2004 Toyota Sienna Equipment Problems

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN AND I AM VERY DISTURBED BY THE POWER DOOR PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD SINCE DAY 1 OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE. THE SLIDING DOORS FREEZE UP ALL THE TIME IN THE WINTER. AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROX. 30-45 MINUTES THE DOOR WILL UNFREEZE & COME OPEN! I HAVE TWO CHILDREN!!! THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS BEING A NUISANCE. ALSO THE POWER DOOR CABLE SNAPPED IN TWO. I CALLED HICKORY TOYOTA & SPOKE WITH MAINTENANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THIS JUST DOES NOT HAPPEN. I SAID WELL, IN MY CASE IT DID! I WANT THIS FIXED BEFORE ONE OF MY CHILDREN GET HURT & THIS BECOMES A LAW SUIT! THIS IS MY 2ND SIENNA VAN & HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH IT. I'VE HAD THREE CAMRYS AND THEY WERE ALMOST PERFECT. WHAT IS UP SIENNA??!! MAYBE I NEED TO CONVERT TO HONDA AFTER ALL. :( *LN

WHILE I WAS TRYING TO OPEN MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA PASSENGER POWERED SLIDING DOOR THE CORD RIPPED. IT IS TOO COSTLY FOR US TO REPAIR THIS ITEM AND I CAN NOT USE THE DOOR WITH CHILDREN AS IT IS TO HARD TO OPEN FOR A MINOR.

FLOOR MAT ENTRAPMENT ON 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA LE AWD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. HE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE NUMBER 09V234000 (EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS) IN EARLY NOVEMBER. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL. HE SPECULATED THAT THE FAILURE REFERENCED IN THE RECALL CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN ACCELERATING PAST 75 MPH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 64,000.

THE AC IN OUR 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA WENT OUT IN AUGUST (VERY HOT!); WE TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. TURNS OUT THE AC COMPRESSOR AND MULTIPLE RELATED PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM. CALLED AROUND TO ENSURE FAIR PRICE- MANY SHOPS REPORTED HAVING HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL. HAD NECESSARY REPAIRS COMPLETED AT A COST OF OVER $1500. I WAS TOLD THE REPAIR ON A 2003 MODEL WAS ONLY $950 PLUS TAX, BUT SUBSEQUENT YEARS HAD MORE PROBLEMS AND REQUIRED MORE PARTS REPLACED BECAUSE OF DESIGN PROBLEMS. HAVING AC IS NOT ONLY COMFORT, BUT ALSO SAFETY- WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE WE HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEY WOULD GET QUITE HOT, SWEATY, RED-FACED, ETC. WITHOUT REAR AC IN OUR FORMER VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I'VE READ TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR AC (ALTHOUGH OWNERS WEREN'T INFORMED, AND WE ARE PAST THAT LIMIT ANYWAY); HOWEVER, IF THIS IS SUCH A HUGE PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH THE A PREVENTIVELY FIX RATHER THAN WAITING FOR OWNERS TO INCUR SUCH HUGE BILLS AND NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES COOL WHILE THEY DRIVE. THIS MAY SEEM MOSTLY COMFORT, BUT FOR THOSE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND OTHER AT-RISK POPULATIONS, AC IS ALSO VERY MUCH ABOUT SAFETY. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA THAT HAS MANUAL SLIDING REAR DOORS. I HAVE REPLACED THE HANDLES ON BOTH DOORS WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. THE LATEST ONE I REPLACED WAS THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE APPARENT REASON FOR THESE BREAKING OFF IS THE FACT THAT THE DOORS ARE JAMMING AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE DOOR. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REPLACED THE REAR PASSENGER HANDLE, IT STILL WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE...IT DOES OPEN ON "OCCASION" BUT IT IS FINICKY.. I HAVE GONE ON LINE AND NOTICED THOUSANDS OF OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS WHICH LEADS ME TO FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS SHOULD BE A "RECALL" ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY TOYOTA!! I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN THAT TRAVEL IN THIS VEHICLE AND THIS COULD BE A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE, GOD FORBID! *TR

A/C FAILURE, THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS SUB-STANDARD, VALVES, LINES, COMPRESSOR. HAVE BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 2 YEARS. NOTICED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON-LINE FOR THIS MODEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THERE WERE 30-40 YARDS BETWEEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE BRAKES GRABBED MOMENTARILY, BUT THEN BECAME "MUSHY." THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE AND CAUSED INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY, CAUSING THE PASSENGER TO STRIKE THE DASHBOARD AND SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 55,000.

MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA ONLY HAS 29,000 MILES AND THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS BEEN HARDLY USED. THE A/C SYSTEM FAILED WORKING ABOUT 3 MONTH AGO DUO TO THE CONDENSER O-RING FAILURE. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY 2004 SIENNA USERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

SIENNA 2004 XLE WITH INSTALLED HITCH, THE HEIGHT LEFT FROM GROUND TO THE LOWER PART OF THE HITCH IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAFELY LOAD ANY CARGO ABOVE 150-175 POUNDS ON YOUR REAR WITHOUT HITTING THE PAVEMENT EVERYTIME A BUMP IS ON THE ROAD, ALL IS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT BUILT TO BE USED ON A TOYOTA SIENNA, APPEARS THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE IT OR INSTALL A SAFE LEVELING AIR SYSTEM REAR SHOCKS, IS IT AVAILABLE? WELL... MORE MONEY ON AN ALREADY EXPENSIVE VEHICLE... NO THANKS. *JB

I BOUGHT 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN IN DEC. 2005 AS A USED VEHICLE WITH 28,000 MILE AND MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY STILL IN EFFECT. RIGHT FROM DAY ONE WE NOTICED THAT NAVIGATION SYSTEM THAT COSTS NEARLY $2,000 DIDN'T WORK AS EXPECTED. IT TENDS GO OFF COURSE BY SEVERAL AND SOMETIMES BY AS MUCH 30-40 MILE OFF COURSE. WE TOOK IT TO TWO DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERS AT LEAST 5 TIMES. EVERY TIME WHEN WE BRING THE CAR TO DEALER THEIR FIRST RESPONSE IS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT WITH FURTHER PRODDING THEY HAVE PUT NEW SOFTWARE AND CHANGED GPS RECEIVER (ANTENNA), BUT THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM , EVEN THOUGH BETTER THAN BEFORE, STILL GETS OFF COURSE BY MILES. MY WIFE WHO DRIVES THE CAR MOST OFF THE TIME IS AFRAID TO GET LOST IN SOME BAD SECTION OF CITY OF PHOENIX, AZ. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET PROPER REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE SYSTEM AS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO. WE HAVE HAD THE WITH ALEXANDER'S TOYOTA ONCE FOR ALMOST ONE MONTH AND IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. *JB

I THINK MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA LE HAS A PROBLEM, I CAN NOT CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE. IT'S EITHER TOO TOO HOT OR TOO TOO COLD. IT DOES IT BY ITSELF. IN THE MORNING WHEN I START THE CAR I USUALLY SET THE TEMPERATURE FOR BOTH FRONT AND REAR ALL THE WAY TO HOT POSITION. AFTER 15 OR 20 MINUTES WHEN I START DRIVING THE HOT AIR STARTS COMING FOR FRONT AND IN THE BACK IT STAY TOO COLD. THEN AFTER I REACH MY DISTANCE AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE THEN AFTER A COUPLE OF HOUR START THE VAN HEADING HOME ( TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER STILL IN THE HOT POSITION) IT STARTS TO BLOW HOT AIR BY ITSELF. EVEN IF I TRIED TO PUT THE TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER IN THE COLD POSITION IT STAY THERE BLOWING HOT AIR UNTIL I PARK THE CAR AND SHUT DOWN THE CAR AND LEAVE IT FOR A WHILE. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND HE TOLD ME EVERYTHING LOOKS OKAY AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. HE DID NOT EVEN TEST ANYTHING) HE JUST TOLD ME WATCH IT AND COME BACK AGAIN. I CHECK ON LINE THERE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THANKS. *NM

ATTENTION: SAFETY PROBLEM / DESIGN FLAW IN ORDER TO LISTEN TO THE STOCK TOYOTA DVD PLAYER THAT COMES FACTORY INSTALLED THROUGH THE VAN'S CABIN SPEAKERS, THE VOLUME OF THE STEREO MUST BE TURNED ALMOST ALL THE WAY UP TO A VOLUME OF OVER 53. THE OTHER AUDIO SOURCE (CD, RADIO, TAPE) ARE NORMALLY LISTENED TO AT A VOLUME OF ABOUT 34. WHEN THE DVD PLAYER IS STOPPED AND ANOTHER AUDIO SOURCE (CD, RADIO, TAPE) IS PLAYED , THE VOLUME LEVEL IN THE VAN INSTANTLY BECOMES DEAFENING AND STARTLING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN WHICH THE DRIVER HAS BEEN STARTLED TO THE POINT OF ALMOST LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND TEMPORARY HEARING DAMAGE OF SEVERAL OCCUPANTS HAS ALSO RESULTED. THIS DESIGN FLAW HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON TWO OCCASIONS. THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE TOYOTA FACTORY ENGINEERS AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" OPERATION AND NO CORRECTIVE ACTION BY TOYOTA HAS BEEN INDICATED. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT "NORMAL" AS A VEHICLE COLLISION OR HEARING DAMAGE SHOULD NEVER BE THE DIRECT RESULT OF CHANGING THE AUDIO SOURCE. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM T THAT SHOULD RESULT IN A EXPEDITIOUS RECALL THAT RESULTS IN THE EQUALIZATION OF THE VOLUME LEVELS FOR ALL AUDIO SOURCES (DVD, CD, RADIO, TAPE) IN THE VEHICLE.*JB

THE DVD PLAYER IN THE REAR HAS BEEN ADVERTISED TO BE FOR ALL PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEATS. IT ALSO CLEARLY HAS TWO POSITIONS TO THE SCREEN AND APPEARS TO HAVE BOTH POSITIONS SO THAT WHEN CHILDREN OF LEGAL SIZE AND AGE ARE SITTING IN THE MIDDLE AREA THEY CAN SEE THE SCREEN VS IT LOOK LIKE A NEGATIVE (PHOTO FILM). THE DVD SCREEN IN OUR NEW SIENNA DOES NOT WANT TO STAY IN THE REAR-MOST POSITION. THE SCREEN CAN NOT BE VIEWED FROM THESE MIDDLE SEATS UNLESS A PERSON IS AS TALL AS THE HEAD RESTS W/OUT THE SCREEN BEING IN THIS REAR-MOST POSITION. HENCE I DRIVE AND CONSTANTLY REMOVE MY HAND FROM THE WHEEL, CHANGE MY STATURE AND FOCUS OF DRIVING TO REPOSITION THE SCREEN BECAUSE WITH EVERY BUMP OR EXPANSION JOINT MY CHILD REQUESTS, "PUT IT BACK PLEASE." "PUT IT BACK PLEASE." "PUT IT BACK PLEASE". TOYOTA TOTES QUALITY BUT THIS IS POOR DESIGN AND IT WILL GET WORSE AS THE CAR LOOSENS FROM WEAR. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHAT WAS INTENDED FOR THE DESIGN. THE DEALER STATES THAT IT'S OPERATING NORMALLY. I ASKED FOR A TECHNICAL BULLETIN DESCRIBE THE DESIGN OF THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM. THIS HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED TO DATE. *NM

THIS IS REGARDING THE 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN. IT IS NOT A FAILURE, BUT A DESIGN FLAW THAT CAN BE CORRECTED BY REPLACING A COMPONENT OR ADDING NEW COMPONENTS. WHEN THE AUDIO ON DVDS IS PLAYED THROUGH THE AUX IN-CABIN SPEAKER SYSTEM, THE VOLUME MUST BE SET AT ABOUT 50 TO HEAR IT. THE SOUND SYSTEM DOES NOT INCLUDE A MEMORY RECALL FOR THE VOLUME OF EACH SOURCE. THE RESULT IS THAT WHEN THE DVD IS TURNED OFF, THE SOUND SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO RADIO OR CD, AT A TREMENDOUS VOLUME THAT HURTS THE EARDRUMS AND ALSO PRESENTS SERIOUS DANGER BECAUSE OF THE DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER FROM THE SUDDEN BOOMING VOLUME, AND ITS EFFECT ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, INCLUDING INFANTS. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THE VAN AND INSTALL NEW COMPONENTS-- MORE SPECIFICALLY, MEMORY COMPONENTS TO CONTROL THE VOLUME OF THE VARIOUS AUDIO SOURCES BEING ROUTED TO SPEAKERS (CD, RADIO, DVD). NOTHING AS BEEN DONE YET BY THE DEALER TO CORRECT THIS, THOUGH AN INQUIRY TO TOYOTA HQ REMAINS OUTSTANDING.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE BACKING OUT THE REAR VIEW NAVIGATOR SYSTEM FAILED TO APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD. THE POSITION OF THE CAMERA FAILED TO COME ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND RECURRED. *AK

THE DESIGN OF THE 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA DOESN'T PERMIT ADEQUATE GROUND CLEARANCE WHEN A TRAILER HITCH IS INSTALLED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS CONNECTING ANY TRAILER TO THE HITCH WILL RESULT IN LOST OF PROPER SUSPENSION CLEARANCE AND POTENTIAL LOST OF STEERING CONTROL. TOYOTA SAYS THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION TO INCREASE GROUND CLEARANCE WHEN THERE IS A LOAD ON THE TRAILER HITCH. *JB

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA LE -- THE AIR GENERATED BY THE A/C CYCLES FROM COOL/COLD TO WARM WHEN THE COMPRESSOR STOPS; THE AIR RETURNS TO COOL/COLD WHEN THE COMPRESSOR RE-ENGAGES. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL; IT MAY IN FACT BE NORMAL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL BUT IT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER AIR-CONDITIONED VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. I HAVE NEVER HAD THE AIR TEMPERATURE VARY AS MUCH DURING NORMAL OPERATION. THE DEALER SUGGESTED LEAVING THE A/C SET ON "RECIRCULATED AIR", BUT THIS CONTRADICTS THE INSTRUCTIONS FOUND IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.*AK