NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
181 reports42,710 miles · Aug 12, 2009
Structure
WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKING SYSTEM OF OUR 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE (CURRENTLY 47,710 MILES); SPECIFICALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THE RIGHT SLIDING DOOR. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MALFUNCTIONED SOMETIME BACK IN EARLY MARCH 2009, WHEREBY THE DOORS WILL NOT FUNCTION VIA REMOTE OR ELECTRONIC MEANS. THE PASSENG…
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WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCKING SYSTEM OF OUR 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE (CURRENTLY 47,710 MILES); SPECIFICALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THE RIGHT SLIDING DOOR. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MALFUNCTIONED SOMETIME BACK IN EARLY MARCH 2009, WHEREBY THE DOORS WILL NOT FUNCTION VIA REMOTE OR ELECTRONIC MEANS. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS ONLY FUNCTIONAL BY MANUALLY LOCKING OR UNLOCKING THE DOOR. ALSO, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE SLIDING DOOR STARTED ACTING UP. IN FACT, WE HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE ONE OF OUR PASSENGER'S FINGER WAS TRAPPED BY THE RIGHT SIDE SLIDING DOOR. THE SLIDING DOOR CLOSED AS THE PASSENGER WAS GETTING IN HER SEAT. MY WIFE HAD TO FORCE THE DOOR OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE TO FREE THE PASSENGER'S FINGERS. THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES. AS FOR THE RIGHT SLIDING DOOR, IT FAILED TO FUNCTION COMPLETELY ON AUGUST 10, 2009. CURRENTLY, THE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK AT ALL (ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY). I FEAR THAT THESE MALFUNCTION PROBLEMS POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO ME AND MY FAMILY. I HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD CHILD AND HIS SAFETY IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO ME. WE CANNOT GET THE CAR REPAIRED DUE TO THE ENORMOUS COSTS IT WOULD TAKE JUST TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. IN FACT, BACK IN MARCH 18, 2009 WHEN ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS FAILING TO WORK, I INQUIRED HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR THE DOOR AND THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED IT WOULD COST $100 JUST TO LOOK AT THE DOOR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10280221
73,316 miles · Aug 11, 2009
Electrical SystemStructure
SLIDING DOORS ON 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA FAIL TO OPEN. 7-17-06: 73,316 MILES, BOTH SLIDING DOORS WILL NOT OPEN DUE TO PRODUCT DEFECT, REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP. 9-22-06: 76,829 MILES, SLIDING DOOR WILL OPEN BUT NOT CLOSE, REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP. 11-16-07: 92,730 MILES, SLIDING DOORS NOT WORKING, REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP. 3-13-08: 97…
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SLIDING DOORS ON 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA FAIL TO OPEN. 7-17-06: 73,316 MILES, BOTH SLIDING DOORS WILL NOT OPEN DUE TO PRODUCT DEFECT, REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP. 9-22-06: 76,829 MILES, SLIDING DOOR WILL OPEN BUT NOT CLOSE, REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP. 11-16-07: 92,730 MILES, SLIDING DOORS NOT WORKING, REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP. 3-13-08: 97,991 MILES, PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR NOT WORKING, REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP. 8-10-2009: 113, 814, PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN NO ACCIDENTS AND WELL MAINTAINED. THESE DOORS CONTINUALLY FAIL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10280073
95,000 miles · Jul 17, 2009
Structure
DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR (NOT A POWER DOOR) WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE MECHANISM HAS FAILED. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH BOTH SLIDING DOORS (PASSENGER SIDE IS POWER DOOR) WITH THE LATCH MECHANISM GETTING STUCK. THIS TIME, IT IS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10277240
100,000 miles · Jul 15, 2009
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ON TOYOTA SIENNA OFTEN DOES NOT CLOSE. EVEN WHEN ENCOURAGED "MANUALLY" TO CLOSE, IT PULLS BACK SEVERAL TIMES. IF AUTO FEATURE IS TURNED OFF, IT WON'T PULL CLOSED AT ALL. SLIDING DOOR ON LEFT SIDE WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE. OCCASIONALLY LOCKS ITSELF SO THAT IT CAN'T BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE EITHER, EVEN IF…
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AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ON TOYOTA SIENNA OFTEN DOES NOT CLOSE. EVEN WHEN ENCOURAGED "MANUALLY" TO CLOSE, IT PULLS BACK SEVERAL TIMES. IF AUTO FEATURE IS TURNED OFF, IT WON'T PULL CLOSED AT ALL. SLIDING DOOR ON LEFT SIDE WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE. OCCASIONALLY LOCKS ITSELF SO THAT IT CAN'T BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE EITHER, EVEN IF ALL OTHER DOORS ARE UNLOCKED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10276857
Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2009
Structure
I HAVE 2002 SIENNA. I HAVE POWER REAR DOOR PROBLEM.: THE DOOR WILL OPEN PROPERLY USING ANY OF THE "DOOR OPEN" BUTTONS BUT WILL NOT CLOSE--ALL I HEAR IS A CLICKING SOUND WHEN ANY OF THE BUTTONS ARE PUSHED AGAIN. I'M ASSUMING THAT THE RELAY TO "CLOSE" IS WORKING BUT THE MOTOR IS FOR WHATEVER REASON NOT RECEIVING THE INPUT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10275765
157,300 miles · Jun 18, 2009
Latches/locks/linkages
OUTSIDE DOOR LATCH ON MANUAL SLIDING DOOR BROKE. INSIDE LATCH STILL WORKS. POWER SLIDING DOOR REFUSES TO OPEN. PRIOR TO FAILURE, IT WOULD TRY TO CLOSE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE ACTUALLY LATCHING SHUT. NO RESPONSE FROM LOCAL DEALER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10274199
106,000 miles · May 16, 2009
Air BagsCrash
I HAD A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE VAN WITH 106,000 MILES ON IT. IN MARCH 2009 MY SON WAS HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. IT SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE FRONT AND REAR DAMAGE. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I AM CONCERNED THAT FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN OLDER CARS. I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE IT HAD FRONT AND SIDE A…
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I HAD A 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE VAN WITH 106,000 MILES ON IT. IN MARCH 2009 MY SON WAS HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. IT SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE FRONT AND REAR DAMAGE. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I AM CONCERNED THAT FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN OLDER CARS. I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE IT HAD FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS, STABILITY CONTROL AND AN EXCELLENT SAFETY RATING. THE CAR WAS EXPERTLY AND CONSTANTLY MAINTAINED YET THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK WHEN NEEDED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10268899
135,000 miles · Apr 28, 2009
TiresInjury
WEST LAKE TIRE BLEW OUT WITH LESS THAN 100 MILES ON IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10267073
65,692 miles · Apr 11, 2009
Power TrainSteering
MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. WHEN SHE STOPPED AND TRIED TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE, THE GEARSHIFT BROKE. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE METAL PARTS INTO WHICH THE GEAR SHAFT INSERTS HAD BROKEN CLEAN IN HALF. NEITHER THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP NOR THE MECH…
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MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. WHEN SHE STOPPED AND TRIED TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE, THE GEARSHIFT BROKE. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE METAL PARTS INTO WHICH THE GEAR SHAFT INSERTS HAD BROKEN CLEAN IN HALF. NEITHER THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP NOR THE MECHANIC HAD EVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THEY CLAIMED. NEVERTHELESS, TOYOTA DID NOT DEEM THIS TO BE A DEFECT AND WE HAD TO PAY CLOSE TO $800 TO HAVE IT FIXED. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A STEEPER HILL OR HAD MY WIFE BEEN PULLING OUT INTO A BUSY STREET, AN ACCIDENT MOST DEFINITELY COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE KEPT THE PARTS WHICH I BELIEVE WERE FAULTY/DEFECTIVE. THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED WERE A TILT STEERING SUPPORT, A STEERING TUBE SUB-ASSEMBLY, A SHAFT SUB-ASSEMBLY AND A TILT STEERING BOLT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10264978
Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2009
Structure
TOYOTA SIENNA DRIVER SIDE WINDOW VERTICAL SCRATCHES I HAVE PASS MULTIPLE SIENNA'S ON THE HIGHWAY THAT HAVE THE SAME SCRATCHES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10264955
Official recalls
1Apr 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 ↗