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What 75 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (75)Crash / fire / injury (10)Body & structure (26)Electrical system (9)Seat belts (6)Airbags (5)Wheels (5)Engine (4)Latches & locks (4)Lights (4)Steering (4)Transmission & drivetrain (3)

10 of 75 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jun 18, 2023AirbagsCrash

A deer was struck on the driver to middle of the front of the van while traveling 75 mph on the highway. Caused significant enough damage that van was inoperable. What was concerning was the airbags did not deploy despite the significant force and high speed associated with this accident.

NHTSA ODI 11527575

Feb 10, 2023Body & structure1 injury

The rear sliding power door on the passenger side closed on my six year old child. He was trapped in the door and could not move until I opened the door. He has pain and visible injuries on his back from the door. This happened on 2.10.23. There have not been any incidents with the van leading up to this incident. This happened when the van was parked in the garage and the engine was off. We have not tried to replicate the incident because it caused an injury. The vehicle is available for inspection.

NHTSA ODI 11506720

Mar 19, 2021SteeringCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED, WHICH RESULTED IN HER CRASHING THE VEHICLE INTO THE HIGHWAY SIDE BARRIER AND A FENCE STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM GOING INTO THE WATER. THE CONTACT DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND PERFORMED AN INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT FROM THE INSPECTION, THE EDR RECORDED VARIOUS STEERING INPUT PRIOR TO THE IMPACT, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF A STEERING DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE, AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ODI 11403888

Dec 12, 2019Electrical systemEngineFuel systemFire

OUR 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AFTER RETURNING FROM A SHORT DRIVE. AFTER PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND SHUTTING OFF THE IGNITION, MY WIFE SMELLED SMOKE AS SHE WAS EXITING THE PARKED VEHICLE. THIS SMOKE INTENSIFIED AND QUICKLY ACCELERATED BECOMING AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. SHE CALLED FOR ME & THEN CALLED 911; BUT IN THE BRIEF MOMENTS IT TOOK ME TO GRAB A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, THE FIRE FURTHER INTENSIFIED WITH SIZABLE FLAMES ERUPTING OUT FROM AROUND THE HOOD, FRONT GRILL & UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I USED UP 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT. I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROTECTIVE SAFETY GEAR SO AFTER HEARING SEVERAL SMALL EXPLOSIONS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD & FEARING MORE EXPOSURE TO NOXIOUS FUMES, I DECIDED TO ABANDON MY ATTEMPTS TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT; HOWEVER, THE FIRE PROGRESSED THROUGH THE INITIAL ATTACK AND ENTERED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE VEHICLE (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS). THE SIENNA IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FIRES IN TOYOTA SIENNAS IN THIS & OTHER CLOSELY RELATED MODEL YEARS (2014-2017). SEE: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 11010601. I CAN ALSO SUPPLY YOU WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS OF OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA ENGINE FIRE REPORTS. OUR SIENNA WAS ROUTINELY MAINTAINED AS PER MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS & WAS LAST SERVICED ON 9/13/2019 (SEE ATTACHED SERVICE RECEIPT). THE VEHICLE HAD APPROX. 35K MILES ON IT & EXHIBITED NO PRIOR SIGNS OF TROUBLE, CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE OR WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS. WE DID HAVE AN UNRESOLVED PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC SIDE DOORS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AFTER A RECALL REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT IDENTIFY A PROBLEM AFTER MULTIPLE SERVICE COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ODI 11288762

Jun 30, 2019SuspensionBody & structureSpeed controlCrash

ON JUNE 6, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 6 PM MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I WAS DRIVING AT 15 MPH AND IT ACCELERATED TO 40-50 MPH. BRAKING DID NOT SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. I JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT THREE SMALL TREES. IT CAME TO A HALT AFTER UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE HAD BEEN SUSTAINED. IT WAS TOWED TO CUMMINGS MOBILITY WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THEY COULD NOT DETERMINED WHAT CAUSED THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ODI 11228525

Dec 6, 2018AirbagsCrash1 injury

I HAD CAR ACCIDENT TODAY AND GOT HI MY LEFT FRONT WND REALLY GOOD AND THE POLICE SEEN MY CAR'S AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF-IT DIDN'T SHOWS UP.MY FACE GOT HITTED BY STEERING WHEEL.I WAS DRIVING ON CITY OF PUYALLUP WASHINGTON RUNNING 25-35MILES AN HOUR WHEN THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME TOOK OVER IN FRONT OF ME TO CHANGE LANE TO THE LEFT.IT WAS A BIG IMPACT TO MAKE ME TURNED AND BOUNCED AWAY TO RIGHT SIDE.

NHTSA ODI 11156694

Jul 20, 2018SteeringCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CEMENT BARRIER ON THE DRIVER SIDE WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT WHERE IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

NHTSA ODI 11112775

Jun 20, 2017Seat beltsBody & structure3 injuries

RIGHT SIDE PASSENGER DOOR, OPENED BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. MY JIDS WERE SEATED ON THE BACK WITH GRANDMA. DOOR ALSO, CLOSES BY ITSELF HURTING THE PASSENGER WHO IS TRYING TO GET INTO. IT HURT SEVERAL TIMES MY 8YR OLD DAUGHTER, MY 11 YR OLD BOY AND GRANDMA. EVEN CLOSES WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING STUFF IN THE PASSENGER SIDE.

NHTSA ODI 11000200

Sep 28, 2016SteeringAirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A ROAD SIGN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 10910205

May 16, 2016Crash

THE VANS THAT HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO A HANDICAP/MOBILITY VAN ARE UNSAFE FOR OTHERS TO DRIVE ONCE THE DRIVER SEAT HAS BEEN REMOVED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONVERSION, AND THEY TOLD ME TO SIT ON A DINNING ROOM CHAIR OR A BUCKET. THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT A SAFE OPTION WHEN A NON HANDICAP PERSON NEEDS TO MOVE OR DRIVE THE VAN. I BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A SEAT MADE THAT CAN CLIP INTO THE WHEEL CHAIR CLAMPS THAT THE HANDICAP DRIVER USES.

NHTSA ODI 10865182

Working with the data? Download all 75 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 2016 Toyota Sienna verdict →