# 2003 Toyota Sienna with bad computer **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 3, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057 "2008-09-03T16:58:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@jackce](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jackce)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/1 "2008-09-03T16:58:26Z")
My Sienna with 120,000 miles had an exhaust leak at the sensor port in the exhaust pipe directly behind the catalitic convetor caused by a bolt rusted off. Repairs made by drilling bolt out, retapping & reassembling with new bolts. About 100 miles later I got the dredded check engine light along with the VSC & TRAK OFF lights. The Toyota dealership investigated & said "the computer analisys showed a fauliy catalitic converter. They checked the c. converter and found it was working properly so the main computer was bad. To fix I needed a new computer at a cost of $1495.00. QUESTIONS: 1. Does this sound like a reasonable way to diagnose a bad computer? 2. Could the two problems be related? 3. Can computer be repaired? 4. If old computer bad does it have any value? 5. Any other suggestions come to mind? Thanks for any help, Jack ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/2 "2008-09-03T17:51:40Z")
Get a second opinion from an independent mechanic. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/3 "2008-09-03T19:16:14Z")
Many computers are replaced. Very few are ever defective. Look for a better garage. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/4 "2008-09-03T20:14:15Z")
Number 4. Yes, but the core charge will be the value, so there is no value to you. Number 1. It all sounds like it is outside of most of our experience but it could be reasonable. I hope I’m never in that situation. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/5 "2008-09-03T22:44:16Z")
After the code is cleared,does it come back ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/6 "2008-09-04T02:57:16Z")
Get a second opinion from an independent shop and, if need be, get a used, or refurbished, computer. Total: much cheaper than car dealer. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/7 "2008-09-04T03:07:52Z")
Run from this dealer, and find a decent independent mechanic. I believe your getting screwed. If the only problem that cropped up was ‘catalytic converter bad’, I’m assuming the computer got a sensor DTC. The DTC simply reads that the circuit for the sensor is bad, or giving erratic signals. The only sensor that monitors the cat, which should be the rear oxygen sensor, may have gone bad. Or, the wire that connects the sensor to the computer may have gone bad. A bad computer will have definite driveability problems, and it sounds like it drives just fine. ---
**Author:** ![jackce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@jackce](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jackce)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/8 "2008-09-04T21:00:47Z")
Code can’t be cleared. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/9 "2008-09-04T21:22:30Z")
I wonder if it clears then comes back immediatly upon engine start.Seek second opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Anoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/34f0e0/32.png) [@Anoldman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Anoldman)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-toyota-sienna-with-bad-computer/19057/10 "2010-05-24T01:15:23Z")
I had a dealer check my van and give me the same diagnosis; two days later, the light went off and stayed off. I want to know why any computer costs $1500 to repair when Dell builds them for as little as $400…and why can’t we fix one of the parts of this expensive unit?