Problems · by component

2002 Toyota Sienna electrical system problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Toyota Sienna cite electrical system, 12% of all 207 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
12% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Dear Sir, On April 2026, I need to do the semiannual smog check. Right now, I face DTC P0420 error code and I can't pass the smog check inspection. Note that I don't have the engine light on indicating the a/m error code. Only my OBD2 shows the error DTC Code P0420. I did some searhing and noticed that the ECM for Sienna should be updated to erase the a/m DTC code. I would appreciated to help me how the resolve this issue ASAP. It will enable me to renew my registration.You may contact on my cell phone 747 217 7254 or my email at [email protected]. Regards, Massey”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 15, 2026Electrical systemODI 11718059
“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. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2015Electrical system, StructureODI 10704379
“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! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2015Electrical systemODI 10704383
“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. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2013Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)Fire reportedODI 10549735
“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 $730.00 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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2013Electrical system, StructureODI 10522415
“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. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2012Electrical system, StructureODI 10456905

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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

Other 2002 Sienna problem areas