Toyota - Sienna :: 1998 - Slowly Dies While Driving
Oct 29, 2015
I had my minivan stop running while i was on the freeway. My electrical seemed a bit off, the speed decreased and it slowly died. I tested the battery and it was fine, tested the alternator and it failed. I changed the alternator and still wouldn't start. I changed the battery as well and it worked for about 2 days and then it did the same thing. Radio started to flicker, all the lights turned on and the car decreased until it didn't run anymore?What could this be? Bad gearing? A faulty brand new alternator?
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I have a 1998 toyota sienna with 170k. Yesterday when I was driving on the highway, the car turned completely off, and then after about 2 seconds started back up again. When it turned off, the electronics turned off along with the engine. I had no brake power, lost power steering, and couldn't even turn on the hazards. It did it 2 more times before I got home.
The second time, I noticed that it did this when I turned on the headlights. This time the engine stayed on, but the speedometer and tachometer went nuts (bouncing up and down) and all of the console lights turned on and off. When I turned the headlights off, everything went ok. When I got home and turned the car off, it went dead. Haven't tried starting it today, but the battery light went on dimly when I put the key in.
Took a quick look at the battery. The terminals are corroded. I'm going to clean them today, but I'm feeling that it won't do much. The battery light didn't turn on, so I'm thinking that the alternator is ok (am I wrong?). Since the electronics and brakes died when the engine died, I'm thinking it's not the distributor coil. Is my ecu fried?
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Iv got this escort from my sister, i assume it has been hardly maintained considering the... state. I bought it because she was tired of dealing with the problem... driving, it will turn off. She said it got to the point where she just stopped driving it, although it only happened twice. It began when first time it shuttered then died. Took air filter off and it only ran it like that to get it home. Now it doesn't run but for a few seconds even without air filter, so Its the best choice to leave in.
Anyway, I've replaced:
-PCV Valve
-Fuel Filter
-Some dry-rotted hoses
-I didn't replace it, but i cleaned throttle body and MAF sensor in the intake.
I've tested alternator and batter, both are good. I tried fuel treatment. Being honest this is the extent of my.. automotive understanding. But Im fairly certain it is a fuel system problem.
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200 Toy Sienna-- Had a oil leak, got it fixed. Drove 15-20 miles and Engine dies on me. Tried to restart, ignition is fine, engine does not catch on. Got it towed to shed, left overnight. Mechanic explains that car has to relearn throttle - memory got reset etc. Car drives fine now. Mechanic says, it did not start the first few times, then all he did was turn on the key and step on the Gas!! Is that right? Or did he forget to to do something? Who's memory is not working?
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Coming home from a road trip we stopped for gas not 5 minutes later the check engine light started flashing. The car was fine as long as you were puching on the gas but as soon as you slowed to a stop it would either die or shudder until I gave it some more gas. Being stupid I figured that I could probably get it home since It was only 25 miles of freeway driving and I wouldn't have to stop until I got near my home. I took it to a mechanic the next day and they said that it was my timing belt.
The next day I get a call from them telling me my timing belt is fine but they discovered that a valve adjuster shim is missing on cylinder 6 and the adjuster cup is jammed down as well as a crack in the locating pin hole so that the pin is moving causing the cam to shift in relation to the cam gear. They suggested I rebuild or replace the cylinder heads and may need to replace the engine. What this could be?
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I have a 1998 Sienna (at 300k miles I want to drive until it’s dead) and the dashboard has lost illumination in several bulbs. The fuses are good and the bulbs seem fine, but there is a bad connection somewhere. I would like to start cleaning contacts in some of the junctions before tearing the dash apart again.
Which brings me to the big question: where should I look for connections that I can clean so I am sure the electrical system is providing a proper current to the dash bulbs? Besides the idiot lights (working), all I have at the moment is a single bulb that illuminates half the speedometer, while the tach and rest of the dash and air conditioning controls are dark.
As I’ve had other wiring harness connections become corroded and need cleaning over time, need to determine where to begin opening connections to clean before tearing the dash apart.
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I have a '98 Sienna that's still running well (271k miles) but about a year ago it started acting strange, just a rare but minor irregularity in the normally smooth engine. A few months ago I changed the fuel and air filters, but that didn't affect it. So I tried changing the tank pick-up filter and confirming that the tank didn't contain any gunk. Again, no change. Since then the engine light has come on, but it still runs well enough for now. My fuel pressure is solid (manual specs, 50psi I think). I'm not sure if it's too rich or too lean, but I'm convinced it's fuel related unless someone has a better idea.
My suspects: fuel pressure regulator (in the fuel tank), clogged fuel injector(s).
Other potential clues: 270,000 miles on the original engine. No smoke (that I've noticed). After changing the filters my fuel pressure was perfectly solid at manual recommendations (50psi if i remember correctly). New battery, new fuel cap (factory cap; sometimes store-bought ones don't vent correctly). Sometimes the fluctuation goes away for a day or two, while other times it's hard to accelerate uphill at highway speeds. The issue is not clearly affected by temperature (same when 40° or 80°). It was much less noticeable when I drove to Montana this winter; they have a winter blend, which might have masked the problem (or the higher altitude). It's possible I just didn't notice it as that drive killed my steering pump and a CV boot, so my focus was on other problems at the time. I found today that can I make it shudder a little at highway speeds: letting up the pedal for a moment and gently giving it a little more gas causes a gentle shudder, and very rarely what sounds like a small muffled backfire.
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I have a 98 Toyota sienna and it has started making a thud noise and skipping a bit when accelerating or going up even a slight incline. I have been told everything from it needs new plugs/wires to a new transmission. Could these cause similar problems?
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So I started a "quick" strut job on my mothers 98 Toyota Sienna last weekend, after many complaints about a rattling noise on the passenger side while driving on semi smooth roads. I got in and found that the CV boots were gone, and there wasn't much grease in the boots, all the ball joints were loose, and the wheel bearings were starting to grind. So since the car is at 225,000 I ordered the parts and took Friday off. I started the job, and also found out that the inner tie rod boot was completely full of ATF(This cars power steering fluid). There was a massive 2 day struggle with the CV axle being rusted in the motor mount bracket. But I finally got it all replaced and back together.
So all told I ended up replacing the following parts; Power Rack, Inner Tie Rods, Outer Tie Rod Ends, Rear Lower Passenger motor mount, Strut Mount, Lower Ball Joints, CV axles, Wheel Bearings, Lower Struts, Upper Strut Mount, Fuel Filter, Brake Pads, Brake Hardware, Oil Filter, and the Oil. I got it all back together and just finished the test drive ONLY FOR THE NOISE TO STILL BE THERE!!!!! What did I miss? What could it be? Is there something simple I could have done wrong to continued to have the rattling noise? Also the steering wheel is off 20 degrees to the left, I could handle that, but its not my car and my mother says it needs to be fixed... PS I am planning on taking it in for an alignment, but it does drive straight down the road as it is.
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My wife's 2005 Sienna is a very reliable vehicle. But occasionally when I drive it a fair distance--50 miles or so, but not always that far--the check engine light will come on. (It's something vague about emissions, but isn't it always?) And then a day or so after my wife drives it again, the light goes off. The van seems to run fine at all times. So is it something I'm doing when I drive it?
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The 2003 Sienna with 180,000 miles starting slipping in and out of neutral while driving. It can go for several days with no problems then start up again, no rhyme or reason as to when this happens. It started several days after the left rear shock broke, not sure whether this is relevant or not.
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I have had the absolute worst experience with my 2010 Toyota Sienna that has 66K miles. The transmission gears seized (completely locked up) while I was driving down the road, causing such friction/tension that it exploded through the top of the cover of the transmission. Parts of the transmission were falling out of the car and the transmission fluid completely emptied onto the road. This created an incredibly dangerous situation.
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I have a problem and I'm not sure to start. I bought a 2006 Toyota Sienna two weeks ago the only known problem was the radio speakers would fade out after driving it for a while. I swapped it out for another radio and it didn’t make a difference now both sliding doors are also giving me a problem. At first the manual driver’s side door occasionally would not let us out using the interior handle almost as if the child safety lock is on and the exterior seems to require abnormal amount of force to open the handle. Now, this week the power passenger side sliding door started giving me a problem, the door was stuck in the open position and when we went to close it, would only move half an inch so we push it manually. Ever since then the buttons and Fob's only make the noise then are unable to move it any further either open or closing unless I use the handle and now since yesterday the interior handle on the power door is working intermittently as well. I spoke to the previous owner and he said the rear doors were not having an issue that he knew of I’m wondering if the radio and doors could share something in common that could explain both.
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I have owned a 2006 Toyota Sienna for about a year and half, it has 180,000+ miles on it. Periodically and totally unexpectedly, we'll go over a bump in the road and the van will totally lock up like I have pulled the emergency break up. Which I haven't. The van will still be in drive, the tires will come to a complete stop and we'll have see and smell burning rubber.
To get the car going again, we'll have to put it back into park and then back into drive. Its one of the scariest things I have witness being in a car. Luckily it usually happens between 10 -20 miles per hour and we haven't had an accident because of it. I have taken the van to 3 mechanics including a Toyota dealer and no one has been able to fix it. The only thing that has work for a time has been cleaning the speed senors, Also, it maybe worse when the A/C is on but we aren't sure.
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I have a 2009 Toyota Sienna with approx. 130k miles. Recently I am noticing when driving on the highway that I get a humming/ringing sounds. It gets louder and softer as I drive. It is not always there but when it does make that sound, it is when I am over 65 mph. If I tap the brake it immediately stops but then if I hit the gas it starts again. Also sometimes when I tap the brakes (not on the highway) I do get a screeching sound. I've taken it to the mechanic and he checked my brakes and says they are fine. I just got two front tires thinking it was that but it is still there. Is there anything else that I should consider? Should I go get a second opinion on the brakes since the sound stops as soon as I tap the breaks?
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While driving my car on the highway the engine died on me. I made several attempts to start the car again with no success. The mechanic has yet to find what the problem is. He has checked the timing belt, fuel pump, and everything else.
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My 1998 Nissan Pathfinder dies randomly while driving. There is no consistency to when it dies. I will be driving down the road and then all of a sudden the car will not accelerate and it eventually dies. The other issue is it won't start from time to time. It sounds like it wants to go, but it won't. Eventually it will turn over. It has been to many mechanics. The crank shaft sensor has been replaced and the mass air flow sensor. Neither one of these were the problem. They now think it is the distributor possibly. There are no codes saved. It has been sitting at the shop now for 9 weeks.
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I have a 1997 Toyota Hilux (unleaded, not diesel) and I'm looking for input as she keeps breaking down but no one is able to figure out the problem. While in gear and driving, the gas stops engaging and the speed slowly drops. The car stutters while slowing down but then if I switch gears or rev the engine it will stop. After some time this continues to happen more frequently (at all speeds) until the car eventually stops and dies. Try to restart and the engine will turn over but not start. After sitting for a night or so, though, she starts up and runs just fine. Thus no mechanics have been able to solve the issue!
Could be a fuel problem as the exhaust pipe makes a banging sound when this happens, but it could also be electrical.
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I have a 1994 Toyota truck that overheats and dies after 2-3 hours of driving. Once it cools, it starts back up until it gets hot again. It has been taken to many different professionals and no one can find anything wrong with this truck. One shop changed the fuel filter and checked the catalytic converter. Another checked the radiator. One said it could be the fuel pump, but found nothing wrong. The problem still exists! The truck is used for work (delivering mail in rural areas) so there is a lot of stop and go.
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I have a 90 toyota celica st. I was driving it the other day and it died on me while driving... twice! The second time was going down a steep hill and it was freaken scary for a minute as the breaks were not working, the car started again and I was able to stop! Anyway I know enough about cars that once your car starts it should not die. Could it be the alternator? It seems to start up just fine. I did notice though that when the car died on me both times I was taking a pretty sharp right turn. And when it died every thing blinked twice then out went everything. Im sure that it is a code for something but I do not have the owners manual as I was not the original owner. I just started it up today again and it makes a weird clicking noise before I even turn the key.
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I have a 2003 Toyota Corolla CE manual transmission with 431,000 (not a typo) miles on it. About 7 weeks ago I noticed that when I turn on my high-beams after driving for awhile, the car dies for a few seconds. All lights go out, radio stops, engine stops and then it starts up again as if nothing happened. It will just do it once in about a half-hour time frame. I can switch the high-beams on and off repeatedly afterwards and it doesn't do it again. I have to drive for about a half-hour before it will do it again. I usually hear a slight pop sound when it does it.
A month later I noticed that if I parked it after driving for awhile, like at a gas pump, and get back in it, it acts as if the battery is dead for a few seconds. If I step on the clutch or open and close the driver door, the car comes back on. It appears that the battery was disconnected. The CD pops out of the player and all the radio station settings are gone. One morning last week I got in, and it had happened during the night. The CD was out, station settings gone, and the clock was 6.5 hours off.
I have had the car to a Toyota repair center 3 times. They have checked fuses, battery, battery cables, grounds, alternator, tensioner, looked for rodent nests, squirrels and I don't know what-all, etc. They can't find what is wrong. I am scared to drive it, but I depend on it. I commute 200 miles/day. I won't leave anything important in the car because I am afraid it will catch fire. I am scared I am going to have a wreck, too, with no lights and no power steering suddenly.
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