I have an '04 Sienna XLE and I’ve been noticing the loudness of the exhaust when I accelerate (almost 2 months now). I went to a Toyota Service Center and was told that the exhaust pipe with a converter is broken and it would cost me $2,010 to have it fix. Also, I need the automatic power door on the drivers side fix because it won’t close when I push the button (exact same problem with the passenger side door, which they fixed 2 months prior). The problem is, the last door cost us about $300 (parts and labor) and now they said it’ll cost us $1,200 just for the parts. I was shocked at how much they’re charging us. I need some experts opinion. Please help!
You don’t really need an expert to tell you about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide, do you?
Operating a vehicle with a known exhaust leak is…just not a smart thing to do.
Aside from the obvious danger of being overcome by Carbon Monoxide and lapsing into unconsciousness, there is also the possibility of brain damage as a result of continued exposure to low levels of CO in the car’s interior.
Translation: Even if you are not aware of the presence of CO inside the car, it is likely that it is building up and endangering both you and your passengers. If you transport children, bear in mind that they are even more susceptible to CO poisoning and brain damage than adults are.
My suggestions are:
Get the exhaust pipe and catalytic converter problem fixed immediately. A shop that specializes in exhaust work, or an independent mechanic, can do this job, and can likely do it at a much lower price than the Toyota dealership.
When you have the financial resources for door lock repairs, get a couple of estimates from independent mechanics in your area. I can virtually guarantee that they will charge far less than the Toyota dealership.
2010 is an exorbitant price to pay for a weld on the exhaust pipe. 100 bucks is more reasonable, but 20 bucks is possible if you find an independent place that specializes in this kind of work. Yes it should be done ASAP, as exhaust leaks are not to be let go due to obvious safety reasons, but not at that price. It sounds like they didn’t even bother to toss a dart at the board but just glanced at the calender and converted the year to a price tag, sheesh.