Toyota Sienna Problems And Common Complaints

Own a Toyota Sienna or looking to buy one? You came to the right place. With this list of the most common problems and complaints for the Toyota Sienna minivans produced in the last 20 years, you'll get a better understanding of what to keep an eye out for on your Sienna.

Note: The list of problems below is organized by vehicle generation. Scroll down to find your model year range.

2017-Present Toyota Sienna - Common Problems

A 2017 Toyota Sienna SE

Good news: there's nothing to report so far! Be sure to check back once in a while because we update the information on this page regularly. 

2010-2016 Toyota Sienna - Common Problems

A 2011 Toyota Sienna SE

Sliding Door Latch Failure: The sliding door in this generation of Sienna minivans comes with a latch that doesn’t always do its job. This causes the door to not open when commanded and triggers the door to open at unexpected times, including while the van is in motion. Toyota resolved this issue by issuing a safety recall of about 744,000 2011-2016 Siennas.

Premature Passenger Airbag Propellant Failure: There’s a chance the passenger frontal airbag will rupture, giving metal fragments a chance to fly through the hole(s) and injure someone. This happens because the propellant that comes with the airbag is prone to premature degradation from excessive humidity and unstable temperatures. Toyota responded to this issue in early 2017 by recalling certain Toyota Siennas to replace the airbag inflator or assembly free of charge.

2003-2009 Toyota Sienna - Common Problems

A 2004 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited

Ruptured Oil Cooler Hose: It’s common for the rubber oil cooler hose that comes with this generation of Siennas to rupture. As a result, oil leaks out of the hose and, if not caught in time, the engine will have no oil left and may seize. Many Sienna owners successfully resolve this issue by replacing it with an OEM metal cooler pipe (Part No. 15767-31020).

Shift Lock Solenoid Failure: The shift lock solenoid in 2004-2009 Siennas is prone to failure, which allows the driver to move the shift lever out of the park position without depressing the brake pedal. This causes the minivan to unexpectedly roll out of position. Toyota recalled over 600,000 affected Siennas in 2013 and authorized dealers to replace the shift lock solenoid assembly for free.

Spare Tire Carrier Cable Corrosion: This is a common issue in cold areas where road salt is used. The salt excessively corrodes the spare tire carrier cable located underneath the minivan and causes the spare tire to fall off the van. In 2014, Toyota recalled about 370,000 affected Sienna minivans and replaced the spare tire carrier assembly with a redesigned one.

1997-2002 Toyota Sienna - Common Problems

A 2000 Toyota Sienna XLE

Crankcase Ventilation System Problems: According to reports, the six-cylinder engine in 1998-2002 Toyota Sienna minivans can have problems with oil sludge. Allegedly, this happens because the crankcase ventilation system isn’t designed to accommodate the amount of heat and gases the engine produces. As a result, the trapped heat can cause the oil to turn to sludge. In 2007, Toyota agreed to cover the costs to repair 1998-2002 Sienna engines damaged from oil sludge. They also reimbursed the affected Sienna owners who had already paid for engine repairs.

Broken Door Handle: This happens to many 1997-2002 Sienna owners. The plastic door handles on this van are prone to falling or breaking off. Most owners simply replace a broken one with a new handle.

Sticking Sliding Door Latch: The sliding door latch assembly doesn’t always work right. Sometimes the latch locks up and makes it difficult for anyone to open the door from inside the van. Sometimes the latch holding the sliding door in an open position fails and the sliding door closes on its own, creating a safety hazard for anything in the door's path.

1998-2017 Toyota Sienna TSBs

To find these TSBs, you can try Googling the TSB ID #, the name of the TSB, or some combination. You can also go to NHTSA.gov and search for the TSB by entering your VIN.