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Vans & Minivans Toyota Sienna New 2007 Toyota Sienna needs transmission
56 messages, Last post on May 12, 2009 at 11:04 AM
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I am having a transmission problem with a used Sienna that is absolutely frustrating. Below is my story (I have sent this letter to Toyota arbitration, to no avail). Please read it in its entirety - there's a lot to say - and if you can help at all, please post a reply. Is there any other form of recourse other than to shell out $2500 to replace a transmission that Toyota is unwilling to stand behind?: I purchased my 1998 Toyota Sienna minivan from Sloane Toyota in Devon, PA, in the summer of 2003. I also purchased a 3-year extended warranty. Within the timeframe of the warranty, in the winter of 2004-2005, the transmission started making an odd noise and was replaced under warranty by Sloane in June 2005. Within the one-year warranty on that new transmission, my car started experiencing unusual behavior: on the coldest mornings, it would not automatically shift out of first gear into second gear for one to two miles, or about five to ten minutes, even if I pressed the accelerator down quite far. I contacted Sloane’s service department and described the problem in detail to one of the service people. They told me definitively that this behavior was “normal” and nothing to worry about. I questioned this, but was assured that everything was ok with my car. I even called one more time and received the same reassurance, plus the suggestion that I might check the transmission fluid level (I did, and it was full). They did NOT recommend that I bring the car in to be checked, or that there was any reason for concern, or that I should even check the color of the transmission fluid (I will refer to this later). Over the next two winters, there were few truly frigid mornings during which this behavior exhibited itself. Thus, trusting the advice of Toyota’s service department, I ignored it on the few mornings it occurred. (This only happened in the morning when the car was completely cold, never at the end of the day.) Additionally, the car exhibited no other unusual behavior during this time. Then this past winter, my car started exhibiting other odd behaviors that seemed to point to the transmission. The gear slippage worsened - it would occasionally be slow in switching between gears, typically from second to third. I started hearing a high-pitched whine that rose in pitch as I accelerated. I finally brought my car into Sloane Toyota to have it checked; they said my transmission was shot, and that it would cost $5000 to replace it. Sloane said they would not cover the replacement because my new transmission’s warranty had expired. I pointed out that I had experienced and reported unusual behavior earlier on, and that they never told me to bring it in. I also pointed out that it seemed quite clear that my more recent gear slippage was a worsening of the original problem on cold mornings, and thus an inherent problem in the new transmission they had installed in 2005. I said that this all could have been avoided if they had advised me to bring it in rather than assuring me that the symptoms I had experienced were “normal”. I pointed out that I did not bring it in because I was not advised to do so by their own service department – I had relied on their advice. I spoke with the service manager, Jim Nagle, on several occasions, trying to convince him of this, and thus that Toyota had some responsibility in the matter due to their poor advice of his own service department, but he remained firm on this position. I also issued a complaint through Toyota Customer Service and spoke with a regional service manager, Larry Roberts. He indicated that the original problem of not switching from first to second gear on cold mornings was a “safety feature” to prevent stressing the transmission, and that the new problems I was experiencing were completely separate and unrelated. For a second expert opinion, I then took my car to a very reputable and highly-recommended local transmission shop near me, who indicated that the transmission was a mess, that whatever was wrong had been building up for several years (i.e., since before the warranty expired). They said they found many “chunks of metal” in the transmission fluid and that the filter was completely clogged. The fluid was black rather than the usual clear color. They didn’t think it would last more than a few months. I explained the entire history of my transmission and my dealings with Toyota. They pointed out that Sienna minivans have a history of bad transmissions from the late 1990s through the early 2000s, and that my initial transmission replacement was one of many that Toyota quietly did under warranty. I described the “safety feature” concept, and he said it was complete and utter nonsense - that in all his years of transmission repair of Toyotas other cars, there was no such safety feature. Obviously, Mr. Roberts was lying in order to get me off his back, something I seriously resent and am deeply offended by as a Toyota customer. I called Mr. Roberts back to tell him this, and asked him for proof of such a safety feature. He ignored my request and became very gruff, hostile, and non-responsive. My trans shop replaced my clogged transmission filter and refilled the fluid, to at least give my car some short-term life. Their cost to replace the transmission is *only* $2500 (not surprisingly half of the dealer’s price). It surprises and distresses me that Toyota will not stand by their cars in this situation. Certainly, a new transmission should last more than a couple of years, especially on a Toyota! Here are the points I was hoping would convince Toyota to take responsibility in this matter: · Pat’s Transmissions expertly diagnosed how badly my transmission was damaged, compared to how relatively new it was. · The extent of damage points to the certainty that problems started very early on, related to my original problem of gear shifting on cold mornings. I would even suggest that the ‘new’ transmission Sloane Toyota installed was a ‘lemon’, i.e., faulty right from the start. · Sloane Toyota’s service department gave me poor and erroneous advice that the original symptoms I was experiencing were “normal”; moreover, they did *not* recommend that I bring my car in to have it checked while it was still under warranty. · There is a known history of Sienna transmission problems in the timeframe of when my car was manufactured. I have had two bad transmissions in my car over the span of only five years! · As a manufacturer of high-quality cars, Toyota should be expected to stand behind their products. Transmissions should not fail after such a short time, regardless of the arbitrary one-year warranty.
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Replying to: lgodiva (May 27, 2008 7:01 am) You aren't going to get anywhere with your dealership. If you have the independent mechanic repair the transmission Toyota isn't likely to assist in the repairs. Otherwise, I would try speaking to someone else at Toyota Customer Service. Then the only recourse you would have is small claims court. Without written documentation it would be your word against theirs. In the future I would take my vehicle in to be looked at if it is under warranty... instead of relying on dealerships word over the phone. If the dealership says whatever the van is doing is "normal", make sure you are given written documentation indicating such. |
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Replying to: stevecrouch (Apr 06, 2008 3:23 am) I would think they could reprogram the transmission to change how / when it downshifts. |
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| Asking for advice: I have an old car. The engine shut off on the highway. My son panic'ed and shifted the transmission (automatic) to P while braking. So, the car moved for a distance while the gear is in P before stopping. As a result, I lost the Reverse gear, the car won't back out. How bad is the problem? Does this mean that I need a new trans? Thanks in advance for any advice. | |
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Since the day I bought my 2007 Sienna in May 2007 I have noticed a knocking noise when the accelerator is pressed. The noise continues until the engine reaches 2,000 RPMs. The noise also stops after the engine is warmed-up. The sales person who sold me the vehicle stated that all the 2007 Sienna's make the same noise. A mechanic I know; who owns a 2006 Sienna, stated that it sounds like one of the "lifters is sticking." If I accelerate too quickly, the vehicle almost sounds like a diesel (until I get over 2K RPMs). Not sure if this issue has been addressed in the past (on this board), any feedback is appreciated.
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Since the early miles, we noticed hesitation when switching gears. There was evident delay when switching. This got worse and worse and by 600 miles, the car would not go in 'D'. Had to manually switch to 2 and 3 to get it going. Dealer got us a 'new remanufactured' transmission  It's running very well now.
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Replying to: nw_in_x (Jan 21, 2009 8:21 pm) It is a chain-driven camshaft so there may be more noise than the old belt-driven cams on the 3.3l, but definitely no knocking. My trans hesitates a little bit, our 2009 Forester's 4EAT is much more responsive. |
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Replying to: nw_in_x (Jan 21, 2009 8:21 pm) |
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