IllustrationTRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING.*AK
1998 Toyota Sienna
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Sienna do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 183.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sienna years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 73 of 294 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports3 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
294 reports1998 TOYOTA SIENNA SLIDING DOOR ON LEFT AND RIGHT GET STUCK AND WILL NOT OPEN. IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR FIRE MY GRANDCHILDREN WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF IN MY HAND WHICH WOULD CREATE THE SAME HAZARD OF NOT BEING ABLE TO EXIT. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN A…
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1998 TOYOTA SIENNA SLIDING DOOR ON LEFT AND RIGHT GET STUCK AND WILL NOT OPEN. IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR FIRE MY GRANDCHILDREN WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF IN MY HAND WHICH WOULD CREATE THE SAME HAZARD OF NOT BEING ABLE TO EXIT. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE TRIED. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIIS VERY PROBLEM FROM SIENNA OWNERS. THIS WILL DEFINITELY COST SOMEONE'S LIFE.
SLIDING DOORS STICK AND/OR JAM. RIGHT SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS FALLEN OFF CAUSING NO ENTRY/EXIT CAPABILITIES FROM RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE. LEFT DOOR STILL JAMS/STICK CAUSING EXITING FROM DRIVERS DOOR OR BACK HATCH.*AK
ON MAY 24, 2004, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR TOYOTA SIENNA VAN NORTH ON I-35 IN OKLAHOMA AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE TREAD SEPARATED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND ALL OTHER TIRES CHECKED FOR WEAR. ON JULY 17, 2004 I WAS DRIVING THE SAME VAN ON I-44 IN OKLAHOMA AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN …
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ON MAY 24, 2004, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR TOYOTA SIENNA VAN NORTH ON I-35 IN OKLAHOMA AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE TREAD SEPARATED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND ALL OTHER TIRES CHECKED FOR WEAR. ON JULY 17, 2004 I WAS DRIVING THE SAME VAN ON I-44 IN OKLAHOMA AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE'S TREAD SEPARATED AND WENT FLAT. THERE WAS NO ROAD HAZARD ENCOUNTERED AT ETIHER EVENT. *AK
SLIDING DOOR HANDLES STICK AND THEM SOMETIMES PROHIBIT OPENING THE DOORS ALL TOGETHER. DOOR HANDLE ON RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY CAME OFF IN MY HAND AFTER HUNDREDS OF TIMES OF STICKING, NOW DOOR CAN'T BE OPENED AT ALL CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH ABS ENGAGED. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
REAR DOOR HANDLE ON 1998 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN BROKE OFF DURING NORMAL USE. DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED FROM INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR NOW. THIS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO PASSENGERS IN THE EVENT OF FIRE AND OR ACCIDENT AS EGRESS FROM THIS DOOR IS UNAVAILABLE.*AK
REAR DOOR LATCH ON 98 SIENNA BROKE WHEN BEING OPENED NORMALLY. NO EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS USED. REAR HATCH IS NOW UNABLE TO BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUT IN AN EMERGENCY. *JB
SOME OF THE DOOR HANDLES ON MY 1998 TOYOTA SIENNA HAVE FALLEN OFF, AND I HAVE CONCERNS THAT IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT RESCUE PERSONNEL WOULD HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING ME OR MY CHILDREN OUT.*AK
WHILE CLEANING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER'S SON INADVERTENTLY MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER. VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS UNTIL THE GEAR SHIFTED WAS PLACED BACK IN PARK. THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER CAN BE MOVED, EVEN WHEN THE KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION. *AK
Official recalls
210V160000 · Structure
Apr 20, 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2010 SIENNA PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 7, 1997 AND JANUARY 4, 2010, CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SPARE TIRE STOWED UNDER THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN THE COLD CLIMATE REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE ROAD SALT IS FREQUENTLY USED, WATER SPLASHED BACKWARDS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT CAN REACH THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER AND CORRODE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER ASSEMBLY CABLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND THE SPARE TIRE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS WITH AN INTERIM LETTER INITIALLY INSTRUCTING THEM TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED DEALERS TO INSPECT FOR CORROSION. A SECOND NOTICE WILL BE SENT WHEN THE PERMANENT REMEDY IS AVAILABLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE TOYOTA'S AMENDED RECALL REPORT OF JULY 19, 2010. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
98V278000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module
Oct 19, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
PE99070 · Steering Wheel To Return To Center
Opened Nov 17, 1999 · Closed Apr 12, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available