2003 Toyota Sienna Transmission Problems

WHILE I WAS FULLY STOPPED, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA UNEXPECTEDLY AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10340434

Incident

Jun 24, 2010

Mileage

92,797 mi

I HAVE OWNED 3 TOYOTA SIENNA'S. IN ALL OF THE MODELS I IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WHICH THE DEALERS TOLD ME WAS NORMAL. I THEN MADE SURE TO ADVISE ANYONE DRIVING MY CARS OF THIS ISSUE. NOW THAT YOU ARE LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT SAFETY I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. WHEN A SIENNA IS IN DRIVE AND ON A HILL WITH THE FRONT END UP AND THE BACK END DOWN. AND WHEN YOU THEN REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL IMMEDIATELY ROLE BACKWARDS. I LEARNED TO PRESS THE GAS SLOWLY AS I WAS RELEASING THE BRAKE SLOWLY TO AVOID THIS, BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. IF A PERSON WAS BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER DID NOT KNOW THIS OCCURS THEY COULD BE RUN OVER. THANKS FOR CHECKING ON THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10311473

Incident

Jul 10, 2007

DROVE VEHICLE INTO A GAS STATION TO FILL UP WITH GAS. AFTER THIS WAS COMPLETED, RESTARTED VEHICLE AND USED GEAR SHIFT TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE INSIDE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. GEAR COULD NOT BE CHANGED. CAR WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. FORTUNATELY, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AT A GAS STATION STAFFED WITH A MECHANIC. REPAIR TOOK ONE WEEK -- LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ORDER WRONG PARTS TWICE BEFORE ORDERING THE CORRECT ONES. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10272432

Incident

Apr 25, 2009

Mileage

54,000 mi

MY VEHICLE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING A HESITATION WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. TOOK TO THE DEALER TO CHECK, AND THEY UPDATED WITH THE PATCH. CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER IS CALLING IT A "HARD SHIFT" THAT IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T DO IT THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. CAR IS ALMOST OUT OF ITS 60K WARRANTY, AND THEY INDICATE THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE TO FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10200346

Incident

Jul 11, 2007

Mileage

58,000 mi

CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 45-50 MPH. CURRENTLY AT DEALERSHIP FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION . *AK

NHTSA ID

10105619

Incident

Dec 29, 2004

Mileage

20,000 mi

WHILE IN PARK VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK....VEHICLE WA SIN PARK AND NOT RUNNING. CONSUMER WENT TO TURN OFF MOTOR FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE, AS CONSUMER BACKED OUT AFTER CHECKING THE GEAR SHIFT TO BE SURE IT WAS SRILL IN PARK POSITION. THE FRONT DOORKNOCKED CONSUMER DOWN WHEN HE TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE LYING ON THE GROUND THE FRONT WHEEL ON THE RIGHT LEFT SIDE OF CONSUMER. HE SUSTAINED SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS, ROAD RASH TO RIGHT LEG, BURNS ON ARMS, SIDE AND LEG. WAS HOSPITALIZED AND HAD PHYSICAL THERAPY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094520

Incident

Aug 23, 2004

Mileage

103,400 mi

PROBLEMS WITH SLIDING DOOR, TRANSMISSION. MR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015200

Incident

Mar 3, 2003

UNSAFE DESIGN OF OVERDRIVE FEATURE ON TOYOTA SIENNA. EVERY TIME CAR IS PUT INTO DRIVE, IT DEFAULTS TO 'OVERDRIVE' MODE - WHICH MEANS IT IS FREE WHEELING WHENEVER DRIVER'S FOOT COMES OFF THE ACCELERATOR. NO ENGINE BRAKING!! TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE CAR ROLLS FREELY. THIS IS GROSSLY UNSAFE, PARTICULARLY IN TOWN DRIVING. TO GET ENGINE BRAKING, DRIVER MUST PUSH A BUTTON. THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND: CAR SHOULD BE DESIGNED SO IT AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDES REGULAR, SAFER ENGINE BRAKING MODE, AND THE DRIVER SHOULD HAVE TO PUSH A BUTTON TO GET INTO LESS SAFE, ECONOMY OVERDRIVE MODE. A COMPUTER CHIP RECALL WOULD PROBABLY CORRECT THIS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ID

10000557

Incident

Jan 5, 2002