Problems · by component

1999 Toyota Sienna engine and engine cooling problems

39 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Toyota Sienna cite engine and engine cooling, 18% of all 217 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
39
18% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I HAVE A TOYOTA SIENNA 99 AND MY CHECK LIGHT COMING OUT AND START TO SMOKE SO I FIND THE ENGINE DO THE OIL BE SLUDGE, I WANT TO KNOW IF IS SOME WAY OF TOYOTA FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR ME WHIT OUT CHARGE BECAUSE IS A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10361130
“I AM REPORTING ANOTHER TOYOTA STICKY ACCELERATOR PEDAL. OUR 1999 SIENNA MINIVAN HAS HAD 3 INCIDENTS OF STUCK ACCELERATOR, THE MOST RECENT WAS JAN. 21, 2010. I BELIEVE IT HAS BECOME "STUCK" BETWEEN 40 AND 45MPH. OTHER INCIDENTS WERE IN SUMMER (CANNOT REMEMBER DATE) AND OCTOBER 2009. THE 1ST INCIDENT WAS BRIEF AND CORRECTED QUICKLY BY PUSHING DOWN ON THE PEDAL TO "FREE IT", THE 2ND INCIDENT REQUIRED BRAKING AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND SHOVING THE PEDAL WITH MY FOOT TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT TO FREE IT UP. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN THE PEDAL SEEMED TO WORK OK, ALTHOUGH A BIT SLUGGISH RESPONSE. OUR MECHANIC FIXED THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE CAR HAS NOT HAD ANOTHER INCIDENT UNTIL LAST WEEK. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS MORE HARROWING IN THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH ROOM TO MANEUVER THE CAR SINCE WE WERE HEADED FOR LOTS OF CARS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I TRIED TO SLOW THE CAR BY BRAKING HARD WITH THE LEFT FOOT AND SHOVING THE ACCELERATOR. PEDAL DOWN AND SIDE TO SIDE WHILE IN NEUTRAL BUT THIS DID NOT WORK QUICKLY LIKE THE OCTOBER INCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A SHOULDER BEFORE CRASHING BUT IT TOOK MUCH LONGER FOR…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 10302973
“1999 TOYOTA SIENNA ENGINE FROZE UP UNEXPECTEDLY. WAS ADVISED IT WAS POSSIBLY A SLUDGE PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED - USED - IN 2002 FROM A LOCAL DEALER WHO WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ESTIMATED $6850.00 ENGINE REPLACEMENT COST, EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA CHANGED THE ENGINE WARRANTY TO 8 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILEAGE.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10138897
“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE WITH OUR SONS (AGES 3 AND 1) IN THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE DIED. SHE COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE STAYED IN VEHICLE AND KEPT THE BOYS IN THEIR CAR SEATS AS SHE WAS ALONG A MAJOR HIGHWAY. A ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE VEHICLE PULLED UP BEHIND HER WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO. HE ASKED MY WIFE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SHE TOLD HIM AND HE ASKED HER TO POP THE HOOD. SHE DID. HE OPENED IT AND FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NEITHER HE NOR MY WIFE KNEW OR SUSPECTED A FIRE. NO FLAMES. NO SMOKE. NO SMELL. NO HEAT. HE YELLED TO MY WIFE TO GET HERSELF AND THE KIDS OUT OF THE CAR. SHE DID AND THEY WERE ALL UNHARMED. HE PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. OBVIOUSLY, MY WIFE AND CHILDREN PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED HAD THAT ROAD SIDE ASSISTANT NOT BEEN THERE. FL HIGHWAY PATROL ARRIVED. THE FHP OFFICER FILED INCIDENT REPORT # FHPK05OFF042549. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT, TOYOTA OF ORLANDO (3800 W. COLONIAL DRIVE ORLANDO, FL 32808 407-298-4500) I VIDEO TAPED THE BURNED ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE FROM HEAD TO TOE AND WILL BE HAPPY TO SUBMIT A COPY TO YOU. I WAS CALLED BY A MR.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2005Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10131401
“THE CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT OIL WAS IN THE PAN. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 2, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10111119
“VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. AFTERWARDS, DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10110995

Showing 6 of 39 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 1999 Sienna problem areas