2004 Toyota Sienna Transmission Problems

AFTER YEARS OF DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE TOYOTA HAS YET TO PROVIDE A REASON OR SOLUTION. WHEN TRAVELING AT LOWER SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES AND WHEN YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE THERE IS A 1 TO 2 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES. TOYOTA MADE ME SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION...NO HELP....THEN THEY CLAIMED I NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE...WHICH THEY CHARGED ME $80 ...TO UPDATE THEIR SOFTWARE DESIGN FLAW. STILL... THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT IMPROVED. MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT IF I SHOULD EVER NEED TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, MY VAN MAY NOT RESPOND IN TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10419513

Incident

Aug 15, 2011

Mileage

92,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FURTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED AND RECALIBRATED. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID

10418026

Incident

Jan 15, 2011

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAY WHEN RUNNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND WHEN HAVING TO CHANGE GEARS UP OR DOWN UNDER A CHANGE OF LOAD CONDITION; LIKE GOING UPHILL OR PASSING. VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF OF THE GAS FOR A MOMENT, LIKE TURNING INTO A STREET OR DRIVEWAY. THE VAN WILL JUMP INTO A GEAR LIKE IF SOMEONE HAD POPPED THE CLUTCH ON A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VAN. I HAVE TAKEN IT THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY ALWAYS SAY THERE NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES BUT NOTHING CHANGES. I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM UNTIL JUST NOW; AFTER READING ABOUT HOW MANY OTHER HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I WISH TOYOTA WOULD JUST TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE VEHICLES THAT THEY MAKE INSTEAD OF JUST ACTING LIKE IT IS ALWAYS THE CUSTOMERS WHO IS AT FAULT. THIS WILL BE MY LAST TOYOTA. I HAVE OWNED THREE IN THE PAST, NO MORE. ESPECIALLY SINCE ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAS HAPPEN WITH THEIR CARS LATELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10359895

Incident

May 15, 2005

Mileage

7,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA .THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH OR MORE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 11/05/10. *LJ

NHTSA ID

10348426

Incident

Nov 13, 2009

Mileage

140,000 mi

A 7-YEAR OLD BOY WAS CLIMBING FROM THE BACK SEAT TO THE DRIVERS SEAT OF A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN. HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE VAN AT THE TIME, THE VAN WAS NOT RUNNING, THERE WERE NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION.. YET SOMEHOW, THE VAN'S TRANSMISSION WAS TAKEN OUT OF PARK AND PUT INTO GEAR. AS THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT SET, THE VAN ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, THROUGH A FENCE AND INTO A RAVINE WITH THE CHILD INSIDE. THE CHILD ALSO USED THE STEERING WHEEL DURING THE EVENT (WHICH SHOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE). NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE PROPERTY IS EXTENSIVE. IT IS UNCLEAR AS TO WHY THE TRANSMISSION AND STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILED ON THIS VAN OR IF THIS IS AN ISOLATED DEFECT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE TRANSMISSION LOCK APPEARS TO BE WORKING NORMALLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10344322

Incident

Jul 15, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

VSC ENGAGES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS: VEHICLE ALARM SOUNDS, BRAKES DEPLOY ABRUPTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, STEERING PULLS, ACCELERATOR GOES DEAD (PULSE RACES, ADRENALINE COURSES). FIRST COMPLAINED TO DEALER AFTER FOUR INCIDENTS IN FIRST 20K MILES: HAD ONLINE TESTIMONIALS OF YAW SENSOR, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AND ECM REPLACEMENTS AS POSSIBLE REMEDIES; DEALER REBUFFED MY COMPLAINTS, DENYING SERVICE TO SENSORS, AND SUGGESTED MY TIRES HAD 'GONE SQUARE'. I HAVE LIVED WITH THE CONDITION FOR A TOTAL OF SEVEN YEARS. THE CAR NOW 'GOES OFF' MAYBE THREE TIMES PER EVERY 20 MILES DRIVEN, UNPREDICTABLY AND ALWAYS SHOCKINGLY. MY FAMILY REFUSES TO RIDE IN THE CAR. I CANNOT SELL IT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, AS THE DEFECTS CANNOT BE CONFIRMED BY THE DEALER (AND APPARENTLY THEREFORE DO NOT EXIST), SO THERE IS NO WAY FOR IT TO BE 'MADE SAFE' FOR A SUCCEEDING OWNER. ITS REMAINING $10K+ EQUITY HAS BEEN NULLIFIED BY THIS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330165

Incident

Jul 3, 2004

Mileage

77,000 mi

WHILE MERGING ONTO A HWY I WAS LEANED FORWARD LOOKING THROUGH THE SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR WITH MY RIGHT HAND BESIDE THE SEAT HANGING DOWN. I RAISED MY HAND TO PLACE IT ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY FINGERS CAUGHT ON THE SHIFTER. THE GEAR SHIFT SLID WITHOUT RESISTANCE INTO REVERSE AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO REVERSE AND STARTED TRYING TO GO BACKWARDS. THE TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY WRECKED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLES BUT WAS A VERY CLOSE CALL AS A FRIEND WAS IN HIS TRUCK BEHIND US AND ALMOST COLLIDED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10328933

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

175,000 mi

TOYOTA 2004 SIENNA. IT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS CAR I EVER HAD, WHENEVER I SLOW DOWN AND TEND TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR HESITATE TO GO FOR ABOUT 1 TO 3 SECONDS DELAY. I TOOK IT TWICE TO THE DEALER BUT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, THE THIRD TIME I WENT BACK THEY DENIED THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. IT IS DANGEROUS SPECIALLY WHEN YOU TEND TO PASS A CAR ON A TWO WAY ROAD AND THE CAR WONT ACCELERATE AT DESIRED TIMING. MY COMPLAIN WAS TOYOTA DENIES THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS AN ONGOING SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2004 TO PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10316884

Incident

Jul 20, 2003

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA, WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES. I SUDDENLY AND INTERMITTENTLY LOST POWER STEERING. IT WAS NOT TOTAL LOSS--THAT I COULD HAVE HANDLED, BUT IT WOULD COME AND GO, EVEN WITHIN A SINGLE TURN. WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL, I COULD NOT PREDICT HOW THE CAR WOULD RESPOND. NO ACCIDENT, FORTUNATELY, BUT A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS. I DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO A T DEALER, AND THEY DIAGNOSED A FAILED U JOINT AND REPLACED IT TODAY. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR SIGNS OF U JOINT FAILURE. I WANTED TO SUBMIT THIS IN CASE OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES. OTHERWISE, I JUST CONSIDER IT AN ISOLATED CASE. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10313405

Incident

Feb 19, 2010

Mileage

70,000 mi

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE . WHEN ACCELERATING THE VAN HESITATES. HAVE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR HARDER TO FORCE A HARD DOWNSHIFT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN A PREDICTABLE ACCELERATION IS NEEDED SPECIALLY MERGING HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10304910

Incident

Jan 8, 2010

Mileage

96,000 mi

2004 TOYOTA SIENNA STEERING. STEERING SUDDENLY BINDS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN. VERY HARD TO STEER AT TIMES. HARD TO CONTROL. THERE IS 2 TO 3 SECONDS DELAY AND SLIGHT ACCELERATION LAG EVEN WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. COUPLE OF TIMES I WAS CLOSE TO RUN INTO ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10267041

Incident

Feb 17, 2009

I ALWAYS TOOK MY 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA IN FOR MAINTENANCE. THE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED BY MIDAS OR TOYOTA. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR BRAKES AUGUST 2008 AND WAS TOLD A TIMING BELT WAS NEEDED ALONG WITH DRIVING BELT. I WAS NEVER VERBALLY TOLD OF A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK IN FOR SERVICE TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT, DRIVING BELT, AND THERMOSTAT; STILL NO MENTION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND SHOW ME THE DIRT FROM THE TRANSMISSION. NEVER PRIOR TO THE LAST VISIT DID THEY VERBALLY MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249730

Incident

Oct 10, 2008

Mileage

145,000 mi

DELAY 2-3 SECONDS WHEN PRESS GAS PEDAL. I THOUGH I AM THE ONLY ONE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE SOON TOYOTA CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IF I WILL GET INTO AND ACCIDENT WITH THIS VAN I AM GOING TO HIRE A LAWYER TO SUE THE TOYOTA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219644

Incident

Sep 9, 2006

Mileage

63,000 mi

THERE IS 2 TO 3 SECONDS DELAY AND SLIGHT ACCELERATION LAG EVEN WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. COUPLE OF TIMES I WAS CLOSE TO RUN INTO ACCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10206840

Incident

Sep 30, 2006

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA WITH A TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE I PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE BACK IN MARCH 2003. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT JUST ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AS I TEST DROVE SEVERAL OTHER NEW VEHICLES FROM THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THIS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION IS THAT IT DOESN'T KNOW WHEN TO DOWNSHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN 0-15 MPH. WHEN IT CAN'T DECIDE TO DOWNSHIFT, YOU CAN'T ACCELERATE AT ALL. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IN AN INTERSECTION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. I MADE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS THROUGH THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP BACK IN 2003 AND 2004. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH THIS TRANSMISSION AND THAT TOYOTA WAS GOING TO MAKE A SOFTWARE CHANGE TO FIX THIS. IT HAS NOT YET BEEN FIXED AND I SEE THAT THEY NOW HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAMRY. ARE THEY GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS KILLED BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING? ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BY TOYOTA TO FIX THIS ISSUE WITH THE CAMRY'S AND SIENNAS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10202985

Incident

Apr 24, 2003

Mileage

250 mi

I'VE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION BEING HESITANT AND THE CAR SURGING AND SLOWING UNEXPECTEDLY. I'VE HAD THESE PROBLEMS, TOO. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I NEEDED A FLASH TO THE COMPUTER THAT WOULD GIVE THE CAR A SHIFT ENHANCEMENT. THEY SAID IT WASN'T PART OF THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, BUT THEN AGREED TO DO IT FOR THE $45 I INITIALLY PAID THEM TO LOOK THE CAR OVER. IT SHIFTS MORE AGGRESSIVELY NOW, BUT IT STILL SEEMS TO SLOW AND SURGE UNEXPECTEDLY AND FAILS TO DOWNSHIFT FOR ACCELERATION AT TIMES. TODAY WAS MY FIRST DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN RIGHT BEFORE A CURVE IN THE ROAD. JUST AS I WAS BEGINNING MY TURN A CAR APPEARED AND I HAD TO STEP HARD ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS IT SHOULD HAVE, BUT I DID MANAGE TO MAKE IT ACROSS.

NHTSA ID

10192998

Incident

Jun 11, 2007

Mileage

39,000 mi

MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA MOVING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND FOUND THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED OUT OF PARK. HE THEN PLAYED AROUND WITH IT AND FOUND THAT IT CAN BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT SOMETHING BROKE OFF INSIDE AND WOULD COST AROUND $700 TO FIX IT. THEY THEN SAID THAT MY CHILDREN MUST HAVE BROKEN IT OFF SWINGING FROM THE SHIFTER. I RESPONDED THAT I REALLY DIDN'T THINK THAT MY CHILDREN DID SUCH A THING AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP ADMITTED THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO BREAK IT ANYHOW. THISWAS VERY DANGEROUS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10192986

Incident

May 10, 2007

Mileage

42,000 mi

VEHICLE HAS HAD A TRANSMISSION HESITATION PROBLEM SINCE WE PURCHASED IT. THE DELAY CONSISTS OF A 2-3 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE ACCELERATION KICKS IN. THIS OCCURS WHEN MERGING, TURNING OR ATTEMPTING TO SPEED UP TO AVOID COLLISIONS/OBJECTS. WE HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER EVERY TIME WE BRING IT IN FOR MAINTENANCE, WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE. ADDITIONALLY, UNDER CRUISE CONTROL, THE CAR "SKIPS" GEARS UNEXPECTEDLY AND REVVS RANDOMLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10191911

Incident

May 15, 2004

VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. VEHICLE 'SURGES' AT TIMES WHEN BRAKE IS DEPRESSED. SIMILAR TO OTHER COMPLAINTS NOTED IN THIS SECTION, MY SIENNA HAS A ROUGH TRANSMISSION, TIRES OCCASIONALLY SPIN OUT WITH NORMAL ACCELERATION FROM A PARKING LOT, TOLL BOOTH, ETC. REPEATED TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP BRING NO SATISFACTION: RESPONSE FROM DEALER IS THAT VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITHIN STANDARDS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10176990

Incident

Dec 26, 2006

Mileage

25,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT WITH THE ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL DID NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A 2-3 SECOND DELAY IN ACCELERATION. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DOES ACTIVATE, IT SEEMS TO SEARCH FOR A GEAR AND WHEN A GEAR S FOUND IT IS USUALLY A LOW GEAR WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LURCH INTO TRAFFIC. UPDATED 10/04/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10167549

Incident

Sep 6, 2006

Mileage

30,000 mi

TOYOTA SIENNA 2004, 19,000 MILES NOT EVEN 2 YEARS OLD. 1. VALVES MAKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING UP HILL AT SLOW SPEED OR WHEN START DRIVING. 2. WIND NOISE IS UNACCEPTABLE. PROBLEM BEGINS AT THE VERY FIRST DAY OF DRIVING THE CAR. 3. ONE BIG KNOCKING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING , ONLY WHEN SHIFT FROM PARK TO D4 AND STARTING TO DRIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10148727

Incident

Jan 7, 2006

TRANSMISSION HESITATION AND LURCH FORWARD. DEALER SAYS THIS IS CHARACTERISTIC OF TRANSMISSION. ALSO, REAR AC NOT COLD - DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL PERFORMANCE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144710

Incident

Aug 1, 2005

DELAYED ENGINE POWER WHILE TURNING, THEN SUDDEN SURGE OF POWER. DEALERSHIP RESPONSE IS: WORKING AS DESIGNED - DRIVE-BY-WIRE CAUSES THE DELAY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10138319

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

Mileage

8,248 mi

VEHICLE HESITATES AND LURCHES FORWARD ON ACCELERATION. DRIVER GETS JERKED FORWARD AT AN ABNORMAL RATE. AFTER ACCELERATION UPON LEAVING A STOPED STATE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AND/OR HESITATES FOR A SECOND THEN LURCHES FORWARD. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED MANY TIMES AND THEY TELL ME THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC WITH THE NEW FLY WHEEL DESIGN IN THE TOYOTAS. THEY AGREE IT IS NOT RIGHT BUT TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT?? AS A CONSUMER THIS IN UNACCEPTABLE. AM STARTING TO HAVE NECK PROBLEMS AS A RESULT OF DOING A LOT OF LOCAL IN TOWN DRIVING AND CONSTANTLY STOPPING AND STARTING WITH BEING JERKED AROUND IN MY VAN. EVEN THE PASSENGERS FEEL IT. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES SINCE IT CAN CREATE PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF VAN DOES NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATOR WHEN EXPECTED TOO. TIRES MAY SPIN OUT TOO WHEN THE JERKY ACCELERATION OCCURS.

NHTSA ID

10133677

Incident

Aug 1, 2005

PROBLEMS WITH THE DUNLOP RUN FLAT TIRES AND THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA.*MR DURING A 3000 MILE SERVICE THE TECHNICIAN NOTICE THAT ON OR MORE OF THE TIRES WAS BALDING. ALL FOUR TIRE WERE REPLACED. A FEW DAY AFTER THE 3000 MIL MAINTENANCE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TRANSMISSION FLUID. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132343

Incident

Apr 1, 2005

Mileage

13,000 mi