10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
78,796 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #17

Mar 022015

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 149,000 miles
All the locks keep unlocking, and locking without anyone in or around the vehicle, because locks are locking and unlocking it is causing the battery to drain. The doors lock and unlock while van is in gear, while driving, and when van is not running without key in ignition. I have 2 children and believe this is a safety issue!

- Holley, NY, USA

problem #16

Sep 012014

Sienna

  • 240,000 miles
When I attempted to open driver side sliding door it would not open electrically or manually. After several failed attempts to open I cut the cable and was able to then open the door. At this point in time both sliding doors will not open electronically but will open manually.

- Holley, NY, USA

problem #15

Oct 252013

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 118,000 miles
I was driving the car to take dinner with my family when arrive to the restaurant I notice was a lot smog in the motor I open the hood was a lot smog so I plug out the battery and I call a mechanic and he tellme the fire was in the power steering pump he disconnect the cable from the power steering and tellme to bring the car to the dealer because is a safety problem and maybe have a recall. Thats by I want to no if is cover for the warranty or recall.

- Campbell, CA, USA

problem #14

Nov 242008

Sienna 6-cyl Diesel

  • 93,224 miles
Ever since novmber, 2008, my 2002 Toyota Sienna passenger side power door, has intermittently failed to open either by activating the button on the inside of the door column, by pulling the door handle outside, or the instrument panel door button, or worse, after opening, will not close. The dealer had to reinitialize the ECU in November, 2008, and have had intermittent problems since. Now, since at least December, 2012, the sliding door will not open at all by any of the 3 methods and cannot be reinitialized. Also, at times the manual drivers side passenger door, in the past ~ 1 1/2 years will not open either from inside door button release or outside door handle and passengers have to climb over from the front seats to enter or climb over the front seat & console to exit the vehicle. I have been advised by my local Toyota dealer that I need to "start with the replacement of the ECU, " a part costing $730 and about $1000 with instillation. I have read other horror stories that replacing the ECU isn't necessarily the answer and many don't know what the answer is. Have there been any auto recalls on these power door mechanisms yet? I see a large volume of the exact same complaints on the internet for these Sienna as well as within the NHTSA database. In the event of an emergency evacuation of the vehicles' passengers, as it stands, a catastrophe is waiting to happen.

- Omaha, NE, USA

problem #13

Jul 182011

Sienna 6-cyl

  • miles
Electronic automatic sliding door failures. July 2011, passenger side (sliding door) electronic outer door handle stopped working. The only way to enter or exit the vehicle is by pushing the button on the door jam or overhead console. Then the door stopped opening completely. The motor tries to open the door but seems like the door does not release. It will not open. April 2012, drivers side (sliding door) electronic outer door handle has stopped working. The only way to enter or exit the vehicle is by pushing the button on the door jam or overhead console. The door opens 80% of the time. When it does not work the motor tries to open the door but seems like the door does not release. When the drivers side passenger door does not open the family has to enter or exit through one of the front doors and climb through to the back seats. There is no internal manual override of these doors. This is not safe. In an emergency my family will have to go through the front doors or break and go through the windows. This is a safety hazard. The outside door handles and sliding door mechanisms should be repaired at no charge by Toyota.

- Nashua, NH, USA

problem #12

Aug 012011

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
Power sliding door doesn't close.

- Clarksville, MD, USA

problem #11

Nov 122009

Sienna 6-cyl

  • miles
Automatic sliding door sometimes will not shut and requires multiple, repeated pushing of the driver's sliding door button until the door shuts. Often times, I will have to turn off the engine and crank the engine again and then keep pushing the driver's sliding door button until (if I am lucky), the automatic sliding door closes. This process can take 10 minutes or longer depending on how much time I have when this problem occurs. Sometimes, I will turn off the engine and leave the door open for an hour or so before cranking the car again and pushing the button to try to close the automatic sliding door.

- Buford, GA, USA

problem #10

Jun 012011

Sienna 6-cyl

  • miles
Sliding doors on both sides have stopped working electronically. The doors must be forced manually and this is very difficult. Toyota will not address this issue.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #9

May 012010

Sienna

  • 75,000 miles
1. trunk door latch broken and cannot open. Toyota does not provide a manual trunk release inside the van. 2. passenger side automatic sliding door would not stay closed. It just kept popping open.

- Mchenry, IL, USA

problem #8

Aug 012008

Sienna

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sienna. While driving at approximately 60 mph on a road undergoing construction, the tire pressure indicator light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over and turned off the ignition. He checked all the tires but could find no problems. A month later, while driving on the same road (no construction this time) at approximately 60 mph, the tire pressure indicator light illuminated on the instrument panel again. The contact inspected the tires again but found no cause for the light. The vehicle had not been inspected at the time of the complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. The current mileage was approximately 72,000.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #7

Dec 102009

Sienna

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sienna. Whenever the charcoal canister or any minor malfunction occurred in the vehicle the traction control was deactivated. The traction control also deactivated when the fuel cap was not replaced properly on the fuel tank. The failure has occurred several times and the dealer stated that they are aware of the defect; yet, they require the contact to come in whenever the check engine light was illuminated. The contact was concerned about the safety risk since it rains in Florida and the traction control when activated engaged itself to assist with traction. The contact had to replace the charcoal canister valve. The dealer also stated that the failure was normal and not a danger. The contact is concerned about the safety risk. The failure mileage was 70,000.

- Sarsota, FL, USA

problem #6

Jan 012007

Sienna

  • 100,000 miles
2002 Toyota Sienna van. The vehicle computer will sporadically trigger the check engine light to come on based on no actual cause. This occurs around every 5,000 miles. It is typical for this computer failure to begin after 75,000 miles on this year of Sienna and Toyota's recall only covers vehicles up to 75,000 miles. The computer costs $1,000 to replace. This recall should be expanded to vehicles 10yrs old or less. There is probably an internal memo floating around Toyota with a dollar figure attached branzely boasting how much they saved by "smoking" a shorter recall period past the us government. Toyota customer services has been hostile toward resolving this complaint.

- Mcpherson, KS, USA

problem #5

Aug 102009

Sienna

  • 73,316 miles
Sliding doors on 2002 Toyota Sienna fail to open. 7-17-06: 73,316 miles, both sliding doors will not open due to product defect, repair at dealership. 9-22-06: 76,829 miles, sliding door will open but not close, repair at dealership. 11-16-07: 92,730 miles, sliding doors not working, repair at dealership. 3-13-08: 97,991 miles, passenger sliding door not working, repair at dealership. 8-10-2009: 113, 814, passenger sliding door will not open. This vehicle has been in no accidents and well maintained. These doors continually fail.

- The Colony, TX, USA

problem #4

Jul 102009

Sienna

  • 100,000 miles
Automatic sliding door on Toyota Sienna often does not close. Even when encouraged "manually" to close, it pulls back several times. If auto feature is turned off, it won't pull closed at all. Sliding door on left side won't open from inside. Occasionally locks itself so that it can't be opened from outside either, even if all other doors are unlocked.

- Glen Rock, NJ, USA

problem #3

Nov 152003

Sienna

  • 35,000 miles
In 2003, I was told the ECU unit needed replaced on passenger side rear power sliding door as door would intermittently not open or close. Has continued with intermittent problem until it finally wouldn't open nor close. Given the very high volume of complaints about this problem on all years of the Toyota Sienna, I would like for the ODI to open an investigation. All you have to do is google "Toyota Sienna power sliding door problems" and you end up with multiple thousands of hits, with most being chat sites with multiple complaint threads.

- Albany, OR, USA

problem #2

Jul 272008

Sienna

  • 131,000 miles
In 2003, ECU unit was replaced on passenger side rear power sliding door as door would intermittently not open or close. Has continued with intermittent problem since replacement until it finally would open by not close. Given the very high volume of complaints about this problem on all years of the Toyota Sienna, I would like for the ODI to open an investigation. All you have to do is google "Toyota Sienna power sliding door problems" and you end up with multiple thousands of hits, with most being chat sites with multiple complaint threads.

- Longmont, CO, USA

problem #1

Jan 222004

(reported on)

Sienna 6-cyl

  • miles
A rattling noise was heard in the sliding door. The car vibrated when driven at any speed and the ignition switch was defective. The owner was frustrated with all that was happening with little or no results. The check engine light had come on and was taken to the dealer on several occasions for the same problem. The front end was unstable.

- Huntington Park, CA, USA