Problems · by component
2011 Toyota Sienna electrical system problems
69 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Sienna cite electrical system, 11% of all 615 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
69
11% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“No accident t door on the rear passenger side will not open I have tried everything and it just will not budge. This is a safety hazard because in the case of an accident or emergency, the door cannot be opened. It will not move manually or automatically.”
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The vehicle was a private sale. The contact stated that at the time of purchase, the mileage was 102,694. The contact later discovered a mileage discrepancy in a Carfax report, which indicated that the mileage was previously recorded at approximately 202,000. The contact also stated that the contact was provided a different VIN at the time of purchase. The contact stated that the mileage recorded on the different titles was inconsistent. The contact reported the issue to the local State Police.”
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase in 2025, the mileage was 110,000. The contact stated that a Carfax report indicated that the mileage was 300,000.”
“The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was intermittently illuminated while driving. The contact stated that the warning light turned off while restarting the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the sliding doors failed to function automatically and required to be opened or closed manually. The contact stated that while attempting to open the front driver's side door in icy and snowy weather, the door made an abnormal cracking sound and failed to open. The contact stated that the passenger's side door made an abnormal cracking sound but opened as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,999.”
“Vehicle: 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE VIN: [XXX] Mileage: ~204,800 Incident Date: [XXX] Recent Service: Oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, and multipoint inspection performed on November 10, 2025 at Fitzgerald Toyota Gaithersburg (Maryland). Description of the Defect: On [XXX] while driving with my child in the vehicle, my 2011 Toyota Sienna experienced a sudden and dangerous failure. A strong burning smell entered the cabin, the ABS warning light illuminated, and then wheels locked up while the vehicle was in motion. At the same time, the steering wheel locked, making the vehicle impossible to steer. The engine immediately lost power and shut down in the middle of the roadway. The vehicle would not restart and had to be towed. This failure occurred four days after dealership service at Fitzgerald Toyota Gaithersburg, which included an oil change, tire rotation, and brake inspection. The dealership initially claimed the failure was due to a “dead battery,” and the following day changed the explanation to a “shorted alternator.” A weak battery or alternator failure does not explain a mechanical wheel lock or steering wheel lock while driving. The dealership…”
“I have complained about both rear sliding doors acting erratically for almost 3 years. These doors were under a recall, as they sometimes were overloaded and would cause the fuse to blow and the door(s) would/could swing open while moving. It happened to me NUMEROUS times. Once it was so bad, that I couldn’t bring my son yo school because the door wouldn’t stay shut. They beep upon auto open and you have to fight the door open or shut no matter if you switch off the “auto door” button or not. It has been to 3 different dealers in less than 3 years. The first dealer only replaced one junction box, and wiring harness on the passenger door because that it the only door that acted up while they were in possession of sienna. The door less than a 1000 miles later started to have issues - opening, closing, staying closed. I brought it to another dealer closer to my new house - they did not fix it as it didn’t do it for them with 10 tries while parked using auto and manual settings. That seems irresponsible and irrelevant as the ongoing customer complaint is the door swinging open whilst driving (neither dealer drove it, to see if it would swing open). Nonetheless, as…”
Showing 6 of 69 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.