2000 Toyota Sienna Engine

SLUDGE BUILD UP LEADING TO CAMSHAFT FAILURE - FAST OIL LEVEL DROP. *AK

ENGINE SLUDGED AT 29,080 MILES . ALL OIL CHANGES WERE PERFORMED AS REQUIRED PER WARRANTY MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT. AN ENTIRE ENGINE OVERHAUL IS NOW REQUIRED.*AK

ENGINE SLUDGE @ 25000, OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000-5000 MILES, TOYOTA NOT HONORING WARRANTY, CONTACTED ATTORNEY.*AK

A KNOCKING SOUND CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

ENGINE HAS FAILED DUE TO OIL LEAKING AT PISTON RINGS/SLUDGE. TOYOTA CLAIMING IMPROPER MAINTENANCE. HAVE MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR OIL CHANGES AT INTERVALS BETTER THAN RECOMMENDED. TOYOTA CLAIMS DENIED BECAUSE SERVICE NOT PERFORMED AT TOYOTA. ESTIMATE FROM DEALER FOR REPAIR IS $8,300. THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME OTHER PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE BUT THEY WON'T INVESTIGATE FURTHER DUE TO SLUDGE EVEN THOUGH I CAN PROVE PROPER MAINTENANCE.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ANOTHER SIENNA SLUDGE VICTIM. TOYOTA ANSWERS REHEARSED. DID NOT EVEN QUESTION OWNER ABOUT MAINTENANCE HISTORY; THEREFORE, OBVIOUSLY IRRELEVANT TO THEM. CONTACTING ATTORNEY TO INQUIRE ABOUT CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WHITE SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE TAILPIPE WHEN THE ENGINE IS STARTED. TOYOTA DEALER SAYS THAT THE RINGS ARE BAD DUE TO SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. THEY, AND TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE, SAY THAT THE SLUDGE IS DUE TO NEGLIGENT MAINTENANCE. HOWEVER, OIL CHANGES WERE MADE AT THE PROPER INTERVALS ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE DEALER SAYS THAT REPAIRS WILL COST BETWEEN $2300 AND $5700 AND THAT THE WARRANTY IS VOIDED BY THE PRESENCE OF SLUDGE. I TRIED, UNSUCCESSFULLY, TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THIS LEVEL OF SLUDGE BUILD-UP WAS NOT REASONABLE FOR AN ENGINE OF THIS AGE. I'M AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO TO GET TOYOTA TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. THIS SEEMS LIKE FRAUD TO ME. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NHTSA CAN DO? GIVEN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINT THAT I'VE SEEN ON THIS SITE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, I THINK SOME GOVERNMENTAL PRESSURE WOULD HELP TO GET TOYOTA TO DO THE RIGHT THING.*AK

CONSUMER WAS PULLING UP IN DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE. SHE TOOK IT TO GAS STATION, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT OIL WAS LESS THAN THREE QUARTS LOW. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST AT START UP, VEHICLE WAS USING 6-7 QUARTS OF OIL IN A 10 WEEK PERIOD. DEALER DETERMINED THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILD UP IN ENGINE, AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK *SLC

I BELIEVE ENGINE SLUDGE COMPLAINTS ARE FICTICIOUS.*AK

THE ENGINE PRODUCE CLOUDS OF GREY/WHITE SMOKE FOR 5 TO 10 SECONDS AFTER A COLD START UP. UPON CHECKING, FOUND THE ENGINE OIL 1.5 TO 2 QUARTS LOW. ADDED OIL AND DROVE VEHICLE FOR A FEW DAYS WITH SIMILAR SYMPTOMS - SMOKE AFTER COLD START OF AFTER BEING PARKED FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS. ON 7/3/01 BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER LOOKED UNDER ONLY ONE CAMSHAFT COVER, FOUND EVIDENCE OF SLUDGE AND - EVEN THOUGH I HAD RECEIPTS AND PROOF OF THREE PRIR OIL & FILTER CHANGES AT 5800, 11000, AND 16595 MILES - DECLARED MY ENGINE WARRANTY NULL & VOID AND MADE NO OTHER ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO GET TOYOATA TO HONOR MY WARRANTY AND TO HAVE ANOTHER DEALER OR MECHANIC DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, RESEARCH ON THE WEB INDICATES THAT TOYOTA IS STONEWALLING MANY CUSTOMER LIKE MYSELF.

UPON STARTING UP AND NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE, SMOKE WILL COME FROM EXHAUST. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THERE WAS OIL ALL OVER AND THROUGHOUT ENGINE, CAUSING SMOKE. FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE VOIDED WARRANTY, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REPAIRS WERE AT HER EXPENSE, APPROXIMATELY $5000.00. *AK *SLC

ENGINE HAD SLUDGE BUILD UP THAT CLOGGED ENGINE AND CAUSED IT TO FAIL. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF EXHAUST. NOTHING LIT UP ON DASHBOARD, INDICATING A PROBLEM. CONSUEMR WENT ON A 300 MILE TRIP AND HAD TO ADD 21/2 QUARTS OF OIL. DEALER STATED THE ONLY WAY IT COULD HAVE GOTTEN LIKE THAT WAS BY NOT HAVING OIL CHANGES. CONSUMER HAS RECEIPTS FOR OIL ADDED TO VEHICLE. *AK

THE ENGINE SLUDGED AT 23,000 MILES.

I TOOK MY NEW TOYOTA SIENNA TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS SMOKING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE IN IT AND TOYOTA WAS DENYING ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS. HOW DOES A BRAND NEW ENGINE GET SLUDGE IN IT? THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR INSTANCES REPORTED ON VARIOUS SITES ON THE INTERNET. THE PATTERN IS SIMILAR - LOW MILEAGE TOYOTA VEHCLES (ESPECIALLY SIENNAS) SUDDENLY SMOKING AND HAVING SLUDGE IN THEIR ENGINES, DEPSITE PROPER MAINTENANCE AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES. THERE CLEARLY IS A COVERUP HERE BY TOYOTA. THEY ARE DECLINING WARRANTY CLAIMS RATHER THAN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.*AK

HAVE BEEN TOLD I HAVE SLUDGE BUILD UP IN MY ENGINE DUE TO LACK OF MAINTANANCE. I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR 3 OIL CHANGES IN THE FIRST 19000 MILES, BUT THEY THEN TELL ME IT MUST HAVE BEEN INFERIOR OIL. HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE NATION WIDE, AND TOYOTA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND ITS WARRANTY. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CAUSED SOLELY DUE TO A LACK OF MAINTANANCE TO ALL THE PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. TOYOTA WANTS TO REBUILD THE ENGINE ON A ONE YEAR OLD VAN WITH 19000 MILES FOR $2200, THOUGH IT WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED. WILL NOT ACCEPT RECEIPTS FOR SERVICE DONE AS PROOF OF MAINTANANCE. WHAT ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE TO ENSURE PROOF?*AK

THE VEHICLE CRANKS BUT DOES NOT START, THE VEHICLE CONSUMES EXCESSIVE OIL DUE TO TO THE ENGINE BEING SLUDGED AND THE RINGS WERE BAD, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED, AND WOULD COULD $6000 BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS CONSIDERED TO BE INVALID DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE.*YH

WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON MY VAN, THICK GREY SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE BACK AT STARTUP. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED (NOT THE DEALER). IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, ESPECIALLY IF IT LOST OIL (WHICH IT DID). THE DEALER FOUND EXCESSIVE SLUDGE BUILD UP. THEY SAID THEY HAD TO CLEAN SLUDGE FROM THE CYLINDER HEADS AND CAMSHAFTS, AND REPLACE THE VALVE COVERS, STEM SEALS AND RELATED GASKETS AND THE R&R ENGINE OIL PAN. THEY ALSO SAID THEY CLEANED THE SLUDGE FROM THE PAN OIL PUMP AND PICK UP SCREEN, AND THE CAM CAPS WERE SCORED DUE TO LACK OF OIL LUBRICATION. THE ONSITE SERVICE MANAGER (WHO SUPPOSEDLY SPOKE TO THE REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER) SAID THE SLUDGE BUILD UP WAS OUR FAULT AND REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. WE PAID $2670.82 FOR THE REPAIRS. I'VE HAD THE CAR BACK LESS THAN A WEEK, BUT SO FAR NO MORE PROBLEMS. I FEEL THAT A CAR WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF TOYOTAS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. EVEN THE TOYOTA PEOPLE IMPLIED THEY'VE SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM OFTEN.

SEVERAL T/C DEFECTS ON THE 2000 TOYOTA SIENNAS... WHY ARENT THEY NOT BEING RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER?

VEHICLE MADE LOUD NOISE WHEN ENGINE RUNS WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A HARDENED BELT. DEALER REPLACED BELT WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED THE PULLEY SYSTEM WHICH MADE MOST OF THE NOISE GO AWAY, BUT A SLIGHT BELT LIKE WHISLE CAN STILL BE HEARD.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN SIENNAS MANUFACTURED IN JUNE/JULY 2000. IT HAS TAKEN SEVERAL WEEKS FOR THE PART TO COME IN. I AM TOLD A TRANSMISSION SOLENOID NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY'RE REALLY NOT SURE. TOYOTA SERVICE AND DEALERSHIP RESPONSE HAS BEEN POOR.

WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PART(S) BECAUSE EVERY SIENNA HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.

I TOOK MY NEW VAN 6 TIMES TO 2 DEALERS TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED BUT THEY COULD NOT. I FILED A CASE WITH TOYOTA'S ARBITRATION PROGRAM NCDS (CASE#1200092) DECLARING MY VEHICLE AS A LEMON AND ASKING TOYOTA TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE. NCDS DENIED MY REQUEST ON ABSURD GROUNDS. TOYOTA CLAIMED IN DEFENSE THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE CONTRADICTING THE OWNER'S MANNUAL ITSELF. THE MANUAL WARNS OWNER NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNDER THE CONDITIONS MY VEHICLE WAS IN TO PREVENT PERSONAL INJURY AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER GETTING FRUSTRATED WITH NCDS AND MY NEW $30,000 VAN OUT OF SERVICE FOR MORE THAN 3 MONTHS, I FINALLY HAD A THIRD DEALER FIX THE PROBLEM. AMERICAN CONSUMERS DO NOT HAVE TO COMPROMISE SAFETY AND UNDERGO SUCH A PAIN FOR MANUFACTURER'S OR DEALERS' MISTAKES. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

ON JULY 22ND I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 4 YOUNG CHILDREN WHEN VERY SUDDENLY I ALMOST BLACKED OUT. I WAS ABLE TO CALL 911 AND PULLED OVER SAFELY. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE BLOOD TESTS SHOWED NOTHING OBVIOUSLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE EXTREME LIGHTHEADEDNESS AND DISORIENTATION I EXPERIENCED. ON MY 3RD TRIP I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE AND CONCLUDED IT WAS MY MINIVAN.IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND A TEST DRIVE LEFT 3 MECHANICS WITH SIMILAR EFFECTS.THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND CO2 AND FREON READINGS WERE NEGATIVE.THEY STEAM CLEANED THE ENGINE AND STATED THE PROBLEM WAS NO LONGER PRESENT.HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT GONE AWAY AND OUR FAMILY CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE VOMITING, HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, LIGHTHEADEDNESS AND DISORIENTATION WHENEVER TRAVELING IN THE VAN.WE CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THE VAN FOR FEAR OF HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES.WE BELIEVE THIS VAN IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS.