A plug-in battery charger failed. You may inspect it. It got hot and smoked, and I suppose was a fire hazard. The problem has not been confirmed nor inspected. There were no symptoms of the problem before the failure. - - - - I used the automotive charger to charge a battery after a light had been on overnight, discharging the battery. I removed the battery from the vehicle because the terminals might have been corroded. When I first put the charger on the battery it indicated full and did not start to recharge it, so I used jumper cables to charge the discharged battery from a good battery in my car and left the charger at 10 amps on the good battery at the same time so that battery would not become discharged. I left it to sit, figuring it would take several hours at that setting, and after about 5 minutes I saw smoke. Both 12v wires were hot and insulation burned or melted off. There is damage to the car where the wires rested on the painted plastic bumper and a plastic bit near the battery, and of course the charger is useless. I wrote to the manufacturer on March 28 to make them aware, and ask how to avoid it in the future, and ask if it can be repaired. I have not heard back. - - - - The user manual for this product is at http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/60000-60999/60653.pdf The current year model of this product is at https://www.harborfreight.com/10250a-12v-manual-charger-with-engine-start-60581.html - - - - The charger is sold by Harbor Freight Tools under the Cen-Tech brand.
The worst 2003 Toyota Sienna problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Locks21
- Body18
- Brakes13
- Acceleration11
- Transmission10
- Tires7
- Engine6
- Seat belts5
- Electrical4
- Fuel system4
- Steering4
- Suspension4
- Visibility4
- Airbags2
- Driver assistance1
- Seats1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Toyota Sienna
Recalls 1
Structure
- What is wrong
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 1998 through 2010 sienna passenger vehicles manufactured between august 7, 1997 and january 4, 2010, currently registered in or originally sold in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, washington district of columbia, virginia, west virginia, and wisconsin. The subject vehicles are equipped with the spare tire stowed under the vehicle. If the vehicle is operated in the cold climate regions of the united states where road salt is frequently used, water splashed backwards with high concentrations of road salt can reach the spare tire carrier and corrode the spare tire carrier assembly cable.
- Risk
- The cable may break due to excessive corrosion and the spare tire may separate from the vehicle, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners with an interim letter initially instructing them to bring their vehicle to authorized dealers to inspect for corrosion. A second notice will be sent when the permanent remedy is available. For more information, please see toyota's amended recall report of july 19, 2010. The safety recall is expected to begin on october 12, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1‑800‑331‑4331.
Recall number 10V160000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Toyota Sienna 108
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical...
- To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used...
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix...
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal...
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad...
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal...
- This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life...
- Obsolete notice
- Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN...
- The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master...
2003 Toyota Sienna fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | FWD | 17 | 23 | 19 |
What 2003 Toyota Sienna owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Takata recall air bags failed to deploy in a roll over accident that involved in car being airborne and rolling over. Car was totaled. No airbags deployed, car went through 50 foot of cornfield and landed on the roof. Windows were all collapsed door ripped off its hinges. I have pictures on my phone I can print and get to you.
Mva - other party rear-ended us at 35-40 miles/hr. While we were stopped at a light. Both driver and passenger front seat backs broke. Our vehicle was totaled , other vehicle air bags did not deploy . Appeared to be minimal damage to other vehicle. Pictures of both vehicles available
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sienna. While driving approximately 45 MPH, an abnormal squeaking sound emitted from the rear of the vehicle. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where it was diagnosed that spare tire carrier assembly cable was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 10v160000 (structure); however, the recall part needed was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage and VIN were unknown.
The toyota sienna's gas pedal has been and remains intermittently sticky. It takes some foot stomping to depress the gas pedal in order to accelerate the vehicle. Toyota does not believe this to be a major problem when I questioned them a few years ago.
The rear window at driver side started to loose about 6 months ago. At the beginning, it made noise when open the rear window. So we kept it closed all the time. But gradually, it is getting worse and worse. Now even with the window closed, the window still shakes and makes noises, sounds like the window glass will drop at time.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sienna. The contact stated that while shifting into reverse, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000. Updated 3/13/13 *cn the consumer stated the dealer did not find anything mechanically wrong. The vehicle was sold back to the dealer. Updated 04/09/2013
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sienna. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, she applied the brake and the pedal was locked. The failure recurred numerous times and the ABS brake light illuminated during the failure. Additionally, the wheels would seize at times, causing the vehicle to skid. The vehicle was taken to a personal mechanic four different times for a diagnosis, however the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 75,618.
July 31, 2009 this was the state of the car: driver side door makes a popping noise. Automatic passenger sliding door is not smooth when opening. Feb 2, 2012: the driver side popping noise has gotten much worse. The passenger sliding door no longer works.
Driver and front passenger door started making loud clicking sounds when opening and closing doors back in may of last year. Then about 2 months ago, the front passenger door would not close fully and would only open up a few inches. After I was able to open up, I noticed the door weld had snapped and broken off (where it attaches to the door). I searched online and found out this is a common problem with siennas and there was a service bulletin for this problem, although not for my year. From what I've read, door welds are not suppose to break off on door and this is a serious defect that toyota should take care of.
Compare the 2003 Toyota Sienna
Sienna vs Chrysler Town and CountrySienna vs Dodge Grand CaravanSienna vs Honda OdysseySienna vs Chrysler PacificaSienna vs Kia Sedona
Other model years
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Questions about the 2003 Toyota Sienna
Is the 2003 Toyota Sienna reliable?
Owners have filed 105 complaints about the 2003 Toyota Sienna, fewer than a typical Sienna model year.
What is the 2003 Toyota Sienna year score?
The 2003 Toyota Sienna scores 80 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Toyota Sienna: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Toyota Sienna?
Doors, latches and locks, with 21 complaints, typically around 40,000 miles. Next is body (18).
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Sienna have?
1 recall, covering structure.
What year does the Toyota Sienna have the most locks problems?
The Toyota Sienna model years with the most locks complaints are 2004 (308 complaints), 2005 (135 complaints) and 2006 (67 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Toyota Sienna get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Toyota Sienna range from 19 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.0L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 17 city and 23 highway.
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