Sienna vent window motor

[Jeff Bertrand]

I have a '98 Sienna LE and the left rear vent window seems to have thrown in
the towel. It was working intermittently but even then it sounded quite weak
compared to the right one. I called the dealer about a replacement motor and
they want $262+ for it! I tried to talk them into a warrantee replacement (the
van is less that 3,000 miles past the 3-year 36 mile warrantee) but they will
only help out on parts and I still have to pay labor. That ends up costing
more than just buying the part and installing it myself. Is there another
source for these motors? Is there a way to get Toyota to cover the whole job?
Anyone have this problem before?

Jeff Bertrand
Ventura, CA
(remove antispam to reply)

[Stephen Schaffer]

Jeff Bertrand wrote,

==================================

Jeff,

That's not a generic motor, comes with the motor and little
gearbox/actuator thingy as a unit. Only source I can think of other
than the dealer would be a used one from a wrecking yard.

They aren't hard to change out once you get the trim panel out of the
way. I've only had to do a couple of these since the Sienna was
introduced. It's surprising how expensive little specialized parts like
this can be. A door latch assembly for a 92-96 Camry with power locks
is $365 or so because the power lock motor is built into it and not
available separately.

"Dammit Jim! I'm an Automotive Service
Technician, not a mechanic!!"

Steve S.

[Jeff Bertrand]

Thanks Steve, I was afraid of that answer. It's fairly easy to get to alright.
I had it out on the bench hooked up to a 12V battery and it just doesn't
generate any torque. I can stop it with a few fingers grip which seems
insufficient to me. Your'e right about the constructing too, it's all molded
together in a unit with the reduction gearing. I hate that, in the good old
days you could tear things apart and figure out what was wrong.

I've e-mailed a couple of "wholesale" Toyota parts suppliers. We'll see how
that goes.

[Basil M.]

I find it funny that so many manufacturers have switched from door-lock solenoids
to door-lock motors...a solenoid is very simple, up and down. :)

Jeff Bertrand wrote:

--
Basil Mournian - San Diego, CA
1986 Silver Cressida 5M-GE DOHC - 140,200 miles

[Art Begun]

In a Chrysler brochure they mentioned almost noiseless power
door lock motors. I'd prefer they concentrate on road
noise.

"Basil M." <gs...@spamcentral.home.com> wrote in message
news:3A3FAFFC...@spamcentral.home.com...

[Jeff Bertrand]

I don't see how a solinoid would work in this application. The vent windows
can be opened variable amounts. If a solinoid were used they would be all the
way open or all the way closed with no possiblilty of adjusting them in
between.

>I find it funny that so many manufacturers have switched from door-lock
>solenoids
>to door-lock motors...a solenoid is very simple, up and down. :)
>
>
>
>Jeff Bertrand wrote:
>
>> >Jeff Bertrand wrote,
>> >
>> >I have a '98 Sienna LE and the left rear vent window seems to have
>> >thrown in the towel. It was working intermittently but even then it
>> >sounded quite weak compared to the right one. I called the dealer about
>> >a replacement motor and they want $262+ for it! I tried to talk them
>> >into a warrantee replacement (the van is less that 3,000 miles past the
>> >3-year 36 mile warrantee) but they will only help out on parts and I
>> >still have to pay labor. That ends up costing more than just buying the
>> >part and installing it myself. Is there another source for these motors?
>> >Is there a way to get Toyota to cover the whole job? Anyone have this

Jeff Bertrand

[Stephen Schaffer]

Jeff Bertrand wrote,

I don't see how a solinoid would work in this application. The vent
windows can be opened variable amounts. If a solinoid were used they
would be all the way open or all the way closed with no possiblilty of
adjusting them in between.

===================

I find it funny that so many manufacturers have switched from door-lock
solenoids
to door-lock motors...a solenoid is very simple, up and down. :)

===================================

Jeff,
you're right of course. I think they got sidetracked onto the doorlock
motor vs solenoid thing 'cause I posted how much a door latch assy with
the lock motor built in costs.

In any case, toyota may have switched to motors after the problem they
had with 87-90 or so Camry power lock solenoids that would literally
weld themselves in the locked position, potentially trapping people in
their cars!! And yes, there was a recall.