixed the problem, saying one of the mechanisms in the door unit needed lubrication. the problem went away until last evening, when the same problem occurred while out to dinner. even when the power door was disengaged, the door still would not close. fortunately, there were two adults (along with 3 kids 8 and under) so one of us could hold the door shut while the other drove. i checked on the internet briefly and it seems as though many other sienna owners have had similar issues. this could be a serious safety issue if it were somehow to manifest itself while driving.

Reported in: HERMITAGE PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

unintended acceleration incident. car was driven 200 miles the previous night and garaged. the next morning, car was started, backed out of driveway, and driven 15 mph for 1/4 mile until on main road. after traveling 0.4 miles on main road i slowed to a red light. the engine started racing (but not red-lining). i am absolutely sure my foot was not on the accelerator pedal. i shifted into neutral, which removed the forward pressure, and after a second or two, the rpms drifted back into the normal range. this is the most recent occurrence. other instances have been less severe and have all occurred while braking the vehicle.

Reported in: SOUTHBOROUGH MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: SOUTHBOROUGH MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

problem occurs after slowing down at a stop sign or intersection at the speed between 5 to 10 mph and then go to increase speed. the transmission hesitates. one time the engine seemed to roar up, but the car didn't move.... this hesitation occurs when transmission is shifting at low speeds when accelerating after slowing down at an intersection or turning at a corner. this occurs intermittently but is quite noticeable. i can often reproduce hesitation with a hard brake followed by heavy throttle.

Reported in: GETTYSBURG PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

within the last couple months both of the rear sliding doors on my 2008 toyota sienna le have malfunctioned in a way that i believe could jeopardize the safety of the passengers. yesterday, the left hand rear door got stuck midway between open and closed and only after exerting great force on the door and breaking the cable along which the door travels, was i able to close the door. the right hand rear door, for the last couple months, has been irregularly getting stuck midway through closing and reversing back to an open position. if one turns off the automatic door function and attempts to close the door manually, it can only be opened and closed if a great deal of force is exerted on it, much more than a child would be able to summon.

Reported in: ARLINGTON OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

our 2004 sienna xle electric sliding passenger door stopped working 1 1/2 years ago. we can manually open/close it, but it is very difficult because the motor is still connected and resists us moving it. the motor may complete the closing process...you can hear it working. if not securely latched shut it will fly open and close even though it is so difficult to manually move it. we have had it stuck open once during the past year and a half. when i brought it up to the dealership they said that they had never had anyone with an electric door problem. i went home and found hundreds of complaints. unfortunately, with younger kids it is a problem dropping them/picking up from school because that is the side we must use to follow school procedure for safety reasons. the dealership said it would cost $1500 to fix the door because the entire motor would need to be replaced since the cable is not a separate piece. we are very frustrated. since then i have been taking the van somewhere else for oil changes, tires.... they said they see people with these vans having electric door problems quite often on the toyota. before the van i had a camry and had no problems. now i have had numerous recalls...one that i personally had a problem with. i consider this issue more of a safety issue than most other recalls we've had. with customer service like i have experienced and all the problems i won't be getting another toyota. why isn't toyota addressing these issues when there are soooo many?

Reported in: SHOREVIEW MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZA22C44S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i accidentally hit the cruise control in my 2008 toyota sienna when the control lever was over the windshield wiper control in a slight left turn, resulting in the cruise control going unexpectedly into "resume". because of inclement weather i had slowed down and was not expecting the instant acceleration. took a couple seconds to realize what had happened when i had tried to operate the windshield wiper control. the toyota cruise control lever mounted on the steering column where it turns with the wheel appears to be a less than desirable engineering decision from a safety standpoint. trying to express this concern to my local toyota dealer, (pine bluff, arkansas, where i bought the car) was unsuccessful. i had been trying to be helpful with toyota's more generic problem of a complaint of uncontrollable acceleration, which toyota has been trying to blame on improper floor mats being jammed into the accelerator pedal.

Reported in: SHERIDAN AR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE

toyota gas pedal stuck. i realize that there is already something in the works for this problem, but i wanted to add my story, my family and i were traveling in wichita hwy54 at approx 7pm. i went to pass a car when i pushed the gas pedal all the way down it...stuck. i reached speeds probably over 100mph into an construction zone (50mph) where i shut off the vehicle and coasted onto the shoulder. i consider myself an experienced good driver with thousands of my miles to my name. the van had 2 adults and 3 kids in it. i have contacted toyota and they told me to remove my floor mat and wait for an recall in late january. hopefully this helps.. thanks

Reported in: WICHITA KS || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

a toyota sienna 2008 was turning slowly on a curve and then it suddenly accelerated very fast and went through a fence hitting a wall. the airbags opened up as well.

Reported in: PASADENA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

toyota sienna 2008 model. halted to make a turn in a parking lot, less than 5-10mph. suddenly accelerated and hit another vehicle eventhough i was pressing hard on the brake pedal. not mentioned in the recent vehicle recall by toyota.

Reported in: EDMOND OK || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C38S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

on jan 29, 2010 my 11 yrs. daughter and i were traveling in our 2008 toyota sienna south on hwy 51/i39. the roads and weather were basically dry. i had just set the cruise on 71mph when the vehicle surged ahead, the speedometer said 80, and within a minute had reduced to the 71mph i had set. it was very sudden and very scary to both of us. there was no foot on the accelerator and no floor mat was the problem. i feel this is a warning of what could happen and there are documented c/o since 2006 for siennas that have this same problem.

Reported in: MARATHON WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C18S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

we drove from pembroke to north carolina, taking a few breaks in between two weeks ago. we pulled into a service station to use the rest rooms and purchase cold drinks, in roanke springs, nc. my wife pulled into a handicapped parking spot in front of the store. she was only 10 feet from stopping the vehicle when the car accelerated forward and fortunately crashed into a concrete pillar otherwise we would have gone directly into the store. the surge of the car accelerating pushed me back into my seat, passenger. our vehicle toyota sienna struck the concrete pillar directly in the middle of the front end. i then reached down and turned the car off. we were traveling with another couple, they had parked their car and heard the squeal of the brakes being applied and then the crash of our vehicle into the concrete pillar. the car is being repaired in roanke springs, nc at the bones toyota dealer. we then rented a vehicle and continued our trip to florida.

Reported in: PEMBROKE MA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2008 toyota sienna--momentary mild inadvertent acceleration upon application of brake, mostly noticed at lower speeds (30-40 mph). then brake takes hold. for the 1-2 seconds of acceleration, it feels smoother as if car is in higher gear for that moment. i bought the car new, toyota says this is a normal effect of how the transmission works. no accidents; just reporting what feels like something's not right. ongoing.

Reported in: OXNARD CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

date: december 31st 2009 time:8:00am to 8:30am auto : toyota sienna le - 2008 model it was snowing that day and i was driving 5 miles per hour within my neighbourhood. when i was making a turn, the vehicle skidded automatically and collided with footpath. in that the tire, wheel, suspension,sensor and some other parts were damaged. i truly think that the failure is caused by toyota sienna even though the van had a abs. i truly think that there is some issues with with the abs of toyota sienna. i can provide more details if it is required. *cn

Reported in: LAWRENCEVILLE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C48S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

this is a follow up to my 2/4/2010 report (odi #10305864) about my 2008 toyota sienna. ever since i bought it new in fall 2008, there is noticeable momentary unintended acceleration briefly whenever i press the brake pedal at speeds of about 30-40 mph. then the brake takes hold. i had not given my vin #. this time i will do that. (this is an ongoing problem that toyota service says is normal, due to the nature of sienna's transmission) *tw

Reported in: OXNARD CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i own a 2008 sienna. there is an acceleration problem that i can replicate. it occurs when stopping at the bottom of an incline. although sienna is not on the recall list, it should be. it occurs often, the majority of times when going down a hill. my concern is that it will occur unexpectedly. no response from toyota on this complaint.

Reported in: FAIRPORT NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C88S

STEERING

below steering problems persist to the present, despite numerous repair attempts by toyota dealership employees and toyota engineers. the approximate date of incident listed with this report represents the date of purchase of the vehicle / time first occurred. although several issues are present, i did try to describe them into 3 distinct problems. 2008 toyota sienna le awd, bearing steering issues with this vehicle: 1. the vehicle steering wheel physically turns to the right, while braking. 2. steering wheel fails to center properly at all times. 3. steering wheel has to be held to left to keep tracking straight. the vehicle steering wheel physically turns to the right, while braking. the greatest effect / turning is observed as the vehicle's speed decreases. the greatest effect / turning is also observed as the vehicle's speed decreases and the vehicle is traversing down a steep gradient. this occurs if i drive in the center of the road, with the center of the road crown, centered on the vehicle and on the right side of the road, where a vehicle must lawfully travel. conversely, if i drive on the left side of the road / or the left side of the road crown, the vehicle does not adversely pull to the left. it was noted by the toyota dealership that this is due to road crown. this issue provides a false sense of steering, especially in the snow, as it is sometimes believed that the road conditions are causing the vehicle to track right, and overcompensation is usually applied. vehicle pulls or drifts to the right while driving. once the vehicle starts pulling / drifting, it continues abruptly. driving on longer trips 2-3 hours does cause arm strain, from constant correcting of the steering wheel attempting to cause the vehicle to track straight. i did file a lemon law claim against toyota regarding these defects, and received compensation. thereafter i did not take to dealership, as toyota simply cannot repair the issues.

Reported in: CLARKS SUMMIT PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23C18S

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

hi i have a toyota sienna 2009.it has only 11,000 miles on it. i do the maintenance on time. two months back i drive a 800 mile to other state. after 200 miles we notice that we can't control the car on time. we go the near by toyota dealership. they told me they checked the brakes and told me that everything is fine. when we went back to chicago again we went to the dealership they give the same answer. now we are driving the car slowly and so carefully. i think my car is having the same issues the other toyota cars having. pls do the something.

Reported in: SKOKIE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22CX8S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

piston slap on toyota 3.5 l v6 since new. very loud when cold in cooler temperatures..ca arbitrator agrees with toyota that this is normal for this engine. i cannot sell this car with this noise but toyota doesn't care. toyota has had a few complaints but no failures yet. piston slap wears the piston prematurely and could in my opinion lead to failure. this is my 2nd complaint to you people for the same issue.

Reported in: CHICO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C38S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. she experienced brake failure 5 to 8 times since she owed the vehicle. the failure occurred whenever the brakes were applied while driving approximately 10 mph on uneven pavement. the brakes failed to respond immediately; yet they began to function normally within a few minutes. she will take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. the failure mileage was 4 and the current mileage was 18,817.

Reported in: LOUSVILLE CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C78S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i own and drive a 2008 toyota sienna. i pulled out of car wash and drove over to a car vacuum center at less than 5mph. as i approached the vacuum area i touched the brake and the car accelerated fast, ran into a metal post ,metal fence and over a curb almost hitting individuals in the area. this occurred in palmetto, florida. this car seemed to have a mind of its own. there did not seam to be any reason for the acceleration at least not from my operation. i have to drive back to fort wayne, in and i'm concerned about the safety of this auto for me and my wife and all other on the highway.

Reported in: FOR WAYNE IN || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i approached the intersection of cortz rd. and 34 st. in bradenton, fl in heavy traffic. the traffic light changed from red to green, the line of traffic started to move forward. i applied accelerator and brake as needed with traffic, then the car in front of me stopped suddenly ,i let up on the accelerator and pressed the brake and they did not respond as they should hitting the car in front of me. this all resulted in a 5 car chain reaction crash. it seemed as my car wanted to keep on going as if i had not done anything to stop. this is the second time i have had trouble with acceleration and brake control with this car in just over 30 days. the car is still in the repair shop. i do not have any confidence in this car to operate correctly or in safe manner. toyota has done nothing for me to fix this problem. i have tried to contact toyota by phone and computer without success. i have been to a toyota dealer twice and they refer me to toyota customer service phone no. because the sienna model is not part of the recall. however when i go to the nhtsa.dot.gov web site there are several cases listed of acceleration problems with the sienna. please help.

Reported in: FORT WAYNE IN || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

on april 1, 2008, at about 9:30 p.m., my two sons, 19 and 16, and my youngest son's friend drove south on interstate 35 out of downtown minneapolis upon conclusion of a twins game. about three blocks north of crosstown highway 62, going 60 mph i passed a car by putting the accelerator on the floor. traffic is somewhat heavy of course. the car continued accelerating despite the fact that i took my foot off of the accelerator. i calmly told my 19 year old son sitting next to me that the accelerator was stuck. he shifted the car into neutral, and then into park and reverse when the shift into neutral didn't seem to correct the problem. he then shifted the car back into neutral, my foot was on the brake, and i was able to slow the car down on the 80 degree turn onto the crosstown 62 from i35. i slowed the car down to about 45 mph and, luckily, was able to get to the shoulder. i took the car in to my local maintenance shop the next day. the owner of the shop suggested that i ask the dealer i purchased the minivan from, bloomington toyota, to check at least the following three items: throttle position sensor, engine control module, and idle control motor. on may 15, 2008, i brought the minivan into bloomington toyota and told them what my local shop owner suggested. after testing the vehicle, the service manager told me that they found nothing wrong with the vehicle and that if the accelerator had malfunctioned, their computer testing devices would have detected it and had detected nothing.

Reported in: NORTHFIELD MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C88S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. while the contact was driving the vehicle began to lose brake pedal pressure. the vehicle was able to slow down. the brake pedal does not hold pressure permanently which caused difficulty in slowing the vehicle down. the failure mileage was 8,000. the current mileage was 11,774.

Reported in: SKOKIE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22CX8S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. while driving 35 mpf with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle began to reduce speed when the senor recognized another vehicle approaching. the contact stated that whenever a vehicle in front of him changed lanes, the vehicle accelerated to the set speed. the contact is concerned about the safety risk involved. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. the contact would like for the manufacturer to have the laser sensor removed. the failure mileage was 1,000. updated 03/17/10. *lj

Reported in: ESCONDIDO CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

STEERING

i have 2008 toyota sienna limited awd. i have about 16500 miles. my problem started when the car had about 1000 miles. on parking when i turn the wheel to the right, shortly after i started turning the wheel i could hear and feel (on the wheel) a constant clicking noise. this noise shows up only when you turn to the right. it does not show when you turn to the left. i brought the car to toyota of alexandria, va. the car spend days there and they said that they don't have clue what is the problem! they opened a case with toyota and i had a meeting with a toyota field specialist. i had multiple questions - why the problem deteriorated, why it shows up only when you turn to the right and not to the left, etc. my questions were unanswered. this person was not trying to fix my problem. he repeated word by word dealership foreman's words. i thought they had a predefined script. i brought it to ourisman chantilly toyota, va. they replaced cv half shaft assembly. that didn't fix the problem. they replaced sop-shaft and that didn't fix the problem. i picked up my car and i've been told that the problem is airbag clock spring. i was told replacing the clock spring would not fix the problem because all of them will have the same problem. i've been told that it's a common issue on all toyota sienna awd vans. again in the parking start turning to the right, before the wheel locks i can feel and hear clicking noise. i brought it to fitzgerlad toyota, gaithersburg, md. replaced the lower steering shaft and put a special grease. the noise went away for about 1500 miles, but slowly started coming back. it is getting frustrating and is getting louder as i put more miles. as per the dealer, the key is a special grease and it is a special order. i was on the back order list and was #78 for the region. it seems that there is a lot of demand for this and toyota knows that. my concern is that nobody knows what the problem is and if that problem presents a safety issue. thanks a lot!

Reported in: FAIRFAX VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C78S

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) toyota sienna le 2008 did not stop when braking. issue with acceleration on tachometer after braking. i have taken the vehicle to toyota collision center on 2/1/10 the first business day after the accident. the collision center hold onto my vehicle till 2/15/10 [xxx] mention he will start working on it and every time he ask me if i will file a claim which he state the vehicle would take longer to repair then. and be ready this wed 2/24/10 which i call yesterday and he mentioned he was not sure. i have tried to find a lawyer (1800lawyers) but they did not want to take cases relating to toyota. now i'm without me vehicle for several weeks and i cannot do anything. i have reported this issue with toyota case[xxx] and i have geico insurance case [xxx] (1800654-5896 ext 5608 [xxx] ). i was traveling westbound, sunny day, clear road with my wife and child. the vehicle in front stopped, i pressed on the brakes to stop, first the tachometer sped up then their was not braking. i was traveling 15-20 miles per hours at the time on regular street. i have been without my vehicle for almost one month which i need the car for work.

Reported in: RANCHO CORDOVA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: RANCHO CORDOVA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

making a sharp left turn crossing a rr track brake was applied to negotiate curve, car did not decelerate resulting in wide turn, striking rr track, swinging car,and running down the track. repairs roughly $12,000.. second incident: november 2009. backed out of parking space, car accelerated in reverse across lot, a sidewalk and street stopping about 20 feet from gas pumps at a station across the street. no crash, no apparent damage to car.

Reported in: ALBANY MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C48S

TIRES

tl*the contact owns 2008 toyota sienna. the contact noticed that his tires aren't lasting long. the tires are generally suppose to be good quality tires and should not experience wear and tear until at least 25,000 miles. as of 16,000 miles the tires seemed as if they were on the vehicle for years. the manufacturer of the tires were contacted and they referred the contact to the vehilce manufacturer. the vehicle manufacturer informed the contact to contact an authorized dealer. authorized dealer informed the contact that they would have to wait until the district manager came in to see what they could do to assist him. as of now the contact still has yet to get assistance with the tire failure. they also informed the contact that he would have to wait until all the recalls were taken care of before he would be assisted. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 16,000 and the current mileage was 21000.

Reported in: BUFFALO NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i am concerned about the electronic control system in my 2008 toyota sienna van. rather than the acceleration problems associated with the recalls, my van sometimes does not respond appropriately, eg. there is excessive hesitation and lack of acceleration when the gas pedal is depressed. there are other times, esp. going downhill, when the car seems stuck in an unusually low gear (automatic transmission). when i've reported my concerns to the dealer (each time it's been serviced for 2 years!), the service rep says, "yes, my avalon does the same thing. it's because the gas pedal is no longer mechanically attached; instead it relies on radio waves which can be affected by temperature and humidity." so, while this does not appear to be as "dangerous" a problem as the unintended accelerations, i can imagine a scenario when i would need to accelerate, the car would not respond, and i could be rear-ended. i felt it was important to "report" this apparent problem, as the testimony i saw from toyota officials seemed to heavily discount the possibility of there being problems with the electronic control systems. but something isn't right! i previously drove a 2000 sienna and did not have any of the hesitation i have described above. (unfortunately, that engine "died" at 78k, i believe, due to the "white smoke" problem that had been subject of an earlier recall!) note: stated date is most recent date van hesitated and was "stuck in a low gear." problem first noted in nov. 2007 with less than 1000 miles.

Reported in: ELLICOTT CITY MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C58S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact started the ignition. the "engine" warning light indicator illuminated in a flashing motion on the instrument panel. the warning indicator illuminated until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician detected an engine default code. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on a separate occasion for the identical failure. however, the previous repair code was not detected in the computerized system and other error codes. the vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction. whenever the temperatures were 20 degrees or below the failure occurred. the failure mileage was 15,255.

Reported in: LAUREL MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C88S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

we recently purchased a used 2008 toyota sienna. just before 10 a.m. today, i pulled into the driveway, just like i have every day for 13 � years, turned toward the garage, following the curve of the driveway. i touched the button to open the left garage door, just like i always do. i was driving very slowly, because i was about ready to stop the car and park in my driveway. all of a sudden, the car lurched forward and i think it sped up. i don�t know why the car was moving forward! it happened so fast and i recall thinking, �oh my gosh, i don�t want the car to go in the garage!!� i was pressing the brake as hard as i could, and i turned the wheel to the right, trying to avoid the car accelerating into the garage! the car hit the corner of the part of the house that divides the two garage doors. it did stop and i put it in reverse right away to back up. the front corner of that house section now needs to be repaired, and a flower pot (lightweight styrofoam) broke when i turned the wheel that direction. this was a very frightening experience and it happened so fast! i am afraid to drive my car! i have made an appointment to have it looked at by the toyota dealer where we bought it.

Reported in: SALISBURY MD || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C48S

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2008 toyota sienna.

Reported in: ATLANTA GA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK22C88S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2008 toyota sienna.

Reported in: ATLANTA GA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK22C88S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota sienna. while the contact was driving at a speed of 5 mph attempting to pull into his driveway the vehicle had suddenly surged forward causing the contact to crash into his screen door. no one was injured and a police report was not filed for the incident. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be reproduced. the contact noticed prior that he could smell braking fluid coming from the rear of the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 30,000.

Reported in: OCALA FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZA22C96S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

brakes did not respond. coming to a red light i applied brakes with no response, shifted to neutral and applies brakes again. no reaction. :( resulted in rear ending another vehicle.

Reported in: WEST HENRIETTA NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

EQUIPMENT

we bought a new-to-us 2008 toyota sienna with a power operated passenger door. within 2 weeks of purchase we parked in our church parking lot (not on an obvious incline) and pushed the internal button for the power door. i went to take my child out of her car seat and the door automatically closed on me. it took all my force to keep it open. i let it shut, then reopened it and it would not latch and kept forcibly shutting. i literally propped the door open against its will to close while my child exited. the dealer cannot duplicate the problem and doesn't believe it happened. we are very concerned about this especially because there is no way to manually disengage the motor and stop it from forcing itself closed.

Reported in: MAPLE GROVE MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: MAPLE GROVE MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

ltr fwd fm (il) inquiring why his 2008 toyota sienna is not currently under recall for sudden unintended acceleration. *tgw the consumer wanted to know the differences, mechanically, technologically and electronically between his model and those that are under recall.

Reported in: FOX RIVER GROVE IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

driving my 2008 toyota sienna and it felt funny and i heard some rattling from under the hood. no idea what the problem was but i knew that something was definitely wrong. i checked the oil and the dip stick was completely dry! i put in a few quarts of oil and it came out all over underneath the car as i was driving. had it towed to the dealer- they told me it was a faulty rubber oil line. i looked it up online and see that toyota had not yet issued a recall but is replacing it in some vehicles. the 2008 toyota sienna is not mentioned - but clearly should be. this is a van that i drive my 2 children around - very clearly a safety issue if i did not recognize soon enough that the engine had no oil!

Reported in: WHIPPANY NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

vehicle traveling 35mph on a level street. warm,dry,windy,cloudy afternoon. sudden acceleration! brief (1-2 seconds) ended before i could depress the brake. no damage,collision or injury occurred. just startled. checked for floor mat or other visible obstruction/ impedance, none apparent. this was the first time i was sure of the occurrence. there have been a variety of what appear to be electrical /electronic "glitches" : ac green light on button comes on by itself, summer or winter and sometimes i can not get it to turn off. seatbelt light sometimes comes on when they are properly in use. (and nothing heavy resting on the seats) also airbag light sometimes. service light remains on sometimes after oil change service. brake highly sensitive gas pedal very touchy, especially from stop,ie at light. hard to not spin wheels on starting. (especially when pavement wet, even on level st.). fortunately, having lived in snow territory, i know the importance of slow starts and stops when possible. i have not checked any sites to see if sienna 2008 has any problems listed yet.

Reported in: CEDAR LAKE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: CEDAR LAKE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

EQUIPMENT

i have a 2008 toyota sienna van. i had once gotten a flat tire about three months ago. i tried to unwind my spare tire from the undercarriage unscrewing the bolt to lower the spare tire using the winch mechanism. once the spare was lowered i could not pull the wire back up again. once the flat was repaired i could not use the winch again to pull back my spare tire to the original position. i went ahead and replaced the winch mechanism on my own cost after not getting any support from the dealership to help fix it or repeated calls to toyota that refused to acknowledge the defect. they citied that i was out of warranty and now could do nothing. now i am hearing there is indeed a problem with the mechanism and there is a recall on the van. i placed a call to the dealership in town there is no response. while there may have been dangerous situation this was avoided i think by putting in a third party winch mechanism on my own cost. i like toyota to either 1) fix my problem 2) pay for the cost of fixing the problem which i took care to fix it on my own cost.

Reported in: MONROE MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

TIRES

Reported in: MONROE MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

engine accelerated while parking in a parking spot and crashed into a pole.

Reported in: HOUSTON TX || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2008 toyota sienna acceleration hesitation this minivan hesitates from driver acceleration for 1-2 seconds intermittently at very low speeds. however, the problem can be reproduced very easily by making a corner turn at low speed, and increasing acceleration after the turn. the minivan will not respond for 1-2 seconds before 'jumping' into the acceleration. the biggest safety issue with this is a left turn across an oncoming lane of traffic (similar to a corner turn). if i am coasting to the intersection for the turn, the minivan does not respond to the driver input for acceleration to get out of the way of the oncoming car (until through the intersection). knowing this defect, i compensate for it, but an unsuspecting driver could have an accident with this defect.

Reported in: FRANKLIN MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: FRANKLIN MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl-*the contact owns 2008 toyota sienna. as the contact was pulling into their driveway at 10 mph with the brakes depressed, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. the vehicle was placed in park and the engine continued racing. the dealer stated that nothing was wrong with the brakes or accelerator after test driving the vehicle. there were no repairs made to the vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 12,573.

Reported in: BRADENTON FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

toyota sienna 2008 lift gate fell on head of child- the lift gate is now unsteady all the time and will not hold the weight of the gate up.

Reported in: SAN DIEGO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

VISIBILITY:SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY

sunroof glass shattered while driving on the freeway with no apparent reason (no collision, no bad road condition).

Reported in: SAN MARCOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C78S

STRUCTURE

sunroof glass shattered while driving on the freeway with no apparent reason (no collision, no bad road condition).

Reported in: SAN MARCOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C78S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

i have a 2008 toyota sienna awd. saturday afternoon i was driving east along lee highway in arlington, va (probably moving at about 30 to 35 mph) with my two small children, and i slowed as i approached the intersection with harrison street (which is a rather busy intersection). my traffic light was red, so i needed to stop. i applied the brakes fully, and the car continued to slow, but it did not stop fully. i released the brake and then pushed it hard all the way to the mat, but the car still continued to inch forward. i became frightened and threw the car into park and hit the emergency brake. the car seemed to stop, but i turned off the ignition just in case. i was a few minutes from home, so i drove home with my hazards on and parked the car. i have not driven it since. i called the dealership that has been primarily servicing the vehicle (koons arlington), and was told to call toyota headquarters - 800.331.4331. i called this number for headquarters, but after remaining on hold for over 5 minutes with no end in sight and without hearing a live person, i hung up and tried the dealership again. a service representative told me to have the vehicle towed to the dealership, which i did early this morning. i am awaiting a response from the dealership. i emailed them for a status update earlier this afternoon.

Reported in: ARLINGTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C88S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: ARLINGTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C88S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

early am on 6/1/10 i was driving to my cabin in the country and heard a soft popping sound, stopped my car and smoke began flowing out all opening around the hood, when i looked under the car i saw fire falling to the road. i went to the passenger side and opened the door only to find that area filled with toxic fumes, shutting the door i realized all was hopeless except to get away from the vehicle. within seconds my car was engulfed in flames. i ran as fast as i could to get help. had i been less alert, inactive, less proactive i would have probably died. the car was purchased new in nov, 2008 and had a little over 10,000 miles. there was no smell of fuel or another strange odor. the car was burned totally, with nothing remaining except the steel frame.

Reported in: PASO ROBLES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

the transmission does not respond to get the car into the first or lowest gear when pressing on accelerator if you do not come to a complete full stop at an intersection. it also appears that prior braking or slowing the vehicle as you come to a stop affects how the car shifts into gears and could be why it hesitates or hangs in no gear while trying to accelerate through an intersection or stop. this problem occurs at least 90% of the time. the response from the transmission while accelerating in these situations warrants a replacement or adjustment.

Reported in: HEBRON NH || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

in the summer of 2009 my toyota 2008 sienna xle awd engine speed slowly started to climb without my foot on the gas pedal. i don't remember the exact sequence of events that followed but i believe i placed it into neutral, stopped, placed it into park (automatic transmission) and turned the engine off then on again. after that the engine responded only to my actions on the gas pedal. it did occur to me that the pedal could have been caught under the floor mat so i checked its position and it was some distance from the pedal and could not have been the cause. i have owned this vehicle from new in may 2008 and this undirected acceleration has only occurred once. the car has just completed 20,000 miles. i reported this to the dealer who serviced my car for the 20,000 mile interval and via toyota's web site but i want to make sure you are aware that sienna vans can also have this problem.

Reported in: SCARSDALE NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

2008 toyota sienna awd leaking gear oil onto exhaust system from awd transfer case. oil is burning.

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C08S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

this happened yesterday july 10, 2010 saturday in the regional parks parking lot. since it�s unpaved so there was rocks and dirt on the ground so i was driving extremely slow to come to a stop at a spot to park � i was driving way below 5 mph and even slower when i was about to come to stop � as i also know outside of the wire fence, beyond the narrow road, it was a cliff with a substantial drop of elevation; and i have my whole family in the car. i was driving a toyota sienna mini van which i have been a loyal customer and a big believer of the quality. just around the time the car is about to stop, all of a sudden, it sped up forward in such a force we were all pushed back against the seat back, i immediately moved my foot to the brake and press all the way but it was not responsive and did not slow the car. instead, the car sped up and went through the wire fence at about 45 degree angle, while i was steering towards left to avoid it with very little effect, and dropped down the slope onto the road, all the while kept speeding up, and then got across the road and hit a wooden pole on the road side by the cliff straight on. then the car stopped and the brake seemed to work again as my right foot was pushing all the way down on the brake for the whole time � so i shifted to park, turned off the engine, and then open the door to tell people coming up that we were fine. someone called the high way patrol and the officer arrived later to take the case and later transfer the case to the park police for report. the car was towed to a body shop and most likely is totaled. we have insurance coverage so the financial damage to us wasn't big. but we are really concerned of what has happened. we were so lucky to have escaped the drop down the cliff and extremely lucky that we did not hit anyone along the way, even though it was only a few seconds (maybe 3-5 seconds) but this was a crowded park and there were many bikers biking along the road.

Reported in: PLEASANTON CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Reported in: PLEASANTON CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

STRUCTURE:BODY

i have had problems with my 2008 toyota sienna van pretty much the whole time of ownership. (bought new feb 2008). the passenger side sliding pwr door sticks closed. i would take it to the dealer, and it wouldn't do it, and they couldn't find a problem. they just kept telling me it was because i live down a dirt rd. i have had it in the shop numerous times. my car now has 46,000 miles on it, and they are finally acknowledging there is an issue other than my dirt road. when you turn the pwr switch for the doors off on the dash, a strong grown man cannot even get the door open, and the driver's side opens easily with just a finger. it makes horrible sounds when it does open. i had 5 kids in my van the other day, and i was an hour from home. my door opened that day, and then it would not close back. that is the fourth time i have had to drive with my door open! i took it back to the dealer, and they sent me home, saying it was the dirt road, and they cleaned the tracks. they instructed me to clean and grease the tracks at least once a week! i went up the rd and tried it, and it did not work. i am supposed to take it in tomorrow, but have read thousands of complaints. just google, "sienna power sliding door problems". you will be astonished like i was! it is awful that they are not taking responsibility for this problem! i don't feel i should have to pay to repair this, especially since i have had it in the shop many times before my warranty went out. i feel it is a safety hazard. the other day my son was sick, and i could not get the door open, so he ended up puking all over my car. i worry about my car being on fire and me not being able to get the kids out of their carseats! it is also a danger when you are in a busy parking lot or something and cannot get your car door open so your kids can get in. it is a huge problem that needs to be addressed by toyota immediately! thank you for your time and consideration. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: EVERTON AR || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

pulled into parking space and vehicle suddenly accelerated and hopped onto curb and ran into pillar at a restaurant. luckily nobody was eating on the sidewalk where van ended up. placed vehicle into park and removed foot from brake and vehicle continued to lunge forward. immediately hit brakes again and a bystander came to determine what was wrong. talking to bystander to determine what happened, i took my foot off brake again and vehicle lunged forward (while still in park). decided to shut vehicle off and have it towed to a dealership. i am awaiting a call from toyota customer experience center to setup an inspection, however i went to dealership to pick up some things out of the car. i instructed the service agent that the van was not to be driven until the toyota customer experience center inspector had a chance to look at the van with all parties. next thing i know the service agent had pulled the van into the service bay for me to grab my belongings out of. i hope this did not ruin any data in the computer about what happened in the parking lot.

Reported in: WILDWOOD MO || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK22C98S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

1. engine lights came on alerting us to a problem (check engine, service engine, etc.). after alleged repair, spouse drove to families house approximate 600 miles away and found a significant amount of oil had leaked from the system - oil had been changed as part of the fix. a second dealer, at the new location, "fixed" with the same hose again, with similar results, though my spouse only drop 120 miles. she is unable to continue the trip home due to this issue. 2. after taking to dealer, was told the vvt oil line was a known faulty part and needed replacement. was not a "formal" recall, but was considered an internal recall to toyota that needed to be fixed for "free". both dealerships claimed to have fixed the problem, though the engine is still leaking a significant amount of oil. there is a significant amount of data on the web that addresses this oil line and the associated issues. 3. part was replaced, but with same type (part number, composition, etc.). basically, a "new" bad part was replaced. furthermore, the first dealership installed various gaskets and seals incorrectly, and still gave the car a safe rating for a 600 mile trip. the second dealership merely replaced a bad oil line with another bad oil line.

Reported in: COLORADO SPRINGS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C48S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: COLORADO SPRINGS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C48S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that there was a rattling noise in the passengers side sliding door. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who installed a rubber lining but that did not resolve the failure. the contact stated that the doors were not properly aligned. the throttle control has also malfunctioned. the contact stated that when the accelerator pedal was depressed the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. the dealer stated that the vehicle was functioning normally. the contact stated that the vehicle also began pulling to the left, but that has not been diagnosed by the dealer at this time. the current mileage was 83,000.

Reported in: HARTLY DE || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

STEERING

Reported in: HARTLY DE || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: HARTLY DE || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

pulling 2008 totally sienna into parking spot. as i was turning my steering wheel towards the left into the parking space, the van suddenly accelerated forward at a high speed and crashed into a car parked adjacent to the space i was attempting to park in. witnesses observed the event. after appropriate reports were taken, the van was taken to a toyota dealer where i was told that my vehicle was not involved in the recall. i believe that my car make and model were just entered into a database. not sure a mechanic even inspected the accelerator.

Reported in: BRANDON MS || Crash: Y || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

2008 toyota sienna hesitation after slow speed turn/stop. after slowing down for a speed bump or for a turn, there is a lag in throttle response after pressing on the gas pedal. when stepping back on the gas pedal, the engine revs but the transmission engagement is delayed. this vehicle consistently behaves in this manner under the above conditions. the dealer stated this is normal operation for drive by wire systems. it does not seem normal to me.

Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

all of the sudden when i was driving on the highway (2008 sienna limited awd) last two week it suddenly stopped while i was driving at 75 mph. with not prior signs of malfunction before the incident. i tried to start it up but it didn't work. (august 1, 680 south bond al costa blvd is where my car broke down) so we towed the car to the sunnyvale toyota. they said they would give us a report of what went wrong . turns out the fuel pump doesn't work, and they don't know why because it is a independent part, i consulted a professional auto mechanic for a second opinion. he said that it usually doesn't happen unless your car is over 10 years old. i called the toyota headquarters to file a complaint but they said it wasn't a very "big" problem and didn't follow up with me and said i have to call my own dealer only. and that it was perfectly safe for me to pull over with the left over momentum. i was not satisfied with their answer and i found it weird that its breaking down already. with only 30,000 miles and 2 years new. not only that when they returned the car to us, they decided to mention to us that apparently not only is the fuel pump not working apparently the battery rotted too. they said that all the liquid in the battery leaked out so they had to change it also. i am not pleased that they decided to tell me this when they returned the car to me not before when they told me the fuel pump was not working. i am not pleased with the quality of toyota, and do not feel safe driving my car around.

Reported in: CUPERTINO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C48S

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

Reported in: CUPERTINO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C48S

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

tailgate will not stay in the upright position. as soon as the tailgate is lifted, the gate slams shut. if someone were underneath the gate, it would cause serious injury or even death. this is the second toyota sienna that we have had this problem.

Reported in: COCKEYSVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZA22C14S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the passenger and driver side electronic sliding doors were inoperable. the dealer advised that the failure occurred due to dust in between the door panels. the door panels were cleaned yet the failure persisted. the manufacturer advised the contact that she was responsible for maintaining clean door panels. the failure mileage was 28,000 and the current mileage was 48,000.

Reported in: FAIRFAX MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

2008 sienna drivers door stuck open, started making a groaning sound, cable snapped. now toyota wants 1700 bucks to fix it. my van is 2 years old, mileage has it out of warranty. the cable snapped, you cannot purchase the cable you have to purchase the motor also...

Reported in: KENNESAW GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the steering was defective. the tires were protruding in different angles inward and outward. the abs system would engage independently, the air conditioner was leaking inside the vehicle and the driver's side seat belt would not work because the seat was actually designed for the passenger side, but was installed to the driver's seat . the contact also stated that the rack and pinion was leaking grease. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileage was 2,000.

Reported in: ZEPHYR HILL FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK

Reported in: ZEPHYR HILL FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:AIR CONDITIONER

Reported in: ZEPHYR HILL FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2008 toyota sienna van. brakes are soft and have gotten progressively worse with time. at 29000 miles the brake pedal fades completely to the floor. the dealer examined the vehicle and replaced the rear brake pads, the front brake pads are low but still within specifications. the mechanic states that the condition is acceptable. this condition exists at all times, with the vehicle running or not, standing still or moving. have not tried a panic stop to determine if the vehicle will stop within a reasonable distance.

Reported in: GREENSBURG PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

TIRES

2008 toyota sienna le, purchased new. at 5k miles 1/2 tread was gone on front tires per repair tech notes. at 15k front tires were 2mm inside and bald on the outside, and front brakes were at 1mm, rotors had to be replaced as well. went back to dealership due to noise coming from brakes twice. current mileage is 33k and the van needs new front tires and front brakes (rotor?); all recommended servicing was done (per owners manual) and is documented. this van has a permanent defect.

Reported in: LAKE FOREST CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Reported in: LAKE FOREST CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while attempting to park, the vehicle it suddenly accelerated forward. the contact applied the brakes abruptly and was able to stop the vehicle from moving any further. on a separate occasion while driving 20 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently and caused the contact to crash through a fence, causing damages to the vehicle front end. there were no injuries. the contact called the dealer but no action was taken. the contact believed the vehicle was extremely unsafe to drive. the failure mileage was 25,000.

Reported in: NEWVILLE PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C38S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

during a 30,000 mile check up on our 2008 toyota sienna all wheel drive van, we had to replace the front and rear breaks because they were ground down and dangerous, according to our toyota dealer where the repairs where made. pads had to be replaced, rotors had to be ground down for both front and rear. all the mileage is long distance highway driving. there was no accident but the dealer seemed very concerned.

Reported in: NORTHBOROUGH MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23CX8S

TIRES

the run-flat tires start to make noise, and then one day begin to vibrate badly. the steel belts separate on the inside of the tire, and catastrophically fail with potential to cause an accident. we pull over and have the car towed to a dealer who replaces the tires. this happens every 10,000-30,000 miles. we have to buy new tires to replace all 4 tires.

Reported in: TAUNTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact received a recall notice, nhtsa campaign number 10v160000, structure in reference to the corrosion on the spare tire assembly. the vehicle was inspected by the dealer who informed him that there was nothing wrong with his vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 18,000. the vin was unavailable. updated 01/11/11*lj

Reported in: STATON ISLAND NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

sliding doors failed. less than one year old at 34,9k miles, brought to dealer indicating both doors intermittently partially open or close during power operation. dealer found both rear latches were not holding and were replaced. two weeks later, at 35,2 miles problem has reoccurred and dealer cannot duplicate problem. another 2 weeks later at 35,3k miles, late sunday night 60 miles from home, the passenger door get stuck open in a rest area. we spend an hour fussing with the door and finally forced it shut, and drove the 60 mileshome with fingers crossed and 2 kids in the car, hoping that we have not caused a problem forcing it shut and it would not fly open on the rest of the trip. another trip to the dealer, and they state they cannot duplicate the problem we then deferred to routine manual operation. the problem continues, and we have to open or close by forcing them. usually, the passenger cannot let themself out, it must be opened by someone using the handle outside of the car. at 53,2k miles we can no longer manage with the malfunction. there are two weeks left on the warranty of the previous repair. dealer states we will need to take the car to a body shop for a re-alignment at our own expense. not having the funds to do so,we continue to deal with the problem. finally we take it to a different dealer for a second opinion. surprise-the latches need to be replaced. the one door is so bad the front & rear latches must be replaced at my cost of $800! we need at least one door to work so we'll do it. the other door needs it too at add'l $, as well as a visit to the body shop for 'realignment', but can't afford it. meanwhile-the original dealer should have replaced this part at 53,2k miles when it was covered, but ithey sent us packing. no faith that this $800 repair will fix it. 3 sets of latches in 3 years? they need to identify the problem and do right by customers. this is our 6th and last toyota. maybe a death related incident will help.

Reported in: MONTGOMERY NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: MONTGOMERY NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

there is an intermittent lag in throttle response after pressing on the acceleration pedal for approximately 2 seconds. during the lag period, the vehicle does not accelerate. this is a problem that is then followed by a lunge in the vehicle, almost as if the vehicle?s electronic acceleration system, ?drive by wire,? is trying to catch up with the depressed acceleration pedal. this has occurred at very inappropriate times, where we would have to suddenly apply the brakes abruptly. the nature of the defect is unusual and not only poses a safety problem while the vehicle is lunging, but also poses a serious safety issue, if we were trying to merge on a limited access highway. being that a vehicle traveling on a limited access highway may be traveling at 60 mph. that vehicle will travel approximately 176 feet in that two second lag time of our vehicle?s acceleration system.

Reported in: CLARKS SUMMIT PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23C18S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. while driving approximately 45 mph in heavy rain, the contact applied the brakes and the vehicle lost control which resulted in a crash. there were no injuries. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the failure had not been diagnosed. the current and failure mileages were approximately 50,000.

Reported in: KINGS VALLEY NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

upon accelerating between first and second gear (7-15) miles an hour, especially after breaking, the vehicle hesitates as if it was in neutral. the rpm's go up but the car does not move. this mainly happens when making a right hand turn when not fully stopping. i also have had it happen when making a left hand turn going across traffic trying to get across the intersection. i have taken this vehicle in numerous times and the problem has never been reproduced by the service tech. i have taken them out on a drive along only to not reproduce it also. this is my main vehicle i drive my four children around in and i would hate to have this issue occur when i really need to accelerate and cause an accident. apparently, i am not the only individual who owns this vehicle that had witnessed this hesitation problem. i believe this problem warrants further investigation and a possible recall/fix. this happens almost ever time i drive this vehicle.

Reported in: YUBA CITY CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

problem with rear disc brakes in 2008 toyota sienna. dealer found problem with caliper piston. rust on clip apparently caused the caliper piston to stay extended and keep the disc brake pad in contact with the brake. rear brakes failed at 33k miles. repair performed at customer expense. service person said warranty did not cover brake failure because it was "caused by rust." brake failure occurred approximately one month after the 30k mile service.

Reported in: TWINSBURG OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

initially in cold weather only, the tail gate / hatch / rear door would start to close slowly of its own accord. the electrical system would then assume you had attempted to close the door by hand and the electric motor would kick in and close the door on top of you if you did not realize and move. the force of the closing door is quite high to a degree that it was a struggle to stop it crushing a person. a child would not be able to stop it closing. the problem has continued to get worse and the weather has little effect anymore, the door will not stay open even on mild days.

Reported in: MOORESVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C78S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Reported in: MOORESVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C78S

SEAT BELTS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the rear passenger seat was occupied and the seat belt would not become loose around the passenger until the seat belt was unlatched. the seat belt had become extremely tight around the passenger. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. the rear passenger side seat belt was replaced. after having the seat belt replaced, the contact noticed that the failure recurred whenever the seat was tilted in a reclined position. the vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer where the contact was told that the vehicle was operating as designed. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was 18,000 and the current mileage was 23,000.

Reported in: FAIRFAX VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

CHILD SEAT

i have a radian xtsl car seat that will not stay tightly installed in my 2008 toyota sienna when installed with latch in either the ff or rf position. i install it correctly, but due to the angle the loosening mecehanism hits the seat it continually becomes loose. i noticed this when i pulled on the strap to tighten the harness and the entire seat lifted off my vehicle seat. (related vehicle information: model year=2008, make=toyota, model=sienna)

Reported in: CHANDLER AZ || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

3/12/11 i was driving at 55 mph on state rt 104 in columbus ohio when i had to get on my brakes heavily to avoid hitting a van that was turning in front of me, the following car did not stop and collided with me forcing me into the van in front causing heavy damage to the rear vehicle and to mine . immediately during the accident my brakes failed and i was unable to avoid hitting the van in front until i was able to think to put mine in park to stop the vehicle a few minutes later i tried my brakes again and they were o.k. i feel the antilock brakes failed either because i was into them or due to my vehicle being hit so hard from the rear. my vehicle is a 2008 toyota sienna van. the vehicle that hit me was a 1997 honda civic the vehicle i hit was a dodge caravan year unknown.

Reported in: COLUMBUS OH || Crash: Y || VIN #: KNDUP131246

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

2008 toyota sienna le my son - who has autism had accidentally zipped his jacket over his seat belt. he got scared and asked me to help him - so i opening our automatic sliding door (driver side) to help him unzip the jacket. while i stood there trying to get his jacket unzipped - the sliding door started to close and proceeding to slam into me 4 times before it backed off (i am pregnant - 26 weeks at the time). it has on other occasions automatically shut without us activating this. this scared me - as i also have a 3 year old and of course am pregnant - what if it was my 3 year old standing there while the door slammed into him continually? i have read numerous complaints about this online from other sienna owners and would like to have this investigated. the door should not be closing all on it's own - and it should not slam into a person or object 4 times before it backs off.

Reported in: HOLLY SPRINGS NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the driver side sliding door would not open. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times who diagnosed that the latch and battery were defective. the parts were replaced but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was 20,000 and current mileage was 50,000.

Reported in: NORTH BEND WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C38S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY

Reported in: NORTH BEND WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C38S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated while driving, the rpms increased and the vehicle lunged forward. the failure was intermittent; however, in may 2011, the contact applied the brakes but the vehicle suddenly accelerated. she shifted into neutral and turned the vehicle off in order to stop the vehicle. the same failure occurred 45 minutes later. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer but the dealer could not find anything wrong. the contact called the manufacturer regarding the failure; however, they offered no assistance. the current mileage was approximately 45,000. the failure mileage was 16.

Reported in: SOUTH EASTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

the sliding door opened when the car was moving,then failed to be able to close by power or manually.

Reported in: HAZLE TWP PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C58S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

the sliding door opened when the car was moving,then failed to be able to close by power or manually.

Reported in: HAZLE TWP PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C58S

STRUCTURE:BODY

the sliding doors, passenger and driver are now closed. passenger side door was automatic and closing on my children when they would enter or exit. doors would stop in middle and then refuse to open or close. as i stated now they can not be opened. dealer said it is $400 to fix manual and $1500 for autodoor.

Reported in: COLCHESTER CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

my 2008 sienna hesitates when gas pedal is pressed after slowing down. the engine revs fast (engine is loud) but car does not respond accordingly by moving ahead until a couple of seconds later. usually i would release the gas pedal to prevent the engine rev from going very high. this happens intermittently. dealer could not replicate the problem and service manager explained that was probably caused by a delay in trying to get the correct shift. there was no tsb on the problem according to the manager.

Reported in: STATEN ISLAND NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

the exposed cable of the automatic sliding door on passenger side snapped while the door was in motion.

Reported in: HURON SD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C78S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2008 toyota sienna with approx. 45k miles. driving down highway after wedding. traction control light comes on. a minute later, check engine light comes on. half mile from exit, decide to take exit to see what's going on. as reach gas station right off exit, oil light comes on. check oil and see no oil in engine. oil splashed on tailgate. determine oil flowing from engine. toyota acknowledged problem with rubber oil hose and sent tow truck. loss of all oil without indication until engine failure. same v6 engine as recalled in camry and avalon. this is a serious problem requiring complete engine replacement. this is unsafe--sudden engine failure without indication at highway speeds and oil spill to exhaust components of engine could have caused accident or fire!

Reported in: IDAHO FALLS ID || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

Reported in: IDAHO FALLS ID || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

STRUCTURE:BODY

son opened power sliding drivers side passenger door. upon closing, door would not latch shut. door had to be held shut by adult. dealer has quoted $995 at this point just to get door to close, stating a "rusty cable" is causing the issue. representative at toyota customer care advised that vehicle is beyond warranty and toyota will provide no relief.

Reported in: POWELL TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C18S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. while driving approximately 65 mph, the engine stalled with the illumination of the entire instrument panel. the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician was unable to detect a trouble code. the malfunction occurred six times on the same day. the engine restarted each time the failure occurred and the vehicle was taken to a different dealer who could not locate a problem. the contact planned to take the vehicle for a third opinion to possibly locate the consistent failure. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 34,680.

Reported in: NEW YORK NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C58S

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

my 2008 toyota sienna has an automatic lift gate. you push a button on the overhead console or on the key fob and it opens the rear lift gate, push again and it closes and latches automatically. however, the mechanism(s) that holds it open has failed. similar to failure on the 2004-2006 sienna that forced a toyota recall. if you open it automatically it starts closing immediately after you open it without warning, no alerts. if you open it manually it will not stay open and the weight is unsupported meaning it will crush anything in its way.

Reported in: SCOTTSDALE AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C18S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i arrived at work and used the interior push button to open the power door on the driver side of my van after exiting the van my key fob would not activate the close of the door. it was dark and i closed the door manually. after leaving work i attempted to activate and open the same door with my key fob. the door would not open and i could not open it manually. after closer examination (it was now daylight) the power door cable was hanging down from the furthest rear window. it had snapped. the door would not open manually (it wouldn't budge) and if i attempted using the fob or interior push buttons you could hear the component that activates the cable humming but the door had no movement. the failure of the door to open as a safety issue.

Reported in: VICTOR NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. while driving 65 mph, the contact stated that thea push rod fractured causing a hole in the engine. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where he was informed to replace the engine. the manufacturer was aware of the failure. the current and failure mileage was 60,600. no repairs were performed.

Reported in: SUMMERVILLE SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C78S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the rubberized surface of the rear door latch has dissolved into goo. i assume that heat from an electrical short melted the rubber. thus, two problems: 1) this may be a sign of a serious electrical problem that will manifest itself again but with respect to a critical component; and 2) each time the latch is used, some of the black goo comes off on my hand.

Reported in: MEMPHIS TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

STRUCTURE:BODY

rubber on the trunk release hatch melts and sometimes causes the trunk to unlatch by itself. contacted 2 local dealerships and no recall has been issued and they want about $300 to replace.

Reported in: SACHSE TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

transmission went out; needs complete replacement. 2008 vehicle with only 78,000 miles should not have this problem.

Reported in: RIDGEWAY WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

WHEELS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the tire valve stem detached while adding air to the tires. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and the vehicle was repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 35,000. the vin was not available.

Reported in: SOLEDAD CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

right rear power sliding door on 2005 toyota sienna lxe malfunctioned. dealer quoted nearly $1000.00 to fix. ridiculous. had dealer disconnect system (over $70.00) and now can use door manually although door is cumbersome to move -- almost impossible for children to operate. inexcusably poor design! same problem right rear window. will not operate. now disconnected by dealer (included in $70.00 charge noted above). window cannot be operated manually. permanently shut. bad! ventilation in rear and thus throughout vehicle adversely affected.

Reported in: WINDSOR VT || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C28S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: WINDSOR VT || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C28S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

automatic sliding door on passenger side failed. stuck halfway open. appears to be a cable problem. research done on internet shows to be common problem with approx. $1800.00 repair price.

Reported in: EAGLE CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23CX8S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

at highway speed, all lights flicker on then lost all power.......oilline had leaked on alternator belt causing loss of power. luckily power loss prevented engine damage from oil leak. we had not been notified by toyota about the oil line problem or recall.....only after a local garage fixed the line did i find out about the recall....i would had it replaced earlier if i had been notified.

Reported in: CRANBERRY TWP PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C48S

STRUCTURE:BODY

2009 non power slider door transmission replaced by dealership i paid for labor since i was out of warranty......2012 @ 99000 miles same door doing same thing...will not latch . dealer got it to close but says that it needs a new latch system at a cost of $700.00 this door is rarely used.........might be opened once every two or three months......this seems to be a defect....

Reported in: CRANBERRY TWP PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C48S

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

we have a 2008 toyota sienna with an automatic lift gate. when you push a button on the overhead console or on the remote it opens the rear lift gate, push again and it closes and latches automatically. however, the mechanism(s) that holds it open has failed. similar to failure on the 2004-2006 sienna that forced a toyota recall. if you open it automatically it starts closing immediately after you open it without warning, no alerts. if you open it manually it will not stay open and the weight is unsupported meaning it will close on anything in its way. a child could be crushed/injured from the weight/force of the door.

Reported in: NORTH TONAWANDA NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C28S

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, smoke began to emit from the rear. the contact stopped the vehicle and noticed that a high pressure hose under the intake manifold was pierced and leaking oil. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop and was in the process of being evaluated. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 40,105. updated 4/2/12 *cn

Reported in: DURHAM NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

POWER TRAIN

tl* the contact owns 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated without the keys in the ignition and the emergency brake not engaged her child release the gear shift from park and the vehicle rolled into the mailbox. no one was injured. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated they cannot duplicate the problem and there was nothing to repair or replace. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 55,900.

Reported in: AUBURN AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

POWER TRAIN

the car was driven normally in gear "d" at 35 mph but slipped out of gear for no reason. i stopped, put in park, turn off the engine, waited a few minutes and restarted the car. it would then only work in gear "3" but i had to floor the gas pedal. after stopping multiple times, i was able to reach home. my 2008 sienna can now be driven forward in reverse gear.

Reported in: RENTON WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C08S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact was stopped in a parking space when the brakes were depressed and the vehicle accelerated to approximately 25 mph. the vehicle crashed through the parking sign and into a tree. the contact continued to depress the brakes and shifted into reverse. the vehicle then reversed and crashed into another tree. after the contact activated the emergency brake, the vehicle came to a complete stop. the child in the rear passenger seat sustained bruises to the neck and shoulders. the contact sustained neck and shoulder injuries, and bruises to the right leg. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technician stated that the floor mat could have possibly caused the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that an inspector would be sent to inspect the vehicle to determine the cause of the unintended acceleration failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

Reported in: RICHLAND WA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK22C58S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that a passenger was standing in the path of the rear passenger side sliding door. the door was engaged and closed on the passenger, crushing the passenger between the sliding door and the frame. the passenger was transported to a medical doctors for treatment of her injuries. the dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no failures found with the sliding door. the manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be taken to a dealer for diagnosis. the failure mileage was 14,000. updated 07/19/12*lj

Reported in: BAKERSFIELDS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C58S

ENGINE

we have owned the sienna for 4 years and 53,000 miles without incidence. we have had it serviced by the toyota dealer and have had all scheduled maintenance. one afternoon, after driving the sienna all day, we pulled it into our driveway (which is on a slight incline) and placed it into park. after doing this, instead of the brakes being applied, the sienna rolled back as though it were in neutral. we brought the sienna to the toyota dealer who inspected it. they told us the pin that enables the brakes upon placing the sienna in park was completely shot and the entire transmission would need to be replaced. the service manager said he has never seen something like this before and that these pins don't wear out over time. the service manager also told us that you would only see damage to the pin if you were driving the car and then suddenly put it into park while moving at a high speed. the service manager contacted the offices of toyota corporate and had the case reviewed. it was determined by toyota corporate to be related to the warranty and they are replacing the entire transmission.

Reported in: CHELMSFORD MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: CHELMSFORD MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

STRUCTURE:BODY

both sliding doors on our van started to slow when opening and closing and began to make a clicking or crackling noise. we took it to the dealer for inspection and were told that the frames were bent on both sides and we were responsible for the repair. the vehicle has never been in an accident and has low miles on it. there is no reason for the door frames to bend other than a manufacturer defect. i have read several complaints about the same problem on the 2008 sienna. toyota needs to be held accountable for this problem. there have been internet reports of doors coming open while driving. our car is still under warranty and we are being told it is not covered.

Reported in: CASTRO VALLEY CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22CX8S

POWER TRAIN

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the vehicle could erroneously be shifted into any gear without having the key in the ignition. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that they would return his call at a later date. the failure and the current mileage was 50,000.

Reported in: MILFORD MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C08S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while driving 3 mph and attempting to park, the vehicle abnormally accelerated, which caused the vehicle to crash several times. the contact attempted to control the vehicle however, the vehicle crashed sideways into a building. the air bags did not deploy. there were no injuries reported however, the vehicle was not drivable and was towed to the dealer. the dealer had not yet diagnosed the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure who filed a case on behalf of the contact (case number 1208222975). the failure and current mileage was 50,000.

Reported in: DALLAS TX || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C48S

STRUCTURE

the rear hatch of my 2008 toyota sienna xle closes automatically when opening by using either the remote opener or by opening manually. the door crushed my son.

Reported in: PALATINE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: STDZK22C88S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

unlocked all of the doors using remote. opened driver passenger door, and placed granddaughter into car seat. closed the door with the key remote inside. the sienna automatically locked all of the doors, and i was unable to get to my grandchild. another key was quickly found to unlock the door. no harm done. if the other key hadn't been found, we would have had to wait for a locksmith to unlock the door. especially in hot weather, this is dangerous. the manual does not mention this automatic locking, unless a door hasn't been opened after unlocking. the dealer has advised that it can be removed by bringing the auto in and looking it up to a computer. i believe this is potentially dangerous, and needs nhtsa action.

Reported in: KELSO WA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

making left turn into parking spot. the car was going very slowly then all of a sudden the vehicle exhibited an unintended acceleration. vehicle was abruptly steered in opposite direction to avoid collision with car parked in front and applied brakes aggressively. incident happened in elementary school parking lot. fortunately, no one was in the immediate vicinity. vehicle taken to toyota dealer and was unable to find problem or replicate it.

Reported in: SUNDERLAND MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23C28S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: SUNDERLAND MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23C28S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated while the brake was depressed and caused the contact to crash into the rear of another vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic performed. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 59,687...updated 12/11/12 *bf the consumer stated the dealer was notified. the dealer directed the consumer to a local body shop to have the vehicle diagnosed. there were no failures found in the brakes but the mechanic did notice something unusual. the vehicle was taken for repairs. updated 12/13/2012 *js

Reported in: ORLANDO FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK22C68S

AIR BAGS

was t-boned by someone who failed to yield on green. he was given a ticket. i was through the intersection going 34.8 miles/hour at the triggering event. has toyota do inspection on car and "chip". it only registered a "front event". repair costs are 12k, this included replacing both driver side doors????? why did the airbags not deploy or better yet why was there not even a side event registered when he clearly hit me in the side?? suffered a concussion and neck back injuries. had my 6 and 2 year old in the back in car seats.

Reported in: RICHMOND VA || Crash: Y || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

last june 2012 i was backing my vehicle in my home driveway when the rear hatch window suddenly exploded, showering large and small shards of glass outwards with enough force that glass particles were found approx. 15 ft. behind the vehicle! the inside rear of the vehicle was filled with large and small shards, and broken and hanging glass was left in the window frame. when this was reported to the toyota dealer, their rep replied that he had never heard of such an event occurring with a toyota, and implied that i had broken the window by accident. since my warranty doesn't cover glass, i turned in a claim to allstate insurance($100 deductible) and the window was repaired. on 11/08/2012 i was driving approx. 25 mph on a city street when the same window exploded with enough energy to produce a loud "bang!" i again turned in a claim to allstate($100 deductible, again!) and the window was repaired. while waiting at the repair shop, i asked the glass technician if he was aware of any similar incidents with toyota windows. he replied, "oh yes," and told me that he had just repaired a similar window on a toyota owned by a kirtland, ohio police officer, among others! i feel that this is a serious safety defect that should be investigated immediately, before someone gets severely injured!

Reported in: RICHMOND HEIGHTS OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C38S

VISIBILITY/WIPER

Reported in: RICHMOND HEIGHTS OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C38S

STRUCTURE:BODY

power lift function of rear door malfunction. upon engaging the power door, it immediately started going down once it reached the top. the struts or brackets are not able to keep the door open making the mechanism automatically shut the door. extremely dangerous.

Reported in: TUSTIN CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

ENGINE

there was a pin hole puncture in the flexible material the oil cooler is made of. the result of this is that all the oil is forced out of the engine very quickly under high pressure. there was no warning until i heard engine noise. i had the van towed in and had the part replaced. the current factory authorized part is now made out of metal. the dealership then informed me that because of the failure of the part i would need a new engine.it will cost $10,000. i asked if there was anything i could have done differently to prevent this i was told no. my engine is still under warranty but the part that caused it is not. i realize parts break but this part is not a maintenance part and the expected outcome of its failure is engine replacement. this i have found from experienced auto people is common knowledge. i believe this is a defect that toyota knows about and is willing to ignore by invoking their warranty as a reason to allow this to happen to unsuspecting owners. oh, when i contacted toyota for help with my $10,000 problem, they offered me dinner. at this point i own a $30,000 piece of junk ( i owe $20,000) none of this would have occurred if the part had been made out of metal originally or if there was some kind of safeguard built in to warn you of the potential problem. unfortunately that is not the case. please help.

Reported in: NISKAYUNA NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C78S

AIR BAGS

on day of the accident, it was snowing and road conditions were icy and slippery. as vehicle was going around the bend, driver noticed cars were stopped at a signal. driver could not stop vehicle in time to avoid a crash since abs brakes locked all the wheels and the car was sliding and so driver swerved to avoid crashing into other cars and hit a tree head-on. vehicle sustained front-end damage. air bags did not deploy.

Reported in: WEST CHESTER PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK22C98S

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: WEST CHESTER PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK22C98S

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the rear liftgate latch was found to be melted. the contact was unsure of how the latch became melted. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. the manufacturer was contacted and advised her that the entire door handle assembly needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000. the current mileages were approximately 65,000.

Reported in: HOUSTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph and making a turn he depressed the accelerator pedal but the vehicle began to hesitate and it did not respond. the failure occurred while making a left or a right turn. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage wa 50,000.

Reported in: LOCUST GROVE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

SEAT BELTS

the driver side seat belt folds up on itself and won't release or retract. this is not the first time it's happened. took it to the dealership on both occasions and was advised to not "yank the belt hard." pillar cover was removed and seat belt was found to be "all twisted inside." it was "adjusted to normal operation;" however, it cost me $108 to get it fixed. i have never had this happen in any other car i have owned.

Reported in: SAN DIEGO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

ENGINE

while driving alot of smoke coming out from engine, pulled over and turn off and all came out of car and oil started leaking. next day took van to the toyota dealer and they checked everything was fine but there was a part( oil hose no.1 ) that was been recall and it been fix by toyota dealer but same hose was blow which is dangerous that toyota dealer told us and he was surprised that could not happen after replace part that mean they still have that same problem and we was on i-10 , we stop the van on time otherwise we wont able to move van and we might lost our life so please investigate and save others life .

Reported in: MARKSVILLE LA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

STRUCTURE:BODY

while backing the car in my driveway it suddenly accelerated and could not be stopped by braking before it struck stone wall, blowing the right rear tire, damaging the underbody and damaging the stone wall. very scary!

Reported in: CHESTER NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK23C08S

WHEELS

Reported in: CHESTER NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK23C08S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

power lift function of rear door malfunction. upon engaging the power door, it immediately started going down once it reached the top and will not stop if someone is in between it. the struts or brackets are not able to keep the door open, making the mechanism automatically shut the door. extremely dangerous.

Reported in: CLINTON MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C48S

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

passenger door on our 2008 sienna minivan would not latch shut. nothing was jammed in it. we pressed the automatic door button several times and finally it latched. the next day it would not open. you could hear the motor trying but it would not open when you pressed any buttons or manually. again we pressed the button multiple times and finally it made a popping noise and released. the door opened a few inches and now the cable inside was broken and hanging down. the door no longer automatically opens and closes and the cable is still hanging from the door. we took the van to the dealer with an automatic sliding door recall letter we received from toyota. the dealer stated the part that broke on our van was not covered in the recall. they said it would cost over $1,000.00 to fix. we had them put door back together because we did not want to pay for the repair until we do more research on the problem.

Reported in: MUSKEGO WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while traveling approximately 6 mph, the contact experienced erroneous acceleration due to simultaneously depressing the brake and accelerator pedals. the contact crashed into a curb before the vehicle was brought to a stop. there were no injuries. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the pedals could not be adjusted. there were no injuries. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Reported in: RICHFIELD MN || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

just notified of sudden acceleration. hindsight - starting fall 2012 remote starter died,no warmup,my boyfriend and i experienced engine racing when van was cold multiple times,only way to stop it was hand control brake,foot brake was not enough. planned to have checked but dec.1 2012 at the tanger outlet mall in canonsburg pa. i am paraplegic,my minivan is modified with foldout ramp- passenger side sliding door for wheelchair and then i transfer into the drivers seat. all the van handicapped parking spaces were filled but it was early so i parked in a regular space with an empty space next to it so i could get out. few van accessible handicapped spaces is common so i used regular spots before as long as someone was with me who could back the van up far enough for the ramp to deploy. when my mother,my sister-in-law,my friend,and i returned to the vehicle a pickup truck was parked next to us. my sister-in-law got in the vehicle to back it up so the ramp had room to come out as she had done often. we stood behind the pickup truck waiting for her to back up. all of a sudden the vehicle flew backward so fast that before we could yell stop my vehicle had slammed into the suv parked across the aisle so hard that it pushed the suv into the car parked in front of it in the next row. my sister-in-law was completely shocked as were we, it was so fast it was almost like watching a cartoon. my sister-in-law kept saying "i don't know what happened", she thought all she did was put her foot on the brake and put it in gear. not knowing about sudden acceleration in sienna's all any of us could think was her foot had slipped even though she has been driving for 25 years without a similar incident she couldn't understand how it could happen, was sure it didn't. the police were called and a report filed. because one of the welds from modification was broken my vehicle was totaled.

Reported in: WHITE OAK PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK22C28S

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: WHITE OAK PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK22C28S

POWER TRAIN

on a rainy sunday afternoon i was driving 65 mph on the interstate when the check engine, vsc and trac off lights came on. the vehicle was taken directly to the dealer the next morning (69 additional miles were driven). when tested the code indicated to inspect the vvt-1 system, including the actuator bolts and alignment. upon inspection (requiring the engine to be partially disassembled) it was determined that the vvti gear was coming apart causing debris to spread throughout the camshaft gears and housing only for cam bank 1. this is an obvious material quality defect and toyota's only statement is "we don't have a recall for this". my van is 90 days past the 5 year & 17,369 miles over the 60,000 warranty. (note: other manufacturer's offer a 100,000 powertrain warranty). this van has only been serviced by this dealer. this single repair bill is $4,295.00 with no guarantee the other cam bank won't do the same thing, requiring another high service bill. after 3 days of waiting for toyota to investigate, they only offered a goodwill contribution to the repairs of $2,400 ... but only after i submit paid receipts and then wait 10 weeks for them to reimburse me. they flat out refused to send the payment to the dealer. this is toyota's premier family vehicle and if the engine has seized while driving could have killed my family or someone else. i have driven toyota's for over 15 years and never heard of this kind of materials defect and then to be treated this poorly over a major safety issue that is a direct result of poor quality materials. i guess they would have been more interested if someone had died. i think everyone who owns a 2008 sienna should be aware that this model has a vvti gear material quality defect that can be expensive to repair or cause the engine to seize while driving and kill someone. who knows if other 08 models are also affected.

Reported in: CUMMING GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

ENGINE

Reported in: CUMMING GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

STRUCTURE:BODY

could not stop after my abs brakes locked up then were soft/absent, drove up on the center median, got back on the road attempting to go around the car infront on the right side couldn't due to other traffic then went back to the left got back up on the median. my passenger side front bumper corner went under the other driver's driver's side rear bumper corner lifting her car up into the air causing it to fall on top of the passenger side of my hood and front right fender crushing them, resulting in over 10000 dollars damage. no one was seriously hurt and neither car's airbags deployed.

Reported in: ALTA LOMA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: ALTA LOMA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Reported in: ALTA LOMA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

AIR BAGS

Reported in: ALTA LOMA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the dashboard had began to deteriorate and she was concerned that the air bags could possibly deploy independently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. the failure and current mileage was 55,000.

Reported in: SARASOTA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

ENGINE

while driving are 2008 sienna mini van with 51303 miles on it we had developed a sudden loss of oil from the engine. no check engine lights or warning lights came on notifying us that there was a problem. observed that there was a large amount of oil loss in the driveway. could track back where we were driving with the oil loss trail in the road. did some research and learned that the engine in the sienna is that same as that in several other toyotas (avalons). i learned that there is a vvi oil line is faulty on the engine. toyota used a rubber hose which results in failure which then results in engine damage due to the oil loss. toyota recalled the same party on the avalon and is aware that this hose is bad and needs replacement. toyota issued recall on the avalons but is not issuing a recall on the sienna. this is the same piece on the two vehicles. they then state that this hose with an average fails at 50-60000miles. they then stated that this hose is not covered under warranty. this hose bursting can cause engine damage and is also a safety issue. there needs to be a recall on this rubber oil hose on all vehicles. they know that this is a bad piece when talking with them. also if it were to fail they then will state that since this hose caused the engine issues they will not cover it under warranty. this then results in people having to replace the engine in there vehicle for 5-10000dollars. when oil loss occurs it sprays every where getting on brakes, belts, and exhaust which could cause an accident and or fire. also resulting in serious engine damage. toyota know this vvi hose is bad and issued a recall on the same hose on the avalons. a five minute search on the internet will show you the issues with motor and vvi hose. a recall must be issued on all toyota vehicles with this motor which had the vvi oil hose. thanks

Reported in: WASECA MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the oil line, which toyota called the vvt line burst and the all of the oil leaked out of the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who confirmed the vvt line burst and caused the failure. the dealer informed the contact that the part was not under warranty nor was there a related recall. the vehicle was repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages was 51,303.

Reported in: WASECA MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

the rear hatch failed today on my sienna. it will go up and suddenly without any notice fall slamming down. it almost hit my wife in the head. this is serious defect that toyota needs to correct.

Reported in: NICEVILLE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C78S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

power sliding door cable broke. research into this problem shows that it can cause door to jam in the open position. problem was frequent enough that toyota covers the repair for vehicles manufactured 2004-2007. the problem persists in the years manufactured after this, as mine is a 2008, but the $1200.00 repair is not covered by toyota csp.

Reported in: NORTH SALEM NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23C98S

ENGINE

while pulling into my driveway i smelled oil and noticed a line of liquid down the driveway. turns out the oil line ruptured and the engine oil drained almost completely, within a matter of minutes. there was no warning indicator or anything adverse until that moment. thankfully i live near a mechanic and we were able to leave it there. apparently this is a known problem at toyota- as the part was on a national backorder. thankfully i did not suffer engine damage- many others have, and this should be a recall worthy issue.

Reported in: WEST CHESTER PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C68S

POWER TRAIN

while driving on inter-state i-10 west bound close to 183 marker, at 65 mph, the rpm shot to 7000 and car started to slow down. the car stopped with transmission failure. it was 2200 hours with my family of 4 kids and wife on board. to replace the transmission (used one 90000 miles) toyota legacy charged me 3500$. its a lot of money. additionally, you cannot trust toyota brand for such poor workmanship where power train is prone to failures on 5 years old vehicles.

Reported in: MONTGOMERY AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

ENGINE

while driving my sienna ac quit & few miles later i saw white smoke come from under the van in my mirror. i tried to slow down & brakes were not working. i tried to pull over & power steering was not working. without any warning lights. after i pulled over, i walked to the back to see what the white smoke was. i noticed that the bumper cover had motor oil dripping down from the bumper & tail pipe. i noticed the white smoke was actually coming out from the front right side of the van. i ran to shut the engine off but i could not open the driver side doors. luckily windows were opened due to the ac not working. i took the key out through the window & pulled the hood latch. by the time i got to the hood flames was coming from the right side. i could not open the hood, it was too hot. this happened in matter of seconds. be aware that all this happened without any warning sound?s or light?s. i called 911. just in minutes, the van was engulfed in flames & i had no chance to save anything out of the vehicle. the fire trucks arrived about 9 minutes, but by that time there was nothing left of my van. the fireman pointed out to me that there was an oil trail behind the van. the oil trace was visible for few miles. after they finished putting out the fire they showed me where the fire started on the van. it was the area on the left side of the engine around the belt. they said that the fire started from an oil leak on the engine and was started by the burst of oil spraying down on the and catalytic converter. only two seconds of searching on google, i found out that toyota is well informed of the hazardous defect. the rubber oil supply line unexpectedly burst open and spray?s the engine oil out in less than few minutes. i never received any recalls or notification about this serious defect from toyota. luckily none of my three kids was not in the van when this happened.

Reported in: HULBERT OK || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

AIR BAGS

flashing air bag indicator light, 4 tsb's have been issued for this problem with a replacement part. the tsb's are e1001-08, tsb 0069-12, tsb 0162-10, and tsb 0252-08. this is a major safety problem that toyota is refusing to recall and correct. the nhtsa needs to make a mandatory recall for defective toyota sienna airbag wiring. toyota dealership is demanding $50 to read code and average repair cost of more than $1000 dollars. this vehicle has never been in an accident of any kind. there is no reason that the airbags should have a defective condition so soon. there is obviously a manufacturing problem with the system which is why toyota redesigned the part. toyota cannot be allowed to charge customers $1000's of dollars to replace this essential safety equipment.

Reported in: BROOKINGS OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

CHILD SEAT

the e-z-on� adjustable vests are designed to be tethered to the vehicle latch system and the tether attaches to the vest right next to the head of the child wearing it. there is no way around having the tether positioned next to the head of the child and it is tethered with a thick, hard, heavy piece of metal. we have attempted to cover the hard metal with thick fabric and the hard metal is still quite capable of injuring the child wearing this safety seat, even with padding. i am amazed it is still on the market with the current design. we are unable to use this system and would advise others not to either for fear of significant head trauma from the child safety harness itself. some of the information below is not completed because this safety seat was not listed in your directory and because the exact problem is not listed adequately, either. i consider this seat to be high risk for any child occupant because of the very obviously likelihood of head trauma! please look at their website and how the harness safety seat is set up in the vehicle. it is dangerous. i would be happy to provide images as well of my child sitting within the harness. we were not able to use this device at all due to this safety risk. (related vehicle information: model year=2008, make=toyota, model=sienna).

Reported in: EVERETT WA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

while driving home the oil line running from the oil cooler on the radiator exploded. oil was sent over the entire engine compartment and dripped over the road leaving a trail the block left going to my house. the hot oil spraying over the hot engine was a danger to catching the van and the garage it was parked in on fire. this is an extremely dangerous problem that toyota is aware of yet has not issued a recall for these vehicles. i was lucky that this happened so close to my home.

Reported in: BROOKINGS OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

ENGINE

after driving vehicle for appx. 15 minutes then parking, then coming back to vehicle 5 minutes later i found a pool of oil under the hood of van and called for tow to the dealership. rob from the toyota repair service, claims i had bad luck regarding the oil cooler line rupturing. it will cost me $442.00 to repair/replace and clean the vehicle. after hearing this i checked online and other vehicle owners are having similar problems with similar vehicles that have a v6 engine with towing package from toyota. the service person claims its not covered under my warranty. he also claims that it wasn't damaged accidentally neither.

Reported in: ST. PAUL MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

i was driving down the road and saw smoke rolling out of engine. by the time i pulled over i noticed oil leaking out everywhere. it was the engine oil cooler line and i have since replaced the rubber hose twice and has ruptured two more time since. this is very dangerous. i lost over 12 quarts of oil in the last month.

Reported in: NEW HOLLAND PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C38S

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

tpms broke while inflating tires for a customer.

Reported in: PLEASANTON CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TD2K23CX85

ENGINE

van spontaneously began leaking oil. i brought it into the dealer and was told that it was the vvt1 actuator hose. apparently this was part of a voluntary recall that toyota started in 2010 and i was never notified! i called toyota motor corporation and was told that this was in fact a defective hose but because it was not repaired prior to the 3/31/13 deadline that toyota would not pay for this defective hose to be replaced. i am certain that i was never notified of this voluntary and worry that many other 2008 sienna owners are unaware of this defective part and hence will not have this repaired. this hose is under pressure and if it goes completely car will spew oil everywhere and seize up! this is a potential fire and safely hazard!!! toyota is very aware of this problem! in the end my dealer agreed to cover the cost of replacement, but i am forever dismayed at toyota's lack of concern for their customers! this was part of campaign recall 90k-2gr-fe v6 engine oil hose.

Reported in: BRISTOL RI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

ENGINE

i had a oil hose in my van get a hole. when it happened it spilled oil all over and in my opinion could have started a fire.the hose is connected to a pipe and the hose cannot be replaced. the whole pipe has to be replaced and i replaced mine. my research revealed this is a fairly common problem and that there is a toyota service bulletin for this problem but in the bulletin they claim it's for seepage of oil. obviously toyota knows this is a problem as the new part i ordered is complete pipe with no hoses. the part number for the pipe is 15767. is this something that can be further looked into as to why this is not a recall that toyota should properly fix?

Reported in: YOUNGWOOD PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C88S

AIR BAGS

the passenger airbag control is intermittent, when a passenger is seated in the passenger front seat, the airbag many times is turned off. the vehicle has been taken to toyota 2x for this problems as they point to seat belt latch, the last time after 2 weeks of the system not working, it starting working properly again. it worked for a month correctly and since started working again. this has been going on for over a year now not knowing if the passenger airbag will work in a crash. toyota claims the airbag is connected to the latch of a seatbelt which was proven false on 2008 and 2012 models, they do not know how there system actually works, so how can they be relied on fixing it or knowing if there is a problem.

Reported in: HIGHLAND HTS OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C08S

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the spare tire became detached from the vehicle causing the contact to drive over the tire and experience a failure with the brakes. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the mechanic stated that the spare tire cable was corroded and consequently caused damage to the braking system. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 10v160000 (structure) but was advised by the manufacturer that the recall had expired and they would not honor the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 82,000.

Reported in: LITTLE EGG HARBOR NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

STRUCTURE:BODY

when operating the rear lift gate (trunk) on this 2008 toyota sienna minivan, we have noticed the lift gate does not open all the way up, causing an average height adults to bump their heads on the lift gate. but worse, this happens on several occasions, the lift gate comes falling down, hitting an adult on the head, causing a head injury. worse yet, if a child happens to be standing under the lift gate, the heavy trunk can cause a major injury or death! this is happening on a number of occasions, and should be covered by toyota as this is not acceptable for a family minivan with less than 5 years old. i would like to see a safety recall issued on this type of malfunction and have this repaired or replaced free of charge by toyota dealers.

Reported in: RALEIGH NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while driving approximately 1 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and caused the contact to crash into a tree without warning. the contact stated that the brakes were depressed but failed to stop the vehicle. also, the contact mentioned that the failure recurred on two other occasions. the contact was not taken to a hospital and there were no injuries reported. a police report was not filed. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic but there was no diagnostic performed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 146,000. the vin was not available.

Reported in: STOWE VT || Crash: Y || VIN #:

STRUCTURE

my sister and i had just returned home from the store and i pressed the button to lift the back door to get our things out. we were in the middle of getting our things out when the door started closing on us. i got out and my sister got caught and it came down on her back and scratched her up pretty good. ever since then just out of the blue it will not stay up and it will close down on you. i think this is a major safety issue especially since i have two little children. it could really do some harm to them. the sliding doors stop closing if someone is in the way and it should be the same for the back door. i bought this vehicle because it is supposed to be one of the top of the line fans for safety. so far i am not impressed. someone needs to resolve this issue! i am scared to even open up that back door because of this.....and that is not good.

Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C88S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C88S

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that upon inspection, the trunk door unexpectedly closed without any warnings. the contact also mentioned that the trunk door landed on her back and caused a bruise, which was a recurring injury. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 85,000.

Reported in: ROUNDROCK TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C88S

ENGINE

the rubber in the oil cooling line broke down and drained most of the oil from the engine. from looking at the different boards this seems to be a common problem with this hose. toyota even re-designed the hose with a metal sleeve because of this.

Reported in: SHOW LOW AZ || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

i was dropping my kids of to school in the morning. i stop by at my friend's apt to pick her up with her baby. this is my daily routine. so on the day of the incident, i did the same thing, parked my van, got out, and went to the apartment' s exit door from where my friend was coming. my children were seated in the car and i was picking up the baby from my friend when both of us heard my eldest son aged 10, screaming that "the car is moving mama", and in panic he opened his door and tried to get off his seat belt and was trying to jump. i saw the van rolling back , i put the baby on the grass and rushed to help my kids in the moving van that was rolling backwards downhill. first i pushed my son in as his leg was caught in the seat belt and he couldn't jump forwards and then i moved around the back of the van, hit my knee on the bumper and my friend came from the front , she opened the door and i was able to put the handbrakes on. but in doing so after bumping hard on my right knee from the moving car, and when i applied the brakes, i sat on the ground and hit my knee again. the car stopped and i tried to calm myself because there were 4 kids inside when the van was rolling away and 3 of them were small, so they were crying. my friend calmed me and we set off. my knee was heavily bruised and aching. i came home and took painkillers and couldn't get any xrays done because i didn't have any medical insurance. to this day once or twice a week, i use painkillers for my knee which was perfect before. my kids were safe and nothing major happened which could have, but we all went through a very panicky and terrible experience which i hope never happens again. if the van wouldn't have stopped in time, my children could have been badly injured.

Reported in: COLUMBIA HEIGHTS MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C98S

POWER TRAIN

tl- the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 13v429000 (power train); however, the contact was unable to have the vehicle serviced because the remedy part was not available to perform the repair. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the contact had not experienced a failure. rk

Reported in: ALEXANDRIA VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

SEAT BELTS

the driver seat seatbelt keeps jamming, to the extent that it won't unjam.

Reported in: LAKEWOOD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

power door opened part ways and would not shut. had to drive to mechanic with door partially open and he had to force it shut. toyota mechanic said it was a know cable problem with the door motor, but toyota has not issued a recall yet.

Reported in: CHANDLER AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact was attempting to open the rear driver's side door the but the door only opened six inches wide while using the fob, then shut independently and without warning. the contact stated that she had to manually pry the door open. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for inspection where the contact was informed that the door cable had snapped and wrapped around the motor. the motor and the cables would need to be replaced, the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the incident. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

Reported in: VICTOR NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C88S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i recently purchased a 2008 toyota sienna that i believe has a safety issue, particularly in cold weather. the exterior switch that allows the rear hatch to open is not functional in cold weather due to a material malfunction. i noticed that during warmer weather, the rubber seal over this exterior switch had become soft and gummy. over time, the rubber seeped between the switch housing and the switch button. as the weather became cold, the rubber has hardened around the switch button and the exterior switch is no longer functional. the only way i can open the rear hatch in cold weather is to open a front door and use the interior switch to open the rear hatch. my concern is if we were to get into an accident during the cold months and the only way someone could get access to the interior of the vehicle is through the rear hatch, it could not be done because the exterior switch on the rear hatch would be seized preventing access. it is very alarming when i think of my entire family, especially my 15 yo, my 3 yr, and my 6 mo, being inside of this van and people not gaining access to the inside to help them due to injuries, fire, water hazards, etc... i own a 2005 toyota 4runner and it appears to have the same switch. however, the rubber on the switch is perfectly fine and functions normally. there appears to have been a material change allowing the rubber to soften resulting in a potential safety hazard during the cold months. i spoke to our local toyota dealership and they are fully aware of this issue and said that toyota does not consider this to be a safety issue. initially i thought the previous owner applied a solvent or something to soften the rubber. as i researched more on the internet, this issue applies to many toyota vehicles, with models including the sienna and the 4runner. the earliest model year that i can find for either model is 2007.

Reported in: EVANSVILLE IN || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEAT BELTS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contacted stated that the front passenger's side seat belt became inoperable and would not retract. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnosis or repairs. the manufacturer had not been made aware of the problem.the approximate failure mileage was 96,000.

Reported in: NEWTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

my toyota 2008 sienna le passenger automatic sliding door won't closed and opened completely. i've experienced an intermittent jammed with this door for the past 3 days. as a temporary fix, i need to get out from the car to help the door in closing and opening it because the button inside the car and even the remote(has new battery installed) won't do the work . one day, when driving my kids to school. as i made a left turn, i heard an audible noise/alarm and we were surprised and tried to figure out where the sound came from until my kids told me that the door is partially open while driving. i pulled over and temporary close the door. i managed to go back home and still with the alarm on and then re-pushed harder to make the door completely closed. that was scary because my kids were sitting in 2nd row. to address this problem. on same day, i rushed my car to toyota dealership and the representative told me that cable assembly is broken and need to replace all parts but must pay $1700 + tax because the issue was the power sliding door cable assembly although my car has very low mileage 30, 312 miles (sitting most of the time inside the garage) and still not covered by toyota warranty enhance program for rear sliding door cable. this is very frustrating and adding insult to injury, i was told that i'm not the only one had this problem.

Reported in: GLENSHAW PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C48S

SEATS

air bag light started blinking when car started and stayed blinking. brought in to dealer and comments were "open in side. squib rh circuit" and "needs pass. side front seat airbag" for $865. same issue seems true for 2007 siennas online. light stopped blinking and has not recurred.

Reported in: FLEMING ISLAND FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: FLEMING ISLAND FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

AIR BAGS

Reported in: FLEMING ISLAND FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C68S

ENGINE

while driving my vehicle it began to make a strange knocking sound as i accelerated. i had been driving around town for several hours that morning. i pulled over to inspect the engine, and saw some type of fluid on the left side of the engine and wall. i pulled the oil dipstick out and there was no oil on it at all. completely dry! i had someone bring me some oil and i drove my car up to the repair shop just a short distance away. they discovered that the oil pressure line -valve cover variable timing-on top of motor to right on passenger side had burst. part of the line is rubber and that part had ruptured and all the oil had blown out of the engine. my oil light did not come on at any time nor did my check engine light. even after i stopped it did not come on.

Reported in: PENSACOLA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C98S

POWER TRAIN

t-sb-0047-10 from safercar.gov "some vehicles equipped with 2gr-fe/fxe engine. the rubber portion of the oil supply hose for vvt-i actuator may degrade over time. this condition may cause oil to leak from the vvt-i oil hose producing abnormal engine noise and the oil pressure light to illuminate " this tsb affects toyota vehicles going back to at least 2008-present. this is a major issue, and i feel this should be handled as a recall instead of a tsb due to the severity of the issue if/when the pipe breaks. i recently elected to have my vehicle repaired on my own just so i wouldn't have to worry about this issue happening to me or my wife, and thus blowing up my sienna's engine causing thousands of dollars in damages. seems pretty bad that a recall can be issued for floor mats and accelerator issues, but no recall is issued for this issue which can drain the oil from your engine in a minute, blow up your engine, and then possibly wreck your vehicle. consumer's engines are now being destroyed, and this is showing up in different online forums. i feel that the nhtsa needs to force toyota to replace all of the defective engine oil cooler pipes with the newer metal ones that the tsb addresses. they should also be forced to reimburse all costs to those individuals that either needed to have the repair done, or decided to preventatively have the repair done on their own before those pipes burst on their own. toyota has told me that my vehicle was not affected by their limited service campaign csc-10033553-6074 but my car has seepage from the rubber portion of the hose that was diagnosed by grapevine toyota dealership yesterday. very sad situation that such a dangerous condition exists in so many toyota vehicles with the v-6 (2gr-fe) engine. please help!!!

Reported in: FORT WORTH TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C48S

TIRES

when i was driving on the highway , the tire on the right side in the back on the side of the passenger side explode and broke the pipes of the heater and the anti freeze of the air condition that were next to the wheel that exploded on the passenger side on the back wheel.

Reported in: GRAND PRAIRIE TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

note: i have two cars, two recalls and the same problem with the dealership. this complaint is in regards to fred anderson toyota raleigh's service department. i have bought 4 cars with this dealership, three of them have had manufactures defects. every time i call, including this last time for my recall they tell me that not only do they not have the parts available to fix the recall, it will take them "at least" 30 days to get the parts available for the recall. the service department is horribly run and the fact that they don't have remedies for serious safety recalls readily available or at least on quick delivery is unacceptable. also, they told me that it would take at least hours to fix the part when it finally comes in but only offer a rental car if the fix is more than $400, which of course, since this is free of charge the consumer has to figure out transportation to make up for the fact that they don't know how to make safe cars. it is my opinion that fred anderson toyota raleigh's service department would rather put its customers at risk than fix their recall so they make it as hard as possible to get the fix taken care of. i have tried to contact manager and owner of the dealership and they both ignore my calls. one would think that after buying 4 cars with their company they would have some level of care for my family's safety. they don't!

Reported in: KNIGHTDALE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

POWER TRAIN

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated there the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id 13v429000 (power train) however, the dealer refused to honor the recall for an unknown reason. the manufacturer was notified and would not authorize another dealer to service the vehicle under the recall. the contact had not experienced a failure. updated 7/25/14*cn consumers handwriting is illegible. updated 08/05/14

Reported in: WAILUKU HI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C18S

STRUCTURE:BODY

my 2008 toyota sienna has power rear sliding doors. while the driver side rear door was opening, the cable for the door mechanism snapped and would not close completely. after investigating the situation, the broken cable was jammed in the door mechanism, preventing the door from closing. as a result, the door now does not fully open, and will not hold in the open position. if parked on a hill, the door will close if not held open. looking at the cable, the plastic sheathing around the cable had many cracks causing the cable itself to rust and fail. the passenger side door cable has similar cracks but has not failed yet. i brought the vehicle to our local toyota dealer. they mentioned this cable failure was a known problem and previous model years were covered under an extended warranty program. however, the 2008 model year was not covered.

Reported in: GROVELAND MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

STEERING

2008 sienna has developed steering issue and almost lost steering control of van. problem appears to be failure of steering intermediate shaft that resulted in intermediate ability to steer vehicle. very choppy steering. this is a very common issue with toyotas. contacted toyota customer service and was informed there are tsb's for prior and post year vehicles but not for 08 sienna. toyota needs to further investigate as failure of steering component is not acceptable. tsb is not acceptable.

Reported in: GRAFTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C98S

STRUCTURE:BODY

my wife was parking our 2008 toyota sienna with our 3 young boys in the automobile. she slowly brought the vehicle to a complete stop; never using gas, just covering and tapping lightly on the brake. once the automobile came to a stop my wife pressed the brake a little more in order to put the vehicle in park. at that moment the vehicle accelerated incredible fast, jumped over an 8 inch concrete parking lot divider and crashed into a tree about 10 - 15 feet from the concrete divider. we are certain that this was a "sudden unintended acceleration" incident caused by some mechanical, electrical, programming or other defect in the '08 sienna. this was not "driver error"! my wife did not confuse the gas pedal and the brake. this was not caused by a floor mat obstructing the gas pedal. this was caused by some type of a design or component defect. how can w be so certain? my wife and i have parked in this parking spot (located in our apartment complex) hundreds of times. to park in this parking spot you first have to make a left hand turn at a stop sign. this stop sign is about 30 - 40 feet from the parking spot, which requires that you make a sharp right turn. once you press the accelerator slightly to make the left at the stop sign, you do not use the gas again. you simply tap and cover your brake until you make the right into the parking spot. our vehicle came to a stop. in fact, upon "stopping" one of our 3 boys removed his seat belt immediately before the vehicle accelerated out of control. i'm asking for assistance from someone within toyota or the nhtsa with knowledge of this flaw. my wife and kids were "fortunate". but this is a "fatal flaw" and something must be done.

Reported in: HEATHROW FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK23C08S

ENGINE

Reported in: HEATHROW FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK23C08S

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: HEATHROW FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5TDBK23C08S

STRUCTURE

dashboard melts when driven in 80 degree weather. becomes sticky and shiny. glare from shine makes it impossible to see out windshield.

Reported in: CAPE CORAL FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

STEERING

in may of 2013, i was told by rosner toyota of stafford va, that my vehicle, with less than 60,000 miles on it, would not pass a safety inspection because the rack and pinion steering system was leaking fluid. not wanting to drive an unsafe vehicle, i had no choice but to fix it. i petitioned toyota headquarters about this, and they agreed to cover $900.00 of the $1,300.00 bill. i think they should have covered the entire amount, but i ended up shelling out $300.00 for a new boot to temp fix the problem, and then the remaining $400.00 to replace the rack and pinion. now, less than 1 year from the replacement of the rack and pinion, rosner of toyota tells me that the same side of the rack and pinion is again leaking fluid and that it needs to be replaced. rosner replaced the parts, but i am concerned that this is just a temporary fix to a much bigger problem. this is the third rack and pinion for this vehicle in less than 6 years. i am concerned that this vehicle is not safe for operation. please advise and thanks.

Reported in: STAFFORD VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C08S

SERVICE BRAKES

during a recent trip to alabama from virginia, our 2008 toyota sienna suddenly accelerated while pressing the brake pedal instead of braking. both times, we were approaching moderately heavy traffic. my wife went to apply the brakes to slow the van. instead of braking and slowing the vehicle, the van went into full acceleration mode. the transmission downshifted and started applying full throttle. the first time we thought we were going crazy. the second time, both my wife and i watched as her foot applied the brakes and to our amazement, the van started accelerating again! luckily both times, my wife took her foot off the brake pedal and reapplied once the van stopped accelerating and the brakes worked then. i haven't had time to take this into the toyota dealer yet. we are still under a 30 day warranty with carmax, so i have communication out to them to see how we should handle this situation. i thought this toyota sudden acceleration story was exaggerated. now i've experienced it myself.

Reported in: POQUOSON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

ENGINE

Reported in: POQUOSON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

the automatic sliding door cable came loose, causing the door to get stuck and further damage the cable. this flaw is noted in a recall for 2004-2007 models, but we believe it should be included in the 2008 models, as well.

Reported in: GRAY GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C58S

SEAT BELTS

the front driver's seat belt became jammed and could not be released. i was 3 miles away from home and, after struggling for a while, had to drive home without wearing a seatbelt. we had to take apart the interior panel to fix the seatbelt. i have googled and apparently this is a common problem for the sienna.

Reported in: DECATUR GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C38S

VISIBILITY/WIPER

approximately six (6) months ago, i started to notice my dashboard getting sticky when the sun beats down on it. it started in a small area of the dashboard about the size of a quarter, but now appears to spreading. i have contacted the toyota dealership that i purchased the vehicle from and they claim that they have never heard of such a condition. after doing some research on the web, i found the following news segment that pointedly identifies the exact problem that i am having: http://www.wptv.com/money/consumer/toyota-dealer-calls-melting-dashboards-a-defective-product-and-wants-auto-makers-to-pay-for-repairs i am not certain what can be done, however in my opinion there should be a factory regarding on this extremely hazardous condition. please look into this matter and advise. thank you for your consideration and prompt attention to this important matter. joe falzone (561) 376-4288 joefalz@att.net

Reported in: BOCA RATON FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

the rubber portion of the oil supply hose for the wt-1 actuator failed resulting in a sudden loss of several quarts of oil. this oil was carried along the undercarriage and sprayed a fine mist of oil on the windshields of the cars behind the van. luckily this occurred close to home at a low speed. if this was on the highway it could have caused sudden reduced visibility for the drivers behind the vehicle and could have led to an accident. i am sorry but using a rubber hose on an oil line is one of the dumbest things i have heard of. fortunately for us, no one was hurt and no damage was done to the vehicle. i don't understand how this has not turned into a recall. this was a big mistake on toyota's part.

Reported in: STERLING VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C485

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the passenger�s front and rear side doors failed to unlock internally. the passenger side front and rear side doors were only able to be unlocked from the outside. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was advised that the doors electric cable failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 95,000 and the current 126,600. the vin was not available.

Reported in: WELLSBORO PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: WELLSBORO PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while traveling 25 mph, the check engine light illuminated. the steering wheel became very difficult to control and had to be towed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. the vin was not provided. the failure and current mileage were 80,000.

Reported in: MECHANISVILLE VA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

vvt-i hose broken, rapid oil loss and almost no oil left in engine when problem was spotted. oil spilled to the belts around the vvt-i hose. when turn steering wheel, noise heard. this is the same issue to the other recalls but not applicable to toyota sienna. http://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1906 i was told may cause problem turning the steering wheel, or accident. i was instructed to file the claim to your office. thanks.

Reported in: ESTERO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C58S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

airbag indicator warning light flashes continuously. jiggled wires under front passenger seat a year ago, and the warning light quit flashing for a couple months. but then it started flashing again about six months ago. a warranty enhancement notification - ztx was received from toyota a few days ago. local dealer said that diagnosis would take two hours & cost $130. read on the internet to try disconnecting the yellow wire (airbag sensor) under the front passenger seat and wait 15 seconds. tried that and the flashing light has gone off again. this yellow connector pin and wiring should be fully replaced by toyota under a full recall so that this doesn't become a recurring, regular issue for sienna owners.

Reported in: ROSEBURG OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

AIR BAGS

Reported in: ROSEBURG OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Reported in: ROSEBURG OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C28S

STEERING

my 2008 toyota sienna le was bought brand new, have it serviced at toyota dealers, on june 5th, 2014, l took the van to a dealer for a regular service l was told my steering rack was leaking and will need to have the whole steering rack replace. the van only has 57,000 + on it and serviced regularly. with the history of several recall on sienna, l believed this might be a defect from toyota. this is a safety issue which the dealer refused to acknowledge caused the van warrant has ran out even though l bought an extended warranty (cost guard) which l was told again that the cost guard warranty has expired too. i have reported this issue to toyota but nothing was done. i am appealing to your honorable office to investigate and ask toyota to treat this as a defect and safety issue. thanks for your assistance, o. ijaduola.

Reported in: PROVIDENCE RI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C78S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

dash is sticky and is producing more of a glare/reflection on my inside windshield. extremely distracting.

Reported in: WEEKI WACHEE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

SEAT BELTS

the passenger seat belt has folded over and jammed. it is not able to retract now. this is a safety hazard.

Reported in: LEES SUMMIT MO || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

upon exiting freeway in butte, mt, and slowing done for red light at bottom of ramp, heard tapping noise coming from engine. drove one block to gas station, and while pumping gas, noticed large quantity of engine oil puddling under the engine. had vehicle towed to toyota dealer, who determined that oil cooler hose had ruptured. fortunately, no apparent engine damage. after some research on sienna owners' forum, learned that this was a recurring problem on certain toyota models in certain years, including the 2008 sienna with tow package like ours, and that toyota had put out a tsb on this, but apparently had never informed owners. it took 4 days for the replacement hose to arrive, and the repair cost $520. this incident occurred while my family was far from home (silver spring, md) on a cross-country trip and thus forced them to cancel part of vacation and spend extra $$ on hotels and a rental car. but it could have been much worse - the oil could have drained while at speed on the highway, ruining the engine, stranding my family in an isolated area or causing an accident or engine fire and possible injuries. given that toyota was aware of the problem, it could have informed us so we could have had the hose replaced before it failed.

Reported in: SILVER SPRING MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22CX8S

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was unable to restart and was towed to the dealer. the dealer diagnosed that the fuel pump resister needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 62,000.

Reported in: FRAMINGHAM MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK23C08S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

while parked in my driveway and seated in the drivers' seat, i activated the rear lift-gate via the center roof console button. i exited the drivers' side door and proceeded toward the rear of the vehicle. at this time the lift-gate was still rising, and to all observance, acting normally. as i got to the rear of the vehicle the door was almost at its apex. while standing outside the vehicle, i bent down to get something out of the rear cargo area. i have done this hundreds of times with no concern because the lift-gate is designed to stay open once it reaches the top of its opening cycle. as i stood up to leave the area of the vehicle, the lift-gate came down without warning or activation on my part and hit me on my head and shoulder. i had not pulled down on the manually retraction handle on the inside of the lift-gate and no one had activated the button inside the vehicle at the console. after tending to my bleeding head and sore shoulder, i returned to the vehicle to try and duplicate the event. i am able to duplicate the event each time the lift-gate is activated. it does not matter whether the lift-gate is activated by the remote control fob, the console, or the manual lever on the door. any time the door is opened, it reaches its apex and automatically and immediately retracts down to the closed position. i contacted the dealership where i purchased the vehicle and they told me that since my warranty has ended, i would need to pay a "diagnostic fee" of $118/hour. i thought this was unfair so i contacted the manufacturer's customer relations department. i was also told that since there were not recalls on this part of this vehicle, they "could not help with the repairs." after encountering my second dead-end for assistance, i did a simple google search to see if anyone else has had this problem. hundreds have, which is why i decided to contact nhtsa. updated 08/21/14*lj

Reported in: MILLER PLACE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22CX8S

STRUCTURE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota sienna. the contact stated that nhtsa campaign number: 10v160000 (structure) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact did not experience a failure. updated 8/29/14*cn

Reported in: LAFAYETTE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C18S

AIR BAGS

airbag warning light came on without apparent cause. we took it in to toyota dealer, they said they replaced the passenger side airbag harness , but could not complete repair, airbag warning light still on. toyota still waiting for another plug to repair 2 months later. very serious issue as they said airbags will not work properly.

Reported in: MUNSTER IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C88S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

bought this vehicle used from a dealer on 5/10/2014. noticed "stickiness" on the entire top of dashboard. thought it could be cleaned or washed off. it never came off. saw in the media that this is a problem with toyota dashes-melted dashboards, sticky and can scrape surface off with your fingernail. there is a shiny glare to the dashboard.

Reported in: PORT ST LUCIE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23CX8S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the passenger side automatic door cable snapped. the car is only 6 years old. i did some research on the internet and there are widespread reports of this being a common design flaw with toyota sienna automatic doors. i called the dealership and they indicated it was $1600 to repair the cable. that is outrageous! i wrote to toyota through their customer support site inquiring about an extended warranty i read about regarding this issue, however they opted to ignore me and not respond.

Reported in: RACINE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: RACINE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

STRUCTURE:BODY

Reported in: RACINE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C08S

AIR BAGS

dash board cracked over glove box, then another crack appeared on the left side near the side window defrost vent. wonder if it would affect air bag deployment?

Reported in: LEESBURG FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C38S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

dash board cracked over glove box, then another crack appeared on the left side near the side window defrost vent. wonder if it would affect air bag deployment?

Reported in: LEESBURG FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK23C38S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

my dashboard is melting and cracking. it is sticky and impossible to clean. over the last few months, it's also cracking on the front edges, both on the driver's and passenger's side.

Reported in: TAMPA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDZK22C48S

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

the dashboard seems to be melting, is sticky and is cracked in several places.

Reported in: HOBE SOUND FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

i purchased this vehicle used from hoselton auto mall in rochester ny in august 2013.i was talked into a "toyota platinum care" bumper to bumper extended warranty.i was told this warranty was exactly the same as the new vehicle warranty but for an extended time.i was told it covered everything.i specifically asked if it covered all parts on the sliding doors, the dvd player, etc.i was told yes. in january 2014 i experienced a problem with one of the sliding doors.my local dealership said the center hinge was bad and was not covered under my warranty.i insisted that hoselton pay for the repair,they reluctantly did so.i have since had both siding doors repaired multiple times due to the lock assembly not working.the lock assembly is covered under a new special condition warranty because toyota has received so many complaints.now the other doors center hinge is bad.i was told if i don't replace the hinge that the lock assembly will keep going bad.so these are obviously related issues.this combined issue causes my doors to either be stuck open, be stuck closed, or to open while i am driving.all safety issues as i have children in the back seat.i have contacted toyota and the warranty people and neither want to assist.i want the hinge replaced at toyotas cost.this is dangerous and it is a known issue by them.they need to resolve this asap.my vehicle is unsafe to drive. i have contacted them via telephone and their email system, all with no luck with assistance.

Reported in: SYRACUSE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5TDBK22C98S

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