NHTSA Complaint #757585 — 1998 TOYOTA SIENNA

I HAD OIL CHANGED IN THE VAN IN SEPTEMBER ,2001 LESS THAN THREE THOUSAND MILES LATER IT BEGAN TO SMOKE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD ENGINE SLUDGE, IN RESEARCHING THIS SUBJECT ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY VAN WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY HOWEVER, THAT DUE TO THE LOW MILEAGE I HAVE ON MY VAN THE DEALERSHIP WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS. THE VAN WAS IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR TWO WEEKS, WHEN I WENT TO RETRIEVE IT I WAS TOLD THAT THE TOYOTA REP. HAD ALSO AGREED TO TAKE CARE OF PART OF THE EXPENSES. NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT TOYOTAS' AND THE DEALERSHIPS' GENEROSITY HAVE MADE ME SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS SINCE I WAS INFORMED AT THE BEGINNING THAT THE VAN WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. FURTHERMORE THE COMPLAINTS THAT I ENCOUNTERED FROM OTHER OWNERS ON THE INTERNET LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA MAY BE TRYING TO COVER-UP SOMETHING. REPAIRS COST ME $1430.81. *AK