Trailer Hitch Scrapes Street

The trailer hitch (for the 2004 Sienna installed at Toyota dealership) scrapes almost every time we pull in or out of a parking lot (with a medium to small dip), or go over speedbumps etc. It happens intermitently when the only person in the van is the driver, and happens all the time if we have passengers. We cringe at the thought of trying to pull pull a loaded trailer, with the van loaded. It seems to me that the hitch we have should not have been offered as an accessory for this vehicle. We're waiting to see how our dealership plans to rectify this problem.
Does anyone else has a similar problem?

If your receiver hits the ground on a speed bump then something's wrong. The receiver should be positioned just under the bumper, not touching it, but maybe a finger's width below.

If it's just when you have the drawbar in place, then maybe you have the wrong drawbar; it should have about a 4 to 6 inch rise, raising the hitch ball up to a height about even with the middle of your bumper.

This is based on my experience with my last minivan (Pontiac). We just got the new Sienna couple days ago & haven't added the hitch yet, but with the Pontiac, the receiver hit the ground only on transition to a very steep slope (our driveway), and I expect the same with the Sienna since it has about the same clearance.

We deal with it by approaching the driveway at a very shallow angle, and never with the drawbar in place, but that's beside the point.

BTW, how much did your dealer charge for installation? Mine quoted over $500, but the truck accessory shop that did my other car quoted $160 with wiring & everything!

good luck,
jtw

BTW, how much did your dealer charge for installation? Mine quoted over $500, but the truck accessory shop that did my other car quoted $160 with wiring & everything!

Hi,
We are buying a new Sienna and the dealer wants $800 Canadian to install the hitch ($450 for the hitch and $350 for the wiring). I have never paid anyone to do hitch wiring for me before but I am told this one is really tough. Do you happen to know anything about how the wiring is done? If I can get hold of the wires, I will have no problem doing it. But if they have hidden the wires inside the frame or something, I will be in trouble!

I too have this problem with my 04 sienna. I had a Hidden Hitch class III hitch (larger than Toyota installs) installed by a hitch company. A lot cheaper than Toyota - parts and labor less than $200.

I bought the Sienna over the Odyssey because of its advertised highest clearance of mini vans. (8 in. i believe). I am not sure where they are measuring that from. I hit all the time. I tow a pop up camper (~ 3000lbs). When all is hooked up and loaded, I probably only have a 2 in. clearance. It does tow and handle very nicely though. Took a trip last fall from Maryland to Disney in Florida.

I have been trying to talk with companies about options - air shocks, etc. I have not gotten any solution yet. Toyota tells me if I do anything down that route, I may void my warranty. I even paid for an extended warranty.

So if any one has any ideas.....

E-mailed photos of your installed hitches would be appreciated!!!! Please include the manufacturer's name, and any wisdom you could offer.

I've had my '04 Sienna for a month, and I've spent all that time trying to figure out which way to go when buying a hitch. I only tow about 1600 pounds while carrying a moderate passenger load, but I'm worried about scraping. Much misinformation and unanswered questions from the various hitch installer companies here (today, I took the U-Haul "expert" out in the parking lot to prove to him there is no place to hide the hitch behind the bumper, despite his earlier claims to have installed several hitches on the '04). I know that Toyota, Curt, Hidden-Hitch, Reese, and Draw-Tite make hitches, but I can't find photos of MOUNTED hitches. Thanks, Al.

I installed a hidden hitch on my '04 Sienna LE and it too hits the street. It hangs lower than other hitches because of the space to hide the rear seats. Hidden Hitch warned me about this before I bought it, but this would be an issue with any Sienna hitch. Dealer told me to get air shocks to replace the rear shocks. I only need to raise the rear end about 1". This is next on my list. Also got wiring kit (#18304) from drawtite-hitches.com that plugs into the factory wiring harness. Very easy to install. Mike

E-mailed photos of your installed hitches would be appreciated!!!!

I had my Sienna 04 hitch installed at the Toyota dealer for $450 Canadian after an RV place told me it was a difficult job on a mini van due to the unit construction. I am pleased with the appearance of the hitch but haven't used it yet. I don't think it decreases the overall clearance above the road, except at the very back under the bumper where it would have an effect on clearance when going over a curb or on a steep driveway. I put pictures on a web page so anyone can conveniently look at them. Here is the link:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/jchbrown/Hitch/Hitch.htm

I don't see a brand name on the hitch. It has a rating of 250 pounds tongue weight @ 18 inches out.

Any ideas on taking care of the hitch so it doesn't rust? I put lots of wax on it. Our '92 van's hitch looks pretty bad.

I just installed a Valley hitch that I purchased from a local auto store for $116. This hitch was made specifically for an 04 Sienna and is identical to the Hidden hitch. Other then it being a slightly tight fit, It was easy to install, three bolts on each side. I put my popup camper, approximately 2,500 lbs., on it and it did not seem to lower the back end of the car too much. But the true test will be during the road trip!! My next project is to install the wiring, which after looking at instructions online, does not appear to be too dificult. I have not yet purchased the wiring harness as I am still looking for the best price. I purchased the Sienna because my wife and I wanted a minivan that would be able to tow our camper, and the Sienna was rated very high (consumer report) in all aspects. So far we love it, but the true test will be when we take our 5 hour trip towing the camper. Any advise on towing and/or where to get the wiring would be appreciated.

Keith

I bought a 2004 Sienna with the "factory installed" DPS hitch (made by Reese). I paid about $400 for the hitch, and bought the cargo carrier and bulk carrier for another $450.

The hitch has two problems:

1) it is rusting terribly at the welds, and has never been in ANY water other than rain. My 1992 Mazda MPV had a Uhaul hitch on it that had NO rust after 11 years. This one is terrible.

2). It scrapes EVERYTHING.

The hitch is so low to the ground that it hits the ground daily. Any speed bump, pot hole, driveway curb, or bump will make the hitch scrape. Sometimes it hits so hard the rear end is lifted off the ground, causing safety and control problems.

And this is with NOTHING on the hitch. No ball. No trailer. No boat. No bulk carrier. Just me and my hitch.

Scaping dangerously along.

I contacted the local dealer who said there was nothing he could do, except maybe put air shocks on and charge me for them. He confirmed that it was installed correctly, although he said "it looks like the van was not meant to have a hitch". He also noted, "I have never seen a hitch that low before."

I contacted Toyota corporate and they said it was a "design concern". I said you mean a "design flaw", and she said "YES".

So I asked how they would rectify the situation. I paid $30,000 for a vehicle that would carry my family and pull my boat, which I don't even dare to connect to the van. When I stand on the hitch it lowers to about 2" off the ground, so surely the boat will scrape often, causing danger for me and my family.

They are reviewing my case but said there is probably nothing they can do about my $30,000 mistake and my $1,000 hitch (with accessories). They suggested "maybe air shocks will fix the problem", but she said that I had to pay for them.

I am awaiting a final decision before I file suit in small claims court for my hitch expense ($1000). I also plan to file a complaint with the NHTSC as this is certainly a safety hazard. Consumers Reports. Whatever it takes to make this right.

Another example of a corporate giant not taking accountability for their actions.

If you have had similar problems, please post here or at least file a complaint with the NHTSC by going to: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Toyota Corp told me that they have received "very few" complaints about the hitch. If you have a problem, call 1-800-331-4331 and file a complaint. Make sure you get a case number. This problem must be documented as a wide spread problem before they will agree to fix it.

Toyota needs to stand behind their "design flaw" and make it right.

We spent good money on this thing....we deserve to get what we were "sold"!!

Since my last posting asking for feedback on available hitches, I purchased the Toyota Hitch. I paid far less than Toyota's price by having the hitch mailordered after shopping on the web. For your info, I paid $170 USD plus very reasonable shipping at www.toyotapartsworld.com. This link may take you directly to the hitch description there:
http://www.toyotapartsworld.com/toypartpage27.htm
I installed the hitch in my driveway in about 20 minutes (you'll need rear wheel ramps). A torque wrench for the six bolts is ideal, but not necessary. You can unhook the exhaust pipe hanger with a bare hand to pull the pipe aside a few inches (a silicone lubricant spray makes this really easy). I get 8.5 inches of clearance at the lowest point when unladen. That is about 1.5 inches more ground clearance than the aftermarket hitches I checked out. I have not scraped the ground in several months of driving, but an aggressive driver encountering steeply pitched driveway/roadway transitions could certainly do so. 125 lbs. of hitch-weight, four adults, and luggage for a long weekend drops the back less than two inches.
Hey, Aimpulsive: Are you certain that the van is riding at the correct suspension height? Do you have the "towing package option" or whatever might include a beefed-up suspension, if available? There was no tow package option available when I bought the van in Canada, so I assume it comes standard here. Good luck, all.

Mr Careful,

I will measure my ground clearance tonight to give you an exact measurement. Did you use the DPS hitch or the standard hitch? I was told the non-DPS sits about 1 inch higher from the ground (more clearance). Also, do you have a 2" receiver?

I have had the dealer check out the problem and they said they could do nothing to fix it....I would assume they checked for suspension height. But it is going back in for a gas tank fix so I will have them recheck it.

And we did not have a towing package available other than this hitch. I know when we bought my 1992 Mazda MPV it came with load leveling shocks and an oil cooler in its "towing package"....but nothing like this for the Sienna.

Thanks for the information.

Unfortunately, this seems to be a swelling issue for hitches added to these vans without anyone from Toyota expressing caution. I too purchased my $30K 04 Sienna with anticipation to tow camper in future. All literature makes assurance this van can tow. Month later, per Toyota salesman, I purchased a U-haul, 3500lb rated, 2" hitch. With some light load camping items and bike rack(w/bikes), it continually scraped up slight inclines, that I couldn't even use the rack. The hitch occassionally scrapes totally empty on inclines with just family. The Uhaul rep said the rear suspension shocks are insufficient. Toyota said use factory hitch, but from above threads, that won't resolve anything and believe that hitch is only 1.25". Toyota also said there's no other towing package or beefed up rear suspension package offered.

I've been searching for a solution. An off-road company has entertained other customers with similar problems by offering rear air bags. He quoted $350 for manual fill, or $950 for on-board air compressor regulator. He stated with air added, it would eleviate any mild loading issues, and when filled, it would raise rear approx 3inches. I'm sure these added items will impact the ride. It appears this is my only option if I want to use this van for more than transporting people. For reference, link for product info is:
http://www.riderite.com/

I certainly believe this is a BIG design flaw by Toyota because the deep well for the rear seats was overlooked. There's no clearance or provision made in rear bumper area to allow a custom hitch configuration close to frame, like already included in some SUV's. I'll contact NHTSC as well. It appears Toyota won't be any help unless we all pool are COMPLAINTS. I should have stuck w/ an SUV, if made aware of issue.

Just wanted to let you know that Toyota finally fixed my problem with the hitch. They removed the 2" Toyota hitch that the dealer/factory installed and replaced it with a 1 1/4" hitch. The two hitches are exactly identical (both are DPS / dual port Reese hitches), except the new hitch sits about 2-3" higher and has a lighter towing capacity. Since I only have a 2000 lb boat it is not a problem.

The hitch has not hit the ground since they replaced it, and I have even towed my boat (which I never dared to do before).

I had to call the factory and talk to the factory "regional distributor" and then the service manager before they replaced the hitch, but they did so at no charge and even gave us a free rental car for four days while the hitch was on order.

Thanks for responding aimpulsive.
Did your vehicle come equipped with any special towing package. According to user manual, apparently stnd offering is 2000lb towing capacity, with optional upgrade for 3500lb, but dealer sales rep stated no other offering tow package was offered. Can you confirm this last statement.
I probably won't pull anything over 2klb, so it appears I have an alternative to air bags. In either case, I'll be dishing out cash for either new hitch @ $200 or air bags @ $350, but bags will eleviate loading issues.

When I bought my Sienna they had only been out for a month or so. I was told it had a 3500 towing capacity and that no "towing package" was available to up that (not that I needed it higher).

But, according to the Toyota web site (http://www.toyota.com/sienna/models.html), all models of the Sienna come standard with a towing package that is rated to 3500 pounds.

I am a newbie here. I have never towed anything. I want to install a new hitch to my '04 Sienna LE. I am planning to tow a Uhaul trailer (4 x 8) with the load of about 2k Lb (incl trailer). I will be going for about 1700 miles from ca to tx. Any suggestions??
Thanks in advance.

Forget about a trailer hitch on any 04 Sienna unless you want to invest extra money into some kind of rear suspension lift kit. The rear suspension is very low. So low in fact if you put any weight at all in the back of the van, trailer hitch or anything else over 120 lb., oncoming drivers will continuously flash their high beams at you as the front end raises your headlight beam right into the oncoming drivers' eyes. They think you have your high beams on, but you don't!

Forget about a trailer hitch on any 04 Sienna unless you want to invest extra money into some kind of rear suspension lift kit. The rear suspension is very low and scrapes the ground at even the slightest of angles. It's so low in fact if you put any weight at all in the back of the van, trailer hitch or anything else over 120 lb., oncoming drivers will continuously flash their high beams at you as the front end raises your headlight beam right into the oncoming drivers' eyes. They think you have your high beams on, but you don't!

There is a rather inexpensive <$100 air-lift bladder available (I believe Firestone is the actual mfg.) that fits inside the Sienna rear springs and seems to be very popular with the Sienna towing crowd. It keeps the rear-end from sagging with a load.

People who have installed it suggest it's about a 2-hour DIY job or a <$100 install job from your local tire dealer (e.g., Les Schwab).

I suggest checking out www.siennaclub.org for more postings on the subject.

If you have an AWD Sienna with run-flats, you might want to reconsider using anything smaller than a 2" receiver. If, like a lot of Sienna AWD owners, you come to the realization that the run-flat tires are over-priced, rapidly wearing, less-than-ideal tires, you are going to want to figure out where to put a spare.

And if that's the case -- and you don't want to down-grade to smaller wheels and tires (so that one can fit inside a 3rd-row seat well -- for the price of one run-flat tire, you could hook up with a Bonarue 2 Spare Tire Carrier-like device (which only fits 2" receivers). The main thing here is that it easily flips down so you can open the rear hatch door.

I install hitches and wiring in a small town shop in iowa, i personally have installed hitches on the sienna vans, the best hitch that i have found (no customer complaints about dragging) has been the "rigid" brand, sure they are ugly "box" style hitches but they tend to offer the clearance that outers dont, i also install "curt" brand hitches those i have only had 2 complaints in the last year for dragging, but then again who in their right mnid would pull a 22' travel trailer with a small minivan?

There is a rather inexpensive <$100 air-lift bladder available (I believe Firestone is the actual mfg.) that fits inside the Sienna rear springs and seems to be very popular with the Sienna towing crowd. It keeps the rear-end from sagging with a load.



Firestone makes it and another company called Air Lift Company. You can compare the two for yourself: www.ride-rite.com and www.airliftcompany.com, respectively. If you get an On Board Air System you get a lifetime warranty on the Air Lift 1000 from Air Lift. I found the Air Lift 1000 at www.summitracing.com for $66.88 plus $8.95 handling as the best price so far.

Does anyone know about a sway control device that works with the Toyota DPS hitch receiver, (1.25")?

Don't buy the Airlift air bags! I've had 3 sets now, and they POP! Yes, they have a "Lifetime Warranty". This only means you WILL NEVER get your money back! It means for your lifetime, they will send you new sets of air bags (if you fight with them), which will also pop. I spoke with the guy in Quality. He explained that they actually CUT the air bags to make them fit a Toyota Sienna. Then, at least in Texas, in the summer, they get too hot and pop at the seam. When I pressed for my money back, I was told "Our bags are designed to prevent drop, not necessarily add lift". And, they won't offer any solutions, nor will they send me my money back. I'm thinking about trying the Firestone brand, or maybe air shocks.

Anyone tried to lift the Sienna's? I am 2" off the ground when pulling my pop-up! If you are able to lift it, what did you use?

Don't buy the Airlift air bags! I've had 3 sets now, and they POP! Yes, they have a "Lifetime Warranty". This only means you WILL NEVER get your money back! It means for your lifetime, they will send you new sets of air bags (if you fight with them). I spoke with the guy in Quality. He explained that they actually CUT the air bags to make them fit a Toyota Sienna. Then, at least in Texas, in the summer, they get too hot and pop at the seam. When I pressed for my money back, I was told "Our bags are designed to prevent drop, not necessarily add lift". And, they won't offer any solutions, nor will they send me my money back. I'm thinking about trying the Firestone brand, or maybe air shocks.

Anyone tried to lift the Sienna's? I am 2" off the ground when pulling my pop-up! If you are able to lift it, what did you use?