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Toyota Sienna Water Leaks

122 messages,  Last post on Apr 16, 2013 at 10:31 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Sienna, Auto Body, Van

    

Messages Page 9 of 13

#77 of 122 Re: Sienna Water Leaks [dkp] by themanindbox

Oct 13, 2011 (8:19 pm)

Replying to: dkp (Apr 17, 2007 12:51 pm)
There are two main places it leaks from... One, is the rubber window seals in the rear, where the pop-out windows are.. they don't seem to seal correctly, and water runs around the channel and into the van behind the plastic interior. Another place is from the rear door, it seems that water leaks into the van through the door, as the van is raked forward it causes water to sit in a crappy place and causes the floors to get wet.
 
To those having the stale smell, this is nothing new either, My solution was to use fabreze, spray it into the intake vent on the outside of the van before replacing the cabin filter.. It seems to cause the filter to get black with crud... once you run it through the vents for a few minutes replace the cabin filter and you should notice not only the smell gone, but the vents should run better.. I guess after 10 years dust just builds in the vents..

#78 of 122 Re: Sienna Water Leaks [dkp] by bradmorrison

Oct 14, 2011 (4:00 pm)

Replying to: dkp (Apr 30, 2007 8:19 am)
i am having the same problem with my 1998 sienna. i removed the carpeting and today while it was raining i noticed the trail of water snaking from the rear to the front. these model years definitively have a problem with leaks from the rear hatch. i am going to try and replace the rear door seals and see if it works

#79 of 122 Toyota Sienna 2011 water leak in storage cargo trunk area by ipresumed

Mar 21, 2012 (2:48 pm)

Check the bottom of your cargo area or front driver/passenger side, esp. after lots of rain if you have a 2011 Sienna van. We have an SE model. After a few consecutive downpours this past month - 3 days of pouring rain, I went to get the stroller out of the trunk. I noticed a few light large spots at the bottom of the rear cargo area. I put my hand down and noticed the area was wet. Strange because we don't store liquids in the back. I told my husband and he checked it out. Turns out the entire trunk/cargo area was soaking wet...right down through the padding underneath the carpet. It took 2-3 entire large paper towel rolls just to barely get the puddles under control and airing out the back. Luckily it was sunny for two days after we discovered the issue. The van started to stink from the mold forming ,and we were panicking since we have kids with allergy and asthma. Mold alert. The metal underneath the carpet padding had started to rust a bit. We just bought the car back in August of 2011. Took the car back to the dealer service center. First diagnosis, they called us next day and told us it would be $1290 because it was our fault one of the back windows latch was not sealed closed. Funny because we didn't even know we had back window latches and even when the service person in charge did a walkabout, no one noticed the window open. Ironic that nothing else was wet too from the top down. Not the back seats, not the strollers and kids knicknacks lying on top of the cargo area. So it's our word against theirs. I asked him if he was absolutely sure. If they had checked out all other posibilities and tested other possible entry points. He said that they were Toyota trained specialists and they were 100% sure. I'd read on some posts that after a few times of the same thing happening to another individual, they finally called in Toyota engineers to come look at it. I asked my service guy if they could do that and again, "ma'am, we ARE the factory trained technicians." After deliberating with my husband, we felt we had no choice but to have whatever needed done to fix the propblem properly to be covered under the warranty. Especially since we have one car and our kids are physically sensitive. After we gave them the go ahead, they were finally able to open up the mess (so before, it was just their best "guess" as to how the water had gotten in. They need our "okay" for the charge to actually open up the car). They tested the back and said it was water tight. Then they asked me if we parked on an incline. We do. About a 30 degree incline tops. Found out the water was actually coming in the through underneath the windshield "gutters" into a channel alongside the sides of the inner frame and flowing back to the cargo area. So guess what, we are covered under warranty. This is the kicker though, service person mentioned that yes, the water leaking in was probably happening for the lifetime of the car. He even told me that there was another same Sienna 2011 that had come in with the SAME issue. It is a design flaw/defect. So how do you fix that? NOW they are bringing the actual factory Toyota guys who will look over the repairs. Someone wrote on this board that they had just drilled holes underneath the car so the water could escape and not reach the back. I DON'T want holes drilled into my new car. And that person still had even worse water leak issues. Have been trying to find out if Toyota will in the least extend my warranty or do something about this car we just bought with a defect built into it. So, if you have a Toyota Sienna 2011 SE, have it tested. It's been two weeks since they've been "holding" our car. Said they are waiting for parts and are waiting for the Toyota factory guys to come oversee this repair. Wondering with the big recalls they have now if they are keeping this under wraps or if people are still unaware of the defect unless they parked like us on incline. I've read various posts where the 2011 Sienna leaked in the front driver and passenger areas which is worse because of the electronics and wiring. I am very concerned the problem will come back after reading some other posts on the web. Toyota has to do something for all of us who have just purchased new vehicles in good faith. Anyone else have similar issues?

#80 of 122 Re: Waterleak in the storage area [jmbuddies] by ipresumed

Mar 21, 2012 (9:12 pm)

Replying to: jmbuddies (Oct 24, 2009 11:14 pm)
Check the bottom of your cargo area or front driver/passenger side, esp. after lots of rain if you have a 2011 Sienna van. We have an SE model. After a few consecutive downpours this past month - 3 days of pouring rain, I went to get the stroller out of the trunk. I noticed a few light large spots at the bottom of the rear cargo area. I put my hand down and noticed the area was wet. Strange because we don't store liquids in the back. I told my husband and he checked it out. Turns out the entire trunk/cargo area was soaking wet...right down through the padding underneath the carpet. It took 2-3 entire large paper towel rolls just to barely get the puddles under control and airing out the back. Luckily it was sunny for two days after we discovered the issue. The van started to stink from the mold forming ,and we were panicking since we have kids with allergy and asthma. Mold alert. The metal underneath the carpet padding had started to rust a bit. We just bought the car back in August of 2011. Took the car back to the dealer service center. First diagnosis, they called us next day and told us it would be $1290 because it was our fault one of the back windows latch was not sealed closed. Funny because we didn't even know we had back window latches and even when the service person in charge did a walkabout, no one noticed the window open. Ironic that nothing else was wet too from the top down. Not the back seats, not the strollers and kids knicknacks lying on top of the cargo area. So it's our word against theirs. I asked him if he was absolutely sure. If they had checked out all other posibilities and tested other possible entry points. He said that they were Toyota trained specialists and they were 100% sure. I'd read on some posts that after a few times of the same thing happening to another individual, they finally called in Toyota engineers to come look at it. I asked my service guy if they could do that and again, "ma'am, we ARE the factory trained technicians." After deliberating with my husband, we felt we had no choice but to have whatever needed done to fix the propblem properly to be covered under the warranty. Especially since we have one car and our kids are physically sensitive. After we gave them the go ahead, they were finally able to open up the mess (so before, it was just their best "guess" as to how the water had gotten in. They need our "okay" for the charge to actually open up the car). They tested the back and said it was water tight. Then they asked me if we parked on an incline. We do. About a 30 degree incline tops. Found out the water was actually coming in the through underneath the windshield "gutters" into a channel alongside the sides of the inner frame and flowing back to the cargo area. So guess what, we are covered under warranty. This is the kicker though, service person mentioned that yes, the water leaking in was probably happening for the lifetime of the car. He even told me that there was another same Sienna 2011 that had come in with the SAME issue. It is a design flaw/defect. So how do you fix that? NOW they are bringing the actual factory Toyota guys who will look over the repairs. Someone wrote on this board that they had just drilled holes underneath the car so the water could escape and not reach the back. I DON'T want holes drilled into my new car. And that person still had even worse water leak issues. Have been trying to find out if Toyota will in the least extend my warranty or do something about this car we just bought with a defect built into it. So, if you have a Toyota Sienna 2011 SE, have it tested. It's been two weeks since they've been "holding" our car. Said they are waiting for parts and are waiting for the Toyota factory guys to come oversee this repair. Wondering with the big recalls they have now if they are keeping this under wraps or if people are still unaware of the defect unless they parked like us on incline. I've read various posts where the 2011 Sienna leaked in the front driver and passenger areas which is worse because of the electronics and wiring. I am very concerned the problem will come back after reading some other posts on the web. Toyota has to do something for all of us who have just purchased new vehicles in good faith.

#81 of 122 I got my leaking sunroof problem permanently fixed for free. by 99siennaowner

Mar 22, 2012 (2:59 pm)

Replying to: ipresumed (Mar 21, 2012 2:48 pm)
The sunroof on my 1999 Sienna kept having leaking problems starting in 2009/2010. I got real tired of cleaning up puddles in the front seats etc.
I had to take my van in for some significant maintenance and repairs this past Fall, (to the tune of over $2,000). The one mechanic had made some major mistakes, (like when he said that I could pick up my van, while they were waiting for a new catalytic converter to come in). But when I picked it up after hours, after turning my rental car in for the weekend, there was no converter in it!! Idiot!! Anyway, in an attempt redeem himself a tiny bit, he said that instead of putting in a new sunroof, which would cost a lot, he could permanently seal it up for free. (Normally $25.00). Since I very rarely opened the thing up, I agreed to that fix. It's really nice not to have to worry about car washes or rain anymore!(Especially with the torrential downpours and hail that we had recently in San Diego!) Patty T.

#82 of 122 Re: Toyota Sienna 2011 water leak in storage cargo trunk area [ipresumed] by my4monkeys

Sep 10, 2012 (3:54 pm)

Replying to: ipresumed (Mar 21, 2012 2:48 pm)
My 2010 Toyota Sienna Limited is having theexact same issues. No one is quite sure why because Toyota has no records of other people having these issues. It makes me so upset that they do not stand behind their products. Poor quality and ever worse customer service in my opinion.

#83 of 122 Re: is the leak still a problem on newer models? [doggrandma] by my4monkeys

Sep 10, 2012 (4:12 pm)

Replying to: doggrandma (Nov 03, 2009 11:38 am)
RUN as fast as you can from a TOYOTA! Especially a Sienna.

#84 of 122 Water leaks and floor seals recall issue on 2008 Sienna by yinzermama

Apr 16, 2013 (10:31 am)

#85 of 122 Water leaks and floor seals recall issue on 2008 Sienna by yinzermama

May 03, 2011 (1:52 pm)

I've tried to find an answer to this - but I'm either coming up with mystery leaks or references to a 2011 recall, nothing concrete.
 
I am seriously about to lose my flipping mind over my van.
 
I'll try to make a long story short. Last summer I had the van open in the driveway to vacuum it out. My son was aiming a squirt gun at the back of the van - door open. I noticed water in the back - where the 3rd row folds into - and I asked him what he was thinking and made him put the squirt gun away. A few days pass and it isn't drying out. And it smells. I decide the water must be leaking in from rain, and my son had nothing to do with it. Take it to the dealer and they say that there are leaves and stuff in the crack/seal of the rear lift gate and that is the problem. It doesn't seem very plausible to me but I don't really have a lot to argue against here. Clean that out, figure that's it, but the smell remains. I try lysol, alcohol, sun - can't get the smell away. My solution is to keep the third row down so at least I can't smell it.
 
Just had a baby a few weeks ago and now we need to use the rear row. Opened it up and it is VERY wet underneath and smells like an open grave. I go to an independant mechanic and say find the leak - they find it but say since the car is so new, I should go to the dealer. Back to the dealer - this time they find the leak and say it has something to do with a floor seal recall and MAYBE that spare tire recall? The paper work says "floor seals replaced during open recall." Is this the spare tire recall??? I asked if they would cover getting the mildew taken care of since this was a recall issue. They told me to call main Toyota - after some back and forth the dealer agreed to clean it. When I went to go pick it up they were making vague references to "You must have left a window open."
 
It still stinks. I am now trying to get the dealer to replace the carpet. The customer relations lady is saying this has nothing to do with the recall, this is not our fault, we did everything we can. I told her I had paperwork stating floor seals were replaced and the leak should now be fixed. She was like, OH. Can you fax that over to me?
 
All I know is, the water was coming from UNDERNEATH my car. All winter. I did NOT leave a window open (under my car?). The car smells so bad that anything left in it for any length of time needs to be washed. I can't leave my stroller in the back or it stinks - even being in there a few hours, it will smell a little. There's no way I could take this car anywhere like on a road trip where things would have to be left in the van overnight. I don't even feel like it's safe to be driving my kids in this van.
 
Has anyone else had this problem? What exactly is the floor seal recall? And does it pertain to the 2008? Because I am just waiting for their response to be, this paper work doesn't matter, the recall doesn't pertain to your vehicle, this is a mistake.
 
Worst case scenerio I guess we pay out of pocket to replace the carpet but I don't feel like we should have to do this when the van was leaking from underneath due to no fault of ours.

#86 of 122 Re: Water leaks and floor seals recall issue on 2008 Sienna [yinzermama] by fibber2

Jun 02, 2011 (6:14 am)

Replying to: yinzermama (May 03, 2011 1:52 pm)
I was reading thru a recall notice, and happened to remember the question you posted last month. The floor seal kit is P/N 04000-41145, and is part of the spare tire winch recall. But it is not what you think - it is a set of sponge rubber blocks that help to reduce the amount of salty water that make it up onto the spare tire assembly under the vehicle. It's purpose is to reduce rust to the carrier that sits under the middle seats.

Messages Page 9 of 13

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