2001 Toyota Sienna Transmission Problems

DT: THE CONTACT STATES VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH HAS REPEATEDLY MALFUNCTIONED. HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CLUTCH TWICE WITHIN THREE YEARS. ALSO, CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO FURTHER CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK

ON 8/18/05 MORNING THE SHIFTER LEVER BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BROKEN LOOSE THAT I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE GEARS. THEN I BROUGHT MY VAN TO STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA (SAN JOSE, CA) WHERE I BOUGHT THE SIENNA VAN FOR REPAIR. AFTER THE TOYOTA TECHNICIAN OPENED UP FOR INSPECTION, I LATER WENT THERE TO TOOK SOME PHOTOS OF THE CONDITIONS, I FOUND OUT THAT THE MAIN CAUSE FOR THE MALFUNCTION OF THE SHIFTER WAS A BIG PIECE OF CAST IRON (APPROX. 1/2" THICK) THAT SERVES AS A MAIN FRAME OR BRACKET FOR ALL OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORT OF THEIR MOVING MECHANISM BROKE IN HALF ( HAVE PHOTOS TO PROVE IT) LITERALLY. SINCE IT APPEARS AS A "DEFECTIVE PART" OF THE SHIFTER AND NOT A "WEAR & TEAR" CONDITION, I 'VE REQUESTED TOYOTA CORP. (BOTH LOCAL & HEADQUARTES) TO REPLACE IT WITH FREE OF CHARGE. THE REQUEST WAS DECLINED DUE TO WARRANTY POLICY BEYOND 30,000 MILES/ 3 YEAR. THEN TOYOTA CORP. ISSUED ME A CASE NO.:2005-0818-0778 (FILED 8/18/05).I ALSO ASKED SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, AUTO MECHANICS, AND TOYOTA CORP. AGENT THAT HAVE THEY SEEN OR HEARD ANYTHING SIMILAR LIKE MY CASE, NOBODY COULD CONFIRM IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM OF "WEAR & TEAR" BEYOND WARRANTY PERIOD. THE QUESTION IS HOW A CONSUMER LIKE MYSELF GET PROJECTED FROM THE "DEFECTIVE PART" THAT A DRIVER DEFENDS HEAVILY FOR MANEUVERING OF THE VEHICLE HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE GEARS? FORTUNATELY, THE INCIDENT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH MY WIFE AND (3) YOUNG KIDS OR GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RAILROAD WITH RUNNING TRAIN APPROACHING. I BELIEVE THAT "SAFETY ISSUE" SHALL BE THE FIRST PRIORITY NEEDED TO BE RESOLVED BY TOYOTA CORP.

WHEN I GOT HOME PUT VEHICLE IN PARK EXITED VEHICLE WITH IT STILL RUNNING. VEHICLE JUMPED INTO GEAR HIT MY GARAGE CAUSING DAMAGE TO GARAGE. *JB

CAR ROLLED UPHILL WHILE IN NEUTRAL INTO THE GARAGE FROM THE DRIVEWAY. I INJURED MY L KNEE AS I WAS TRYING TO GET BACK IN THE CAR TO STOP IT BY BEING PINNED BY THE DRIVERS DOOR AS IT HIT A STEEL SUPPORT POST IN THE GARAGE.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER STATED THERE WAS FOREIGN MATERIAL IN THE VALVE BODY, THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, AT 11109 MILES THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED, CONSUMER STATES HE WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAIN OF THE TRANSMISSION. *SLC

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, DEALER REPLACED THE VEHICLE WITH A NEW ONE. *SLC