2003 Toyota Sienna Transmission Problems

Sometimes when you're stopped at a traffic light, your accelerator pedal becomes hard to push down. This makes it difficult to accelerate smoothly from a stop. The issue may involve the throttle cable, pedal mechanism, or engine control system needing adjustment or replacement.

WHILE I WAS FULLY STOPPED, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA UNEXPECTEDLY AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. *TR

I HAVE OWNED 3 TOYOTA SIENNA'S. IN ALL OF THE MODELS I IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WHICH THE DEALERS TOLD ME WAS NORMAL. I THEN MADE SURE TO ADVISE ANYONE DRIVING MY CARS OF THIS ISSUE. NOW THAT YOU ARE LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT SAFETY I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. WHEN A SIENNA IS IN DRIVE AND ON A HILL WITH THE FRONT END UP AND THE BACK END DOWN. AND WHEN YOU THEN REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL IMMEDIATELY ROLE BACKWARDS. I LEARNED TO PRESS THE GAS SLOWLY AS I WAS RELEASING THE BRAKE SLOWLY TO AVOID THIS, BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. IF A PERSON WAS BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER DID NOT KNOW THIS OCCURS THEY COULD BE RUN OVER. THANKS FOR CHECKING ON THIS. *TR

DROVE VEHICLE INTO A GAS STATION TO FILL UP WITH GAS. AFTER THIS WAS COMPLETED, RESTARTED VEHICLE AND USED GEAR SHIFT TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE INSIDE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. GEAR COULD NOT BE CHANGED. CAR WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. FORTUNATELY, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AT A GAS STATION STAFFED WITH A MECHANIC. REPAIR TOOK ONE WEEK -- LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ORDER WRONG PARTS TWICE BEFORE ORDERING THE CORRECT ONES. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *TR

REAR MAIN SEAL LEAK, LARGE AMOUNT. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 4RUNNER THAT HAS A HORRIBLE CLUNKING SOUND THAT HAPPENS AT RANDOM. THE TOYOTA DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT 3 TIMES. IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR STARTING FROM A STOP. IT'S VERY ANNOYING AND NOT VERY COMFORTING. IF THE DRIVESHAFT IS SLAMMING AND MAKING THIS NOISE, I CAN'T IMAGING ANYONE THINKING THAT IS VERY SAFE. THE THING COULD BREAK AT ANY MOMENT. WHO KNOWS WHAT DAMAGE THE SLAMMING DOES TO IT! TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THIS BEFORE SOME GETS HURT FROM IT. *TR

MY VEHICLE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING A HESITATION WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. TOOK TO THE DEALER TO CHECK, AND THEY UPDATED WITH THE PATCH. CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER IS CALLING IT A "HARD SHIFT" THAT IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T DO IT THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. CAR IS ALMOST OUT OF ITS 60K WARRANTY, AND THEY INDICATE THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE TO FIX. *TR

CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 45-50 MPH. CURRENTLY AT DEALERSHIP FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION . *AK

WHILE IN PARK VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK....VEHICLE WA SIN PARK AND NOT RUNNING. CONSUMER WENT TO TURN OFF MOTOR FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE, AS CONSUMER BACKED OUT AFTER CHECKING THE GEAR SHIFT TO BE SURE IT WAS SRILL IN PARK POSITION. THE FRONT DOORKNOCKED CONSUMER DOWN WHEN HE TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE LYING ON THE GROUND THE FRONT WHEEL ON THE RIGHT LEFT SIDE OF CONSUMER. HE SUSTAINED SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS, ROAD RASH TO RIGHT LEG, BURNS ON ARMS, SIDE AND LEG. WAS HOSPITALIZED AND HAD PHYSICAL THERAPY. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOUD/SQUEAKING GRINDING NOISE IN THE REAR AXLE WAS NORMAL AND THAT IT'S A HARMONIC DISTORTION ON THE REAR AXLE. *PH *NM

2003 TOYOTA LIMITED 4-RUNNER V8- AWDFRONT-END VIBRATION PROBLEM. I FIRST PRESENTED THE VIBRATION PROBLEM TO MY DEALER THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST! THEY TRIED BALANCING THE WHEELS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THEY AGREED THE PROBLEM WAS THERE AND NOTIFIED CORPORATE. THEIR TECHNICAL STAFF HAD THEM REMOVE THE FRONT AXELS AND RETEST THE VIBRATION WHICH STARTED AT 22 MPH, WENT TO 32MPH 42, 55, AND 62MPH NOW DISAPPEARED! A WEEK LATER A TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE MET WITH ME AND MENTIONED THAT SEVERAL VEHICLES IN PHOENIX HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED IT PROBABLY WOULD TAKE ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO GET A FIX. TWO MONTHS LATER I TALKED TO THE TECH. REP. AGAIN AND HE MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINEERING GROUP HAD DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE INTERFERENCES IN THE SPIDER GEAR ASSEMBLY IN THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, THEY WERE TRYING TO CORRECT THE CONDITION WITH THRUST WASHER SHIMS AND OTHER THINGS. I HAVE PRESENTED MY CLAIM TO THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT GROUP. I HAVE CALLED THEM REGULARLY ONCE A MONTH AND HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS AT FINDING WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE IS FOR THE FIX,--ONLY TO SAY WE ARE WORKING ON IT AND YOUR DEALER WILL NOTIFY YOU. IVE SINCE HEARD FROM MY DEALER STAFF THAT THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF LEXUS GX470'S AS WELL AS 4-RUNNERS INVOLVED. IM BEGINNING TO FEEL THAT THEY HAVE SO MANY VEHICLES WITH DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLIES INVOLVED, THAT IT MAY REQUIRE SOME KIND OF MAJOR REDESIGN AND BUILD. IT MIGHT BE A LONG TIME BEFORE WE SEE A FIX! I HAUL A POP-UP TRAILER AND DOES IT MAGNIFY THE PROBLEM!*AK

PROBLEMS WITH SLIDING DOOR, TRANSMISSION. MR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *JB

CAR STALLS (GAS PEDAL DOES NOT RESPOND) WHEN TURNING INTO TRAFFIC. ALSO WHEN SLOWING TO A LOW SPEED AND THEN ACCELERATING. THIS HAS CAUSED US TO ALMOST BE HIT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE SIDE AND IN THE REAR. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR WITH TIRE MARKS LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COMES ON AND FLASHES. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF THE ACCELERATOR WILL HAPPEN. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE ALMOST EVERY TIME WE DRIVE. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN YOU START THE CAR AND BEGIN TO GO YOU HEAR DINGING SOUNDS AND FEEL AND HEAR BUMPS AND GRINDING NOISES. 2 LIGHTS COME ON IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. 1 READS VSC TRAC AND THE OTHER READS TRAC OFF. IF YOU STOP AND RESTART THE ENGINE IT WILL EVENTUALLY STOP DOING IT. SOMETIMES THIS IS AFTER 1 RESTART AND SOMETIMES IT HAS TAKEN 5 AND 6. ON DAY IT WOULD NOT STOP NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU RESTARTED AND WE HAD TO DRIVE WITH LIGHTS ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT TIMES.

UNSAFE DESIGN OF OVERDRIVE FEATURE ON TOYOTA SIENNA. EVERY TIME CAR IS PUT INTO DRIVE, IT DEFAULTS TO 'OVERDRIVE' MODE - WHICH MEANS IT IS FREE WHEELING WHENEVER DRIVER'S FOOT COMES OFF THE ACCELERATOR. NO ENGINE BRAKING!! TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE CAR ROLLS FREELY. THIS IS GROSSLY UNSAFE, PARTICULARLY IN TOWN DRIVING. TO GET ENGINE BRAKING, DRIVER MUST PUSH A BUTTON. THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND: CAR SHOULD BE DESIGNED SO IT AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDES REGULAR, SAFER ENGINE BRAKING MODE, AND THE DRIVER SHOULD HAVE TO PUSH A BUTTON TO GET INTO LESS SAFE, ECONOMY OVERDRIVE MODE. A COMPUTER CHIP RECALL WOULD PROBABLY CORRECT THIS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE!!!!!!!!