NHTSA Complaint #733966 — 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA

WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON MY VAN, THICK GREY SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF THE BACK AT STARTUP. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED (NOT THE DEALER). IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, ESPECIALLY IF IT LOST OIL (WHICH IT DID). THE DEALER FOUND EXCESSIVE SLUDGE BUILD UP. THEY SAID THEY HAD TO CLEAN SLUDGE FROM THE CYLINDER HEADS AND CAMSHAFTS, AND REPLACE THE VALVE COVERS, STEM SEALS AND RELATED GASKETS AND THE R&R ENGINE OIL PAN. THEY ALSO SAID THEY CLEANED THE SLUDGE FROM THE PAN OIL PUMP AND PICK UP SCREEN, AND THE CAM CAPS WERE SCORED DUE TO LACK OF OIL LUBRICATION. THE ONSITE SERVICE MANAGER (WHO SUPPOSEDLY SPOKE TO THE REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER) SAID THE SLUDGE BUILD UP WAS OUR FAULT AND REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. WE PAID $2670.82 FOR THE REPAIRS. I'VE HAD THE CAR BACK LESS THAN A WEEK, BUT SO FAR NO MORE PROBLEMS. I FEEL THAT A CAR WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF TOYOTAS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. EVEN THE TOYOTA PEOPLE IMPLIED THEY'VE SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM OFTEN.