IllustrationTHE ENGINE SLUDGED AT 23,000 MILES.
2000 Toyota Sienna
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
120–25K
2925–50K
2650–75K
2575–100K
37100–150K
28150K+
157 reports with mileage · 206 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.
- Power Train. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports4 fire reports19 injury reports
What owners actually said
363 reportsTHERE WERE TWO GAPS IN TIRES BETWEEN TREAD AND BODY OF TIRE WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH ON A 2000, TOYOTA, SIENNA; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P215/65R15, DOT# W2VFALT229. FIRESTONE NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. *AK CONSUMER HAS TIRE FOR VIEWING. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST POWER AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, POSSIBLE ENGINE OR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. *JB
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 75 MPH/TACHOMETER WENT TO ZERO, AND ENGINE KEPT RUNNING. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT SHE WAS # 49 ON WAITING LIST FOR A TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS ON BACK ORDER. *AK
I TOOK MY NEW TOYOTA SIENNA TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS SMOKING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE IN IT AND TOYOTA WAS DENYING ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS. HOW DOES A BRAND NEW ENGINE GET SLUDGE IN IT? THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR INSTANCES REPORTED ON VARIOUS SITES ON THE INTERNET. THE PATTERN IS SIMILAR - LOW MILEAGE…
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I TOOK MY NEW TOYOTA SIENNA TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS SMOKING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE IN IT AND TOYOTA WAS DENYING ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS. HOW DOES A BRAND NEW ENGINE GET SLUDGE IN IT? THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR INSTANCES REPORTED ON VARIOUS SITES ON THE INTERNET. THE PATTERN IS SIMILAR - LOW MILEAGE TOYOTA VEHCLES (ESPECIALLY SIENNAS) SUDDENLY SMOKING AND HAVING SLUDGE IN THEIR ENGINES, DEPSITE PROPER MAINTENANCE AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES. THERE CLEARLY IS A COVERUP HERE BY TOYOTA. THEY ARE DECLINING WARRANTY CLAIMS RATHER THAN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WE ARE VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS VAN AND THE LITTLE SERVICE WE RECEIVE WE WISHED WE NEVER PURCHUSE THIS CAR..... UNSAFE & DEFECTIVE. *AK
COMPLETE AND PERMANENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND PERMANENTLY LOST ABILITY TO ACCELERATE/TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. BARELY COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD WHILE TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC BEARING DOWN ON US (TWO ADULTS AND THREE SMALL CHILDREN). WE HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT THIS DEFECT…
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COMPLETE AND PERMANENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND PERMANENTLY LOST ABILITY TO ACCELERATE/TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. BARELY COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD WHILE TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC BEARING DOWN ON US (TWO ADULTS AND THREE SMALL CHILDREN). WE HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT THIS DEFECT WITH SIENNAS, WAS KNOWN AS EARLY AS JUNE 2000. THIS DEFECT USUALLY CAUSES COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE DURING SUSTAINED HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOYOTA WAS NEGLIGENT IN NOT WARNING OWNERS OF THIS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS DEFECT. OUR VEHICLE IS NOW ABOUT 300 MILES FROM OUR HOME, WITH NO FIX CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM TOYOTA. *AK
HAVE BEEN TOLD I HAVE SLUDGE BUILD UP IN MY ENGINE DUE TO LACK OF MAINTANANCE. I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR 3 OIL CHANGES IN THE FIRST 19000 MILES, BUT THEY THEN TELL ME IT MUST HAVE BEEN INFERIOR OIL. HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE NATION WIDE, AND TOYOTA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND ITS WARRANTY. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS PROBL…
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HAVE BEEN TOLD I HAVE SLUDGE BUILD UP IN MY ENGINE DUE TO LACK OF MAINTANANCE. I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR 3 OIL CHANGES IN THE FIRST 19000 MILES, BUT THEY THEN TELL ME IT MUST HAVE BEEN INFERIOR OIL. HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE NATION WIDE, AND TOYOTA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND ITS WARRANTY. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CAUSED SOLELY DUE TO A LACK OF MAINTANANCE TO ALL THE PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. TOYOTA WANTS TO REBUILD THE ENGINE ON A ONE YEAR OLD VAN WITH 19000 MILES FOR $2200, THOUGH IT WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED. WILL NOT ACCEPT RECEIPTS FOR SERVICE DONE AS PROOF OF MAINTANANCE. WHAT ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE TO ENSURE PROOF?*AK
THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY PROVIDED WITH A HOLE IN THE FRAME FOR A TETHER STRAP ON THE LEFT CENTER ISLE SEAT, THE DEALER REFUSES TO DRILL A HOLE IN THE FRAME SO THE HARDWARE CAN BE INSTALLED FOR ANOTHER STRAP FOR HER OTHER CHILD. NLM
Official recalls
110V160000 · 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.
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