[SiennaAWDFan]

I would like to share my enthusiasm for our 2006 XLE AWD. It's been a champ and is still going strong. It used to haul soccer teams and dance teams, then scouts to camp, then kids to college, moved whole apartments, now mostly lumber, tools, furniture. It's been skiing and snow camping, handled well in the snow, never needed to take the chains out of the box.

I paid to have the timing belt and water pump replaced at 100K. Starter failed at 140K which I replaced myself.

Besides the Thule box and tow hitch, the only mods are the front brakes and headlights. The factory brakes were marginal. I finally ordered and installed EBC rotors and yellow pads. Easy DIY fix and they work. The old yellow headlights I just replaced with the brightest, whitest aftermarket bulbs instead of upgrading to HID. Everything else is original. JBL audio still sounds good.

Any other original second generation owners with good stories?

 

[Zigakly]

I just got a 04 CE. Was a great deal because the K-frame (aka engine cradle) was corroded (snow salt) so it wouldn't pass safety. Got a great deal on a replacement from California and a buddy did the swap, so I started well ahead.

I recently did the starter as well, that's one of the few gotchas of 2nd gen Siennas. There's a short heavy stranded wire going from the battery terminal into the starter motor on the starter itself that is totally unprotected, just bare copper. Even sea air will eventually rot that thing. I got my replacement from the wrecker off an 07 V6 Camry, but it was already a replacement, looked maybe 4 yrs old. I hit that wire with rust remover, then DeOxit, then encased it in epoxy. That starter is going to outlive all of us

Sadly you can't treat that wire without removing the battery and air filter housing. I definitely recommend hitting it with a cleanser and protectant every time you change the air filter. If you're double jointed maybe you could epoxy it, but that really has to be a full seal or you can't stop corrosion inside a partial seal.