NHTSA Complaint #10312727 — 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA

NOTICED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND SMOKE ON COLD START UP. CALLED LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS WOULD BE A MAJOR "FIX" AND WOULD COST AT LEAST $3,000.00 TO REPAIR. AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH I REALIZED MY SIENNA MOST LIKELY HAD OIL GEL AND CALLED TMSUSA IN CALIFORNIA TO REPORT IT. WAS TOLD TO TAKE VAN TO A LOCAL DEALER AND HAVE DIAGNOSED. TOOK IT IN THE VERY NEXT DAY AND OIL GEL WAS CONFIRMED (IN WRITING). WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE VAN WAS 90 DAYS PAST COVERAGE AND IT WOULD COST $6,200.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE. I TRIED TO SHOW DOCUMENTS OF MY OIL CHANGES AND SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WOULD DO NO GOOD. I REFUSE TO DRIVE THIS VAN FOR FEAR THAT THE ENGINE WILL SEIZE! I AM REQUESTING THAT A SECOND INVESTIGATION BE MADE INTO THESE VEHICLES. THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT DID NO GOOD FOR THE TOYOTA CONSUMERS! ALSO, FOR THE RECORD, I TOOK THE VAN IN WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT FIRST CAME ON (ENGINE WAS NOT SMOKING YET) AND THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS PROBABLY JUST THE GAS CAP AND THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON IN THESE VEHICLES ALL THE TIME. THEY NEVER DOCUMENTED MY VISITS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHIN THE 8 YEAR TIME FRAME IF THEY WOULD HAVE CHECKED THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME! *TR