This topic contains 1 reply, has 2 voices, and was last updated by 
Richard Kirshy 3 years ago.
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Topic
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Serious issues with my 2008 Toyota Sienna. Could someone help me out.
Got a call from my wife last night and the minivan stopped driving before she got home. The engine didn’t shut off, it just wouldn’t accelerate and only glided to a stop. She limped it home over about 1 mile, having to glide it to the side of the road 4 more times on the way. After it would sit for a few minutes with the engine off, she would start it again and it would drive for a bit further and then the accelerator became unresponsive again.
Today, I went out to try it out. I warmed it up for 10 min to check the transmission fluid. Checked the transmission fluid and it’s a thick reddish-brown slog and it’s over the maximum line. When I put it into drive to get it up the hill into my garage, it just rolled backward into the road. No response in reverse, no response in drive.
I turned the van off for ten minutes and then went back out and started it again. I put it in drive and it went into gear and right up the hill and into the garage. I shut it off before any more trouble. Just checked the engine coolant and the coolant has turned into a thick, greyish mud.
Like I said, any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Replies
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First question is what is the condition of the engine oil?
If it is good then:
Sounds like the transmission cooler inside the radiator has a breach.
Your mixing coolant and transmission fluid together.
Not a good thing for the transmission.
My suggestion is to stop driving it at once.
Pull the radiator and have it tested / repaired if possible if you have a local shop.
My guess is that it is of plastic construction so more than likely your going to need to replace it and completely flush out the cooling system thoroughly.
Next step ( providing the transmission hasn’t grenaded itself) would be to flush out ALL the contaminated fluid out of the transmission with fresh fluid.
Hopefully you can revive it.
The last thing would be to look into installing an external transmission cooler and bypass the one going through the radiator all together.
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