2004 Toyota Sienna Electronic Stability Control Esc Service Brakes Problems

THIS VEHICLE HAS A TRACTION CONTROL FEATURE WHICH HELPS KEEP IT FROM SKIDDING OUT OF CONTROL IN ICY, WET, OR OTHERWISE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS. IT CAN HELP AN OUT OF CONTROL VEHICLE GET BACK INTO CONTROL BY DOING A VARIETY OF THINGS, INCLUDING BRAKING. PREVIOUSLY THIS FEATURE HAD ONLY KICKED ON WHEN I WOULD SLIDE ON THE SNOW DURING A LOW SPEED TURN AND WOULD SLIDE IN THE SNOW (WHICH WAS GOOD). BUT OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO TIMES THAT THIS FEATURE HAS KICKED ON AT HIGH SPEEDS (ONCE AT 40MPH AND ONCE AT 65MPH) ON DRY ROADS, BOTH WHILE TURNING AROUND A CURVE. SUDDENLY THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS APPLIED WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND THE VEHICLE SWERVES SLIGHTLY AND DOES WHAT IT WANTS FOR A FEW SECONDS. THEN IT STOPS. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN ON AN ICY ROAD AT THOSE SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE COULD CERTAINLY SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE COULD ALSO SWERVE INTO AN ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC. I HAVE SEEN MANY FORUMS ONLINE WHERE OTHER SIENNA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND TOYOTA DEALERS SAY THEY CAN'T REPLICATE OR FIX THE ISSUE. THIS IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO BY TOYOTA TO SEE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU! *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE WITH 2004 SIENNA LE WITH 130,500 MILES. TRACTION CONTROL KICKS IN AT 45-60 MILES PER HOUR ON STRAIGHTAWAY, CLEAN PAVEMENT, NO RAIN, NO SNOW, AND BRAKES CAR AND CUTS POWER. ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENED, STEERING INTO OTHER LANES. IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND IS VERY POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE CAR REAR ENDED IF A CAR BEHIND ME IS CLOSING ON AS THE SPEED SUDDENLY SLOWS DOWN. APPARENTLY THIS IS A BIG ISSUE THAT I FOUND LOT OF OTHER SIENNA OWNERS IS SHARING FROM THE FORUM. AS FAR AS I KNOW THAT MANY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS NOT INTEND TO ACKNOWLEDGE SUCH ISSUE AND ABLE TO FIX THEM.

SUMMARY: SENSOR IN STABILITY CONTROL FAILED AND FALSELY REPORTED CRISIS SITUATION, CAUSING COMPUTER TO SEIZE CONTROL TO SLOW VEHICLE AND CHANGE COURSE. LONG VERSION: WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON CITY STREET, SUDDENLY VEHICLE SLOWED AND PULLED TO SIDE, STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT AND AUDIO ALARM ACTIVATED, HEARD GRINDING NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE ABS. CONDITION PERSISTED IF DRIVING OVER 5-10 MPH. CRAWLED TO NEARBY NON-DEALER REPAIR SHOP. DIAGNOSIS/SOLUTION: STEERING ANGLE SENSOR REPORTING WHEELS AT 250 DEGREES WHEN ACTUALLY STRAIGHT AHEAD, WOULD NOT RECALIBRATE, CIRCUIT INTEGRITY OTHERWISE GOOD, SENSOR WAS REPLACED. NO RESIDUAL PROBLEMS NOTED SO FAR SINCE THEN (ONE DAY). I HAVE THE FAILED SENSOR. THIS SENSOR PROBLEM WAS CAUSE OF A PRODUCTION CHANGE AND TSB BR008-04 IN THE FIRST YEAR. OBVIOUSLY TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS, BUT NO RECALL. OTHER ACCOUNTS EXIST ON LINE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. IT'S THE MECHANICAL EQUIVALENT OF RIDING WITH A DRIVER ON LSD WHO IS BRAKING/SWERVING TO AVOID HALLUCINATIONS. I WAS LUCKY TO BE GOING SLOWLY ON AN UNCROWDED STREET, BUT AT HIGHER SPEED OR CROWDED CONDITIONS THIS COULD BE A DISASTER. TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN TERRIBLY HELPFUL SO FAR, BUT DISCUSSION WILL CONTINUE.... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VSC AND THE TRACTION OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED CAUSING THE BRAKE TO ENGAGE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.