2011 Amerivan Toyota Sienna Owner Complaints

WE BOUGHT A 2011 SIENNA IN LATE NOVEMBER 2015 TO REPLACE OUR 2004 SIENNA THAT WAS TOTALED IN A COLLISION WITH A DEER. THE 2004 HAD BEEN PARKED IN OUR GARAGE FOR 12 YEARS WITHOUT INCIDENT. OUR 2011 WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE FOR FOUR MONTHS AND THE FUEL LINE, ABOVE THE GAS TANK, WAS GNAWED THROUGH BY A RODENT. THIS COULD HAVE JUST BEEN A $200 ANNOYANCE TO GET THE FUEL LINE REPLACED BUT IT TURNED INTO THE 2011 BEING TOTALED AS MY WIFE SAT IN IT, BROKEN DOWN ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY STREET WITH HER FLASHERS ON. SHE WAS ON THE PHONE TO AAA TO GET A TOW AND WAS REAR-ENDED BY AN INATTENTIVE DRIVER. WE HAD THE CAR TRANSPORTED TO THE TOYOTA DEARER IN GREEN BAY, WI AND ASKED THEM TO DETERMINE WHY THE CAR STALLED ON MY WIFE. THE DEALER SAID THEY DISCOVERED A LOT OF DOG FOOD ON TOP OF THE TANK AND THE FUEL LINE HAD BEEN GNAWED THROUGH. I TOLD THEM TO FIX THE FUEL LINE ISSUE AS I THOUGHT THE CAR COULD BE REPAIRED. TURNED OUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECIDED TO TOTAL IT INSTEAD. WE REPLACED THE TOTALED 2011 WITH ANOTHER 2011 SIENNA. TOOK DELIVERY OF THE CAR AND PARKED IT IN OUR GARAGE FOR THE FIRST NIGHT. MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING AND DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG. SHE WENT OUT DURING HER LUNCH BREAK AND NOTICED A PUDDLE OF GAS UNDER THE CAR. SHE STARTED THE CAR AND OBSERVED GAS RAPIDLY DRIPPING DOWN FROM THE FUEL TANK ONTO THE GROUND. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO TOYOTA, THEY DROPPED THE GAS TANK, AND SHOWED ME ME THAT THE FUEL LINE HAD BEEN CHEWED AGAIN. ANOTHER $200 TO REPLACE THE FUEL LINE AGAIN. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT THE FUEL PUMP FORCES GAS OUT OF THE CHEWED FUEL LINE FAST ENOUGH TO POOL ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK AND THEN RUN OFF. LIQUID GAS AND GAS VAPOR WERE PRESENT WHEN MY WIFE'S CAR WAS REAR-ENDED. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO FIRE. TOYOTA WAS CONTACTED AND THEY HAD NO RECORD OF SIMILAR FUEL LINE ISSUES WITH THE 2011-2016 MODEL SIENNAS, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN BAD

NHTSA ID

10863493

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

115,525 mi

WHEN DRIVING WITH WINDOWS DOWN, TRUNK SENSOR ALERTS ME THAT THE TRUNK IS OPEN, WHEN IN FACT IT IS CLOSED. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ALL TURN ON AND CREATES A DISTRACTION WHEN DRIVING. IT STARTED OFF WHEN JUST MAKING A TURN, BUT HAS WORSENED AND NOW GOES OFF ANYTIME I DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN.

NHTSA ID

10821440

Incident

Jan 14, 2016

VAN SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. DOOR CABLE SYSTEM BROKE CAUSING DOOR TO BECOME INOPERABLE ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY CREATING A HAZARD IN AN EMERGENCY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FOR PASSENGERS. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE FOR VANS FROM 2007-2010 WITH EXTENDED WARRANTIES TO REPAIR BUT IT KEEPS OCCURRING AND OTHER NEWER MODELS ARE NOT COVERED.

NHTSA ID

10820016

Incident

Dec 18, 2015

Mileage

98,000 mi

IN AUGUST 2014, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND STALLED WHILE WE WERE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. WE COULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER AND SMASHED TO DEATH HAD WE BEEN IN A ONE LANE CONSTRUCTION ZONE. WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2011 AND THE CAR HAD ONLY 63,000 MILES. WE TOOK OUR CAR REGULARLY TO THE DEALER FOR MAINTENANCE AND HAD NEVER BEEN WARNED OF ANY TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND NO TRANSMISSION ISSUES PRESENTED THEMSELVES UNTILTHE DAY IT STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE. TOYOTA SAID WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. WE HAD TO PAY $1000 OUT OF POCKET.

NHTSA ID

10817348

Incident

Aug 30, 2014

Mileage

63,000 mi

I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLIANT ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TIME IT HAS TAKEN TOYOTA TO PRODUCE A FINAL REMEDY FOR THE RECALL DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER CABLE. IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE WE WERE NOTIFIED AND IT STILL HAS NOT YET BEEN FIXED. THE TEMPORARY SOLUTION TOYOTA HAS OFFERED IS UNACCEPTABLE - I HAVE TWO CHOICES DRIVE AROUND WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE OR DRIVE AROUND WITH THE SPARE TIRE IN MY LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LAY DOWN THE THIRD ROW SEATS AND SEVERELY LIMITING SPACE IN THE LUGGAGE AREA. I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTIONS NEED TO BE MADE FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I ALSO EXPECT TIMELY SOLUTIONS WHICH THIS HAS NOT BEEN. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA 4 TIMES ABOUT THIS LOOKING FOR A EXPECTED TIME TABLE AND THEIR PROJECTED DEADLINES KEEP EXPIRING AND IN MY LAST COMMUNICATION WITH THEM I WAS GIVEN NO EXPECTED DATE OF REPAIR, JUST THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. I AM DISSATISFIED WITH HOW THIS SITUATION HAS BEEN HANDLED AND HAVE GROWN IMPATIENT FOR A FINAL REPAIR. CAN YOU EXPEDITE THE REPAIR?

NHTSA ID

10778342

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

THE CAR WAS STARTED. THE CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE. THE STEERING WAS HARD AND HEAVY AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. UPON STARTING TO DRIVE AT A LOW SPEED, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BUT THE BRAKE WAS HARD AND DID NOT GO DOWN. THE BRAKE DID NOT WORK. THE DRIVER PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP. THE DRIVER THEN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. THE PROBLEM DID NOT PERSIST. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCASION THAT THIS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME OCCURRED IN WINTER 2014-2015.

NHTSA ID

10732973

Incident

Jul 7, 2015

Mileage

33,000 mi

THE CAR WAS STARTED. THE STEERING WAS HARD AND HEAVY AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. UPON STARTING TO DRIVE, AT A LOW SPEED, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT THE BRAKES WERE HARD AND DID NOT GO DOWN. THE CAR DID NOT BRAKE. THE DRIVER PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF, THEN TURNED ON AGAIN. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCASION THAT THIS OCCURRED, EXACTLY IN THE SAME MANNER.

NHTSA ID

10732964

Incident

Jul 7, 2015

Mileage

33,000 mi

I WAS IN THE SCHOOL DROP OFF LINE TO DROP OF MY CHILD AND I WAS WAITING WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WITH THE CAR IN GEAR AND IT LUNGED FORWARD I APPLIED THE BRAKES HARDER AND THE CAR STOPPED, IT BEGAN TO REV LOUDLY SO I PUT IT IN PARK AND THE REVVING SUBSIDED AND IT DIDN'T LUNG AGAIN. THIS PARTICULAR EVENT SEEMED LIKE A ONE OFF, BUT WITH THE EVENT THAT FOLLOWED I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO REPORT THIS EVENT AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10714435

Incident

Apr 22, 2015

Mileage

61,450 mi

I WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HERD THE ENGINE REV VERY LOUD, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE VAN STARTED TO LUNG FORWARD. I HAD TO STRUGGLE TO KEEP THE VAN FROM HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EVERYTHING I HAD. I PUT THE VAN IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAS TO AFRAID TO TURN IT BACK ON AND DRIVE IT. THERE WAS A NICE MAN WHO PUSHED ME ONTO A SIDE STREET, WERE I WAITED FOR MY HUSBAND. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE. I WILL FILE A SEPARATE FORM FOR THAT INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10714433

Incident

May 4, 2015

Mileage

61,657 mi

TOYOTA PART NUMBER 43420-08090 CV AXEL PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10695232

Incident

Feb 27, 2015

Mileage

137,669 mi

I RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL OF A DEFECTIVE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE UP UNDERNEATH MY CAR. IT WAS SAID THAT IT MAY FAIL DUE TO CORROSION. THEIR TEMPORARY FIX WAS TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN AND THEY WOULD REMOVE THE SPARE TIRE AND PUT IT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I USE THIS VEHICLE TO DO CARRY PASSENGERS AND TO CAR CARGO AND NEED ALL THE INTERIOR SPACE FOR THOSE THINGS. I DON'T HAVE THE SPACE INSIDE THE VEHICLE TO KEEP A SPARE TIRE FOR OVER A YEAR. I HAVE CALLED ON TWO OCCASIONS JUST TO TOLD THAT THEY HAVE NOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT WOULD BE THAT DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT. WITH ALL THEIR BRILLIANT ENGINEERS I FEEL THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE SETTLED BY NOW AND A REPLACEMENT CABLE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE. HOW LONG DO THEY EXPECT OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO KEEP A SPARE TIRE IN THEIR CARS. INDEFINITELY? *TR

NHTSA ID

10694844

Incident

Feb 1, 2014

ON THE 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA LE , (PASSENGER SEAT BEHIND DRIVER) THE CAPTAIN SEAT CUSHION IN LOOSE AND CAN BE PUSHED DOWN BY 1/4 INCH. THIS MAY BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. TOYOTA DEALER STATE THIS IN NORMAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10682735

Incident

Feb 11, 2015

Mileage

46,600 mi

THIS IS A FAMILY MINIVAN, MY WIFE DROVE TO A LOCAL WALMART TO GET MILK AND THE CAR WON'T START BACK UP, SEVERAL LIGHTS WERE BLINKING IN THE CAR, THE PUSH START BUTTON WAS NOT RESPONDING, MY CALLED AND I WENT THERE, I THEN USED A JUMPER CABLE TO START CAR, ALL THE CODES WERE STAY ON, WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND THIS NEVER HAPPEN BEFORE, I THINK THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676151

Incident

Jan 16, 2015

Mileage

46,000 mi

RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THE CUT AND REMOVED THE SUPPORTING CARRIER ASSEMBLY. AND STATED THERE WAS NO CURRENT FIX , BUT THAT ONE WOULD BE AVAILABLE BY DEC 2014. WELL IT IS NOW JAN 2015 AND STILL NO FIX AND I'M HAULING THE SPARE IN THE CARGO AREA---NOT A GOOD IDEA. SO I'M LOOKING FOR SOME ASSISTANCE TO GET A FIX OR FOR THEM ,TOYOTA, TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT 4 TO 5 MONTHS IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT TO FIX THIS RATHER SIMPLE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671984

Incident

Sep 15, 2014

Mileage

67,000 mi

I WAS PULLING INTO A SPOT IN A PARKING LOT AND PRESSING DOWN THE BRAKE TO STOP WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE SO THE CAR DID NOT MOVE MUCH BUT THE ENGINE WAS PUSHING HARD ENOUGH THAT THE CAR MOVED FORWARD A COUPLE FEET. I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO PARK AND IT STOPPED MOVING. I WAS DEFINITELY NOT PUSHING BOTH PEDALS AND THE FLOOR MAT WAS DEFINITELY NOT STUCK UNDER THE ACCELERATOR OR OUT OF PLACE IN ANY WAY (IT HAS NOT BEEN MOVED IN MONTHS). IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WAS UNLIKELY THEY WOULD FIND ANYTHING SINCE IT COULDN'T BE RECREATED EASILY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10664186

Incident

Nov 22, 2014

Mileage

45,200 mi

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 70 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE DOWN TO 20MPH. COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE USING THE GAS PEDAL. FINALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF THE SLOW SPEED (3 TO 5 MINUTES) THEN THE COMPLETE STOP SWITCHED THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY ACCELERATE AGAIN. VEHICLE MAINTAINED 1500 TO 2000 RPMS THE ENTIRE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE ENGINE DID NOT RACE NOR DID IT STALL. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE TECHNICIANS AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS HAD NOT HEARD OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM NOR COULD THEY RECOMMEND ANY SOLUTION. HAVE NOT HAD A RECURRENCE IN THE LAST FIVE WEEKS NOR HAVE I USED MY CRUISE CONTROL. CAME CLOSE TO GETTING REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE INCIDENT SINCE I COULD NOT MOVE OUT OF THE PASSING LANE DUE TO A WALL ON MY LEFT AND FAST MOVING TRAFFIC ON MY RIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659774

Incident

Oct 12, 2014

Mileage

57,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON WITH NO CRASH OR INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652741

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

52,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AT SPEED APPROXIMATELY 58 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT ON ITS OWN WITHOUT INPUT FROM ME. THE TOYOTA SIENNA WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND STUCK A CONCRETE BARRIER AND THEN ROLL OVER. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH. I HAD SURGERY ON MY CERVICAL VERTEBRAL. I HAVE A PAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10650546

Incident

May 5, 2012

Mileage

9,000 mi

I WAS SENT A NOTICE OF A RECALL FOR FAULTY SPARE TIRE CARRIERS ON MY 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA MONTHS AGO. THEIR TEMPORARY REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM IS TO PUT THE SPARE TIRE IN THE CAR. I DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR THE SPARE TIRE INSIDE THE CAR AS I USE THE ENTIRE BACK AREA FOR WORK THAT I DO. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM. WHY HAS IT TAKEN THIS LONG TO COME UP WITH A CORRECTION. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THEIR GUINNESS ENGINEERS TO COME UP WITH A FIX. IT'S BEEN FAR TOO LONG! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649262

Incident

Oct 22, 2014

Mileage

82,000 mi

I WAS CHANGING THE FILTER AND FORGOT TO REMOVE THE ROD SUPPORTING THE HOOD. WHEN I CLOSED THE HOOD, THE HOOD WAS BENT LIKE AN ALUMINUM FOIL. IS SUPPOSED TO BE THAT WEAK? VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE PART (WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE METAL). IF IT IS THAT EASY TO BEND THE HOOD, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS MODEL HAS TO BE RECALLED. *JS

NHTSA ID

10579551

Incident

Apr 13, 2014

Mileage

31,000 mi

PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN EMERGENCY STOP HAS THE SEATBELT COULD NOT TIGHTEN, IT GOT CAUGHT IN THE CEILING MOUNTED SEATBELT GUIDE WHICH DOES NOT SWIVEL AS IT DOES ON THE LEFT SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574802

Incident

Mar 25, 2014

Mileage

25,000 mi

NOTICED FIRE/FLAMES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIENNA AS WE WERE COMING UP THE HILL, AND THEN IT INCREASED AFTER PARKING IN THE DRIVE WAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10564916

Incident

Feb 13, 2014

Mileage

60,000 mi

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE CAR BATTERY HAS FAILED TO START VEHICLE. AT SPORADIC AND UNPREDICTABLE INTERVALS DOES THIS OCCUR. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL TOYOTA BATTERY SOLD WITH THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY SEEMS TO BE DRAINED RAPIDLY BY THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING OR THE BATTERY IS NOT BEING ADEQUATELY RECHARGED BY THE ALTERNATOR. THE ORIGINAL TIRES SOLD WITH THE TOYOTA SIENNA WERE GOODYEAR EAGLE RSA. CURRENTLY ON SECOND SET AND THEY SEEM TO WEAR OUT QUICKLY. BOTH SIDE POWER DOORS SOMETIMES MAKES A POP SOUND WHEN OPENING WITH THE OUTSIDE HANDLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10557904

Incident

Nov 30, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi