2002 TOYOTA SIENNA Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN A SMALL INCLINE AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE POST. A SMALL CHILD WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MAITA TOYOTA (2500 AUBURN BLVD, SACRAMENTO, CA). THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED A MECHANISM FAILURE, BUT THE EXACT CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,200.

Mileage: 136,200

I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ONTO THE ROAD. I SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE TYPICAL ACCELERATION. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL COMPLETELY. THEN I PUT MY FOOT BACK ON THE GAS PEDAL AND PUSHED DOWN HARDER THAN NORMAL TO SEE IF I GOT A RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV. THEN I HAD TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD. EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE ENGINE CONTINUE TO REV AND THE CAR WAS STILL MOVING FORWARD. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND WITH MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL THE ENGINE CONTINUE TO REV. I THEN DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT BRIEFLY AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF AND THE ENGINE STOPPED REVVING AT THIS POINT. I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT AFTER THAT POINT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS REVVING MY LEFT FOOT WAS NOT TOUCHING OR NEAR THE GAS PEDAL. THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT IN THE WAY. AND MY RIGHT FOOT WAS FREE AND UNENCUMBERED. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AROUND ME SO I WAS ABLE TO FULLY CONCENTRATE ON THE ISSUE AND DID NOT HIT ANYONE OR ANYTHING. *TR

Mileage: 122,727

OUR 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA HAD THE GEAR SHIFT REPAIRED AT A MAJOR ATLANTA AREA TOYOTA DEALER ON MAY 5, 2014. THE GEAR SHIFT REPLACEMENT REQUIRED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO BE DISASSEMBLED. ABOUT ONE WEEK AFTER THAT REPAIR, THE STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED. THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF THE WHEELS. BY SHEER LUCK THIS STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT AFTER JUST TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. HAD THIS STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN FATAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE SAME MAJOR ATLANTA AREA TOYOTA DEALER AND THE CAUSE OF THE STEERING FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED AS "STEERING JOINT BOLT BACKED OFF FROM CONNECTION". I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY ONE BOLT COMING LOOSE. THE STEERING FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY "RE-TIGHTENED' BOLT WITH LOCK TIGHT". IN SUMMARY, THE REPAIR OF A GEAR SHIFT BY A CERTIFIED TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE CENTER RESULTED IN COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE DUE TO ONE BOLT THAT "BACKED OFF FROM CONNECTION" OR THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED OR SECURED. IT IS VERY CONCERNING THAT TOYOTA?S STEERING COLUMN DESIGN HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE WHEN ONE BOLT COMES LOOSE. IT IS ALSO A MAJOR ISSUE THAT A CERTIFIED TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE CENTER IS UNABLE TO SAFELY DISSEMBLE AND REASSEMBLE THE STEERING COLUMN AND PROVIDE A SAFE AND DRIVABLE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW OFTEN THIS TYPE OF STEERING FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON THIS AND SIMILARLY DESIGNED TOYOTA VEHICLES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY CRASHES, SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS HAVE RESULTED FROM THIS ISSUE. THIS CERTAINLY CAN?T BE THE ONLY OCCURRENCE. I FEEL IT IS IMPERATIVE TO ALERT OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTERS OF THE SITUATION OR ISSUE A RECALL TO ENSURE THAT THE STEERING JOINT BOLT IS SECURE. VIDEO CAN BE SEEN AT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=6XB-CPKR4HY UPDATED 1/9/2015 *JS

Mileage: 168,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK AND DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

ON AUGUST 15, 2010 WITH THE 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA IN PARK AND WITH NO KEY IN THE STEERING WHEEL A TWO YEAR OLD WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE GEAR SHIFT FROM PARK ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN TO MOVE BACKWARDS. SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE CLOSE BY AND WERE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS BACKING UP. ADULTS THEN CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND IN FACT WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE SHIFTER FROM PARK INTO GEAR (WITHOUT THE KEY IN ITS IGNITION). ON AUGUST 16 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED -"CUSTOMER STATES THE SHIFTER COMES OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. CONFIRMED CUSTOMER CONCERN. FOUND SHIFTER CABLE WORN AND IN NEED OF ADJUSTMENT." *TR

Mileage: 130,181

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE SHIFTER LEVER BROKE. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO COMPLETELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS RESIDENCE WHILE IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT THEN REMOVED THE STEERING COLUMN IN ORDER TO MOVE THE SHIFTER TO NEUTRAL. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THE FAILURE OCCURRING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

Mileage: 78,000

THE AUTOMATIC DOOR ON OUR 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA DOES NOT WORK. THE CABLE BROKE WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS GETTING IN THE CAR. LUCKILY, SHE WAS NOT INJURED. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. WHEN SHE STOPPED AND TRIED TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE, THE GEARSHIFT BROKE. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE METAL PARTS INTO WHICH THE GEAR SHAFT INSERTS HAD BROKEN CLEAN IN HALF. NEITHER THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP NOR THE MECHANIC HAD EVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THEY CLAIMED. NEVERTHELESS, TOYOTA DID NOT DEEM THIS TO BE A DEFECT AND WE HAD TO PAY CLOSE TO $800 TO HAVE IT FIXED. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A STEEPER HILL OR HAD MY WIFE BEEN PULLING OUT INTO A BUSY STREET, AN ACCIDENT MOST DEFINITELY COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE KEPT THE PARTS WHICH I BELIEVE WERE FAULTY/DEFECTIVE. THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED WERE A TILT STEERING SUPPORT, A STEERING TUBE SUB-ASSEMBLY, A SHAFT SUB-ASSEMBLY AND A TILT STEERING BOLT. *TR

Mileage: 65,692

I HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HELP ME OUT. MY SIENNA HAS 61022 MILEAGES ON IT AND WE BABY THIS CAR TO THE 'T'. ON FEBRUARY 11, 2008, I HAD JUST STARTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE FROM 'P' TO 'D' WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER BROKE. NO FORCE WAS USED AND WE ALWAYS PULL BACK THE SHIFTER AND CHANGE GEARS WITH MINIMAL FORCE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME WHERE THE ALUMINUM BRACKETS BROKE IN THREE PLACES. I WAS IN SHOCK THAT THE DESIGN AND MATERIAL WAS NOT MADE ENGINEERED TO LAST. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THE MATERIAL IS MADE OF ALUMINUM AND HE JUST REPLACED ONE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THIS IS NOT A SINGLE CASE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THEIR SIENNA WORLDWIDE? NORMALLY, THE PART SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I START TO WONDER IF THIS IS A DEFECT BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING ON LOTS OF SIENNAS. ALSO THIS REPAIR IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. IT COST ME $834.69.00 US DOLLAR. (PARTS $166.16, LABOR $655.65) PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS COMMON AND IF TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TAKE A FULL RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS KIND OF MATTER AND CONSIDER THIS AS A DEFECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 61,022

OBSERVED SLIPPING DURING FULL STOPS, ENGINE DIED SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE THE ACTUAL TOTAL FAILURE OF PARTS INVOLVED, LOSS OF FORWARD MOTION OR SPEED PICK-UP, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED (TOYOTA ISSUED AN AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTICE INVOLVING 1998-2000 SIENNAS BUT APPARENTLY THE COMPANY ALREADY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM TO OCCUR). *NM

Mileage: 81,443

A 3 YEAR OLD MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CHILD EASILY MOVED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE GEAR SHIFT BUTTON. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *LA

WHILE STOPPED IN "DRIVE" WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE OCCATIONALLY ATTEMPTS TO SURGE FORWARD.

I HAD BOUGHT MY VAN MAY 2,2003 WITH ABOUT 19,000 MILES. ON OCTOBER 7, WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. WHEN I PULLED INTO A PARKING STALL, PASSERBYERS WERE YELLING THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. AN INDEPENDENT ARSON INVESTIGATOR SAID HE FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE ENGINE, AND THAT IT HAD PROBABLY BEEN LEAKING SINCE I PURCHASED MY VAN. *LA

Mileage: 24,000