Great ride!!!
Nothing has gone worng with this car. I use full synthetic and had the engine flushed at 15,000 and 30,000 miles. The sludge problem is due to people changing the oil too infrequent.
Car rides smooth and handles great. Worth the extra money to have a piece of mind I didn't have when I owned the Caravan.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 5th January, 2003
Poor value
Engine oil sludge problems.
We had the same engine sludge problem in our 2000 Sienna. My experience as a mechanic told me something wasn't right. We were first turned own for warranty repair, told it was our fault, not enough oil changes and that the ones I did at home did not count.
Then a letter arrived from Toyota Canada saying they would do the repair if we could show we had one oil change done per year of ownership. We could and they repaired the engine.
The mechanics told me when I was inspecting the engine that these engines were cooking the oil so the solvents that keep the oil fluid and lubricating evaporate due to the high heat - hence the sludge.
I took picture of the disassembled engine and in my 25 plus years of experience had never seen anything so bad in 200,000 miles let alone 50,000 kilometers or 30,000 miles.
We received a second letter from Toyota warranty advising us that the warranty had been extended to 8 years from 5 on the engine repair unlimited mileage.
So why would Toyota repair the engine when they first told us we were negligent, lower the required frequency of one oil changes to one per year of ownership, and then extend the warranty to 8 years on this repair if there was not something fundamentally wrong with the design of the engine?
Almost all oil sold meets or exceeds standards for oil quality and performance etc. The dealership doing it is no different than the quick lube place or you doing it at home. It is not rocket science; hey it's not even complicated or technical to do.
Toyota Canada and I suspect Toyota USA use this, we didn't do it so it doesn't count as a smoke screen hoping their ignorant ill informed customers will go away.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 4th December, 2002
Really bad Quality
This is our 5th Toyota in a row. We bought it for its dependability and good name. We were fooled! The first problem occured within 6 months. The driver side sliding door panel would begin to fall off, interfering with the ability to slide the door open. I brought it into the dealer, which they said they had to order parts. It would be a week, we'll call you when its in. I never heard from them again. We then moved and brought it to another dealer. They fixed it, and within 2 days, it fell off again. I had it fixed AGAIN, and needless to day, its still to this day falling off. Now its happening to the other sliding door! Then, at roughly 20,000 miles, as I started the car, large amounts of smoke bellowed out. As I put the car in drive, the engine light came on. We immediatley brought this to the dealer, which then said it was sludge and OUR fault due to lack of oil changes! What a line! We have been very faithful in our maintenance with this van (and all our vehicles). Then when I got home, and read the receipt the dealer gave me, it stated that "owner never changed oil previously". I can't beleive it! Pointing their guilty fingers at me! Then I keep reading that so many owners are having this exact same problem. WAKE UP TOYOTA! NEVER EVER again will we purchase a toyota!
Sliding doors won't open due to panels continuously falling off. Engine sludge problems.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 18th August, 2002
12th Dec 2002, 09:52
I have heard that the sludge problems have been less in Canada than in the U.S. This is because the oil change recommendation in the manuals of Toyota's sold in Canada is more frequent than in those sold in the U.S. I was told by a Toyota employee that it was a marketing decision to extend the oil changes in the U.S.