2000 TOYOTA SIENNA Power Trainautomatic Transmissiontorque Converter Problems

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER STATED THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACED, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING AN EXCHANGE FOR A COMPARABLE CAR WITHOUT DEFECTS, OR HIS MONEY BACK. *SLC

ACCORDING TO AN EMPLOYEE OF THE GLENDALE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TORQUE CONVERTER. MANY CARS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR. THE PART WAS MANUFACTURED TO BE PLACED IN THE SMALLER TOYOTA CAMARY, AND APPARENTLY CAN NOT TAKE THE SIZE/WEIGHT OF THE LARGER VAN. IT SEEMS THAT THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME NOW - BUT THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THE VEHICLE WITHOUT NOTIFIYING POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS; AND CUSTOMERS WHO BOUGHT THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM BECOMING KNOWN.*AK

MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIENNA'S TORQUE CONVERTERS,TOYOTA SAYS IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE IT.FOR MY WIFE'S AND 14 MONTH OLD I HOPE THEY ARE RIGHT.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT 50 MILES, WE WERE TOLD CAR NEEDS A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER AND THAT IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR WHILE THE PART COMES IN. SIX WEEKS LATER AND 2400 MILES ON THE CAR WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON AND OFF THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. WHEN CAR WAS RETURNED TO US IT SHIFTED WITH A JOLT. BACK IN THE SHOP WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. NOT ACCEPTABLE ON A NEW CAR. *AK

WITH 100 MILES ON NEW VEHICLE, THE ENGINE SENSOR INDICATED FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. DEALER SAID IF SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, BRING THE VAN IN. SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AFTER WAITING TWO WEEKS FOR NEW TORQUE CONVERTER TO BE DELIVERED, DEALER REPLACED IT. NEXT DAY, THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF "PARK". SHIFT LEVER MOVED, BUT TRANSMISSION REMAINED IN "PARK". PROBLEM WAS DEFECTIVE CLIP. CLIP IS OF DIFFERENT DESIGN THAN THAT OF PREVIOUS YEARS' MODELS OF SAME VEHICLE. MECHANIC SAID THAT THE DESIGN OF CLIP WAS TERRIBLE AND INSUFFICIENT. DEALER ORDERED NEW CLIP AND WILL INSTALL IT UPON ARRIVAL. TOYOTA SERVICE ADVISOR ACKNOWLEDED BROKEN CLIPS OCCURRING ON OTHER MODEL-YEAR 2000 SIENNA VANS. IF SO, THEN WHY DID THE DEALER NOT PUT NEW CLIP ON MY VEHICLE WHEN THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED? WHY HAS NOT TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS CLIP? THE DEALER KNOWS THE CLIP...

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON - INFORMED TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PART STILL ON BACK ORDER PER DEALER 15 VEHICLES AT THIS DEALERSHIP ARE ON BACK ORDER FOR SAME PART. DEALERSHIP STATING OK TO DRIVE PER TOYOTA COMPANY.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 7/29/00 VAN WAS TAKEN IN 7/31/00 AM WAS CALLED SAME DAY PM TOLD TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WAS GIVEN A RENTAL CAR SINCE MY AUTO WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 8/1. WAS INFORMED TOYOTA IS UNABLE TO RECEIVE PART DUE TO BACK ORDER DUE TO SAME PROBLEMS AND TOYOTA ONLY RELEASING A COUPLE A DAY. YESTERDAY I WAS CALLED AND TOLD THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE PART BUT AUTO IS DRIVEABLE. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SVC AND REPORTED INCIDENT. TODAY I RECEIVE PHONE CALL FROM HAMER STATING I NEED TO RETURN AUTO DUE TO MEMO RELEASED MY AUTO IS DRIVEABLE BUT PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 8/16/00. WHY QUESTION WOULD BE WHY WAS NOT MY AUTO DRIVEABLE LAST WEEK BUT IS TODAY. I HAVE REFUSED TO PICK UP MY PURCHANSE AND HAVE RETURNED RENTAL. PLEASE LOOK...

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER WHICH IS ON BACK ORDER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. *AK