2004 Toyota Sienna Heating & air conditioning Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A FRACTURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS RUST ON THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOORS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE HINGE WAS REPLACED. THE SLIDING DOOR FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ...UPDATED 10/17/12 *BF UPDATED 10/23/2012 *JS

NHTSA ID

10477323

Incident

May 15, 2011

Mileage

60,000 mi

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA HEATED SEATS. DRIVERS SIDED HEATED SEAT FAILED RIGHT AFTER EXPIRATION OF OUR WARRANTY TOYOTA QUOTED 800 FOR REPAIR WITHOUT ANY OFFER OF ASSISTANCE. PASSENGER SIDE HEATED SEAT QUIT WORKING APPROXIMATELY A YEAR LATER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384319

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

I HAVE 2 DIFFERENT COMPLAINTS. DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER BURNED LEGS OF 3 DIFFERENT DRIVERS BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE. HEAT WAS NOT ADJUSTABLE. DRIVER AND PASSENGER HEATERS STOPPED WORKING AT SAME TIME. TOOK TO DEALER, RECOMMENDED NEW HEATING ELEMENT ($1000+). OPTED NOT TO FIX. 2ND COMPLAINT, CHECK ENGINE, VSC, AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VAN HAS BEEN SENT TO THE DEALER ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS. GAS CAP HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, SPARK PLUGS CHANGED. WILL GO OFF FOR BRIEF PERIODS, BUT ALWAYS TO RETURN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST 30,000 MILES. I COULD LIVE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, BUT IF THE OTHER LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED, THAT INDICATES THESE COMPONENTS ARE NOT WORKING-KIND OF IMPORTANT-SKID CONTROL & TRACTION CONTROL!! THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OUT THERE ON BLOGS, DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYONE HAS FILED ANY REPORTS WITH YOUR OFFICE REGARDING THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS TOO BAD BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM NOT WITH JUST SIENNA BUT SEVERAL OTHER MODELS AS WELL. EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING WHEN EVEN THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM REALLY IS!! WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES. NOT SO SURE ABOUT IT IF THEIR SAFETY FEATURES MALFUNCTION! *TR

NHTSA ID

10331830

Incident

May 21, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi

FRONT DRIVER SEAT HEATER QUIT WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292203

Incident

Jan 10, 2007

Mileage

32,000 mi

THE AC IN OUR 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA WENT OUT IN AUGUST (VERY HOT!); WE TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. TURNS OUT THE AC COMPRESSOR AND MULTIPLE RELATED PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM. CALLED AROUND TO ENSURE FAIR PRICE- MANY SHOPS REPORTED HAVING HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL. HAD NECESSARY REPAIRS COMPLETED AT A COST OF OVER $1500. I WAS TOLD THE REPAIR ON A 2003 MODEL WAS ONLY $950 PLUS TAX, BUT SUBSEQUENT YEARS HAD MORE PROBLEMS AND REQUIRED MORE PARTS REPLACED BECAUSE OF DESIGN PROBLEMS. HAVING AC IS NOT ONLY COMFORT, BUT ALSO SAFETY- WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE WE HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEY WOULD GET QUITE HOT, SWEATY, RED-FACED, ETC. WITHOUT REAR AC IN OUR FORMER VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I'VE READ TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR AC (ALTHOUGH OWNERS WEREN'T INFORMED, AND WE ARE PAST THAT LIMIT ANYWAY); HOWEVER, IF THIS IS SUCH A HUGE PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH THE A PREVENTIVELY FIX RATHER THAN WAITING FOR OWNERS TO INCUR SUCH HUGE BILLS AND NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES COOL WHILE THEY DRIVE. THIS MAY SEEM MOSTLY COMFORT, BUT FOR THOSE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND OTHER AT-RISK POPULATIONS, AC IS ALSO VERY MUCH ABOUT SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10280289

Incident

Aug 5, 2009

Mileage

87,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THERE WERE 30-40 YARDS BETWEEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE BRAKES GRABBED MOMENTARILY, BUT THEN BECAME "MUSHY." THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE AND CAUSED INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY, CAUSING THE PASSENGER TO STRIKE THE DASHBOARD AND SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 55,000.

NHTSA ID

10241311

Incident

Jun 1, 2007

Mileage

98,000 mi

MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA ONLY HAS 29,000 MILES AND THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS BEEN HARDLY USED. THE A/C SYSTEM FAILED WORKING ABOUT 3 MONTH AGO DUO TO THE CONDENSER O-RING FAILURE. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY 2004 SIENNA USERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10236702

Incident

May 15, 2008

Mileage

26,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING UNDER 40 MPH, THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING AND THE TEMPERATURE ON THE THERMOSTAT CONTINUED TO RISE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE COOLANT AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO ANTIFREEZE; THEREFORE, SHE REFILLED THE RADIATOR. THIS DID NOT KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM OVERHEATING. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE RADIATOR CORE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 93,000.

NHTSA ID

10233613

Incident

Jul 8, 2008

Mileage

93,000 mi

MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE LIMITED'S ALTERNATOR BELT GOT CUT AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED ON THE ROAD AND HAD TO BE TAKEN TO A TOYOTA DEALER. THE DEALER SAYS MY VEHICLE HAD A "CATASTROPHIC AC FAILURE" WHICH CAUSED THE BELT TO BREAK AND SAYS IT WILL COST $2400 IN PARTS AND $1600 IN LABOR. HE THEN CONTACTED TOYOTA AND SAID THAT TOYOTA WILL PAY FOR THE PARTS. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAPPEN A LOT ON THIS MODEL, I SEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND COULD FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUES AND TOYOTA HAS STILL NOT DONE ANY RECALL ON THE AC UNIT. SINCE THIS SEEMS TO A TOTAL DESIGN FLAW, I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO PICK UP THE FULL TAB FOR THIS REPAIR. ANY HELP IN THIS REGARD WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10232173

Incident

Jun 19, 2008

Mileage

36,680 mi

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA LE -- THE AIR GENERATED BY THE A/C CYCLES FROM COOL/COLD TO WARM WHEN THE COMPRESSOR STOPS; THE AIR RETURNS TO COOL/COLD WHEN THE COMPRESSOR RE-ENGAGES. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL; IT MAY IN FACT BE NORMAL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL BUT IT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER AIR-CONDITIONED VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. I HAVE NEVER HAD THE AIR TEMPERATURE VARY AS MUCH DURING NORMAL OPERATION. THE DEALER SUGGESTED LEAVING THE A/C SET ON "RECIRCULATED AIR", BUT THIS CONTRADICTS THE INSTRUCTIONS FOUND IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10078323

Incident

Jun 7, 2004