2001 TOYOTA SIENNA Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH HE NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, MOMENTS LATER THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE ENGINE SLUDGE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

THE ENGINE FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $5,000 DUE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILDUP. TRAVELING ON I-4 FROM TAMPA TO ORLANDO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED THEN WE HEARD A TAPPING FROM THE ENGINE,. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND AAA TOWED THE VEHICLE AND A RENTAL CAR COMPANY PICKED US UP. I HAD TWO ELDERLY PASSENGERS (IN THEIR 80'S) WITH WALKERS WHO HAD TO TRAVERSE THE GRASS ALONG THE INTERSTATE TO GET TO THE RENTAL CAR AND WERE NEARLY BLOWN OVER BY PASSING TRUCKS. TOYOTA REFUSED TO HONOR A CLAIM FOR REPAIRS ALTHOUGH THEY HAD AGREED IN A RECENT LOUISIANA LAWSUIT TO COVER SAID REPAIRS FOR 8 YEARS FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. MY FAILURE WAS 8 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS FROM PURCHASE. THE SLUDGE TOOK MUCH LONGER THAN 8 MONTHS TO BUILD UP BUT TOYOTA REFUSED TO HONOR THEIR STATED COMMITMENT TO ASSIST ALL AFFECTED...

ENGINE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE SHUT OFF, NO OIL PRESENT IN ENGINE. *TR

THE ENGINE OF MY TOYOTA SIENNA 2001 WITH AN IDENTIFIED OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM SEIZED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED AND MY TODDLER THREW UP IN FEAR AS WE TRIED TO AVOID BEING SMASHED INTO WHILE THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP. MECHANIC REPEATEDLY SAID CAM SEIZED, METAL FILINGS FOUND, AND "COULD NOT THINK OF ANY OTHER REASON BUT THE SLUDGE PROBLEM." TOYOTA REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER UNLIMITED MILEAGE, 8-YEAR WARRANTY. CAR IS PRESENTLY WITH DEALER AND MAY BE EXAMINED BY ENGINEERS FROM NHTSA (DEALER AGREED ON 12/22/05). THIS FAILURE WAS PREDICTED BY ANOTHER DEALER. CAR ALWAYS SMOKED--BLAMED ON "NEW ENGINE BREAK IN", "LACK OF MAINTENANCE", ETC. LATER TOYOTA SENT LETTER ABOUT THE ISSUE. THIS TIME DEALER AGREES MAINTENANCE WAS EXCELLENT. *NM

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER, HAD TO REPLACE VACUUM SWITCH. 2 DAYS LATER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. *AK

THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO AN OIL SLUDGE BUILD-UP. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN OIL LEAKED. *JB

DEFECTIVE ENGINE DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK

INITIALLY OIL LEAK AFTER OIL CHANGE. WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION PAN WAS LEAKING AND PAID FOR REPLACEMENT. TRANSMISSION FLUID THEN STARTED LEAKING. RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER; TRANSMISSION PAN WAS TIGHTENED. NOTICED FLUID STILL LEAKING; RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETECT SOURCE OF FLUID LEAK; PLACED DIE IN OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUIDS; ASKED TO RETURN VEHICLE IN A FEW WEEKS. RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP; WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK SURROUNDING ENGINE SEAL AND SEAL WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED.

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE FOR A OIL CHANGE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC DICOVERED A OIL LEAK UNDERNEATH VEHICLE OIL PAN GASKET AND A LEAKING BOLT AND SEAL. ENGINE NEEDS A SEAL REPLACEMENTS. ALSO, THERE IS A TRANSMISSION LEAK. FRONT BRAKES ARE GRINDING METAL TO METAL. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS.*AK