general problems of the 2004 Toyota Sienna - part 1

Vehicle often applies brakes on its own . At first it was only in turns . However now it does it when driving straight on the the freeway or just down the street at 45mph. I have fixed my alignment ,new tires, all of the front suspension and nothing prevents the car from trying to brake for me. It is a safety feature that is not safe at all. A car slamming on your brakes at any speed is dangerous in addition to that it seems to cut off your fuel , leaving you unable to accelerate until its done beeping which can take a long time. The vsc , chenk engine and trac off flash there is no crash to report I have been lucky so far.

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.

The trac control is activated while the car is driving variable speed and brake the car and and the driver loose control of acceleration.

- traction control engaged at high speed(70 mph on interstate) causing the vehicle to brake abruptly and pull the vehicle to the right. Had I been traveling in the left hand lane, I could have been forced into the right hand lane causing a collusion with another vehicle. Also occurred at lower speed(30 mph on a windy road) causing the same issue as described above, almost causing the vehicle to leave the paved surface. - mechanic was able to duplicate the issue - mechanic diagnosed intermittent traction control activation, scanned computer for codes. Yaw rate/steering angle correlation causing false activation abs/traction. Replaced hub bearing and spindle. Four wheel alignment, including check castor, camber and adjust toe. Performed zero point calibration and reset abs memory. - traction control lights up briefly.

About a year ago the vehicle stability control warning light along with an audible alarm started coming on intermittently while turning on highways going uphill or downhill in dry weather and with no risk of any tire slipping. At first this only happened at higher speeds 65+mph. Over time, it has occurred more and more frequently and can occur at speeds down to 25 mph. At times, the anti-lock braking system is also activated resulting in jerky braking and loss of throttle. When people have been following me too closely, this has almost caused accidents. When these symptoms occur, it is always on a curve (of any degree, even slight curves) and while driving at least 25 mph, and even happens on flat turns now. The weather has always been dry with no risk of tire slippage.

Sometimes when I take turns in my Sienna, the vsc starts going off and braking individual wheels without my control. This happens unexpectedly on highway bends at speeds of 60+ mph and it is difficult to control the car and keep from swerving into another lane. If the roads were icy when this happens, it would probably cause a dangerous accident. Toyota has a technical service bulletin for this, but not a recall - which it should since this is a significant safety issue. The TSB is br008-04. There are many others experiencing this same issue: https://forums. Edmunds. Com/discussion/13855/Toyota/sienna/vsc-sudden-activation-2004-Toyota-sienna.

I had the control arms replaced, then one of the bolts came out after a few thousand miles. I had that bolt replaced and the problem started happening intermittently after that. Everything will be functioning fine and then the speed of my vehicle is inhibited and it is hard to accelerate. It is very difficult to get from 40 mph up to 50 mph. On slight curves, not always, it will beep and the slip indicator light comes on and will apply the brakes on what feels like one side. This has happened at 35-60 mph. The slip indicator will beep sometimes until I decrease my speed to under 25 mph. I took it into a reputable tire and front end shop and they replaced a wheel bearing with sensor, and 2 front tires. The problem happened again within 5 miles and the shop said I need to take it to Toyota dealer to have it the steering angle sensors recalibrated. The Toyota dealership said that this is something that the vehicle does itself. They inspected it and took it for a test drive and said nothing is wrong. The problem happened again within a few miles of leaving the dealership. I have read countless forums of people experiencing the same thing in their Toyota Sienna and having the dealership telling them there is not a problem. I have also found that the solution could very well be worn rack and pinion bushings that are creating the play that are triggering the sensors. I don't think they gave it a proper inspection. This is a very dangerous problem, and even more so when the dealership is saying there isn't a problem. I am feeling very lost on what to do with my van right now. I have spent $1100 and 3 days of my time with the same thing happening. I.

When driving under normal conditions the vehicles' vsc will engage. The dashboard lights go off, there is a loud interior beeping sound, the abs engages, the car slows down drastically at once. The roads are dry. At first this happened while driving normal speed exiting or entering an hwy off/on ramp. Then happened yesterday as I was driving on neighborhood streets at about 25-30 mph. I could hear a rubbing on the back tires as if the brakes were on.

Traction control kicks in for no reason, tration beeping and tires lock,at freway speed traction control activates and cuts off speed dramatically. Very unsafe to drive.

On numerous occasions, we have had the vsc indicator light turn on while driving on dry pavement while on the highway, which caused the car to apply the brakes and also swerve. Our car is awd so the first time it happened, we thought there must have been black ice on the road (even though the road appeared dry). It first happened about three years ago, although it is happening more frequently now. We drove home yesterday through the mountains and it happened four times on our two hour drive. It mostly happens while going downhill for us, and has happened at speeds of 70 mph - 30 mph. It has happened while turning (both directions) and going straight. It is very scary for both my wife and I, and I feel unsafe with her driving our car with our four children. We've taken it to the dealership and they want to charge us lots of money to try to fix what they "think" the problem is. I have spoken with other Sienna owners who have experienced the same frightening experience so know it is not just our car, driving, etc.

Purchased 2004 Sienna xle awd limited 2/18/15. While commuting to work the traction control system randomly activates in dry conditions (usually on downhill angled turn) causing loss of power, activation of front right brakes, and the steering wheel jerked from my hands (resulting in transient overall loss of control of vehicle). This defect has occurred 6 times in 2 days and I am currently afraid to drive the car, especially with a 3 month old. There have been multiple reports on edmunds. Com and other Toyota forums that support this is an ongoing problem with this model/year vehicle. This is a safety defect and the vehicle should be recalled to prevent injury or fatality and to resolve the issue with the tcs. There is no way to turn off the tcs manually and this issue can cause an accident.

Tl-the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated that the brakes were depressed, but failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle went over the curb, and was stopped by a pile of snow. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. Pam.

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 .

Sudden deceleration of vehicle: 2004 Toyota Sienna xle. The vsc engages, without warning, on smooth, dry roads and when cornering or negotiating a curve. We are the original owners and have never experienced this until the first incident in late oct. 2014. We did not take any action because athough road conditions good, we were rounding a sharp bend in the road and assumed this had something to do with the incident. Vehicle speed was approximately 25 mph as the vehicle suddenly decelerated, the vsc light came on and a rapid beeping alarm sounded. The vehicle pulled to one side and steering the vehicle became extremely difficult. The whole incident, start to finish, lasted approximately 5 seconds. The next incident happened in early December 2014. Again, all the above decribed things happened, except vehicle speed was approximately 35 mph going around a gentle curve in the road. I did some research and found many complaints concerning this issue but do not see any recommendations or recalls officially issued by Toyota. It appears most of the dealer recommended repairs did not correct the problem. Today (December 26, 2014), this same issue happened five times within 40 minutes. My wife managed to get the vehicle home and we called our local Toyota dealer, described the issue and they informed us they have never received any complaints concerning rapid deceleration of this model year, before our phone call. I've scheduled an appointment for December 30, 2014 to have the vehicle checked out and have recall work done concerning the "shift lock solenoid assembly". Will update after appointment.

It started a year or so ago the while driving on dry road above 50miles the vsc light would lit with a alarm sound, the van will automatically apply brakes and slow the Sienna. Since this was extra van and we were driving mostly sedans we had and due to business I could not spend any time on it. . Now it happens more frequently and it risk our lifes on highway. Upon searching internet various forums came with with problems pertaining only to this year and model, please search (sudden vsc activation) and you will find multiple owner only of 2004 complaining for same issue. . In fact there are to two TSB articles to point to this problem ( TSB-br001-04 and TSB-br004-03) . I would kindly request to investigate the sudden vsc activation in middle of highway. I have spent money to replace tires, aligment balancing to find the issue is widespread.

Tl-the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph, the traction warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle accelerated independently. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was unable to be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. Djr.

In this initial incident, I was travelling on a curvy road at posted speed limit of 30mph. My vehicle suddenly slowed, as if I was applying the brakes, which I was not, and my steering was compromised. In addition the vsc indicator and symbol flashed on my dashed and beeped. The road was dry. This has occured 10+ times since. I have brought it to my mechanic, without turning the engine off after the occurance so that he could "read" the computer but there is no evidence available. We have brought it to the Toyota dealer. They "rebooted" the sensors and said it should be fine. It has continued to happen, on the freeway going uphill at 55 mph, going downhill at 60 mph and has been close to causing a rear end collision each time.

At varying rates of speed, on dry roads, my van's vsc and traction control icons will illuminate on the dash, the acceleration will cease and the brakes will pump 2-4 times, and the steering will stick. Originally, this occurred only on roads that curved however the frequency of occurrence is increasing and it now occurs on straight roads as well.

2004 Toyota Sienna. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle accident and shift lock solenoid recall notice, received after accident. The consumer and her husband were involved in an accident, when the vehicle suddenly surge forward, after turning into a parking spot. The vehicle violently crashed into the concrete storefront wall. Also, the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was totaled.

Driver had foot on brake to complete parking in driveway when car had sudden surge of acceleration and 'jumped' into a wheelbarrow and a pile of dirt beyond and the vehicle came to a stop. Dealer checked car and said there was nothing wrong with it.

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.

We will be going anywhere from 35 to 55 miles and our vsc light comes on and the van slows, other times the speed will slow it self and than will speed up on it's own. When that (vsc) light and sound comes on the van will also skid. There must be something wrong with vsc system. This van is still in very good condition, we sure swish someone could tell us what the problem is this seems to be a very serious matter. Reading all the other complaints this is not random and Toyota should give this matter serious consideration.

Vsc (vehicle stability control) is activated in curves at speeds between 25 mph and 60 mph. Surface is dry and curves are gradual with appropriate and safe driving speeds. The vsc light goes on and warning buzzer goes off. The brakes shudder and the vehicle is DE-throttled. Vehicle control is reduced for 3 to 5 seconds and then the vsc deactivates. Concerned that this will be a problem when the road surface is slick. Dealer could not find malfunction codes and could not duplicate problem so no fix. This situation occurs almost every day at least once. Keeping incident log. Web sites indicate this could be steering sensor calibration. Dealer cleaned sensor parts and this did not resolve problem. Contacted Toyota and they said to continue working with the dealer. TSB is out for yaw sensor failure and steering calibration.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. While stopped in parking space with the gear in reverse, the vehicle accelerated independently and crashed into a lamp post. The failure occurred a second time while stopped on an incline with the brake pedal depressed. The contact then crashed into two other vehicles. The police reported to the scene and a report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an auto shop where it was inspected by the insurance company. The vehicle was deemed as destroyed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle speed control warning light illuminated and the front driver side wheel hesitated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle lost power abnormally. The failure was experienced numerous times. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and the current mileage was 100,000.

The contact owns 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while attempting to enter a parking space, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into a concrete wall. The air bags then deployed and the contact sustained injuries to the knee after striking the steering wheel. The manufacturer was not contacted in regards to the failure nor was the vehicle taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The repairs and failure were being handled by the contacts insurance company. The vehicle was towed to an auto repair center. The failure mileage was 25,000.

2004 Toyota Sienna van, the vehicle stability control system (vsc) goes into skid prevention mode and automatically applies the brakes, disconnects the accelerator, and selects one side or wheel to apply braking force to. This has the effect of causing the car to shudder, skid and move dangerously close to the outside edge of a curve. This has occurred 15-20 times in my car since its purchase. I have taken it for repair by the dealer three times. Some "rusted" parts were replaced the first time. The next two times, I was told the vehicle was working properly. The vsc activated at speeds that were at or below the speed limit and in conditions where no realistic possibility of a skd was present. The problem is intermittent as I have driven over the same roads at the same or higher speeds for years without activation of the vsc. When it does activate it is frightening, and it causes a significant danger of losing control of the car or veering out of your lane. After a period of no activity, I have suddenly had 7 incidents in the last week occurring between Dec. 24, 2010 and January 2, 2011. The problem first arose approximately three years ago. There have been 4 or 5 isolated incidents, but now there has been a serious and dramatic increase in the frequency of the vsc failure.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while driving at relatively low speeds of 3 mph and removing her foot from the accelerator pedal, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and proceeded to crash into a cement pole. She suffered injuries to her knees and there was substantial front end damage to the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where they repaired the vehicle body damage. The dealer was unable to locate or duplicate the unwarranted acceleration failure. The failure and current mileages were 106,000.

3-5-10 at about 11:39am I was making a left turn into a parking space in front of my condominium when my 2004 Toyota Sienna suddenly lurched forward and jumped the parking stop and hit a cement wall. I tried to brake the car and they did not work. I had new brake pads on 3-1-10 and my car serviced. The car was towed to beachside auto body repair, indian harbour beach, FL 32937. Front end damage. We asked that they have a mechanic inspect the car.

I drive a 2004 Toyota Sienna xle. On 3/4/10 at 1030 am, I was coming to a stop light on broken land pkwy. As I completed a full stop, my Sienna tried to accelerate while my foot was depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle lurched but did not stall out and I was able to continue on my way. During the rest of the morning, I did not experience any more acceleration trouble the rest of the day. I did inform my husband and he suggested I research 2004 Toyota Sienna acceleration. I did that and found a variety of complaints from 2004 Toyota Sienna owners on several internet auto web sites.

Sudden unexplained acceleration and brake failure on my 2004 Toyota Sienna. I was almost at a stop at a traffic light when the light turned green. I pressed the accelerator. My van shot off! it accelerated very rapidly. I pressed the brake. They did not engage. I pressed the brake again. They went to floor. With oncoming traffic on my left and a car in the right lane, I had nowhere to go. I hit the truck in front of me who was stopping at the next traffic light. Had I been on a curvy road or the interstate, I could have been seriously injured. I did not look at the speedometer to see how fast the van got. I was too busy trying to find a way not to hit someone. This was very scary. Updated 04/22/10 updated 05/10/10 updated ivoq 05/12/10 updated 09/28/10.

2004 Toyota Sienna - erratic rpm in drive, smog stations are not able to do the test, due to alleged car electronics control issue. This is the first ever smog test that was requested by California dmv for this new vehicle after 5-years of use.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact was driving approximately 10 mph into the residence garage. The driver applied pressure to the brake pedal, followed by an intended acceleration. Suddenly, the vehicle crashed into the garage wall. There were no personal injuries. The license plate was damaged. The vehicle has not been inspected for the malfunction. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 78,000.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. After leaving a complete stop, the vehicle accelerated 15 mph past the intended speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. A technician concluded that the ecm needed to be replaced. The current and failure mileages were 97500.

I drove a 2004 Toyota Sienna. My car is not part of the recall. However, I had an incident similar to the gas acceleration. This incident happened last year, where I was in mcdonald parking lot. I took my foot off the gas pedal to slow down in order to park, suddenly the car accelerated (about 20 mph) and I had to step on the brake but the car did not slow down. I had to step on the brake the second time for the car to stop. This incident last only a few seconds. I did not have any more incident after that one.