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
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Structure499
- Latches/locks/linkages135
- Seat belts83
- Steering79
- Tires68
- Electrical system65
- Vehicle speed control62
- Air bags60
- Power train48
- Electronic stability control (esc)42
- Service brakes38
- Service brakes, hydraulic28
- Engine22
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
48
60
64
72
103
169
128
110
70
65
70
45
32
31
19
19
13
3
7
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 48 |
| 2006 | 60 |
| 2007 | 64 |
| 2008 | 72 |
| 2009 | 103 |
| 2010 | 169 |
| 2011 | 128 |
| 2012 | 110 |
| 2013 | 70 |
| 2014 | 65 |
| 2015 | 70 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 32 |
| 2018 | 31 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 19 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 2 |
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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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”
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…”
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.”
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.