NHTSA Complaint #748677 — 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA

AT 30,874 MILES OUR VAN STARTED BLOWING BLUE SMOKE. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD US THAT THE ENGINE HAD "SLUDGED UP" AND WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST $3,000 TO FIX. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT IT WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY (3 YEAR/36,000 MILES). WE ASKED WHY AND WERE TOLD THAT THE SLUDGE COULD ONLY BE CAUSED BY LACK OF MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGES). WE PRODUCED RECEIPTS SHOWING OIL CHANGES WERE DONE, BUT THE COMPANY STILL WON'T COVER THE WORK UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAVE SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA'S REGIONAL CUSTOMER RELATIONS ADMINISTRATOR AND GONE THROUGH THE TOYOTA PROVIDED ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS TO NO AVAIL. WE WENT TO THE INTERNET AND SEARCHED UNDER "TOYOTA SIENNA SLUDGE" AND FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR SIENNAS AND WARRANTY COVERAGE. WE BELIEVE THE IS A DEFECT IN THE SIENNA V6 ENGINE CAUSING THE SLUDGE BUILD UP.*AK