NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
215 reportsMileage unknown · Nov 27, 2001
Steering
IN EARLY 2001, THIS VEHICLE HAD BINDING IN STEERING, RETURNING TO CENTER FROM LEFT TURNS. DEALER REPAIRED WITH KIT FROM A SERVICE BULLETIN, AT NO CHARGE, UNDER WARRANTY. AT SOME POINT LATER IN 2001, VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY LOST POWER ASSIST TURNING LEFT. INCIDENTS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. BOTH PROBLEMS LIMIT STEERING CONTROL…
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IN EARLY 2001, THIS VEHICLE HAD BINDING IN STEERING, RETURNING TO CENTER FROM LEFT TURNS. DEALER REPAIRED WITH KIT FROM A SERVICE BULLETIN, AT NO CHARGE, UNDER WARRANTY. AT SOME POINT LATER IN 2001, VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY LOST POWER ASSIST TURNING LEFT. INCIDENTS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. BOTH PROBLEMS LIMIT STEERING CONTROL, USUALLY AT LOW SPEEDS, REQUIRING FAST DRIVER CORRECTIONS TO AVOID COLLISIONS. ARRANGEMENT IS BEING MADE TO DIAGNOSE AND CORRECT THE LATEST PROBLEM. BOTH FAULTS SEEM CONNECTED AND SHOULD BE STUDIED, AS THEY ARE SAFETY HAZARDS, AND THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE EARLIER PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT SHOW UP IN THE NHTSA DATA BASE.
NHTSA ODI #754966
Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
CAR USING OIL SINCE 20000MI. 9/01 DEALER FOUND SLUDGE IN ENGINE AND CLAIMED IT WAS MY FAULT AND WOULD NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #753554
Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2001
Seat Belts
MIDDLE REAR SEAT SEATBELT AND BUCKLE WILL NOT STAY TIGHT, CHILD IS ABLE TO WIGGLE RIGHT OUT OF SEAT. SEAT BELT KEEPS GETTING WIDER AND WIDER THE MORE ONE PULLS ON IT. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO PART AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #897236
Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2001
Tires
SP40 A-S, P205/70R15, DOT UNKNOWN, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1999, TOYOTA, SIENNA WITH 22000 MILES. TIRE HAD A SLOW LEAK. CONSUMER HAD IT REPAIRED. SAME DAY AFTER VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 3 HOURS, RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED. BEAD WAS BROKEN AND THERE WAS A 4 INCH CUT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #897057
Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2001
Tires
TREAD SEPARATION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2MOF6L TIRESIZE: P20570R15)
NHTSA ODI #751661
Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
PURCHASED A MANUFACTURER-CERTIFIED SIENNA AND IT SPEWED BLUE SMOKE ON THE FIRST COLD START. ENGINE SLUDGE WAS BLAMED FOR THE PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER COVERED THE ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS CERTIFIED AND RECENTLY PURCHASED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #750326
Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
AT 30,874 MILES OUR VAN STARTED BLOWING BLUE SMOKE. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD US THAT THE ENGINE HAD "SLUDGED UP" AND WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST $3,000 TO FIX. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT IT WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY (3 YEAR/36,000 MILES). WE ASKED WHY AND WERE TOLD THAT THE SLUDGE COULD ONLY BE CAUSED BY LACK OF MAINTENANCE …
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AT 30,874 MILES OUR VAN STARTED BLOWING BLUE SMOKE. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD US THAT THE ENGINE HAD "SLUDGED UP" AND WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST $3,000 TO FIX. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT IT WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY (3 YEAR/36,000 MILES). WE ASKED WHY AND WERE TOLD THAT THE SLUDGE COULD ONLY BE CAUSED BY LACK OF MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGES). WE PRODUCED RECEIPTS SHOWING OIL CHANGES WERE DONE, BUT THE COMPANY STILL WON'T COVER THE WORK UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAVE SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA'S REGIONAL CUSTOMER RELATIONS ADMINISTRATOR AND GONE THROUGH THE TOYOTA PROVIDED ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS TO NO AVAIL. WE WENT TO THE INTERNET AND SEARCHED UNDER "TOYOTA SIENNA SLUDGE" AND FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR SIENNAS AND WARRANTY COVERAGE. WE BELIEVE THE IS A DEFECT IN THE SIENNA V6 ENGINE CAUSING THE SLUDGE BUILD UP.*AK
NHTSA ODI #748677
Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2001
Latches/locks/linkages
PUSH BUTTON ON BOTH SIDE SLIDING DOORS STICKS IN, PREVENTING LATCHING OF DOORS. HAVE TO JIMMY OUT THE PUSH BUTTON BEFORE THE DOOR WILL LATCH. LUBRICATION HELPS TEMPORARILY, BUT THE PROBLEM WORSENS DURING HOT DAYS. SERVICE DEPT. AT DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE LATCH ASSEMBLY. REPLACING IT, BUT NO GUARANT…
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PUSH BUTTON ON BOTH SIDE SLIDING DOORS STICKS IN, PREVENTING LATCHING OF DOORS. HAVE TO JIMMY OUT THE PUSH BUTTON BEFORE THE DOOR WILL LATCH. LUBRICATION HELPS TEMPORARILY, BUT THE PROBLEM WORSENS DURING HOT DAYS. SERVICE DEPT. AT DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE LATCH ASSEMBLY. REPLACING IT, BUT NO GUARANTEE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
NHTSA ODI #747994
Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2001
Suspension
UNSTABLE SUSPENSION, VAN PULLS TO LEFT, RECURRING ELECTRICAL FAILURES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #747442
Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
BLUE SMOKE IS COMING FROM TAILPIPE OF VEHICLE. THERE IS SLUDGE BUILD UP IN ENGINE. DEALER CLAIMS THIS WAS CAUSED BY NON CHANGING OF OIL. CONSUMER STATED THAT OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #890975
Official recalls
2Apr 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.
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 ↗
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