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We’re getting ready for our annual 4 week Florida vacation. We always take the wife’s excellent running and super dependable 2011 Toyota Sienna V6 van so we can take our bikes, golf clubs, etc. with us.
I always change the full synthetic engine oil at 5K and transmission fluid at 60K. The van is running perfectly, but this year with 181K on the odometer, I decided that I’ve neglected replacing the original spark plugs long enough. I took it to a Toyota dealership to have the work done.
They did an excellent job, as usual, but the invoice was shocking. They said it was a “major job” so I paid the invoice and watched a YouTube video after I got home that showed exactly what they meant by “major job.”
The engine (like all FWD vehicles) is mounted side ways. Changing the front plugs takes about 10 minutes and changing the rear plugs takes a well trained technician about 3 hours. I suspect a technician that’s not familiar with the Sienna might spend all day or longer changing the rear plugs. The cowl, windshield wipers and linkage assembly, throttle body, and intake manifold all must be disconnected and removed before gaining access to the rear plugs. There’s no other way to do it. Modern cars are definitely not designed to be easily serviced.
I will say this about the Sienna. We bought it new in 2011 and it’s held up very well over the years. The only major repair work I’ve had done was replacing the squealing (but not leaking) water pump at about 80k miles. That was also a major job since the radiator and AC condenser had to be removed in order to gain access to the water pump.
I don’t have any reservations about driving the van to Florida and would not hesitate to buy another Sienna.
I see the 2121 Siennas are all 4 cylinder hybrids that’s supposed to get 35 mpg. My excellent running 2018 Toyota Highlander is a 6 cylinder hybrid that gets 25 mpg.
I always change the full synthetic engine oil at 5K and transmission fluid at 60K. The van is running perfectly, but this year with 181K on the odometer, I decided that I’ve neglected replacing the original spark plugs long enough. I took it to a Toyota dealership to have the work done.
They did an excellent job, as usual, but the invoice was shocking. They said it was a “major job” so I paid the invoice and watched a YouTube video after I got home that showed exactly what they meant by “major job.”
The engine (like all FWD vehicles) is mounted side ways. Changing the front plugs takes about 10 minutes and changing the rear plugs takes a well trained technician about 3 hours. I suspect a technician that’s not familiar with the Sienna might spend all day or longer changing the rear plugs. The cowl, windshield wipers and linkage assembly, throttle body, and intake manifold all must be disconnected and removed before gaining access to the rear plugs. There’s no other way to do it. Modern cars are definitely not designed to be easily serviced.
I will say this about the Sienna. We bought it new in 2011 and it’s held up very well over the years. The only major repair work I’ve had done was replacing the squealing (but not leaking) water pump at about 80k miles. That was also a major job since the radiator and AC condenser had to be removed in order to gain access to the water pump.
I don’t have any reservations about driving the van to Florida and would not hesitate to buy another Sienna.
I see the 2121 Siennas are all 4 cylinder hybrids that’s supposed to get 35 mpg. My excellent running 2018 Toyota Highlander is a 6 cylinder hybrid that gets 25 mpg.
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