2004 Toyota Sienna power train problems

“Was driving on highway at 60-65 mph. The car continued to accelerate. Pressed on brake and wasn't slowing the vehicle. The driver was weaving in and out of cars as the van started to creek up to 92 mph. The driver and passengers thought they were going to crash and possible die. The driver tried the brake multiple times and nothing. The driver said the accelerator pedal wasn't pressed all the way down to the floor. It was half way and driver had to go down and pull up on the pedal while driving. The van then started to slow and driver was able to pull over to have the van evaluated . The throttle body was reached and cleaned of carbon because it said that this may have been part of the issue. Never has this van taken off like this. The throttle body cable wasnt loose or disconnected either. So far we havent been able to recreate but 3 people could have been killed.”

“THREE YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BREAK PEDAL AND CAR ROLLED AWAY. CAR WAS PARKED IN A FLAT DRIVEWAY, AND WENT ACROSS THE STREET AND HIT A SPEED LIMIT SIGN AND DID DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BUMPER. I DO HAVE A PHOTO UNABLE TO UPLOAD OF BUMPER. NOT COVERED UNDER THE 2005 SHIFT LOCK SOLONOID RECALL BY TOYOTA.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS AND FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO MOVE OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.”

“THE SHIFTER LEVER MADE A SOUND AND BEHAVED AS IF PLASTIC WAS BREAKING INSIDE OF IT. THIS HAPPENED WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF "PARK", AND INTO GEAR WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. AFTER THIS, THE SHIFTING LEVER BECAME LOOSE AND DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE THE TENSION TO "SPRING" THE LEVER INTO THE APPROPRIATE POSITION NATURALLY. FOR EXAMPLE, NORMALLY THE SHIFT LEVER WILL HAVE TENSION PUSHING TOWARD THE LEFT SO THAT THE SHIFT LEVER ENGAGES PARK WITHOUT HAVING TO MANUALLY PRESS IT INTO PLACE. NOW IT WILL FLOAT TO THE RIGHT AND MAY NOT ENGAGE INTO "PARK" WITHOUT THE DRIVER SPECIFICALLY CONCENTRATING ON PRESSING IT TO THE LEFT. THIS VEHICLE IS CURRENT WITH ALL OF ITS RECALLS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LATEST SPARE TIRE CARRIER CABLE INSPECTION ISSUED IN 2014. THE SPECIFIC PART THAT HAS BROKEN IS UNKNOWN, BUT I SUSPECT THERE IS PROBABLY A TENSION SPRING ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHIFT LEVER WHICH HELPS KEEP IT IN THE DESIRED LOCATION WHICH HAS BROKEN. THERE ARE THREADS ON THE INTERNET TALKING ABOUT A PART THAT MAY BE RELATED AS DESCRIBED IN THIS THREAD: HTTPS://WWW.SIENNACHAT.COM/FORUM/66-PROBLEMS-MAINTENANCE-REPAIR-GEN-2/679-BROKEN-SHIFTER-05-XLE.HTML THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE I…”

“ON APRIL 18, 2018, I PARKED THE CAR IN GARAGE, SHIFTED TO PARK, TURNED THE KEY OFF, AND REMOVED KEY. WHILE GETTING OUT I NOTICED THAT CAR BEGAN TO ROLL. WHILE IN PARK, LOCKED WITH KEY OUT, I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE ROLLED FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. AFTER INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE SHIFTER. (SEE FIRST PHOTOS) APPARENTLY, TOYOTA SECURES IT WITH SOME TYPE OF PLASTIC GROMMET WHICH DETERIORATES WITH AGE, DISINTEGRATES, AND CAUSES THE DETACHMENT. (SECOND PHOTOS) EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO BE LOCKED AND IN PARK, IT IS ACTUALLY IN WHATEVER GEAR IT WAS IN WHEN THE DETACHMENT OCCURRED. OUR DRIVEWAY IS ON AN INCLINE, AND HAD I PARKED ON THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED INSTEAD OF THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE ROLLED INTO THE STREET CREATING A SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH. THIS DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TOYOTA SIENNA IS INEXCUSABLE, AND CREATES AN UNREASONABLE RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES AND THE PUBLIC, AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL THEM AND CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND IN PARK, IT STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, BUT THE ASSOCIATES WERE IN A MEETING. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000.”