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1999 Toyota Sienna

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Toyota Sienna do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 183.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

67 reports with mileage · 148 unknown

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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports4 fire reports14 injury reports

Power Train complaints

11 reports
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165,000 miles · Jul 27, 2014
Power TrainCrash

THE CAR WAS OFF, THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. SHE TOUCHED THE SHIFTER AND IT WENT BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE; THE CAR STARTED ROLLING DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY. SHE DID NOT PRESS THE BRAKE (SHE IS UNABLE TO) BUT THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE. THE VAN HIT A TREE. WE CHECKED AND THE CAR …

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THE CAR WAS OFF, THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. SHE TOUCHED THE SHIFTER AND IT WENT BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE; THE CAR STARTED ROLLING DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY. SHE DID NOT PRESS THE BRAKE (SHE IS UNABLE TO) BUT THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE. THE VAN HIT A TREE. WE CHECKED AND THE CAR WAS IN BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE. SO, SOMEHOW, THE CAR REVERSED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN PARK, TURNED OFF, AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT TOUCHED. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10616686

90,000 miles · Apr 14, 2014
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE GEARING SHIFTER ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR, WHO STATED THAT THE ENTIRE GEAR SHIFT MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE GEARING SHIFTER ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR, WHO STATED THAT THE ENTIRE GEAR SHIFT MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #10579610

118,580 miles · Oct 18, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I HAVE A TOYOTA SIENNA 99 AND MY CHECK LIGHT COMING OUT AND START TO SMOKE SO I FIND THE ENGINE DO THE OIL BE SLUDGE, I WANT TO KNOW IF IS SOME WAY OF TOYOTA FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR ME WHIT OUT CHARGE BECAUSE IS A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10361130

75,000 miles · Jun 7, 2005
Power Train

DT: 99 TOYOTA SIENNA. CONSUMER STARTED HEARING A STRANGE NOISE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. CONSUMER SAYS JUBRALTA TRANSMISSION SAID THAT AT ANY POINT TRANSMISSION COULD DIE. CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANTED $85 TO CHECK. VEHICLE STAYED WITH MECHANIC. AS PART OF REG…

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DT: 99 TOYOTA SIENNA. CONSUMER STARTED HEARING A STRANGE NOISE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. CONSUMER SAYS JUBRALTA TRANSMISSION SAID THAT AT ANY POINT TRANSMISSION COULD DIE. CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANTED $85 TO CHECK. VEHICLE STAYED WITH MECHANIC. AS PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE, TRANSMISSION FLUSH WAS BEING PERFORMED AND THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL. CONSUMER THAT FLUSH COULD FINISH OFF TRANSMISSION. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10124525

112,600 miles · Feb 26, 2004
Power Train

TRANSMISSIONFAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10059049

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentFuel System, Gasoline

ALL THE ABOVE DATA IS AN ESTIMATE BECUASE WE ARE WAITING FOR COPIES OF ALL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR RECORDS FROM TOYOTA - - BUT WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE INCLUDING SCREECHING BRAKES, LEFT VEER WHEN DRIVING, BAD TRANSMISSION (REPLACED TWICE),SMOG CHECK FAILURE DUE TO OXYGEN SENSOR AND/OR ENGINE PROBLEMS, CLUNK…

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ALL THE ABOVE DATA IS AN ESTIMATE BECUASE WE ARE WAITING FOR COPIES OF ALL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR RECORDS FROM TOYOTA - - BUT WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE INCLUDING SCREECHING BRAKES, LEFT VEER WHEN DRIVING, BAD TRANSMISSION (REPLACED TWICE),SMOG CHECK FAILURE DUE TO OXYGEN SENSOR AND/OR ENGINE PROBLEMS, CLUNKING NOISES IN ENGINE, A SHUDDERING OF VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OR BRAKING. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT DEALERS FOR AS LONG AS 3 WEEKS; DEALER ADMITS NOT KNOWING WHAT IS WRONG. FAILED

NHTSA ODI #10068983

70,000 miles · Jul 17, 2003
Power Train

WE CURRENTLY OWN A 1999 SIENNA WHICH HAS HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT A MONTH. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED ACCORDING TO THE RECCOMENDED MAINTENANCE, WITH NO TOWING OF ANY KIND. THE VAN HAS 70,000 MILES WHICH IS JUST OVER THE WARRANTY. UPON OUR FIRST CALL TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THERE WAS ONLY A STATEMENT FROM A REPRESENT…

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WE CURRENTLY OWN A 1999 SIENNA WHICH HAS HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT A MONTH. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED ACCORDING TO THE RECCOMENDED MAINTENANCE, WITH NO TOWING OF ANY KIND. THE VAN HAS 70,000 MILES WHICH IS JUST OVER THE WARRANTY. UPON OUR FIRST CALL TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THERE WAS ONLY A STATEMENT FROM A REPRESENTATIVE STATING THE 5 YEAR/60,000 MILE WARRANTY. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS GIVEN. ALTHOUGH UPON A SECOND CALL, A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THERE WAS A NOTED PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. WE ARE EXTREMELY THANKFUL TO OUR DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA FOR COVERING THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT.WE ALSO FEEL IT EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT TOYOTA LIST THE PROBLEM AND RECALL THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10028538

61,000 miles · Jun 13, 2003
Power Train

TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY FAILS ON 99 SIENNA AFTER 61K MILES. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10023017

60,650 miles · Jun 6, 2003
Power Train

MODEL: TOYOTA SIENNA VAN - XLE YEAR: 1999 MILEAGE : 60600 OTHER OWNERS: THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS ISSUE AS REPORTED IN WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM AND WWW.EDMUNDS.COM - FORUMS. PROBLEM REPORTED: THE SIENNA TRANSMISSION IS DEFINATELY A PROBLEM IN OUR CASE AS MENTIONED BY TOYOTA DEALER AND MANY OTHER OWNERS AT OR NEAR 60K …

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MODEL: TOYOTA SIENNA VAN - XLE YEAR: 1999 MILEAGE : 60600 OTHER OWNERS: THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS ISSUE AS REPORTED IN WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM AND WWW.EDMUNDS.COM - FORUMS. PROBLEM REPORTED: THE SIENNA TRANSMISSION IS DEFINATELY A PROBLEM IN OUR CASE AS MENTIONED BY TOYOTA DEALER AND MANY OTHER OWNERS AT OR NEAR 60K MILES. THIS IS UNCALLED FOR OF A TOYOTA FOR WHICH WE PAY A PREMIUM. I DODNOT SEE ANY RECALLS AND DEALERSHIP CHARGES MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR LABOU - IN OUR CASE UPTO $3200. DETAILS : WE CURRENTLY HAVE A 1999 (5/1999) SIENNA VAN XLE WITH 60600 MILES. THE VAN HAS BEEN PROBLEM FREE UNTIL 2 WEEKS AGO ON THE HIGHWAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP'S INITIAL THE DIAGNOSIS INDICATED CELLULOID FAILURE, THEN WE WERE TOLD TORQUE FAILURE AND THEN YESTERDAY THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF. AND WE WERE CHARGED AT EACH - EVEN THOUGH DEALERSHIP PROBABLY KNEW IT IS TRANSMISSION THAT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. THIS WAS SHOCKING AS IT IS JUST 600 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY.FURTHER RESEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND VARIOUS FORUMS AS WELL AS CARTRACKERS.COM IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED IDENTICAL PROBLEMS AT OR NEAR 60K MILES SOME EVEN EARLIER. I HAD BEEN MAINTAINING THE VAN THRU THE SAME DEALERSHIP (E.G. 15K,30K SERVICE ETC.) AND I DONOT TOW BOATS ETC. SO THERE IS NO ABUSE AS CLAIMED OCCASIONALLY. I THINK THERE IS A REAL ISSUE HERE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. HOW COME SO MANY HAVE THE IDENTICAL ISSUES AT OR NEAR 60K MILES. THRU THE FORUMS I GATHERED THAT FEW CASES WERE REPORTED AT NHTSA SITE AS SO MANY CANNOT BE WRONG. THUS I WOULD LIKE JOIN THOSE - WHO HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE THE CHARGE FOR THE ENTIRE COST OF REPLACING THIS OR SHOULD RECALL ALL THE VANS. WE ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION AS WE BELIEVE THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS EITHER A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI #10021153

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2002
Power Train

VEHICLE WAS GIVEN NEW VIN: NY60536. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP AND WHEN ACCELERATING IT JUST SHOOK, BUT DID NOT MOVE FORWARD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, FRONT AXLE SHAFT HAD BROKEN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8003408

Official recalls

2

10V160000 · 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

2

DP02004 · 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