2000 sienna gas mileage

Something is real wrong, tire pressure / alignment - Run ok, heavy load ?

Tire pressure is 35 PSI and it had an alignment in February when I bought it. It runs okay but feels like a truck compared to my Camry. It feels like it's geared lower.

Spark plug? Air Filter? Mine started losing power around 70K. Replaced the plug and filter, and it fells much better. You may also consider taking out the third row if you don't need it that often.

BTW, you need those 2-tipped plug.

OR a carbon and valve job. Better yet have a Toyota dealer inspect it for 'gelling' and a free warranty repair ;)

mike hunt

XYZ ABC wrote:

If it was "gelling" wouldn't there be other symptoms, such as excessive oil consumption, smoke, etc.?

Maybe, and gunk on the inside of the oil filler cap. If the oil changes have been faithfully performed at the appropriate intervals, gelling is not very likely. If the oil changes have been missed or late here and there, then gelling is a possibility.

At your mileage, spark plugs should have been replaced once. Use OEM plugs. Also make sure the air filter is clean.

No necessarily one of the symptoms of gelling in that engine has been, loss of power. My point was, what ever the problem, the gelling inspection is free under the 8 year unlimited extended warranty. Why not get the dealership to tell them what is wrong, at no cost, if the original warranty has expired? ;)

mike hunt

badgolferman wrote:

Not so, while it is true Toyota originally blamed poor maintenance practices. Even Toyota gave up on blaming owner neglect eventually. The reason Toyota extended the warranty on the effected engine was the problem began showing up on vehicles serviced, as prescribed, in engines serviced at dealership.. Toyota is not alone with this problem. SAAB and VW have extended their warranties as well for engine sludge. Chrysler has the problem with some engines also, but they have yet to extend the warranty, sticking to the owner neglect defense. CR believes it is only a matter of time till Chrysler comes around.

mike hunt

Ray O wrote:

The gelling inspection is only free if it turns out that the engine is gelled.

I just had our local Toyota dealer inspect my 2000 Avalon (which I recently bought used with 70,000 miles), and, as it turned out, although the engine is shot (high oil consumption) for some reason, it is not due to gelling (there was some sludge, but no gel and the oil passages were not clogged), so I had to pay to have the front valve cover removed and replaced.

Merritt

Do you suppose if I took the van to the dealer and told them the van has lousy gas mileage they'll inspect it for sludge buildup? I doubt that. They'll tell me it has 82K miles and is due for a tuneup. I'm sure they will offer me one of those $350 scheduled maintenance deals and afterwards when I go back they may decide to check for sludge.

By the way, I have replaced the air filter today and also remembered the van had the check engine light on 2-3 weeks ago from the gas cap not being on tightly. I suppose this last MPG reading was not accurate and will check it again next week.

No so. Since Toyota lists no 'causal part' as associated with the problem the extended warranty authorizes the servicing dealer to "inspect, clean, repair or replace as necessary" any of the covered engines during the term of the warranty. We had done a much to many Toyotas before we switched all the fleet cars to synthetic oil, about two years ago.

mike hunt

Merritt Mullen wrote:

Well, they told me in advance that if the inspection turned out negative for gell, I would have to pay. And they were the ones who recommended the inspection and thought it was likely gell (based on smoke at start up and oil consumption of about 1 quart every 150 miles on the highway). They also gave me a copy of Toyota Warranty Procedures Bulletin PR002-10 (date

9/23/02) which clearly says that any warranty claims will be paid only AFTER confirmation of gelling is verified by inspection. It specifically says "Toyota will not consider coverage for vehicle inspections."

After they had the valve cover off, they called me to come inspect the engine for myself which I did. There was some sludge near the timing belt end of the head, but the mechanic and service manager said that that did not constitute "gell," as the rest of the head looked good, free of sludge and gell and all oil passages were clear. They suggested the previous owner (who was only leasing the car) had not performed the proper maintenence during the 70,000 miles and 5 years he had it.

Merritt

You got screwed by the dealer.

mike hunt

Merritt Mullen wrote:

My 2005 Sienna gets around 13.7 MPG -- so consider yourself lucky!!

However on the highway, it around 19 or so... if I keep it steady at 65 MPH

Sounds about right to me. I get 16.4 MPG all around with combined city/highway mileage. I posted the same question here in 2000 after I put a few hundred miles on my Sienna and some people responded that I should be getting better mileage but when I asked my dealer, he said what I get is average.

CD

Is this an AWD or a FWD? My new 2005 LE AWD averaged 19.5 MPG over the first 2000 miles in a combination of freeway and city driving (with some large hills in the freeway sections) in rural Oregon.

It's down to about 19.3 MPG now with around 2500 miles, but I'm also driving it harder.

Later.

Its the XLE AWD - my average now went up to about 16.7 with highway and rural roads. It has just over 3400 miles on it...