IllustrationI HAD TO REPLACE THE 3RD ROW SEAT BELTS IN 2003 SEINNA 3 TIMES ON EACH SIDE. THE SEAT BELT LOCKED AT TOP AND WILL NOT FIT ARROUND MY CHILDREN OR IT WAS TOO LOOSE. IT HAS BEEN A A SAFTY ISSUE NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN IT BROKE ON VACATION , AND MY CHILD HAD TO SEAT UP FRONT. *AK
2003 Toyota Sienna
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
270–25K
1025–50K
1450–75K
1075–100K
14100–150K
4150K+
79 reports with mileage · 26 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.
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
105 reportsTHE SEAT BELT ON THE SECOND ROW OF THE TOYOTA SIENNA MINIVAN, BECOME INOPERATIVE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT MAKING THE SEAT USELESS. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SLIDING SIDE DOORS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP CLOSING IF THERE WAS AN OCCUPANT IN THE WAY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SLIDING DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED WHO DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT WOULD BE CHARGED FOR ANY WORK DONE TO THE VEHICLE. SO THUS FAR THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE DEALER TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.*AK
THE SLIDING DOOR ON MY SIENNA SYMPHONY JUST QUIT WORKING. THE DOOR WAS OPENED AUTOMATICALLY AND JUST QUIT CLOSING USING THE SAME 'AUTO OPEN/CLOSE BOTTOM'. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO USE THE AUTO SYSTEM SINCE. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS SINCE THEN THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED MANUALLY FROM INSIDE AND ONE HAS TO GET OUT TO OPEN FROM OUTSIDE.…
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THE SLIDING DOOR ON MY SIENNA SYMPHONY JUST QUIT WORKING. THE DOOR WAS OPENED AUTOMATICALLY AND JUST QUIT CLOSING USING THE SAME 'AUTO OPEN/CLOSE BOTTOM'. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO USE THE AUTO SYSTEM SINCE. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS SINCE THEN THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED MANUALLY FROM INSIDE AND ONE HAS TO GET OUT TO OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY AND THE LEAVING THE VAN BECOMES LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN HOT, HUMID WEATHER, THE REAR DOORS WERE CLOSED AND WOULD NOT OPEN. IF THE OPENED, THEY WOULD NOT CLOSE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE OPENER WITH NO SUCCESS. THE DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE BUTTON USED TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOORS JAMMED. THE OCCUPANTS IN THE BACK SEAT WERE UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 7/25/2006 - THE CONSUMER LUBRIACTED THE BUTTON AND NOW THE DOOR WORKS. *NM
I SECURED A BOX SPRING TO THE FACTORY INSTALLED ROOF RACK. THIS LOAD WAS WITHIN THE OWNERS MANUAL SPECS FOR WEIGHT AND SIZE LIMITS. AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE RACK SHEARED AT THE CONNECTION POINT WHERE THE RAIL THAT RUNS FROM BACK TO FRONT MEETS THE PLASTIC FOOT WHICH MOUNTS TO THE ROOF WITH 2 BOLTS AND EXPANSION NUTS. THE BOX …
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I SECURED A BOX SPRING TO THE FACTORY INSTALLED ROOF RACK. THIS LOAD WAS WITHIN THE OWNERS MANUAL SPECS FOR WEIGHT AND SIZE LIMITS. AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE RACK SHEARED AT THE CONNECTION POINT WHERE THE RAIL THAT RUNS FROM BACK TO FRONT MEETS THE PLASTIC FOOT WHICH MOUNTS TO THE ROOF WITH 2 BOLTS AND EXPANSION NUTS. THE BOX SPRING FLEW OFF THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE AND WENT SKIDDING DOWN THE ROAD AND WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. SO FAR THE DEALERSHIP HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE ROOF RACK. ACCORDING TO THEM A BOX SPRING PUTS TO MUCH STRESS ON THE RACK AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LOADED ON THE VEHICLE. THE OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT MAKE ANY MENTION OF THIS AND THERE ARE NO SAFETY LABELS ON THE RACK ITSELF. THIS LOAD ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL WAS ACCEPTABLE. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NO VEHICLES BEHIND ME AT THE TIME. THE BOX SPRING COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF IT HAD HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN I FIRST CALLED THE DEALER AFTER THE PROBLEM I ASKED ONLY WHETHER THE ROOF RACK SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE HAVING A FULL SIZE BOX SPRING ON IT. THE PERSON I ASKED TOLD ME IT WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE LOAD. I THEM LET THEM HIM KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. NOW THEY ARE SAYING IT WASN'T DESIGNED FOR THIS. BUT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE AND STRESS CREATED BY THIS ITEM. IT VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN A CANOE, KAYAK, BICYCLE OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER ITEMS AND ALSO AT SPEEDS MUCH GREATER THAN THE 45 MPH THAT I WAS TRAVELING. *JB
FIRESTONE TIRES 205/70R15, THIS IS THE 3RD TIRE OF 4 THAT HAS SPLIT. THE TREAD HAS SPLIT AWAY FROM THE BELT WITH PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRE. I DRIVE THE FREEWAY 27 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK AND I COULD HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. ONE OF THE 3 DID BLOW BUT I WAS GOING SLOW AND I DID NOT ROLL THE CAR. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL REAR SEAT BELTS ARE JAMMED AND WILL NOT PULL OUT FOR USE. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND DETERMINED THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.