Used 2002 Toyota Sienna Consumer Reviews
Purchased new Mar 2002, Great Reliability.
Fourteen years of ownership, 173,000 miles and never had a breakdown or an unscheduled maintenance stop. The reason for this reliability was that I always maintained the Toyota Recomended Maintenance schedule at a Toyota dealer's shop. If your buying this kind of car or any other brand, validated maintenance history should be your number one consideration. Besides this, Toyota builds a great reliable product.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Passenger Door & Sliding Door Problems
Passenger side door not responsive to remote or automatic features. The right sliding door just completely jammed yesterday. Earlier this year, the right side sliding door just closed on its own and trapped a passenger's finger. Earlier this month, had at least a couple of friends ask us what mini-van they purchase and we recommended the Sienna. Now I really regret making that recommendation after having these door problems and finding out this has been a common problem with this model.
- LE Passenger MinivanMSRP: $5,90063 mi away
- XLE Passenger MinivanMSRP: $3,000247 mi away
- CE Passenger MinivanMSRP: $4,995408 mi away
2002 Sienna 3.0 V6 - 113K
Purchased new in 2002, now 113k. Overall a great buy for us. Tires a problem with wear due to frt. end weight. You will replace rotors if you do not replace pads earlier than expected. We only get 12-14k on a set of front pads just to be safe. Wife's van; she's a little speedy. Rear shoes repl @ 65k. Normal maintenance items; timing belt @ 90k, change trans fluid every 35-40k, coolant @ 70k, plugs @ 60k. Front end parts great though must keep aligned. No problems with doors but recommend periodic greasing of all. Engine and transmission still pull like new (knock on wood). Please report on this site engine/transmission problems and mileage occurred.
Great Car
Drove this car for 8 years and enjoyed driving it daily. Had an accident two weeks ago (rear ended) that should have injured everyone in the car, but it held up and we all walked away. GREAT CAR!
over 370,000...
My sienna was purchased with 84,000 miles on it, it has been a taxi for 3 years now and has over 370,000 miles... normal maintanence and some minor interior annoyances, but this van has been fantastic. transmission is starting to slip now, but hey, look at the hard miles it gets as a taxi....looking for another sienna to replace it now.
So far so great!
I have been driving this van for 8 yrs now without any major problems. The engine and transmission still runs like new. Had oil changed every 3,000 miles (using Synthetic High mile oil after 140,000 miles). It is so smooth and quiet. Replaced Transmission oil every 30K, timing belt/water pump at 120K. Only had a problem (Engine check light) with error code P1135 last week. Replaced with A/F sensor heater (costs me $220 with genuine Toyota part). It might be OK if I should have mechanic to reset it (I regret) because I put emission cleaner to the gas last week. No problem at all so far. Very happy.
Old reliable
A good old reliable piece of transportation. Only trouble have been with the electric windows up front-kind of spendy to fix. also the passenger doors keep sticking. Overall, at 90,000 an extremely reliable van-it's a Toyota after all.
Overall above average
Brought brand new in 2002. No major issues with van. Now over 150000 miles and still running like new with regular oil change every 3500 miles and timing belt/engine tune at 110000 miles. One problem was the front passenger side break squeaks often after 15000 miles and problem went away after replace front rotor at 110000 miles. Starter went dead at 85000 miles. Other than that, very reliable.
Primary & Practical
I love my Sienna. It is practical and versatile. I am disappointed with oil consumption, otherwise it is great.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Squeaky brakes solved
I purchased this vehicle with 4 miles on it and it was the best decision I made. I have yet to do anything but preventative maintenance - gotta love. Just replaced my brakes at 45K and guess what-no more squeal!. Per the brake specialists my brakes squealed because they needed shimming.
02 Sienna XLE Minivan a Great Vehicle!
What a great vehicle. This van has traveled all over the US and Canada in all types of weather. Never had a problem! It has hauled the family with 2 children and dog very comfortably. It now has 96,000 miles, and with proper maintenance every 3-5000 miles, it has been the best van we have owned (2 GM previously). The Sienna has even pulled a trailer on occasion showing lots of power. Gas mileage has been about 26 mpg highway/21 mpg in town. Toyota by far knows how to make a reliable, stylish vehicle with performance! We have purchased 2 additional Toyotas and once again they are excellent.
Sienna Tight on Leg Room
Great looking van. Reliable and well constructed. Biggest problem is lack of leg room for long legged driver. Even with power seats, leg room is cramped. Difficult for tall drivers on long trips.
Can't do much better!
I was tired of wasting all my free time maintaining cars. This is the most uneventful car experience I've ever had. The only things I do are oil changes and put gas in the thing! It handles like a cloud and behaves well (very car-like). It's so quiet, it's almost scary!It is wonderful for longer trips. I researched vans for nearly a year before buying this one. Only the new Sienna could top it.
I love my van!
UPDATE: 167,000 Miles 4/2021 I got in it the other day & it officially has that weird old car smell. The seat material is beginning to degrade and I can smell it. Makes me sad. Almost all the fabric is worn off the arm rest. The leak in the rear trunk door is back again. The paint is starting to oxidize on the front passenger side 1/4 panel. Outside she's looking a bit warn, despite being garaged for most of her life. The last 2 years being out in the Fresno summers is catching up. The check engine light came on for the first time. Code P0420, could be any 3 of the Catalytic converters it has. Replaced the main Cat and keeping fingers crossed it's not the front one. $450 vs $1300. Time will tell if the light comes back on since Cat replaced and light reset. Had the spark plugs & valve cover gasket replaced, transmission service, front brake pads & oil change done recently. Nearly $1k out the door. In the 13 years we've owned it we've only had routine maintenance done on it, which that expense is always figured in. The CAT and the valve cover are the first problems we've ever encountered. My mother in law who purchased a Ford Freestar the same time I bought my Sienna back in 08 is pushing 230k mi and is on Her 3rd transmission! 1st one at 80k. My Sienna power train and motor are still rock solid! It'll now be used by the teens who are about to learn to drive. They are so excited! What teen DOESN'T want to learn to drive the minivan they grew up in?? Ha! Lol! They're actually not very excited. But it's paid for, I know the history and it's a safe reliable car. I recently upgraded to a used 2016 Kia Sedona in Oct 2020. It was a hard decision because my Seinna has been so amazing! But with my kids now being 6'3 & 5'10 the distance behind the front seats was of utmost importance as was the cargo space. The Sedona just had more real estate and options for less money. Praying we made the right choice. But that's for another review. ; ) Original Review:This van is amazing. 102k mi and still going strong. It's a Toyota after all. Only maintenance we've done is preventative every 5k mi. No issues with sludge like some people have had. It does go through brakes more often than I prefer. Had them done at 70k mi due to vibration/shaking in steering wheel, then redone under warranty due to steering wheel vibration again @ 72k mi. Had the calipers replaced then as well. When it started again at 73k mi I just lived with it. Van stopped fine, it just vibrated & felt awful. I recently had them done again @ 102k & had to replace the rotors this time. Apparently I've had issues with rotors warping & calipers sticking. Mechanic thinks it's due to non toyota parts & not replacing the rotors after warping the first time. We're giving Toyota brakes a try this time. Time will tell. I run mid grade fuel only. I notice when I use the lower grade fuel or fuel from cheap stations I hear piston chatter when accelerating on the fwy. I only use Shell, chevron or 76 We've been on 13 hour road trips loaded to the max & this van scoots! I have plenty of power to pass if needed and I like that. Takes the hills in the mountains without hesitation. I could pull the grapevine grade in California at 90 if I pushed it. It does 75 with ease. I like that I can remove the back seats & have tons of cargo room. If you have to use those seats for passengers, as we have in the past, there isn't a lot of room in the back for luggage. A roof rack & cargo bag are a must. The front seats are comfortable and have held up well. The arm rest on drivers side is starting to show wear from my arm and one of the vent covers has a crack. We've had to replace the sliding door handle, the rear liftgate handle & door seal due to a leak we finally found. Sometimes the button on the sliding door on drivers side gets stuck in. After some messing with it, it pops back out. The other sliding door doesn't like to release & the kids have to give it a whack & it'll open. Other than those few things it's great! We'll likely keep it until the motor goes in another 100k mi.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Silver Train
I have a Sienna Symphony model and boy is it great. It does everything right and has never had one problem. It tows, holds cargo and people, and never has broken down. It isn't engaging to drive but it gets the job. This car is a true man van.
Old faithful
We bought this van specifically for moving 5 adults and luggage across the country several times in the year. It handled the job nicely and even the teenage boys (who spread themselves out) seemed comfortable for multi-day car trips. We put 24,000 miles on it in the first 9 months. Gas mileage was only fair but didn't waver much between loaded and empty (20-23 mpg). Had trouble with sliding door mechanisms and the parts aren't cheap. Brakes haven't been a problem as I've been reading in other posts. We have 180,000 on ours and I venture to say it will go to 250,000 no problem.
Watch-out for this!
Watch out for 2002 Sienna models leaking water from the roof rack (sealant not applied to roof rack screws)into the interior. It will only be visable by wet carpet. And an aweful moldy musty smell.I have three different locations where the carpet got wet. My mechanic said he has treated others for same problem.
Awesome minivan!
Well we have a silver LE, and let me tell you, it is da bomb! Everybody loves it and it is very comfy and cozy inside. Has the best performance you can get in a minivan. The thing accelerates and handles almost as good as our Camry. It has the most comfortable smooth ride I have ever felt, more comfortable than Lexuses and BMWs I have ridden in! I love the interior setup, the stereo system (which is in one word awesome!), and the front/rear climate controls. It is very reliable too. The only thing is, after a while, the exterior gets really boring, almost ugly.
Column stick
I like my Sienna except for an occasional problem. When I go to put the van into Park, it sticks in Reverse. Since this is an occasional issue, I now leave my foot on the break until the van is turned off!!
We love our Sienna CE
After having our van for over 1 year we love it. We've gone on long trips with 5 people and it has been very comfortable. We love the way it looks! I drive about 50 to 100 miles a day for my job and I love the handling, cd player, radio. There is plenty of room for my toys (I do therapy with kids in their homes). We have regular maintenance done and we have had no problems. We bought the van for Toyota quality and hope to keep it for a long time.
What Toyota Reliability?!
We bought our 2002 Toyota LE because of the reliability ratings. What a joke.Our van developed a brake squeal almost immediately after purchasing. Van pulls to the right or left at 60 mph. Engine has 66,000 miles and is sludged and needs $2000 in repairs. After researching we found out that the brakes, engine sludge and pulling are Toyota factory flaws and Toyota has numerous lawsuits pending against them. Wish we known before purchasing, we would have bought an Odyssey!
Unreliable - Don't buy
As soon as I purchased the XLE, it wouldn't start, so Had to get a jump. Once I got home 3 Warning light were on. Took it back to dealership, they said the onboard computer was bad. The XLE sat on the Dearlership for a month before they could get the part from Japan. After 3000 miles, took it to Jiffy loob for Oil Change, he said to get rid of the car the engine will go bad due to oil sludge. Known problem on Toyota 3.0 v6 engines. Didn't belive him, until some research in the internet. Found USA Today article and others.
Love it
I love this car. The ride is smooth, the seats are comfortable and roomy. Although it is considered a smaller mini-van, I find it has enough space for me. If you have children there shouldn't be any space issues. The back seats are best for children. Adults may find the leg room a little tight if the seats are moved in.
2002 Sienna Symphony
Our Sienna Symphony is a great minivan for the price. Our only complaint is that we only get about 20-22 mpg on 3.0l V-6 engine. Our 1993 Grand Voyager with 3.3l engine still gets around 18- 20 mpg. We believe that our new minivan which has a smaller engine displacement and smaller size overall should get a bit more than a mile per gallon than a 10-year old minivan.
Not a car but a minivan!!
When driving this vehicle, you might forget you are driving a minivan. The drive is very smooth and if you listen hard enough, you might hear the murmur of the engine. As far as handling goes, this one gets the highest rankings in my book. Being a mother with a child, it is good to know that even I can handle a vehicle of this size. I feel absolutely safe while driving vehicle. The steering turns with ease and the brakes begin to work promptly at the slightest amount of pressure applied. I like the exterior design, however, the interior needs a little face lift.
the rattler
We bought our Sienna during its first year of introduction and have driven 36,000 miles in 36 months. After 6,000 miles, the mini-van started to rattle at various parts. One of the door screw fell off. After balancing the tires, all the rattles went away except for the sliding door at 30mph. The firestone tires are definitely the cause. Emmision test mechanic told me that other owners also have the same complaint. The second seat arm rest is too weak. When passenger exit the van, they tend to use the arm rest as a rail to avoid falling. this tends to losen the arm rest. I suspect a heavy person can lean on the arm rest and break it.
Toyota = peace of mind
My family has always owned a toyota vehicle, and all of us have been very happy with the quality and durability delivered by Toyota.In 2002 I bought a new Sienna XLE.Can't complain about it! One can still see the same quality and better yet a much improved product.Toyota,in my opinion is a free maintenance vehicle.Toyota price is well worth it,you pay for what you get.I compared it with other friend's minivans and mine has not ever been to the shop! theirs dozens! their brakes have worn out in about 20's mls.Mine has close to 35's and still 40%left of great material and so it goes on.
Never a problem
It’s a workhorse
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Where have you been all my life
Was a hardcore SUV driver until I test drove this used Sienna XLE. Leather! Million cupholders! Sliding doors! Im thrilled with its performance and it zooms better than the Xterra (slug) that I was driving. Would love it if the dash wouldnt give off such a glare, love the sunroof but will have to get the DVD player in a bag or the headrests :( I got mine for 16,500 bluebook was 20K
Reasons to stay with a Toyota.
We have always owned Toyotas. We needed a mini-van with young children. We made a huge mistake - bought new Dodge Mini-van on impulse. Nothing but problems. We went to the Sienna and are very happy. The quality is unmatched in every category. We will never buy anything except Toyota again. Ride, resale, reliability can not be beat especially by a Dodge.
Toyota Cienna
It's best for me. Both second and thrid rows can recline. It's important feature for family on a long trip. Quiet and comfortable ride. Engine is powerful enough. Flexible seatings arrangement. And of course, very reliable.
I'm Pleased
With two children and the occasional long trip, getting a minivan was the best way to go. So far we're very pleased with our purchase. The ride is smooth, safe, and quiet; the comfort is just right, and the kids are in the back! Have averaged 21 mpg and plan on getting the oil changed every 3,000 miles at the dealership (received a little coupon book)to avoid "the sludge". If you've done your research, you know that the Sienna is the best minivan (safety, quality, holding its value, and comfort) in its class for the price. Absolutely no complaints.
This is a Toyota
I've owned several Toyota vehicles and currently own a Tundra, also. None of them have ever given me the problems this Sienna has. Since day one, we've had a number of problems with the van, including a faulty power door, door latches, brakes, etc. The only way to get Toyota to fix most of this stuff was to threaten a lawsuit. Oh what a feeling. Also, gas mileage is poor at best. We've never been able to break 20mpg with this van, no matter what grade of fuel we use.
After 5 years, some issues
This van is really dull first of all. Design is dull, driving it is dull, nothing stands out. Here are a few gripes: 1. Known issue - engine will not start if the IAC valve is dirty. 2. Rear brakes squeal. It was covered by warranty, and they issued some tsb, but how are we supposed to keep up with these private tsb tickets? 3. Turn radius stinks. Three point turns, I am beginning to hate them. Just for this alone, I might switch to a honda odyssey, used!
Toyota let me down on this one
Loved the vehicle which I purchased with 40,000 miles. Drives smoothly like my former Camry...love all the extra room. However, at 60,000 miles I have put in almost $3000 plus in maintenance. Had the car checked for a long 12 hr drive...brakes squeeked horribly...needed rear brake maintenance and also found a leak in trans. Hit the road next day and car bucked and shook...back to Toyotal...blew a cylinder and brakes locked up....lost my confidence in this car. This is something that should not have happened at 60,000 miles.
Great minivan
I new Sienna CE in january, 2002. I never had a van before and my choice was based on reliability record of Toyota and high scores in crash test, and the fact that Sienna has "car like" ride. The van is built very solidly, ride is smooth and you feel enough power under the hood. Sometimes I forget I actually drive a van. So far I didn't have any problem, except that gas mileage really sucks, no matter I drive in town or on highway.
wordsmith
The vehicle is very responsive to steering and handling. The variable valve timing addition makes it more responsive than the 2000 year model. The gas mileage needs to be improved. Compared with Chrysler's larger 3.8 liter engine, they get about the same mileage on the highway.
Random problems
We went with the Toyota because of its reliability reputation. Well, I am researching other vans because for the second time in 2 years we've got major problems. The first time it took 3 trips to the dealership for them to find a cracked fuel tank. They said they have never seen damage like it in a new car. Yesterday it started grinding and whining, Today it wouldn't go into gear and has been towed to the dealership. We think the transmission is shot. Can you say lemon? (should have gone with the honda)
RELIABILITY???
Bought my Sienna brand new in 2001. A very expensive mistake. Paid thousands more for "legendary" reliability only to find it contains many biodegradeable parts. Oxygen sensors, lower control arms, pads, rotors, drums, even dash lights all needed replacement or servicing within 6 weeks of warranty ending (with only 25000 miles on the vehicle). No help from Toyota... even wanted $75 for a dashboard light bulb! Was told there was no fix for brake noise in Sienna's, "they just do that". Nearly $2000 in repairs to fix everything to try to sell and then the dealer (inspecting the Sienna prior to my selling) told a prospective buyer the brakes squeal because they were aftermarket! Now that's rich!
and I used to like this van
My primary reason for purchasing the Sienna was Toyota's legendary quality and reliability (plus the Honda sales managers that I dealt with were not very pleasant). In December 2002 my Sienna would not start. It took the dealership over 3 weeks to find the problem, which turned out to be a loose wiring harness. A difficult problem to find, no doubt, and not one that necessarily foreshadowed any future issues. Yesterday, about a month after being repaired, the Sienna once again failed to start. So after being stranded a second time by my nearly new Sienna (2002 Symphony), I have serious doubts about Toyota's reliability, certainly about this Sienna.
Not my favorite car
Compared to my old Plymouth Voyager, I am very disappointed. There is hardly any trunk space. In order to fold the rear seats down, the headrests must first be removed. And then there is not sufficient under seat space to store them, so they take up space in my garage. Plus the headrests are so bulky that they interfere with my vision while backing out of a parking space. There is also not much space up front to store stuff. You can't put anything under the seats because of the seat mechanisms. And there is not much space between the front seats or between the rear and front seats. I do not plan to purchase the Sienna again.
They are not all that great
Have had ride and tire wear problems since day one. Dealer had me buy new wheel, no improvement. Toyota Customer Service is the absolute pits and there is no way I would ever recommend that anybody ever buy a vehicle from Toyota of Melbourne, FL.
Symphony
I was in a serious head on accident, which totaled my van, on 11-5-02. Even thought the front was totally flattened, the interior of my van was NOT touched. I truly believe my Sienna saved my life and that is why on 11-27-02 I will be picking up another one.
Sienna rating
Sienna rating: minivan leader, cool design, powerful and fuel economy, comfortable, easy to drive, more functions
speedometer broke in two days
I liked my old toyota carolla a lot. But this van got the speedometer broke second day. I am nervous about the quality of this particular toyota vechicle.
Sienna CE Rocks
We have only had one problem with our Sienna, and that is who is going to drive it. My husband and I love the car and feel like we got a good deal from a great dealership, so we have never looked back with disgust. This car is going to be with us for a long time, and it seems to be keeping up with us.
MY SIENNA
I PURCHASED THIS SIENNA BECAUSE OF TOYOTAS REPUTATION AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH TOYOTA. IT RIDES LIKE A CAR.I LIKE THE DESIGN. THE DRIVERS ARM REST COULD BE A LITTLE LOWER AND IT COULD USE MOULDING ON THE SIDES TO PROTECT THE DOORS BUT I AM VERY PLEASED OVERALL.
Warning for Future Buyers
Overall I've loved our Sienna XLE. We traded in a 2000 LE that had oil gelling and planned to keep the XLE for 10 years. However, we have many complaints, the largest being squeaky breaks-a known Sienna problem since 2001. The breaks don't just squeak- they SCREAM! I would love to hear from other people with the same problem because Toyota says they can do absolutely nothing. The mechanics at Toyota told me to brake harder!! Also, the paint is bad and chips easily; the carpet colors are too light and show dirt; we have had a couple of warrantied things replaced. My husband is 6'5" and his knees touch the dashboard on the passenger side.
What happened Toyota
I was a hardcore Toyota fan until this vehicle. I moved from a Previa to this Sienna and have been miserable ever since. Engine noise, Unrepairable squeaky brakes, etc. I might as weel have bought a Ford and saved myself a few bucks. Oh What a Feeling....yea maybe, but never again. Honda!
Is this normal?
Bought my wife a Sienna because she'd had 3 Chrysler minivans and wore out multiple transmissions on each. After odometer hit 30,000 she asked me if why it hasn't had a recall or been in the shop yet for anything but oil changes. Is this normal? - she asked. I answered smugly - Yes, for a Toyota. Her Sienna has been all over the country with ZERO hiccups. Every Chrysler minivan had been in the shop at least twice a year and did little to instill driver confidence for a long road trip. I figure that we average 27 mpg at 70 mph. Any other minivans want to try that?