2002 TOYOTA SIENNA Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA WHICH I PURCHASED AS A "CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE" IN JANUARY 2008. I WASN'T INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES WERE HAVING WITH OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP. SHORTLY AFTER JANUARY 2010, I CHECKED MY OIL AND FOUND THE OIL TO BE GUMMY. I TOOK IT IN FOR A PROPER OIL CHANGE (THOUGH IT WAS UNDER THE 3000 MILE MARK FOR AN OIL CHANGE). I CHECKED THE OIL AGAIN AFTER ONLY DRIVING 100 MILES OR SO, AND FOUND THE SAME GUMMY OIL BUILD UP. I STOPPED DRIVING IT AS SOON AS I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST. I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC AT THE TIME, AS I WAS WAITING FOR MY TAX RETURN CHECK TO ARRIVE. AS SOON AS I HAD THE MONEY TO GET IT DIAGNOSED, I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE, WHICH WOULD COST $7000! MY MECHANIC TOLD ME OF THE ONGOING PROBLEMS MY TYPE OF VEHICLE WAS HAVING AND SUGGESTED I CALL THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT CENTER OF TOYOTA. BECAUSE I WAS NEVER INFORMED BY TOYOTA (I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE IN 2008, SEVERAL YEARS AFTER A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS IMPLEMENTED AGAINST TOYOTA) MY WARRANTY HAD ALREADY EXPIRED BY THE TIME I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. I FEEL MISINFORMED AND RIPPED OFF BY BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA AS A WHOLE. I STILL OWE OVER $9000 ON MY LOAN AND DO NOT HAVE A VEHICLE TO DRIVE MY FIVE CHILDREN AROUND IN SAFELY. TOYOTA IS RISKING THE LIVES AND LOYALTY OF MILLIONS OF CONSUMERS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY. THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF RUDE TO ME. I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTRY WILL DO SOMETHING TO HELP REIMBURSE BOTH MYSELF, AND THE MILLIONS OF OTHERS LIKE ME. THIS IS A CRIME AND NEEDS TO BE STOPPED! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 80,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHENEVER THE CHARCOAL CANISTER OR ANY MINOR MALFUNCTION OCCURRED IN THE VEHICLE THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS DEACTIVATED. THE TRACTION CONTROL ALSO DEACTIVATED WHEN THE FUEL CAP WAS NOT REPLACED PROPERLY ON THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DEFECT; YET, THEY REQUIRE THE CONTACT TO COME IN WHENEVER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK SINCE IT RAINS IN FLORIDA AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WHEN ACTIVATED ENGAGED ITSELF TO ASSIST WITH TRACTION. THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE CHARCOAL CANISTER VALVE. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL AND NOT A DANGER. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Mileage: 70,000

MY 2002 SIENNA WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OIL SLUDGE AT 73,000 MILES. DEALER SAYS IT CANNOT REPLACE ENGINE AT THEIR COST WITHOUT RECEIPTS TO PROVE OIL CHANGES. SINCE WE DID THE CHANGES OURSELVES WE HAVE NO RECEIPTS. *NM

Mileage: 73,000

IDLE CONTROL VALVE FAILURE. PREVENTS CAR FROM IDLING CORRECTLY. CAR WILL START AND THEN CUT OFF RIGHT AFTER YOU DRIVE OFF. POTENTIALLY CAUSING YOU TO GET HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES. THIS HAPPENED ON MY 2002 SIENNA AT 40K MILE AND CONTINUOUSLY SINCE. I KNOW OF 4 OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC HAD ABOUT 10 OR THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS IN HIS SHOP AND HE SAID THAT HE REPLACES THESE ALL THE TIME ON ALL THE TOYOTAS. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE FREMONT TOYOTA DEALER AND THE SERVICE REP SAID THE FAILURE RATE WAS SO HIGH THAT THERE WAS A NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE FOR THIS PART AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE 2 MONTHS FOR THE PART TO BE AVAILABLE. THE DUBLIN CA, TOYOTA DEALER WAS ALSO WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM OF THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE. IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ALL OPERATORS OF SIENNAS, CAMRYS, AND OTHER TOTOTA VEHICLES WITH THIS IDLE CONTROL VALVE. *NM

Mileage: 40,000

I HAVE 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CAR WAS PERFECT UNTIL AFTER 30K MILES. WE FIRST NOTICED THE CAR OCCASIONALLY HAD DIFFICULTY OF STARTING DURING WARM WEATHER OR WARM ENGINE CONDITION. THEN THE SITUATION GOT WORST, THE NO STARTING GOT MORE OFTEN. WE EVEN GOT STUCK IN THE FREEWAY AND BUSY STREET BECAUSE WE STOPPED THE CAR AND HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULTY TO GET THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. THE SITUATION COULD BE DANGEROUS IN A TRAFFIC BUSY LOCATION. I HAVE TWO FRIEND WHO HAVE SIENNA AND THEY BOTH HAD THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SIENNA. THE USUAL SYMPTOM OF THE PROBLEM: THE CAR TAKES MORE CRACKING TO START AND THEN ITS RPM IMMEDIATELY DROPS TO 400-200RPM AND THEN THE ENGINE DIES; SOME TIMES PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR WOULD HELP RAISING THE RPM AND GOT THE CAR REALLY STARTED; AT SOME OTHER TIMES, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT ALL UNTIL THE ENGINEER COOLS DOWN AND/OR THE WEATHER COOLS DOWN; TODAY, IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN AN OUTDOOR PARKING LOT. I AM STILL TRYING TO GET IT STARTED. *NM

Mileage: 39,523

PURCHASE 2002 SIENNA CE IN JUNE 2002. HAVE LEAK IN TOP RADIATOR HOSE WHERE IT JOINS THE ENGINE. LOOSES COOLANT OVER SEVERAL WEEKS. BROUGHT TO TOYOTA DEALER WHERE PURCHASED AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE HOSE. INSTALLED A NEW CLAMP. NOW 3 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM IS BACK. I BELIEVE THIS IS A BAD PART THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER IS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND.*AK

MY 2002 SIENNA HAS 26,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS A LOUD ENGINE KNOCKING WHEN ACCELERATING AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. IT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT THE LAST 6000 MILES. AT 20,000 MILES, SCOTT CLARKES TOYOTA IN CHARLOTTE TOLD ME TO USE A BETTER GRADE GASOLINE, WITH NO RESULTS. AT 24,000 MILES, THEY TOLD ME I HAVE SPARK KNOCK AND NEED TO DRIVE THE CAR AT HIGHER SPEEDS MORE OFTEN. (I DRIVE MOSTLY IN THE CITY). READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SLUDGE, I THINK THIS IS RELATED, SINCE THEY TOLD ME MY OIL WAS SLUDGEY TOO. I THINK THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED. *AK

Mileage: 20,000

TOLD BY TOYOTA DEALER THAT MY THREE YR OLD 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA WITH 47,542 MILES NEEDS A NEW ENGINE DUE TO SLUDGE/GELLING OF ENGINE OIL.*AK

Mileage: 47,542

ENGINE OIL SLUDGE FORMING IN CAMSHAFT CARRIER AND UNDER OIL FILLER CAP AFTER ONLY 35K MILES! I BOUGHT THIS SIENNA BRAND NEW FOR $32000 AND PERFORM MAINTENANCE RELIGIOUSLY, CHANGING OIL & FILTER EVERY 4000 - 5000. YET, LAST WEEK ON A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE I NOTICED BLACK GRITTY DEPOSITS CAKED UNDERNEATH THE OIL FILLER CAP! IT WAS ABOUT 2-4 MM THICK; I COULD SCRAPE IT WITH MY FINGERNAILS AND IT FELT LIKE HARDENED SUGAR. I COULD SEE THE BLACK DEPOSITS WELL INTO THE CAM CARRIER. I FOUND OUT THAT MANY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SLUDGE PROBLEM! THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW IN THE 3.0L V6 ENGINES CAUSING THE OIL TO SLUDGE; TOYOTA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE ENGINES! *LA

Mileage: 35,000

ENGINE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF AN ACCUMALATION OF SLUDGE WHICH DEVELOPED IN THE BASE OF THE MOTOR. THEN, ENGINE STALLED. THIS WAS THE THIRD ENGINE REPLACEMENT.*AK

Mileage: 30,000

OIL SLUDGE: IT TOOK SOME DOING BUT TOYOTA FINALLY DID PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE.

THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 5/28/2003 AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT FUNCTION WITH THE CURRENT ENGINE. *NLM

VEHICLE WAS BLOWING WHITE SMOKE OUT, AND WHEN YOU REMOVED THE OIL REFILL CAP THERE WAS A GEL TYPE SUBSTANCE ON IT, THE MECHANIC CALLED IT OIL GEL. TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY ARE NOT MAINTAINING THEIR AUTO, BUT WITH HER VEHICLE THIS IS NOT TRUE. *TT

TOYOTA SIENNA ENGINE FIRE. THE CONSUMER INQUIRED WHEN THE RESULTS OF THE FIRE INVESTIGATION WOULD BE PUBLISHED. *AK *JB

THE ENGINE LOCKED UP.*JB

Mileage: 50,000

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MAGIC TOYOTA IN EDMONDS WA. THE VAN HAS 20000 MILES ON IT AND IS NOW IN NEED OF A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE HAD IT SERVICED BUT APPARENTLY THE TOYOTA ENGINES HAVE AN OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP PROBLEM WHICH DESTROYS THE ENGINE IF IT OCCURS. TOYOTA IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS JUNCTURE IF THEY ARE GOING TO REPAIR THE ENGINE WHICH IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD IT SERVICED ON 11/20/02 AT MAGIC TOYOTA. FOUR WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE IS DEAD LINED WITH BLUE SMOKE, POOR COMPRESSION, AND A KNOCK. I HAVE RECENTLY READ THAT TOYOTA ENGINES FROM 2000 ON WERE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I AM ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STATE OF IDAHO AND POSSIBLY CALIFORNIA ARE FORMULATING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA IS CLAIMING THAT IT IS AN OWNER MAINTENANCE ISSUE NOT A DEFECT. I REQUEST TO FILE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT AGAINST TOYOTA IN REFERENCE TO THIS ENGINE DEFECT. THEY ARE NOT STANDING GOOD FOR IT. AN ENGINE WITH 20,000 MILES ON IT SHOULD NOT BE DEAD LINED. TS

Mileage: 21,000