New weight rating for 2011 Sienna XLE (recall)

[froggy]

I got my recall notice in the mail last week and needless to say... I am a little upset.

I bought a 8 passenger van rated at 1380 total load and now they have lowered it to 1245 lbs because the van failed governmental load test at the weighted rating. They are telling me.... that they simple made a mistake on the 210,000 Siennas and didn't put the proper weight rating on the door jam... They say... a Little "sticker" will fix the issue. Nonsense.

I bought a 8 passenger van rated at 1380 pounds that will not SAFELY meet that load specification. I have check other manufacturers load rating and they are 1380 pounds just like the 2011 sienna use to be.

I feel toyota has tried to trick me into believe that a "sticker" will fix the issue. I have talked to 4 different people at Toyota and I'm waiting on a supervisor to call me back now.....

The problem isn't they made a mistake in the "listing" the proper rating. They made a mistake in designing the van. In fact, They are providing an "update" on May 1st for some vans with the model year.

Why not ALL of them?

Is anyone having the same issue?

[akphs]

>Why not ALL of them?

Equipment? It's not just 8-passenger, our 7-passenger Limited (2WD w/CX, AT) got one too. Only they also wanted to know if it had a trailer hitch; it does, so I have to wait for a *different* sticker.

(Gotta love their instructions for determining if you have a hitch, which basically say "Go look"!)

Meanwhile, IANAL, but my guess is that your choices are:
1) Live with it
2) Return the vehicle, less some reasonable depreciation, based on mistake of fact and thus invalidation of your purchase contract
3) Threaten #2 and take some compensation from Toyota

Gotta decide what you *want*.

[froggy]

I just want the van to do 1380 pounds like the original sticker says it will do. What do you think this would take?

I really don't see what difference a trailer hitch makes. If I had a trailer hitch.... I assume I would get the fix to make it meet the specified rating?

I have checked other vans in the same class and they are rated for 1380 not 1245.

I imagine I could do # 2... but I really just want the thing fixed to do the proper rating. That's all I'm asking.

Surely they couldn't have mislabeled 210,000 vans with the wrong sticker? Isn't it reasonable to believe they failed a safety test.... and they are not wanting to spend the money to fix all the vans. I can see the "sticker" being a temporary measure, but surely they realize they have made a big mistake. A 135 lb mistake adds up to basically dropping a "passenger" from the weight rating.

[skinny2]

Mine was dropped to 1,145 or a 13% reduction! That's not a typo or sticker issue...that's a HUGE difference.

[akphs]

The reality is that it's not rated for 1380 pounds. I doubt you can fix that.

The trailer hitch probably means they want a sticker that includes some blather about how if you have a hitch, like, it affects load. There's no "fix", it's a different sticker.

"I really just want the thing fixed to do the proper rating. That's all I'm asking." -- that's all? For Toyota to redesign the vehicle structure and retrofit it? Seems...a bit ambitious, sorry.

I assume you mean "couldn't have mislabeled 210,000 vans" -- it sounds like failing a government load test was a surprise, so sure, they could have, eh?

I don't mean to sound like a Toyota apologist here, but stuff happens...

[froggy]

The reality is that it's not rated for 1380 pounds. I doubt you can fix that.

The trailer hitch probably means they want a sticker that includes some blather about how if you have a hitch, like, it affects load. There's no "fix", it's a different sticker.

"I really just want the thing fixed to do the proper rating. That's all I'm asking." -- that's all? For Toyota to redesign the vehicle structure and retrofit it? Seems...a bit ambitious, sorry.

I assume you mean "couldn't have mislabeled 210,000 vans" -- it sounds like failing a government load test was a surprise, so sure, they could have, eh?

I don't mean to sound like a Toyota apologist here, but stuff happens...

I don't know if it would take a redesign and other vans are rated at 1380.... The way I understand the issue... it is with the tires and rims. Its very hard for me to swallow the sticker solution. I mean... just think about it for minute. If what you say is true.... then why not send all the sticker out at one time? Don't tell me it takes till May 1st to get all the "stickers" right?

Stuff happens?

Yes... it does... and a GOOD company stands behind their product when "stuff" happens.

I've owned more toyotas than I can remember. I stuck with Toyota through all the pedal fixes and even bought my 2011 Sienna after it...

[froggy]

Its got to be a tire and rims issue. That is basically the only thing different between many of the models. If you read the recall notice.... certain models stay at 1380.

What size and brand tires do you have? I have the michellin P235/60R17 tires.

[akphs]

No, it's not the only difference, at least for us -- we have the AT package, which adds weight: Toyota folks have repeatedly told customers that the reason you can't get AT with 4WD is due to weight.

Our tires are whatever Limiteds normally get; I know they're Goodyears, haven't looked at size otherwise, but I suspect also P234/60 R17.

[froggy]

No, it's not the only difference, at least for us -- we have the AT package, which adds weight: Toyota folks have repeatedly told customers that the reason you can't get AT with 4WD is due to weight.

Our tires are whatever Limiteds normally get; I know they're Goodyears, haven't looked at size otherwise, but I suspect also P234/60 R17.

Pardon my ignorance... but what's the AT package?

Sorry for saying "the only difference". Let me rephrase to say "the biggest difference".

You're limited probably has the low profile 18 inch tires. Most of Toyota limited vehicles do. I've owned several and they all do. The low profile tires would naturally have a lower load rating.

[skinny2]

The Ltd comes with Goodyear Eagle LS junkers rated at 1,709# each. So that x 4 = 6,836# and the stated gvw that I've found shows 5,990# and a curb weight of 4,545#.

The difference between models with the tow package is the hitch which probably adds another 100#. Maybe there are different hitches by region with different weights...something complicating their process. I notice mine has a sticker in regards to the remote start and roof racks which says to reduce the payload by an additional 40# from the posted amount on the placard.

[froggy]

Mine are rated at 1764 each at 44 lbs pressure..... but no one runs them at the tire pressure. I don't know what the load rating at the Toyota recommended pressure per tire.

I'm willing to accept the solution if it makes sense. I've have yet to see that it makes sense. In your situation....yours would be at 1445. That a lot more than what the new "placard" is stating.

My rated curb weight is 4520 with GVWR of 5995. That's 1475 lbs and not 1245 lbs.

[akphs]

AT is Advanced Technology: radar cruise, VDIM. Rare package but worth every penny, IMHO!

[brian_bp]

I have check other manufacturers load rating and they are 1380 pounds just like the 2011 sienna use to be.

If I understand this correctly, you're saying that completely unrelated vehicles of the same general type - perhaps a Honda Odyssey or Dodge Caravan - happen to have exactly the same payload rating (1380 lb) as one particular version of the Sienna? I find that exceptionally difficult to believe, as even two Siennas will have different payload capacity if they have different options.

Have I misunderstood something here?

[brian_bp]

I really don't see what difference a trailer hitch makes.

Payload is simply the allowed maximum weight of the vehicle (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating), minus the part of that which is the weight of the vehicle itself (curb weight). The more stuff built into the van (such as a hitch), the higher the curb weight and thus the lower the remaining payload.

The question about the hitch is presumably due to the fact that hitches are built-in, but not installed on Siennas at the factory, and thus not accounted for in the curb weight known for a vehicle of a particular vehicle as manufactured. You could add other stuff, too, but the hitch weighs a significant amount.

[brian_bp]

I bought a 8 passenger van rated at 1380 total load and now they have lowered it to 1245 lbs because the van failed governmental load test at the weighted rating.

I can't imagine what sort of test this would be. It seems far more likely to me that someone checked the curb weight and GVWR and realized that the payload had been incorrectly calculated.