Problems with 2004 Toyota Sienna STEERING

Steering wheel became hard to turn and erratically jumped when turned. dealer replace steering shaft and indicated it was close to a catastrophic failure. *tr

2004 sienna le: failure of driver side front suspension spring in january 2012, passenger side in january 2013. each spring cracked causing vehicle to drop while in motion. metal in cracked areas appeared porous possibly suggesting flaws in metal during manufacture. 2013 failure included crack near middle of spring, with a sharp broken piece sticking out close to tire. thankfully occurred while parking/at low speed; failure at high speed may have resulted in puncture of tire/loss of vehicle control. 2012 failure included crack near top. photographs of the 2012 spring are available upon request. vehicle is in good condition, with only ~65,000 mi at time of first incident. driven on paved roads, light loads. body rust free with minimal surface corrosion of unpainted/undercarriage items. contacted toyota in 2012, filed case. was informed similar issues had not been reported, failure was not covered. noting extreme hazard posed by broken spring puncturing tire, encouraged further evaluation. obtained/replaced at my cost spring from local toyota dealer, had aligned. contacted toyota in 2013 regarding second failure. noted was second occurrence/extreme hazard posed by puncturing tire, encouraged further evaluation. obtained replacement/had aligned at my cost. recently contacted toyota; no new information available. broken springs can result in loss of vehicle control as can tire puncture. failures i experienced occurred at low speeds; if at higher speeds, results may have been catastrophic. noting light use and excellent condition of vehicle as well as appearance of the broken springs, toyota parts staff and outside mechanics indicated that manufacturing issues may be cause of failures. replacement springs included different color coding; parts staff indicated this may correspond to more recent production, suggested that new parts may be of better quality.

Hard to steer and steering will not turn back. very dangerous when turning and not being able to go back into the lane. no recall notice yet for steering shaft. spoke to rep from toyota service dept., said no one has reported such problem yet. *tr

Steering binds when making turns. this happens at all speeds and compromises my ability to safely maneuver the vehicle. *tr

Loss of power to steering wheel making it difficult to turn corners, park, etc. *tt

This is most likely a known problem. i have spent thousands of dollars trying to get it fixed, and it has been in the shop numerous time, including a toyota dealership service department. problem: very unpredictable traction control problem which is getting worse. whether driving down the interstate, going around a curve, or just driving on slower city roads, the traction control light and sensor will go off - frequently locking up the steering, breaking, and causing loss of control of the vehicle. this often causes the vehicle to shake violently, and it has even caused the rear of the vehicle to slide. the only way i have found to manage this is to coast until it clears out. i am fearful every time i drive it, especially on the highway. i feel it is only a matter of time before i am involved in an accident, especially if the roads happen to be wet or icy. i have seen numerous complaints on the internet, and i have filed a case with toyota. back on 6-26-14 when i first contacted toyota after nothing seemed to fix the problem, i was told they had no knowledge of the problem, and there were no reported problems from dealerships. i just spoke with them again without any success or new information. *tr

The steering wheel on my 2004 toyota sienna is stiff and it is hard to control the vehicle. took the vehicle for inspection at the toyota dealership and they were unable to diagnose the problem. now the vehicle is not in a drivable condition and will have to be towed another toyota dealership. talked to toyota customer service about the tsb's posted on-line related to the steering problem issue. reviewed the details about nhtsa campaign id number: pe08041. also noticed that other sienna owners have also experienced similar problems with the vehicle. *tr

2004 toyota sienna: having trouble with steering system: knocking noise while turning left. also, a vibration like feel at the steering wheel while driving slowly. *tr

Without warning steering on 2004 toyota sienna became extremely difficult to steer. it felt as if power steering was not functioning. van was able to be driven to garage for service. the sudden change in steering was extreme. garage found service bulletin for steering component corrosion issue and confirmed problem. cost is estimated at $500. part will be retained. *tr

I have a 2004 toyota sienna with approximately 60,000 miles. the steering seems to have lost power steering capabilities as well as over turning when going around curves and corners. *tr

Our 2004 toyota sienna developed a clicking or popping sound in the steering column when turning left or right after about 3 seasons of winter driving in minnesota. the dealer said that they did not hear/feel the problem. each consecutive winter the symptoms would get worse and the toyota dealer claimed they could not duplicate the noise or hear a problem. about 4 months ago, the steering became erratic and felt un-boosted at times requiring a great deal of effort to turn the wheel. i did some research online and came across a toyota technical service bulletin st003-04 where they describe a shaft noise that is caused by corrosion. the nhtsa investigation concluded that toyota's claims that the noise was minor, not a safety hazard, and occurred infrequently. we took the sienna back to the dealer and i specifically asked them to examine the intermediate shaft and showed them the tsb. they reported back that i had a severely corroded intermediate shaft from road salt and it had seized at one end of the connection. the tsb campaign was only good for the first 36,000 miles (our van had about 82,000 miles at the time of the repair) so the out of cost expense to make the vehicle safe to steer again was $527. i can not speak to the frequency this defect affects other 2004 siennas, but i can attest to a number of near misses on the road caused by the erratic and lack of power steering assist caused until the repair was finally diagnosed and fixed. corrosion resistance of steering components should be a fundamental attribute of any vehicle as the loss or diminished capacity of that function instantly creates a hazard to the vehicle occupants and others on the road. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota sienna. the contact was driving 30 mph when the vehicle became difficult to steer without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 83,000 and the current mileage was 94,000.

Failure of intermediate steering shaft due to corrosion. car became extremely difficult to steer, especially rapid changes. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota sienna. while driving 25 mph the traction control system light illuminated on the dashboard. the vehicle lunged forward and made a noise, the brakes surged and locked the wheels. the vehicle pulled to the left and drove across the yellow line into on coming traffic. the vehicle then continued to accelerate to the right and into another lane but there was no traffic. the contact was able to regain control of the vehicle. the vehicle was driven to the dealer and the failure recurred 2 to 3 times on the way to the dealer. the dealer replaced the steering angle sensor assembly. the failure mileage was 80,436 and the current mileage was 80,466. updated 02/03/11*lj updated 03/18/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota sienna. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to steer and the wheel would not return to the standard position when making a turn. the contact stated that the failure occurred when the weather was cold and usually when the vehicle was operated before given a chance to warm up. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised that the stabilizer link was corroded. the steering rack and pinion, steering gear and linkage outer tie rods were also replaced. the mechanic also added power steering fluid but to no avail. the failure persisted and the contact returned to the mechanic for further diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that there was a technical service bulletin for the failure under nhtsa item number: 10020994 (steering). the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

My 2004 toyota sienna have a noisy steering and stiff steering in cold weather when turning at low speeds. *tr

I noticed power steering began to stiffen-up over a period of 3 months. i checked the ps fluid and added very little, but still did not see any change in the stiffness. after reading several incidents of this, i am going to bring it to a dealer for them to assess, but it seems to me the corrosion issue to be the case. *tr

Steering failed in van, no warning, became very hard and acted like steering with no to very little power steering. required significant driver input to steer and drive vehicle. dealer said road salt caused exposed mechanisms under car to corrode and tighten. *tr

Toyota sienna 2004 with only 62,000 miles presents knocking noise when operating the steering wheel, also requiring excessive correction when driving the vehicle in highways. requested fix during extended warranty sold by toyota itself. claim was denied. *tr

I began recently having difficulty in steering my 2004 toyota sienna minivan. the steering would bind and require increased effort when the vehicle was making turns. this happens constantly and is getting worst. i took the vehicle to balise toyota in warwick, rhode island to be repaired. they stated it was a problem with the power steering drive belts and they replaced them. however the vehicle continues to have extreme difficulty in steering and it continues to bind. i believe this is a threat to my families and my safety if we continue to drive this vehicle. i have check the websites on toyota defects and i believe it is a problem with corrosion of the steering universal joints. *tr

During feb 2010, i noticed intermittent 'sticking' in the power steering of my 2004 toyota sienna xle at all speeds. on 10mar10, or 80,787 miles, heartland toyota flushed my steering as part of the scheduled 90,000 mile warranty. this was 10,000 miles early. the problem seemed to go away, and when it returned within two weeks, i was told to cycle the steering clockwise to the stop, and then counter-clockwise to the stops and to repeat this 10 times. this also seemed to help in the short term. the 'binding' action continued to worsen to the point where it felt like the steering was stuck, and additional force was required to push through the binding. the binding happens at all speeds, but is more noticeable at higher speeds due to the reduction of response time to correct the steering. this binding worsened over time, and i dropped it off to be evaluated by heartland toyota on 16aug10. toyota stated the repair would entail replacing the 'steering shaft assembly', and that the internal bearings were going bad. the repair will cost $680 with parts, labor and tax. i asked that the parts be saved and i will provide to the nhtsa odi upon request and proper correspondence via the us mail. additional research of this issue was found in the odi's pe0804. upon further reading it appears many of these issues are being linked to 'salt damage' from salting during the winter. the washington state dot does not use salt in western washington, and i would encourage the odi to reopen this issue with the toyota sienna. *tr

2004 toyota sienna steering problem*cw the consumer stated the dealer fixed the steering problem. however, the consumer had to return the vehicle because the problem resurfaced. the steering was never the same. there were times when the steering would become stiff, but the problem would go away once the vehicle warmed up. the consumer also stated the clip that holds the floor mat in place comes off easily. *jb

Cracks along the entire dashboard and airbag areas of the front dash. concern about proper airbag deployment or failure and lack of structural integrity of the dash along with steering control during a vehicle crash. dash failure and debris from dash may affect the steering control if dash debris is lodged against steering area. noticed dash cracks at about 60k miles and the cracks continue to grow with each use of vehicle. currently vehicle has 79k miles. dealer/manufacturer did not want to fix or replace the dash citing out of warranty issue. however, this issue is on all 04 and up toyota sienna's and possibly more vehicles with this type of dashboard material. *tr

Rust / corrosion on steering components which caused major handling problems. dealer stated that his mechanic would not drive the vehicle off the dealer premises and that the intermediate shaft required replacement. *tr

I own a 2004 toyota sienna ce. in february or march i started to experience steering problems. when i first started my vehicle up in the morning, the steering was very tight and difficult to steer. after about an hour or less of driving the problem disappeared. a mechanic changed the power steering fluid, but the problem continued. some days there are no problems and some days there are. i have complained of the problem to the toyota dealership where i have the van serviced which is copeland toyota in brockton, ma. they could find nothing wrong with the steering. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota sienna. he stated that while driving at various speeds the steering wheel is very hard to turn and stay in one position . he stated that his vehicle was fine until it snowed and the salt on the roads made the steering intermiate shaft corrode. the dealer was contacted and they stated that there was no recall and that they will repair the vehicle at the owner's expense. there had been no repairs done to the vehicle at the time of the complaint . the failure mileage was 81000 and current mileage was 82000.

We have a 2004 toyota sienna. we bought it new in 2004 from phillips toyota in leesburg fl. three to four weeks ago, we started noticing a problem with the power steering when first starting in the morning. it feels like the power steering is jumping between working and not working with no warning indication of a problem. the feeling is that of having no power steering until the car has warmed for two to three minutes, there are no warning lights or audible sounds. it has been happening every morning. *tr

It happened twice during 2 weeks ago ( during heavy rain). i was driving my 2004 toyota sienna on a parking lot. the steering wheel is very hard to turn, it seems like i lost the power steering. after restarting the van, the problem disappeared. next day, my wife encountered the same problem when she is picking up our kids from school. we believe there is a major problem with the electrical system or computer system. i have so many problem with this vans and the dealer refuse to fix it, i have seat belt problem, it is not easy to release after driving, dealer wants 300 to fix. electrical sliding door problem etc. *tr

When turning corners, steering suddenly seizes up making it extremely difficult if not impossible to turn the wheel and preventing the vehicle from operating safely at low to medium speeds. it seems as if the steering problem happens most often when it is cold or wet out. often we are required to come to a complete stop before the steering loosens up again. the dealer has been unable to recreate the problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the power steering goes in and out on the vehicle. this has been re-occurring problem for the past six months. the steering will go out while making a left or right hand turn. the failure mileage was 130000 and the current mileage was 163000.

The steering binds during turns. i have noticed that the problem gets worse over time to a point that it seems dangerous to drive. when you turn the wheel, the wheel catches and turns the van real quickly in an uncontrolled manner. my mechanic has stated he needs to replace the steering rack. *tr

Steering wheel on toyota sienna 2004 making noise and stiff when turning left or right. occurs when temperature drops below 40 degrees. *tr

While driving the vehicle (2004 toyota sienna), in an effort to make a turn, the steering wheel would lock, and not allow you to turn either direction for multiple moments. after taking it to toyota about 3-4 times (about dec 2009), they finally determined that it was a system failure in a self contained unit, that would prevent you from seeing it in the form of low power steering fluid, etc. at that time, it was repaired and considered to be under warranty. in the past month or so, this being middle of jan 2014, the steering has been having similar issues. have taken it to the dealership multiple times, and the time prior to my drop off yesterday, they stated that it involved the "reservoir" and installed a new one. after a few days of having it, the issue happened again yesterday. i can recall that in the first repair (about 2009) and the current repair, the issue seemed more prevalent when the weather was cold and rainy. given that i just dropped the vehicle off yesterday, this incident is still not completely resolved at this point. *tr

I experienced significant difficulty (stiffness, lack of responsiveness) in the power steering of my 2004 toyota sienna. subsequent examination by my dealership revealed that both the steering rack and pinion and the intermediate steering shaft needed to be replaced. the minivan has only 51,000 miles. *tr

Steering problem on 2004 toyota sienna. steering will jerk as the wheel is turned - requires extra effort to turn the wheel and then will jerk through that direction. it then has tendency to stick, so vehicle continues turning when steering wheel grasp is relaxed. operator needs to quickly respond to avoid loss of control. problem is most pronounced when vehicle is cold but still noticeable after it has warmed up. the problem came on suddenly about one week ago. vehicle has ~82,000miles. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota sienna. when the contact started the vehicle, she noticed that the steering column became very stiff and difficult to maneuver when turning. there were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and the mechanic stated that a shaft was failing. the repair would cost $375. the contact is currently waiting for the parts to arrive for the repair. she is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 111,000 and current mileage was 112,000.

Steering wheel presents vibration and strange noise when fully turned to any side. complained to toyota during the extended warranty and service was denied, stating that is was functional and not broken. now (feb 2012, extended warranty expired) it is really getting worse and worse. would toyota wait for the part to fail and someone to be killed to address the problem? there is a premature wear in the steering column and steering system. *tr

Large noise in the steering column while turning left. *tr

The universal joint at the bottom of the intermediate steering shaft has rusted and is seizing. this problem occurs at varying degrees dependent upon temperature and humidity. at it's best, steering is a little difficult and unpredictably responsive. at it's worse, steering is nearly impossible. it feels as though the power steering is alternating between working correctly and actually working against the driver. this alternation occurs in about 30 degree intervals as the wheel is turned. this makes for very unpredictable driving and may lead to a crash. i have researched this online and found that many people, particularly people in high road salt regions, are having this problem. toyota has created tsb st001-07 concerning it, but does not consider it a big enough problem to cause a recall. i am amazed that a known problem that could cause the car to be un-steerable is not serious enough for toyota or nhtsa to designate a recall. *tr

2004 toyota sienna steering. steering suddenly binds while attempting to turn. very hard to steer at times. hard to control. *tr

Steering binding or increased steering effort on toyota 2004 sienna. steering requires extra effort while turning, and does not always return by itself (requires effort to return to 0 degrees). this condition varies (different effort at different points in the turning arc) from turn to turn, making it a hazard for driving. it is similar to partial loss of power steering midway through a turn. seems to be getting worse. i understand there is a tsb to fix this problem, which i am trying to obtain so the problem can get fixed correctly. (don't want to be overcharged for unnecessary work). *tr

Steering suddenly began to bind when turning at low speed and increasing difficult to steer, especially in cold temperatures. dealership found rusting knuckles on steering shaft and installed new shaft. vehicle had only 42,000 miles. never had a problem like this with 2 previous toyotas, one of them eleven years old! very unsafe and expensive to repair. my opinion toyota should recall. *tr

Steering is binding on my 2004 toyota sienna. the dealership that i brought the vehicle to said they found no tsb for this vehicle yet this sight said two tsb's exist. the dealer charged me over $1400 and the steering problem still is not fixed. *tr

2004 toyota sienna steering. steering suddenly binds while attempting to turn. very hard to steer at times. hard to control. there is 2 to 3 seconds delay and slight acceleration lag even when taking off from a stop. couple of times i was close to run into accident. *tr

2004 toyota sienna: problems with the power steering. i live in ma and during the winter the power steering will intermittently work. there is not power steering from between 10 and 2 o'clock and then it will kick in. also it will not return to zero on its own. trying to make a turn you have to pull hard and then it will kick in and you almost run into the guardrail. after pulling back the other way it is hard and then once it kicks in i almost drive into oncoming traffic. i have read other readers complaints on "aboutautomobile.com" and there is a problem with the intermediate power steering shaft have corrosion issues in high salt area. toyota has changed this on later models so they know there is a problem. i feel this is a major issue that will lead to an accident. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota sienna. the contact stated that the steering rack alternated between manual and power. the failure occurred twice and seemed to occur only in winter months. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and the steering rack from the firewall to the tie rod ends were replaced at the owners expense. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that the problem was not covered under warranty. the failure mileage was approximately 70,000. the current mileage was approximately 81,500.

Corrosion of steering intermediate shaft universal joints. steering got progressively worse and would bind when turning the vehicle. very hard to control the vehicle while driving and making turns. *tr

2004 toyota sienna. when turning the steering wheel in either direction, it becomes difficult to turn, jams, and fails to turn back to the correct driving position. *tr

I have 67,000 miles on my van and i am presently on my 3rd set of 4 tires (12 total) averaging 20,000 miles for one set. i have a lifetime wheel alignment on the car when purchased new and have alignment checked every 5,000 miles. never had a vehicle with this type of horrendous tire wearout which must be the suspension on the vehicle, i appear not to be alone due to numerous complaint. can a recall be done based upon the unusual tread wear and frequency of customer complaints. *tr

We have a 2004 toyota sienna. once the weather turned cold we experienced severely hard turning. it is ok in the neutral position, however when steering left or right it is not only hard to turn but it will not return to neutral without much effort. very dangerous. *tr