2004 Toyota Sienna: check engine light

Filed Oct 10, 2020 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 260,000 miles · TX

In motion, on dry, off-camber highway curves, with slight acceleration, the ABS/vsc /trak engages, briefly jerking the steering to one side. Dash warnings: "vsc" "trak off" + "check engine". Reducing mechanical "slop" (wheel bearings, steering rack & pinion, etc.) tends to reduce frequency of occurrence. Toyota dealer diagnosis: "steering control system fault". >"toyota knows about -- but, does not know how to fix this problem."< dealer-suggested workaround: "pull fuzes to disable vsc and ABS systems..." dealer repair documents are with previous owner...

Filed Jan 12, 2015 · Acceleration, Electrical · 49,000 miles · CA

Dash board has a crack on passenger side right where the air bag is. While driving on the freeway noticed check engine light came on and speedometer reading went to 0. Stopped counting miles and car going on 65 but speedometer reads 0. Also gas tank level indicator goes from half tank to empty and gas light turn on. It is not safe as I don't know at what speed my car is going on and also if the crack on the dash board gets bigger, air bags might pop out. Need somebody to look into this as the van is driven only 49000 miles. This is very unusual .

Filed Mar 19, 2014 · Acceleration, Engine · 129,000 miles · MI

Complete loss of power while in motion entering freeway. Previously had noticed steering difficulty at times and engine light going on, but had always stopped after a short while. After the failure it was diagnosed as failure of crank shaft pulley. We found that toyota had done a recall for this issue, but had not included our vehicle in the recall or notified us. Toyota denied coverage of the required repair. Driver and two small children in care at time of failure, just about to enter freeway. Over $800 in repairs.

Filed May 23, 2010 · Electrical, Engine · 60,000 miles · KS

I have 2 different complaints. Driver side seat heater burned legs of 3 different drivers before complete failure. Heat was not adjustable. Driver and passenger heaters stopped working at same time. Took to dealer, recommended new heating element ($1000+). Opted not to fix. 2nd complaint, check engine, vsc, and trac off lights illuminated. The van has been sent to the dealer on at least 3 occasions. Gas cap has been replaced several times, spark plugs changed. Will go off for brief periods, but always to return. This has been going on for at least 30,000 miles. I could live with the check engine light on, but if the other lights are illuminated, that indicates these components are not working-kind of important-skid control & traction control!! There are many complaints out there on blogs, doesn't look like anyone has filed any reports with your office regarding this same problem, which is too bad because it's obviously a problem not with just sienna but several other models as well. Extremely frustrating when even the dealer can't determine what the problem really is!! We purchased this vehicle because of the safety features. Not so sure about it if their safety features malfunction!

Filed Feb 25, 2010 · Acceleration · 50,000 miles · IA · crash · 1 injury

In may of 2008, I was attempting to pull my 2004 toyota sienna into the garage. I was idling when suddenly the vehicle took off. I was standing with both feet on the brake and could not stop. I crashed through the rear of the garage and hit a tree which ripped the right tire and axle from the drive shaft. At that point, I can to a stop however the engine continued to race until I turned off the vehicle. My 2 year old daughter had been right outside the back door of the garage when I crashed through. She was somehow pushed off to the side. The back portion of the wall and the back door went about 30 feet into the backyard. The tree I hit was about 45 feet behind the garage. I traveled for another 50 feet after hitting the tree and losing my right front tire. When we had the vehicle looked at by the toyota dealership in sioux city, ia, they said nothing was wrong with the vehicle. Since it has been repaired, the electronic speed control will quit working at times and there are error lights that show up on the dashboard. I believe it is an ESC light and the check engine light that show up when the speed control quits working. Once these lights go away, the speed control will continue working again.

Filed Sep 12, 2009 · Engine · 108,000 miles · AZ

Check engine light came on in 2004 sienna le, called dealership for appt, the next day, the air conditioning went out. I live in phoenix, az, where it is routinely 115 in the summer. Took car van to dealership where price to fix is $4200. Compressor exploded and sent shards of metal throughout entire A/C system. Toyota is aware of this problem, as posted in their tsb ac003-05, but refuses to cover their defect under a recall as it's not life-threatening. Let me tell you, riding in a car for any length of time in 115 degree weather is life-threatening. A/c is not a luxury in az; it is necessary for survival. Upon contacting toyota customer service, they deny any culpability; however, there are plenty of forums, including toyotanation.com, in which people have routinely had this problem with this vehicle. Would like toyota to issue a recall for their defect and take care of their customers. They are aware of the problem and to deem it non-life-threatening is a mistake. Most people who own mini-vans are transporting children and it doesn't take much for children to overheat in a non-air conditioned car, not to mention the mild heat exhaustion that comes from being in the car for 15 minutes. Car is still not fixed due to exorbitant cost and it is well over 100 here still in september.

Filed Jul 11, 2009 · Driver assistance · 49,545 miles · NJ

I have a 04 sienna w/ 49,000 miles. The check engine light, vsc and trac control light came on several times since I purchased my car back in 04. They would just turned off after the car was shut off.

Filed Nov 24, 2008 · Transmission · 145,000 miles · MD

I always took my 2004 toyota sienna in for maintenance. The maintenance was performed by midas or toyota. I took the vehicle in for brakes august 2008 and was told a timing belt was needed along with driving belt. I was never verbally told of a problem with the transmission. I took the vehicle back in for service to replace the timing belt, driving belt, and thermostat; still no mention of a problem with the transmission. A couple of days later the check engine light came on. When I took the vehicle back to the dealer they told me the transmission was bad and show me the dirt from the transmission. Never prior to the last visit did they verbally mention anything about a transmission problem.

Filed Aug 29, 2007 · Fuel system · MN

Check engine light comes on with every gas fill. (gas cap is closed tightly) is very difficult to fuel. I have to find a pump that pumps very slowly or do it by hand. *jb updated 01-15-08. *kb updated

Filed Jun 2, 2005 · Engine · 9,611 miles · VT

01/11/05: vehicle stalled while in motion. Towed to local facility. Later vehicle successfully started and indicated no problems upon test drive. 01/30/05: driving kids to snowboarding when vehicle stalled in motion. Restarted. Drove on side of road - stalled again - restated. Check engine light (along with several others) now activated. Drove on side of road as vehicle would not accelerate above 10mph and would stall repeatedly. 01/31/05: I contacted service department at handy dodge toyota (hdt), to report breakdown and arranged for service. 02/04/05: hdt performed air-intake valve replacement and several other service campaigns. 02/24/05: vehicle stalled while in motion. Vehicle restarted, but would not accelerate over 10mph. Vehicle continued to stall while in motion and check engine light activated. Stalled while on a blind hill/corner on route 104. I could not pull off to side of road as there was no shoulder and guard-rails hugged immediate side of road. I was in the road for about 10 minutes with my emergency lights flashing while continuously attempting to restart vehicle. Vehicle restarted and I was able to drive to a parking area for a tow. Hdt contacted me to inform that failure was same as before and through further research at the national level that they learned that stalling is occurring in toyota sienna and 4runners in the cold weather states due to a defect in the gas tank design and that there is currently no repair available. Recommend running vehicle with no less than half a tank of gas (at all times) and were verbally optimistic that the cold weather would be ending in the next week or two. I informed hdt that I drive an hour (each way) to and from work every day (highway and back roads) and to be expected to do that each day in a defective vehicle (that has a history of stalling) is unsafe and unacceptable. I have since filed lemon law demand for arbitration which case is in progress.

Filed Oct 15, 2004 · Engine · 5,800 miles · VA

Driving 55 MPH the engine warning light illuminated. Smoke came from the rear of the vehicle. The consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. The dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. The cause was not determined. Please provide more information.