IllustrationTHE VAN HAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM AT TIMES IT IS HARD TO SLOW IT DOWN EVEN STOP IT. THE PROBLEM MAINLY OCCURS FROM STOP AND GO ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR FEW HOURS.
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 →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
70–25K
325–50K
1750–75K
1275–100K
21100–150K
7150K+
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
5 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE RESPONDED AND CAME TO A STOP. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND RECURRED WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE RESPONDED AND CAME TO A STOP. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND RECURRED WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AND HIT SOMEONE THAT WAS STANDING IN THE GARAGE. THERE WAS ONE FATALITY DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATES 9/21/2011*CW
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) MY 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA, AT TIMES UNINTENDED ACCELERATED. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN 2002 WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE VAN ACCELERATED AT I HIT A POLE. OCCASIONALLY IT APPEARS THAT STILL DO THE SAME AT TIMES. I TAKE TO THE DEALER ONE TIME…
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INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) MY 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA, AT TIMES UNINTENDED ACCELERATED. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN 2002 WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE VAN ACCELERATED AT I HIT A POLE. OCCASIONALLY IT APPEARS THAT STILL DO THE SAME AT TIMES. I TAKE TO THE DEALER ONE TIME AND THEY DID NOT SE ANYTHING WRONG. I AM DRIVING REALLY CAREFULLY NOW KEEPING ALWAYS TWO THREE CAR DISTANCE. NEED ASSISTANCE [XXX] *TR
I AM REPORTING ANOTHER TOYOTA STICKY ACCELERATOR PEDAL. OUR 1999 SIENNA MINIVAN HAS HAD 3 INCIDENTS OF STUCK ACCELERATOR, THE MOST RECENT WAS JAN. 21, 2010. I BELIEVE IT HAS BECOME "STUCK" BETWEEN 40 AND 45MPH. OTHER INCIDENTS WERE IN SUMMER (CANNOT REMEMBER DATE) AND OCTOBER 2009. THE 1ST INCIDENT WAS BRIEF AND CORRECTED QUI…
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I AM REPORTING ANOTHER TOYOTA STICKY ACCELERATOR PEDAL. OUR 1999 SIENNA MINIVAN HAS HAD 3 INCIDENTS OF STUCK ACCELERATOR, THE MOST RECENT WAS JAN. 21, 2010. I BELIEVE IT HAS BECOME "STUCK" BETWEEN 40 AND 45MPH. OTHER INCIDENTS WERE IN SUMMER (CANNOT REMEMBER DATE) AND OCTOBER 2009. THE 1ST INCIDENT WAS BRIEF AND CORRECTED QUICKLY BY PUSHING DOWN ON THE PEDAL TO "FREE IT", THE 2ND INCIDENT REQUIRED BRAKING AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND SHOVING THE PEDAL WITH MY FOOT TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT TO FREE IT UP. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN THE PEDAL SEEMED TO WORK OK, ALTHOUGH A BIT SLUGGISH RESPONSE. OUR MECHANIC FIXED THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE CAR HAS NOT HAD ANOTHER INCIDENT UNTIL LAST WEEK. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT WAS MORE HARROWING IN THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH ROOM TO MANEUVER THE CAR SINCE WE WERE HEADED FOR LOTS OF CARS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I TRIED TO SLOW THE CAR BY BRAKING HARD WITH THE LEFT FOOT AND SHOVING THE ACCELERATOR. PEDAL DOWN AND SIDE TO SIDE WHILE IN NEUTRAL BUT THIS DID NOT WORK QUICKLY LIKE THE OCTOBER INCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A SHOULDER BEFORE CRASHING BUT IT TOOK MUCH LONGER FOR THE CAR TO STOP THIS TIME, AND I ACTUALLY THREW THE CAR IN PARK TO STOP THE CAR! I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, WAS COMPOSED ENOUGH TO DRIVE IT. OUR DEALER WILL CHECK THE CAR JAN 29. THE FLOOR MAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE INVOLVED JAMMING INTO THE PEDAL, SO IT IS PROBABLY A MECHANICAL "CATCH" THAT IS GETTING HUNG UP WHEN THE PEDAL IS DOWN A CERTAIN DISTANCE. WE THOUGHT THE SAFETY GURUS WOULD WANT TO KNOW. LUCKILY NO CRASHES HAVE OCCURRED YET! *TW
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