Home · 2012 Toyota Sienna · Complaints

What 247 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Sienna

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (247)Crash / fire / injury (16)Airbags (84)Body & structure (72)Electrical system (27)Transmission & drivetrain (17)Steering (15)Wheels (12)Brakes (11)Speed control (11)Engine (9)Tires (8)

11 of 247 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Jul 16, 2025SuspensionBrakes

My 2012 Toyota Sienna having problem while braking on highway 65mph or above, when i hit brake it's start shaking so bad and brake doesn't work properly. i believe it is sway bar link or lower control arm. even i had replaced once, it didn't helped and again i claimed warranty and replaced other set, but still having same issue.

NHTSA ODI 11674058

Mar 27, 2023Brakes

The vehicle stability control activates and causes the car to slow and brake randomly. This occurs at low speeds and when the car is not skidding.

NHTSA ODI 11513986

Feb 8, 2019Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlBrakes

WHEN COMING TO A STOP GOING ABOUT 5 MPH TOWARDS A STOP SIGN, MY VAN ACCELERATED INTO TRAFFIC. BECAUSE THE VAN JOLTED ME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER WHETHER I AM BRAKING OR COASTING, THE VAN WILL ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY.I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND NOT ONLY AM I PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK, BUT MINE ALSO. I AM NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO HOW DANGEROUS IT IS.

NHTSA ODI 11175789

Jan 11, 2019Electronic Stability Control (esc)BrakesCrash

ON THE AFTERNOON OF JANUARY 10, 2019, MY TOYOTA SIENNA FAILED TO BRAKE AND RESULTED IN A TWO-CAR COLLISION. JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, MY SON WHO WAS SEATED IN THE SECOND-ROW, OBSERVED ON THE MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAY THAT THE ABS, VSC, AND TRAC WERE DISPLAYING.

NHTSA ODI 11166471

Oct 23, 2017Brakes

RE: TSB # T-SB-0045-14 REV2 SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 FRONT BRAKE VIBRATION WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A FRONT BRAKE VIBRATION PROBLEM SINCE JUNE OF 2016. WE HAVE SPENT MONEY ON NEW BRAKES, ROTORS, CALIPERS, AND TIRES, ALL TO TRY TO STOP THE PROBLEM. JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THE TSP REFERENCED ABOVE WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. WE HAVE BEEN TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TOYOTA AND ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE. THEY SAY IT IT NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT HOW CAN OVERHEATING BRAKES NOT BE A SAFETY ISSUE? WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. WE ARE FACING PAYING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESOLVING.

NHTSA ODI 11035668

Sep 10, 2017Body & structureBrakesEngineCrash

I MET AN ACCIDENT WHEN A CAR (AT SPEED AROUND 65 MPH) CROSSING THE RED LIGHT COMING FROM MY RIGHT HIT MY CAR AT MY RIGHT FRONT AND NONE OF THE SRS BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE WERE 4 PASSENGERS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WE ALL HAD MINOR INJURIES. ALL THE SRS BAGS FOR OTHER CAR HAS BEEN DEPLOYED THAT HIT MY CAR. I AM REALLY CONCERNED WE ALL 4 WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND IT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AS THE FATAL ACCIDENT BY POLICE REPORT.

NHTSA ODI 11022513

Aug 18, 2016Brakes

TOYOTA SIENNA 2012 ROLLBACK IN PARK: STATIONARY VEHICLE AT HOME ROLLED BACK WHEN IN 'PARK' AND DRIVER JUMPED IN AND APPLIED BRAKE BUT BRAKE DID NOT WORK. VEHCLE HIT TWO MAILBOXES. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT APPLIED WHILE STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI 10897005

Dec 11, 2014BrakesEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 6 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE OF ENGINE RPMS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,605. UPDATED 1/23/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. UPDATED 10/6/2015*JS

NHTSA ODI 10663642

Oct 6, 2014Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Brakes

AFTER THE WEATHER DROP TO 45 DEGREES ON OCTOBER 5, 2014 I STARTED MY 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA (AWD), I IMMEDIATELY NOTICE THAT ALL LIGHT IN THE PANEL WERE ON. THERE IS WARNING IN CENTER VIEW PANEL ALERTING ME THAT I NEED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR ABS, VSC AND BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NOTICE THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE ARE NOT WORKING. THE SPEEDOMETER HAND IS MOVING BACK AND FORTH. THE GAS IS ALWAYS IN THE FULL MODE. I ALSO NOTICE THAT THE BRAKE IS ALWAYS IN ON MODE. DRIVING WITHOUT WORKING SPEEDOMETER, BRAKE SYSTEM AND GAS RANGE ARE REALLY PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER. I AM HOPING THAT MY DEALERSHIP WHICH SUPERIOR TOYOTA CAN FIX THESE PROBLEM. I AM ALSO HOPING THAT WARRANTY WILL COVERT THE DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10641620

Jun 23, 2014Brakes

WHEN BRAKING AT NORMAL SPEEDS ON THE ROAD OR THE FREEWAY, THE CAR VIBRATES/SHAKES. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. AT 12,000 MILES, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN UNDER-ENGINEERED PART ON THIS HEAVY VAN, WHICH APPEARS TO BE UNCORRECTED ON THE NEWER MODEL (2013 AND 2014) AS WELL. THE REPAIRS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE ONLY OTHER OPTION IS TO INSTALL AFTERMARKET HEAVY-DUTY ROTORS, AN EXPENSE THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10605402

Dec 26, 2012Electrical systemSpeed controlBrakes

OWNER WAS DRIVING AND VCS AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING AS WELL AS TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT. BRAKES ON VEHICLE DID NOT BRAKE AS WELL GOING DOWN HILL. TIRES SLIPPED AND SKIDDED IN THE RAIN ON THE HILLS IN VENTURA COUNTY. DRIVER CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY OPENED UP A CASE NUMBER. TOYOTA HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES AND CANNOT DETERMINE THE REASON WHY THE MALFUNCTION KEEPS OCCURRING. OWNER HAS VIDEO OF THE WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY ON WHILE OWNER IS DRIVING. OWNER FEELS THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE, AND BELIEVES THEY WERE SOLD A LEMON CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10490130

Working with the data? Download all 247 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Toyota Sienna verdict →