Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Toyota Sienna problems

Owners filed 1,130 complaints about the 2005 Toyota Sienna with NHTSA between Jan 2005 and May 2024. The most-cited component is structure (499).

Complaints
1,130
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
39
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
71
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure499
  2. Latches/locks/linkages135
  3. Seat belts83
  4. Steering79
  5. Tires68
  6. Electrical system65
  7. Vehicle speed control62
  8. Air bags60
  9. Power train48
  10. Electronic stability control (esc)42
  11. Service brakes38
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic28
  13. Engine22
  14. Visibility20

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200548
200660
200764
200872
2009103
2010169
2011128
2012110
201370
201465
201570
201645
201732
201831
201919
202019
202113
20223
20237
20242

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

499 reports2 crashes2 related recalls
“The dashboard has so many cracks literally everywhere. All the way from the driver side to the passenger side. When the temperature changes hot to cold or cold to hot. There’s nothing but cracking sounds.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 31, 2024Air bags, StructureODI 11591696

Latches/locks/linkages

135 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR BECAME AJAR WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCHING MECHANISM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS, HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER DECLINED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2015Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10724266

Seat belts

83 reports1 crash1 related recall
“DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. IT GIVES DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER A SENSE THAT THE SEATBELTS WORK ONLY TO FIND THE SEATBELT IS LOOSE AT THE WAIST. A KNOWN PROBLEM BY TOYOTA IN THE 2016 "CAMPAIGN" WHEREBY THEY INSTALLED DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELTS. HERE IT IS 2020 AND THE EXACT SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 27, 2021Seat beltsODI 11390244

Steering

79 reports1 fire
“When driving on the highway, the van will suddenly brake and the steering will lock up for about 10 seconds. It is truly frightening. It has happened many times, even with the anti-lock button off. I love this vehicle otherwise, but cannot drive it for safety reasons. And I feel bad selling it to anyone else because I don't want anyone to die! The scariest part when it's on a windy 2 lane road. It really becomes non responsive and also the brakes come on when you are going 60+ miles an hour! HELP! I DONT WANT TO DIE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 29, 2023Steering, Service brakesODI 11547272

Tires

68 reports1 fire1 related recall
“215/65 R 16. Four new CONTINENTAL tires fitted early 2021 to Sienna at Discount Tire in Tucson. July 2021 severe vibration and evidence of tire structural issue photographed. All tires showed similar failure mode.. this was on a very hot day. I took the vehicle to Big O tires and had the front two replaced at my expense so the vehicle was drivable. I returned to Discount Tire in Tucson (Speedway) to ask for a recall check after I learned of the 2021 recall on similar Continental tires for sidewall failure. Discount tire reimbursed one tire. I complained to agent Matthew Harby that the other two tires were dangerous because they showed the same sidewall defect on the hot day. He denied my request for replacement if the remaining two Continental tires because there was no open recall on these. I told I him I was worried about a catastrophic failure in normal operation. I then resumed driving. The weather cooled off and until October the two tires behaved normally again.. On 10/30 about 630pm I was dri ong on I10 and experienced catastrophic tire failure in the outside lane speed approx 65mph. I was fortunate to be able to pull over without losing control but the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2021TiresODI 11438870

Electrical system

65 reports
“Stability light comes on, decelerates independently, vehicle shakes and steering is somewhat compromised. This has happened rounding curves between 40-50 MPH. Has happened twice on straight road, 8/24 and 8/25/2021, traveling at 70MPH, vehicle decelerated 2-5 miles independently. I put signal on and did smooth lane change to the right to get out of fast lane, and stability light came on, vehicle shook and steering was somewhat compromised. Neither local mechanic or dealership can retrieve any codes with diagnostic equipment. Dealership told me today the light has to stay on for them to retrieve code. This has happened irregularly over the last 6-8 months but always on curves. It has occurred 4 times in 6 days last week, twice on curves, 8/23 & 8/28/2021, and the 2 lane changes above. I am concerned with the increased frequency. There is a great deal of information on the web at https://www.siennachat.com/threads/traction-control-malfunctioning.44474/ so this is not an unknown issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2021Steering, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11431167
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

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