NHTSA Complaint #754473 — 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA

NOTICED WHITE SMOKE UPON STARTING CAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE TRAVELING-STOPPED AND PUT IN 1 QUART OF OIL, LIGHT WENT OUT. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE NEXT MORNING, TUESDAY I TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT OUR ENGINE WAS FULL OF SLUDGE DUE TO IMPROPER OR LACK OF MAINTENANCE. THE REPAIRS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $9K TO REPLACE THE ENGINE OR $5500 TO REBUILD THE ENGINE. WE THEN TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING, ONLY THIS ESTIMATE WAS $2K TO "CLEAN" THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED THE TOYOTA REP ON OUR BEHALF AND WAS DENIED ANY HELP THROUGH THE WARRANTY. IN FILING A REPORT WITH TOYOTA WAS TOLD MY NEXT STEP WAS ARBITRATION - "THE PAPERWORK IS IN YOUR WARRANTY BOOK". I HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE CLEANED AT MY OWN EXPENSE.*AK