2004 Toyota Sienna Steering

While driving typically around 35 mph and either left or right turn the vehicle traction control engages and the van brakes and steering is affected. The roads have always been dry and in each instance the speed of the van was at or below the speed limit - traction was never lost and yet the traction control engaged as if we were in a skid. This occurred at least 12 times while driving to and from a day trip in the mountains (windy road). It has also happened multiple times at around 50 mph while turning left on a nearby flat freeway. An independent service shop has not been able to replicate the problem. The safety of the driver and passengers were at risk when it occurred on the freeway as a driver behind us got close to rear ending the van while it was in its brake mode.

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. AFTER HAVING IT FOR A BIT WE LEARNED OF THE PROBLEM. YOU WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (DRY, SUNNY DAY) AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL START BEEPING, THE TRACTION CONTROL WILL KICK IN AND START PRESSURE BRAKING THE CAR. THE CAR THINKS IT PULLING YOU OUT OF A SKID, SO YOU HAVE TO STRONGLY HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL. IT'S TERRIFYING! I FEEL LIKE THE CAR IS GOING TO PULL ME OFF THE ROAD. I WON'T DRIVE THE CAR IN RAIN BECAUSE OF THIS AND HONESTLY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE EVEN DRIVING IT MOST THE TIME. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND IT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA - THEY HAVE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BR008-04 (ABS& TRACTION CONTROL INTERMEDIATE VSC SYSTEM), WHICH SHOWS THEY HAVE REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PART. HOWEVER SINCE THE CAR IS OLD, THEY WON'T REPLACE IT ANYMORE. IT IS THE COMPANIES DEFECT PART! HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN INTO ACCIDENTS AND/ OR DIED FROM THIS? AND JUST TO SAY IT - THE 2004 VERSION DOESN'T HAVE A WAY TO MANUALLY JUST TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL. WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING! I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGREED THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT SAID THEY WON'T FIX IT FOR FREE - THEY WANTED $800. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME THEY DON'T CARE IF PEOPLE DIE FROM THIS, BECAUSE THE CAR IS OLD AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY AFTER A CERTAIN AGE OF THE CAR. WE HAVE 3 KIDS AND THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER! MY WHOLE FAMILY HAS TOYOTA VEHICLES AND IF THEY DON'T MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS RIGHT, WE WILL NOT BE ANYMORE! THE CAR IS NEW TO US AND IS FRANKLY UNSAFE. THIS IS TOYOTA'S FAULTY PART. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL MESSAGE BOARDS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. HOW CAN A DEADLY ISSUE EXPIRE?

STEERING PROBLEM SOMETIME IT'S HARD TO STEER IT'S DRAGGING IT'S TOO DANGEROUS.I ALMOST GOT AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE STEERING DIDN'T REACT WHEN I'M CHANGING LANES

BEGINNING IN WINTER OF 2014, MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SQUEAK WHEN I TURNED IT AND SEEMED HARDER TO TURN. MY STEERING WHEEL DID THE SAME THING THIS PAST WINTER,2015. NOTICED SQUEAKING AND MORE DIFFICULTY TURNING WHEN JUST BEGINNING TO BACK OUT AND BEGINNING TO DRIVE FORWARD AND FOR A FEW BLOCKS AFTER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH THROUGH WATER, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THROUGH STANDING WATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 140,000.

SEE ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION EA08024; SHOULD BE RE-OPENED!!

MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA HAVE A NOISY STEERING AND STIFF STEERING IN COLD WEATHER WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A HIGHWAY ONTO A SIDE STREET; MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE AND HUB CAP SCRAPED THE CURB WHEN THE STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME STIFF, MAKING THE TURN DIFFICULT. THE STEERING FLUID LEVEL WAS CHECKED AND WAS WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE; WE TOPPED IT OFF ANYWAY, IN CASE THAT WAS AN ISSUE. *TR

IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION WHILE DRIVING, IT PULLS BACK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION IN A JERKING MOTION. I HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTLY AT EVERY TURN AND ANTICIPATE THE JERKING OF THE WHEEL SO I DO NOT CROSS OVER TO THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD OR OFF THE ROAD. I TOOK MY VAN TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AT MY LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE UNIVERSAL SHAFT WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED FULLY REPLACED. BOTH JOINTS WERE RUSTED AND STIFF WHICH IS CAUSING THE ERRATIC MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING DURING TURNS. *TR

I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT MY 04 SIENNA IS VERY HAD TO STEER, IT SEEMS THAT STEERING IS GETTING STUCK IF I TRY TO CHANGE LANE I HAVE TO PULL STEERING. *TR

I TOOK MY 2004 SIENNA IN FOR TWO RECALLS TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP LAST SATURDAY. UPON DOING THEIR STANDARD INSPECTION ON THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME OF A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH A CORRODED UNIVERSAL JOINT ON THE STEERING SHAFT THAT COULD SEIZE. I DECLINED THIS SERVICE AND AM INVESTIGATING WHAT TO DO. I CAME ACROSS TOYOTA TSB ST001-07 THAT STATES 'IN AREAS WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED DURING WINTER MONTHS, SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, WHICH MAY GRADUALLY BECOME MORE NOTICEABLE OVER TIME'. THIS DESCRIBES MY SIENNA'S OPERATION FOR PAST WINTERS, BUT I NEVER GAVE IT MUCH THOUGHT. WHAT TROUBLES ME IS THAT THE SERVICE ADVISER INSISTED I REPLACE THE SHAFT RIGHT AWAY, WHEREAS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE08041 STATES THAT 'TOYOTA HAS NOT DETERMINED THAT A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM OF THE TOYOTA SIENNA VEHICLES AND PROVIDED TEST DATA SHOWING THAT THE EFFECT ON THE STEERING EFFORT IS MINIMAL, EVEN FOR PARTS WITH RELATIVELY SEVERE CORROSION.' AS AN INTERIM SOLUTION, I WILL SPRAY THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WITH A PENETRANT, A RECOMMENDATION I READ ONLINE. *TR

THE STEERING ON MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. THE STEERING WAS BINDING, REQUIRING AN INCREASED EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FROM NEUTRAL OR RETURN TO NEUTRAL AFTER TURNING. I CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID. IT WAS FINE. I LOOKED UP THE ISSUE AND REALIZED THAT THIS HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. IT IS BINDING/LOCKING BECAUSE OF THE CORROSION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT. *TR

WHILE MAKING A U-TURN THE STEERING DID NOT RECOVER TO STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION. THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT WAS BINDING. THE VEHICLE KEPT TURNING, LEAVING THE ROAD SURFACE, ALMOST STRIKING A STONE WALL. NOTHING WAS HIT. MORE EFFORT THAN NORMAL WAS NEEDED TO CORRECT THE STEERING. AIR TEMP. APPROX. 20F. ONCE HOME I INSPECTED THE TIRES, POWER STEERING FLUID, POWER STEERING BELT, ALIGNMENT, LEAKS. ALL WERE NORMAL. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THE TSB FILE ON THE STEERING SHAFT KNUCKLE (U-JOINT) CORROSION PROBLEMS. I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE STEERING SHAFT AND KNUCKLE CORRODED. I LIBERALLY SPRAYED THE KNUCKLE AND SHAFT WITH WD-40 WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *TR

THIS IS MOST LIKELY A KNOWN PROBLEM. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO GET IT FIXED, AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIME, INCLUDING A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. PROBLEM: VERY UNPREDICTABLE TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM WHICH IS GETTING WORSE. WHETHER DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, GOING AROUND A CURVE, OR JUST DRIVING ON SLOWER CITY ROADS, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND SENSOR WILL GO OFF - FREQUENTLY LOCKING UP THE STEERING, BREAKING, AND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS OFTEN CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, AND IT HAS EVEN CAUSED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE. THE ONLY WAY I HAVE FOUND TO MANAGE THIS IS TO COAST UNTIL IT CLEARS OUT. I AM FEARFUL EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. I FEEL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I AM INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY IF THE ROADS HAPPEN TO BE WET OR ICY. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, AND I HAVE FILED A CASE WITH TOYOTA. BACK ON 6-26-14 WHEN I FIRST CONTACTED TOYOTA AFTER NOTHING SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THERE WERE NO REPORTED PROBLEMS FROM DEALERSHIPS. I JUST SPOKE WITH THEM AGAIN WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS OR NEW INFORMATION. *TR

STEERING IN MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA IS VERY TIGHT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. THE PROBLEM APPEARED LAST SPRING, WHILE IT WAS STILL COLD OUTSIDE. STEERING IMPROVED DURING THE WARM SUMMER MONTHS. NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS COOL AGAIN, THE STEERING PROBLEM HAS RETURNED, BUT WORSE. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS CHANGED, WITHOUT HELP. DIFFERENT AUTO SHOPS, INCLUDING MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, HAVE OFFERED VASTLY DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF WHAT IS WRONG. THE DEALERSHIP FIRST WANTED TO REPLACE A 'LEAKING' POWER STEERING FLUID HOSE, DESPITE A NORMAL FLUID LEVEL. THEN THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED IT'S THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE JOINT (U JOINT). AN EXPERIENCED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAYS THE INTERMEDIATE JOINT IS FINE, BUT IT'S THE RACK AND PINION THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ONLINE FORUMS HAVE OFFERED VARIOUS ADVICE, INCLUDING THE AFOREMENTIONED FIXES, AMONG OTHERS, INCLUDING JUST LUBING THE U JOINT. IN OTHER WORDS, NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITH CERTAINTY. I'VE READ ON VARIOUS FORUMS THAT OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA OWNERS WITH THE SAME MODEL YEAR HAVE HAD IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT TIGHT STEERING WHEN COLD, BUT TOYOTA CONSIDERS THE PROBLEM 'CLOSED'. NOW I'M FACED WITH SPENDING OVER $1000 TO FIX A STEERING PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED LONG AGO. EVEN THEN, I CAN'T EVEN BE CONFIDENT THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED, GIVEN CURRENT LACK OF CONSENSUS AMONG EXPERIENCED MECHANICS. I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD WHO RIDES WITH ME DAILY, SO THIS STEERING PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! CLEARLY THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE POWER STEERING FOR MY MODEL YEAR. POOR STEERING IN MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROMPT NHTSA INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE (WHICH HAS AFFECTED MANY SIENNA OWNERS), AND A RECALL BASED ON THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT!! *TR

INTERMITTENT HARD STEERING. WILL BE DRIVING AROUND EVEN SLIGHT CORNER WILL BE FINE THEN STEER HARD AND BE FINE AGAIN AROUND SAME CORNER. OR, WILL STEER VERY HARD AROUND ONE CORNER THEN STEER OK AROUND THE NEXT. *TR

THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AT TIMES. IT WAS ALMOST LIKE LOSING YOUR POWER STEERING FROM TIME TO TIME. INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *JS

THIS HAPPENED ABOUT LATE 2006 TO EARLY 2007. I FIRST OBSERVED THAT ONCE IN A WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WAS STIFF AND THE WHEEL WILL NOT TURN BACK TO ITS NEUTRAL POSITION, AND THE CAR WILL OVER STEER. IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING AND YOU COULD HEAR SOME SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING. SINCE AT FIRST IT HAPPENS ON AND OFF DURING TURNING, EVERYTIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID WAS NOTHING WRONG, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THAT TIME.. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE INCIDENCE AND THE STEERING AT TURN WAS GETTING HARDER AND THERE WAS AND INCREASE IN OVER STEER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GO SLOWER THAN USUAL TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES. BY THAT TIME I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT WAS SOME RUSTING AND CORROSION AT THE STEERING SHAFT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AND BY THEN THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. *TR

STEERING BECAME VERY JERKY AND TIGHT WHILE DRIVING VAN WITH FAMILY. PROBLEM GOT WORSE OVER THE COURSE OF 2 DAYS AND I HAD TO STOP DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT BECAME DANGEROUS. MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS PROBLEM STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA . THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE BRAKES STARTED TO ENGAGE. THERE WAS A BEEPING SOUND AS THE TRACTION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TEN TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

OUR 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTY STEERING WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR KIDS TO AN EVENT IN OCTOBER 2013. SHE STATED THE STEERING FELT "LUMPY" OR INTERMITTENTLY DIFFICULT. THE EFFECT WAS MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN THE CAR WAS COLD, BUT IMPROVED SOMEWHAT WHEN WARMED UP. NOW IN DECEMBER, THE STEERING PROBLEM IS SUCH SHE WILL NOT DRIVE THE VAN ANYMORE FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE VAN WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC AND POSED A DANGER TO MY WIFE AND OTHER VEHICLES. I DROVE THE VAN AND CONFIRMED THIS PROBLEM AND DO NOT WANT HER DRIVING THE VAN EITHER, AS THE STEERING WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME AND KEEPING THE VEHICLE IN THE TRAFFIC LANE WAS HARD TO DO AT TIMES. RESEARCH ON LINE INDICATES THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW EXCEPT HAVE THE STEERING COMPONENT REPLACED SO VAN IS DRIVABLE AGAIN. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE (2004 TOYOTA SIENNA), IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK, AND NOT ALLOW YOU TO TURN EITHER DIRECTION FOR MULTIPLE MOMENTS. AFTER TAKING IT TO TOYOTA ABOUT 3-4 TIMES (ABOUT DEC 2009), THEY FINALLY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A SYSTEM FAILURE IN A SELF CONTAINED UNIT, THAT WOULD PREVENT YOU FROM SEEING IT IN THE FORM OF LOW POWER STEERING FLUID, ETC. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS REPAIRED AND CONSIDERED TO BE UNDER WARRANTY. IN THE PAST MONTH OR SO, THIS BEING MIDDLE OF JAN 2014, THE STEERING HAS BEEN HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE TIME PRIOR TO MY DROP OFF YESTERDAY, THEY STATED THAT IT INVOLVED THE "RESERVOIR" AND INSTALLED A NEW ONE. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF HAVING IT, THE ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY. I CAN RECALL THAT IN THE FIRST REPAIR (ABOUT 2009) AND THE CURRENT REPAIR, THE ISSUE SEEMED MORE PREVALENT WHEN THE WEATHER WAS COLD AND RAINY. GIVEN THAT I JUST DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF YESTERDAY, THIS INCIDENT IS STILL NOT COMPLETELY RESOLVED AT THIS POINT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURING THE VEHICLE AT 20 MPH OR WHEN PARKING, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SEIZE. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

START HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR STEERING WHEEL, IT IS HARD TO MOVE WHILE MOVING AND IT DOESN'T GO BACK TO STRAIGHT POSITION BY ITSELF. HAVE TO MOVE THE STEERING BY FORCE TO GET IT TO THE RIGHT POSITION. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

STEERING FLUID LEAK ON PASSENGER SIDE EATING THROUGH RUBBER BOOT - REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF RACK & PINION & SOME KIND OF RIGHT & LEFT FRONT BARS. THIS IS AN UNSAFE DEFECT IN THIS MODEL YEAR. APPARENTLY, OTHER 2004 SIENNA'S HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *TR