2011 TOYOTA SIENNA Recalls, Complaints & Safety

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was intermittently illuminated while driving. The contact stated that the warning light turned off while restarting the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the sliding doors failed to function automatically and required to be opened or closed manually. The contact stated that while attempting to open the front driver's side door in icy and snowy weather, the door made an abnormal cracking sound and failed to open. The contact stated that the passenger's side door made an abnormal cracking sound but opened as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,999.

Vehicle: 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE VIN: [XXX] Mileage: ~204,800 Incident Date: [XXX] Recent Service: Oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, and multipoint inspection performed on November 10, 2025 at Fitzgerald Toyota Gaithersburg (Maryland). Description of the Defect: On [XXX] while driving with my child in the vehicle, my 2011 Toyota Sienna experienced a sudden and dangerous failure. A strong burning smell entered the cabin, the ABS warning light illuminated, and then wheels locked up while the vehicle was in motion. At the same time, the steering wheel locked, making the vehicle impossible to steer. The engine immediately lost power and shut down in the middle of the roadway. The vehicle would not restart and had to be towed. This failure occurred four days after dealership service at Fitzgerald Toyota Gaithersburg, which included an oil change, tire rotation, and brake inspection. The dealership initially claimed the failure was due to a “dead battery,” and the following day changed the explanation to a “shorted alternator.” A weak battery or alternator failure does not explain a mechanical wheel lock or steering wheel lock while driving. The dealership has refused to provide diagnostic documentation or photographs of the components involved. This incident presents a significant safety hazard, and if it had occurred at highway speeds, it could have resulted in a severe crash. I am reporting this to request investigation into a potential safety defect involving the steering system, braking/ABS system, electrical system, or related components. Safety Risk: High. Loss of steering control + wheel lock + engine shutdown presents an immediate crash hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Catalizador caUsando bajas emisiones, consecuencia encendido de codigos de luz de advertencia de tablero como luz indicadora de falla (Check Engine). LUZ DE ADVERTENCIA ABS. LUZ INDICADORA DE DERRAPE VSC-TRAC Y LUZ DE ADVERTENCIA DE PRESION DE NEUMATICOS. AL VIAJAR POR CARRETERA SIMPLEMENTE SE APAGO Y SIN PODER TENER CONTROL DE LA MISMA DICHA FALLA CAUSO QUE YA NO ENCENDIERA AL TENER QUE SOLICITAR GRUA PARA EL ARRARSTRE DE LA UNIDAD HASTA LA AGENCIA DE TOYOTA EN CORDOBA VERACRUZ. SEGURO SOLO INTERVINO CON EL ARRASTRE DE LA UNIDAD. PERO LA SIENNA A LLEVADO HASTA EL DIA DE HOY Y FECHA PRESENTE TODOS LOS SERVICIOS DE AGENCIA POR LA CUAL SE LLEVO DE INMEDIATO, PERO CON LA NOVEDAD ES QUE NI LA MISMA AGENCIA LE A PODIDO QUITAR LA FALLA. NO TIENEN NI LA MENOR IDEA DE LA CAUSA. SU SOLUCION SEGUEN ELLOS ERAN LOS INYECTORES PERO LA CAMIONETA VOLIVIO A HACER LA MISMA FALLA Y LA AGENCIA NO DA GARANTIA DE SU MANO DE OBRA. SOLO AUMENTA EL GASTO EN REFACCIONES SIN SOLUCIONAR LA FALLA.

Both of the cables on my power doors have snapped now. Turned off switch & have been doing doors manually. The rear passenger side one doesn't like to slide and doesn't open fully.

Leaking water into passenger side during rain. Many have reported the same issue. Seems to be some loose seals on the roof.

I just but this car but I think the seller changed the mileage on it.

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the rear driver's and passenger's power sliding doors failed to latch securely and opened while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V858000 (Structure), but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the power sliding door motor, cable, and door lock actuators needed to be replaced. The dealer had to zip-tie the power sliding doors to keep the doors closed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the rear driver's side sliding door had failed to close or latch securely while closing the door manually or while using the power door switch button. The vehicle was taken to C&C Auto, where the door motor and belt were replaced, and other unknown repairs were performed. The door was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the rear passenger's side sliding door had failed to open and close as needed. The contact stated that the door was currently closed and would not open. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V858000 (Structure); because the VIN was not included in the recall. Additionally, the contact stated that the TPMS had failed to function as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.

Rear ac system the line is too close to the rear tire which was replaced once yet it is so close it gets friction and wears a hole in the line . Dangerous for people in the rear that may be inhaling a/c vapor while ac is running with a leak . Also bad for environment. There is no clearance the tire is almost right on the line so when you hit a bump you are rubbing it . Repair man says he has had to repair several lines more than once because of them being placed too close to the rear tire . Date below is third time this happened same vehicle. First was in 2016 second was 2018

I was pulling my 2011 Toyota Siena into a parking space. My foot was on the brake and the car was going about 5 mph. The car made a slight sound, along with a perceptible yet small physical shift, and (while my foot was on the brake) independently accelerated with tremendous force. It was like it was ignited. The car hit a concrete pole and was totaled. The acceleration over-rode the brake. No one was hurt. The concrete pole averted what could have been a catastrophic accident, had we hit pedestrians, or had we rear ended a car or truck on the freeway. The brakes failed as the car jumped into independent acceleration. My safety and the safety of my passenger were both at risk. As I said, in a different situation, we might have hit pedestrians, or gone through the wall of the grocery store and hit customers. The concrete pole saved us and others. The mechanic at the service center where the car was towed said it was impossible to discern if there had been a failure in the system of the car - though clearly both my passenger and myself experienced that failure in the car's ability to override an independent, forceful acceleration not caused by the driver. There was no warning of any kind. On the Edmunds site, there are many, many testimonials by other drivers of the Toyota Siena of similar, frightening experiences of independent acceleration. It is terribly dangerous and should be investigated. If there is not a recall on this vehicle, there should be. This is a potentially catastrophic defect.

Crash

I was pulling my 2011 Toyota Siena into a parking space. My foot was on the brake and the car was going about 5 mph. The car made a slight sound, along with a perceptible yet small physical shift, and (while my foot was on the brake) independently accelerated with tremendous force. It was like it was ignited. The car hit a concrete pole and was totaled. The acceleration over-rode the brake. No one was hurt. The concrete pole averted what could have been a catastrophic accident, had we hit pedestrians, or had we rear ended a car or truck on the freeway. The brakes failed as the car jumped into independent acceleration. My safety and the safety of my passenger were both at risk. As I said, in a different situation, we might have hit pedestrians, or gone through the wall of the grocery store and hit customers. The concrete pole saved us and others. The mechanic at the service center where the car was towed said it was impossible to discern if there had been a failure in the system of the car - though clearly both my passenger and myself experienced that failure in the car's ability to override an independent, forceful acceleration not caused by the driver. There was no warning of any kind. On the Edmunds site, there are many, many testimonials by other drivers of the Toyota Siena of similar, frightening experiences of independent acceleration. It is terribly dangerous and should be investigated. If there is not a recall on this vehicle, there should be. This is a potentially catastrophic defect.

Crash

I was pulling my 2011 Toyota Siena into a parking space. My foot was on the brake and the car was going about 5 mph. The car made a slight sound, along with a perceptible yet small physical shift, and (while my foot was on the brake) independently accelerated with tremendous force. It was like it was ignited. The car hit a concrete pole and was totaled. The acceleration over-rode the brake. No one was hurt. The concrete pole averted what could have been a catastrophic accident, had we hit pedestrians, or had we rear ended a car or truck on the freeway. The brakes failed as the car jumped into independent acceleration. My safety and the safety of my passenger were both at risk. As I said, in a different situation, we might have hit pedestrians, or gone through the wall of the grocery store and hit customers. The concrete pole saved us and others. The mechanic at the service center where the car was towed said it was impossible to discern if there had been a failure in the system of the car - though clearly both my passenger and myself experienced that failure in the car's ability to override an independent, forceful acceleration not caused by the driver. There was no warning of any kind. On the Edmunds site, there are many, many testimonials by other drivers of the Toyota Siena of similar, frightening experiences of independent acceleration. It is terribly dangerous and should be investigated. If there is not a recall on this vehicle, there should be. This is a potentially catastrophic defect.

Crash

Sliding door does not open or close automatically. I think there was a recall for this issue

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while parked on a slight hill, her granddaughter opened the power sliding door to enter the vehicle however, the door did not latch or lock in place, causing the door to close independently while her granddaughter was entering the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer but was previously repaired under a Toyota Customer Support Program where two hinges for the power sliding door were replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Driving down highway noticed white smoke coming from car. Exited highway and warning light then came on saying engine oil low. Stopped van immediately on side of the road and had it towed. Appears the oil coolant line burst which is a known issue on these vehicles after google searching, but was never made aware. Always completed all recalls. Extremely dangerous especially with children in car.

Passenger slidding door opens while driving . My child was in the back seat & could have been thrown out of the minivan Contacted Toyota recall was fixed Sept 6, 2017. Happened last week again 10/17/23, contacted Toyota and dealership will not do anything customer support program extension ended . This is a Toyota issue should be covered , there was a recall on this issue . Toyota says my responsibility to fix , this is unacceptable, the slidding doors are an issue with Toyota .

My passenger side sliding door began to jerk when closing with power button. The next day the cable completely snapped and it no longer opens at all. My driver side sliding door constantly opens and sometimes does not stay closed. I can hear the lock roll and it automatically unlocks itself. There was previously a recall on these doors completed I'm afraid I still have defective parts.

Power steering light came on while driving causing the steering system to lose power suddenly. Almost got into an accident because I couldn't effectively turn the wheel. Mechanic inspected and found the steering motor was bad and that CPU needed to be replaced costing almost $4000 in repairs. Now my car is not driveable unless this is fixed. Car has only 140k miles. This is a VERY common problem with Toyota Siennas around these model years

The intermediate shaft makes a clunking noise when turning the steering wheel.

I have a Toyota Sienna 2011 XLE for 4 years and both doors stops randomly when opening and closing. My daughter was stuck in the car at least 10 times. She afraid to use the car because she repeatedly in danger of falling, the beep sound comes and the door stops suddenly. I used to drove my car leaving my door open once, because the door stuck and I couldn’t realize till I drove. I was lucky, my door didn't hit anyone or any car in the parking lot. The people were looking at my car with scary eyes. Obviously, It creates a safety risk for my family and the people around me. Because a lot of people have the same door problem, I informed Toyota. They responded, they have an extended coverage for the Power Sliding Door Cable Sub-Assembly but it’s expired on 09/16/2021. They know the problem and solved it temporarily without informing the owners and now they said, it’s over, you need to pay it. I am not asking for my seat covers replaced. It’s definitely a security issue, a suddenly stuck door can harm/kill passengers and people around. Toyota knows the problem but refuses to solve it. I don’t want to drive this car with knowing the risk of hurting anyone especially my 6 years old daughter. It’s so shame one of the biggest companies of the world produces risky cars and they continue to sell them with knowing. They shouldn’t risk the people in United States easily like that.

Viscous coupling bearing making significant noise. Potentially hazardous if the issue causes the drivetrain to lock up.

Like other Toyota Sienna owners, our backseat power doors stopped working. It doesn't close or open. I am really afraid of if we make an accident and can't open the door to move out my child safely. It's a common error in Toyota Sienna s .

Left sliding door cable was snapped while tried to open the door itself . I got out of the van then took a close look at door . After saw what happen to door then realized it was cable that got jammed in the door end up ripping the cable . I had to do manual way of opening the sliding door .

About two weeks after getting all new tires installed at Costco, the driver side rear tire blew out. I was driving about 50 MPH on a dry road with no debris in sight. The blowout gash was in the middle of the tire, not on the sidewall.

The VSC and tract light stay on all the time. The Ford dealer I purchased the Van from said they had it fixed. I took it back and i was told to buy a new gas cap which I did from a Toyota dealer in my area. The light came on again. I took it back and was told it had an exhaust leak and it won't hurt the van. But I could bring it back for starting at $ 200.00 and have a leak test done on the Van, but it would take hours. Since then I've had cleaner run thru the system but the lights stay on all the time. Is this a safety hazard because its an exhaust leak? Can you please assist in the repair information before I spend hundreds of dollars chasing the problem. Thank You so much..... [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Safety issue: can't open gas door, can't open sliding door Gas door cover on the driver's side will not completely latch (faulty hinge issue? ) which prevents the sliding door from opening. Sliding door has issues in moving back and forth. Apparently there was a recall for this issue and I was never notified. When I researched the issue, I found that there was a recall but because my recall is just out of the 10 year time frame, Toyota states they won't pay for the repair of the faulty mechanism and that I have to pay for it out of pocket. Considering there has been a pandemic for the since March 2020, it's hard to believe that they wouldn't honor the repair when I called about it in December. I made a phone complaint to Toyota at the end of December 2021 and no one has returned my call.

The brake pedal assembly fell off while driving. Due to this the driver was unable to stop the car by applying brakes. The driver let the car slow down by itself a little before applying parking brakes to bring the car to a complete halt. In this process, the driver crossed three set of lights, which were fortunately green. Two of the lights were school-crossings. The safety of pedestrians, other cars on the road and the driver themselves were at risk. It was purely by chance that they were able to stop the car before any collision. The van is now at a repair shop. The experts at the repair shop said this is NOT normal. They have asked to raise a complaint to ensure that Toyota checks out the possibility of this occurring in other vehicles of the same model / year. There were no warnings before this incident happened.

Before June 4, 2020 my Sienna started having intermittent alerts regarding rear hatch alarms: interior lights blinking, dash display alert, & LCD alert. Bumpy roads and turns caused the alerts. I brought the van to a Toyota dealer on 6/4/2020 and the dealer could not reproduce the problem. Since then the alerts became constant, no longer intermittent. I had the 3rd row seats in use I became very concerned that rear hatch could open at any time with potentially a dangerous situation for the grandchildren. I brought the Sienna to another Toyota Dealer for service (11/1/2021)and described the ongoing problem and safety concerns. The Service Agent checked the Sensor Door Recall for the Sienna and informed me that this malfunction was NOT covered under the recall, although it triggers the sensor door alarm. He informed me that there would be a $142 Diagnostic Fee plus parts and labor to correct the problem. I told him that I removed the rear hatch interior panel and disconnected the door lock control so I could drive the car without the alarm distraction. I researched buying the Trunk Lock Actuator (Dorman Part # 931873, Rock Auto Parts $193.82 Tax & shipping) for self replacement. All that was needed was a 10mm socket to remove & replace 3 bolts and reconnect the electric connector and replace the panel. I completed this repair myself in less than 1/2 hour. I feel that this is a SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE and should be included under the sensor recall directive - or a new recall directive - for Sienna 2011-2018 without charge to the owner.

I have complained about both rear sliding doors acting erratically for almost 3 years. These doors were under a recall, as they sometimes were overloaded and would cause the fuse to blow and the door(s) would/could swing open while moving. It happened to me NUMEROUS times. Once it was so bad, that I couldn’t bring my son yo school because the door wouldn’t stay shut. They beep upon auto open and you have to fight the door open or shut no matter if you switch off the “auto door” button or not. It has been to 3 different dealers in less than 3 years. The first dealer only replaced one junction box, and wiring harness on the passenger door because that it the only door that acted up while they were in possession of sienna. The door less than a 1000 miles later started to have issues - opening, closing, staying closed. I brought it to another dealer closer to my new house - they did not fix it as it didn’t do it for them with 10 tries while parked using auto and manual settings. That seems irresponsible and irrelevant as the ongoing customer complaint is the door swinging open whilst driving (neither dealer drove it, to see if it would swing open). Nonetheless, as the drivers side door never acted up at any dealer visit - they never replaced the recalled parts even knowing it has issues and saw video of it that I took. My vehicle is now sitting at a dealer with a $1600 repair bill for the same latch, as well as the back latch for the “recalled” parts - and they are refusing to acknowledge ANY RECALL WVER on the doors (safety recall G-04) as well as Toyota customer care so far is refusing to provide monetary assistance with this ordeal as my extended warrantee expired. One doors “repair” has made the door seemingly worse, and one door has never been repaired in regards to specific recalled parts as dealer states “no issue was seen with power sliding doors”. My niece lost a lot of $70 Birkenstock’s when my door FLUNG OPEN SO FAST at 50mph with no warning (door open light)

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated the power sliding door opened approximately nine inches and stopped without warning. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V858000 (Structure). The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

8/27/21 Friday, 5:30PM The steering wheel tightened up, making it extremely hard to maneuver, while the vehicle was in motion. Almost got into an accident when I couldn't turn in time to avoid drifting into adjacent lane. Brought it to my local dealer and they claimed the motor failed, needed to be replaced and since it's attached to the steering column and shaft, I would need to replace the complete system, $4600 before NYS tax, which means it will cost me over $5000 before I can get my vehicle back. The vehicle has not been inspected by any other entity or agency. The issue happened on Thursday night, 8/26/21, very suddenly, as I was pulling out of a parking space, suddenly the steering got really hard, almost hit another vehicle as I pulled out, then the steering wheel light came on as I was avoiding the other vehicle. 8/27/21, Friday, this morning, I dropped off the vehicle dropped off with the dealer's service dept. My service adviser called me this afternoon, about 2 hours ago, and gave me this bad news. I checked online and found other owners of the Sienna model having the same exact issues. Also found out other Toyotas models with same issues had recalls over the years, only the Sienna was never recalled. This is too dangerous an issue not to be recalled by Toyota. I can't afford to get this fixed, what am I to do? See one of the links I found: https://www.autoweek.com/news/a1865486/power-steering-and-electric-issues-cause-toyota-recall-112500-vehicles/#:~:text=Power%20steering%20and%20electric%20issues%20cause%20Toyota%20to%20recall%20112%2C500%20vehicles,-Camry%2C%20Highlander%20and&text=Toyota%20recalled%20112%2C500%20vehicles%20due,model%20years%202014%20and%202015. I will follow up with my invoice after the repair.

rear differential has very scary noise while driving, mechanic identified that we have to replace the rear differential which might cost $2500 to $3000 the same problem do exist on RAV4 and it's under recalls, while many people have the same problem for the same year like mine 2011 Toyota sienna AWD and other years to 2018 . This issue is the manufacture responsibility not the owner of the car as wear and tear items " my van has about 126,000 miles on it. Please a recall should be issued it is across for many people

Loud Noise from the rear end, diagnosed to be a viscous coupler bearing malfunction by my mechanic. Total cost of repair is 2428 Dollars. In doing my research into this matter, this is a very common issue with my model Sienna. It is also common with same year Rav4 which a TSB was issued and covered by Toyota T-SB-0080-13. To cite a transmission mechanics who have experiences with the Rav4/Sienna rear differential issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1vg2sbYL68 I hope you can help, this is a very large cost which is almost the price of the car in total. My family needs this car as we do not live in a city with very little public transportation available to us for utilize. The price of the repair will be a hardship on our family. I hope you can convince Toyota to step up and stand behind their product, to a very well known issue. Thank you for all you do.

The steering wheel is too lose. Even with all the full suspension replace. It not safe at all. It need to recall the steering shaft , and the rack and pinion. Some time it feel hard, sometimes it very loose, uncontrollable. Please recall the steering system.

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT THE THERE IS AN EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE WHEEL..I REGULARLY HAVE TIRE BALANCE AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT BUT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY THOUSAND MILES ON MY CAR..

I WAS DRIVING FROM TORONTO TO VIRGINIA ON 23 DEC 2020 AND REFILLED GAS IN SPRINGFIELD NY WALMART GAS STATION TO REFILL THE GAS. WHEN I ENTERED BEDFORD PA TURNPIKE, THE CAR SOUNDED WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS FROM ENGINE ON THE RAMP WHEN ENTERING THE 70/76 FREEWAY. WHEN ENTERED TO VIRGINIA FROM MARYLAND BORDER AFTER POTOMAC RIVER CROSSING ON HIGHWAY 15 , THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SLOWLY AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR, IT STARTED NORMAL AND DROVE TILL CHANTILLY VIRGINIA WITHOUT ANY STOPPING. BUT THE ENGINE GAVE ME DIFFERENT NOISES.