2021 Toyota Redundant Sienna Problems

When braking to a stop at low speed (stopping at stop sign or at light), then car accelerates forward even though my foot is on the brake attempting to slow the car down. This unintended acceleration is dangerous and can cause an accident.

When braking downhill, the car will lurch forward causing me to have to break harder.

I purchased a 2021 Toyota Sienna from United Access Mobility in Sacramento. The vehicle was sold and delivered with multiple serious pre-existing safety defects. The exhaust system was unsafe. The catalytic converter had been stolen prior to sale and replaced with a non-OEM catalytic converter that was improperly welded and mounted too low. This caused exhaust leaks, loud exhaust noise, poor acceleration, and safety concerns including potential exhaust exposure. Multiple professional repair facilities confirmed the exhaust system defect. The electrical system was defective. The vehicle was sold with the wrong size battery that was not properly secured. This caused electrical instability, warning lights, and vehicle failure. The battery was not adequately supporting the vehicle’s electrical system. The airbag and restraint system showed warnings caused by third-party wiring, indicating potential airbag or seatbelt malfunction. The fuel system was defective. The gas cap was broken and required tools to refuel the vehicle. Structural and body components were unsafe. A bumper bracket was loose and flapped while driving, and the passenger seat was unstable. Accessibility systems were also defective, including lift and door malfunctions affecting safe operation. United Access was notified immediately but did not correct these safety defects. Instead, they attempted to have the vehicle repaired using an extended warranty for pre-existing conditions. The vehicle was not safe to operate at the time of sale.

2nd row passenger seat recline does not work. My seat is very reclined now causing the 2nd row passenger to not be in the optimal position for SRS airbag performance that may result in possible death due to head impact during a side collision. Toyota likely has enough data to issue a TSB to resolve this issue preventing serious injury or death to one of my children.

This complaint is submitted to supplement and clarify a prior NHTSA submission regarding Safety Recall 23TA15 for VIN [XXX] . The prior submission was brief and did not fully capture the timeline and circumstances described below. I purchased a 2021 Toyota Sienna (VIN [XXX] ) from Avondale Toyota on [XXX]. At the time of purchase, I was not informed of any active or pending safety recall affecting the vehicle. After returning from Arizona to San Diego with my family, I attempted to list the vehicle on a rental platform on December 26, 2026. At that time, the platform flagged the VIN as having an active safety recall (Safety Recall 23TA15) and prevented the listing. This was the first time I became aware that the vehicle was subject to a safety recall. Despite multiple attempts to obtain clarification from Toyota Brand Engagement regarding the VIN-specific recall activation date, Toyota declined or failed to provide written confirmation. Whether the recall was active prior to the sale or applied shortly thereafter, the vehicle was placed into use without proper disclosure, warning, remedy, or guidance. As a result, my family and I unknowingly operated the vehicle, including interstate travel from Arizona to San Diego, without awareness of a potential safety risk. Had appropriate disclosure or timely notification been provided, I would not have used the vehicle or exposed my family to potential harm. In addition, the recall rendered the vehicle unavailable for its intended business use, resulting in loss of use and financial impact while the remedy was unavailable. I am submitting this supplemental complaint to ensure the full timeline, safety exposure, and lack of disclosure related to Safety Recall 23TA15 are accurately documented. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Subject: Vehicle Safety Complaint – Recall 23TA15 | VIN [XXX] Hello, I am submitting a formal vehicle safety complaint regarding Safety Recall 23TA15 for my 2021 Toyota Sienna (VIN [XXX] ). Please find my detailed complaint and supporting documentation attached. This matter involves lack of disclosure and/or delayed notification of a safety recall, resulting in family safety exposure and loss of use. Thank you for your review and assistance. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

See attached document for complaint.

Sometimes when each of us 2 are slowing to a stop while applying the brake, the Sienna will lunge forward. This unexpected event may cause a rear-end collision if too close. Also, it is enough to cause us to hit our head on the head rest. Can’t understand why this happening. We are sure we only have our foot on the brake and not the accelerator.

I was driving my Toyota Sienna on a busy 6 lane highway in the second to the left lane, on a bridge. Suddenly without any warning AT ALL, my vehicle lost all power and came to an abrupt halt in the middle of high speed traffic. My wife and children were all in the car and we were in imminent danger of getting hit by another vehicle. It took the police approximately 10 minutes to arrive during which we were in life threatening danger. After the vehicle stopped a message on the dashboard read Hybrid System Failure. The police tried to push our vehicle to a safe spot but the wheels wouldn't turn and the car had to be towed. Upon inspection by the mechanic it appears that there is a broken shaft in the transmission that may have caused this problem. I want to emphasize that there was NO WARNING at all and we did not have a chance to move to safety.

Rear Right tail light failure due to wire corrosion rendering tail light inoperable.

I was driving my Toyota Sienna on a busy 6 lane highway in the second to the left lane, on a bridge. Suddenly without any warning AT ALL, my vehicle lost all power and came to an abrupt halt in the middle of high speed traffic. My wife and children were all in the car and we were in imminent danger of getting hit by another vehicle. It took the police approximately 10 minutes to arrive during which we were in life threatening danger. After the vehicle stopped a message on the dashboard read Hybrid System Failure. The police tried to push our vehicle to a safe spot but the wheels wouldn't turn and the car had to be towed. Upon inspection by the mechanic it appears that there is a broken shaft in the transmission that may have caused this problem. I want to emphasize that there was NO WARNING at all and we did not have a chance to move to safety.

I turned on my minivan to drive my kids to school when I heard a sudden loud metal shredding/knocking and shut my van off. All maintenance was performed regularly on the van and no lights were on. I have a hole in my engine block now caused by a thrown rod, and no mechanic can explain why this happened. Oil was in good condition, and nothing indicated this should have happened.

I purchased a 2021 Toyota Sienna from United Access Mobility in Sacramento. The vehicle was sold and delivered with multiple serious pre-existing safety defects. The exhaust system was unsafe. The catalytic converter had been stolen prior to sale and replaced with a non-OEM catalytic converter that was improperly welded and mounted too low. This caused exhaust leaks, loud exhaust noise, poor acceleration, and safety concerns including potential exhaust exposure. Multiple professional repair facilities confirmed the exhaust system defect. The electrical system was defective. The vehicle was sold with the wrong size battery that was not properly secured. This caused electrical instability, warning lights, and vehicle failure. The battery was not adequately supporting the vehicle’s electrical system. The airbag and restraint system showed warnings caused by third-party wiring, indicating potential airbag or seatbelt malfunction. The fuel system was defective. The gas cap was broken and required tools to refuel the vehicle. Structural and body components were unsafe. A bumper bracket was loose and flapped while driving, and the passenger seat was unstable. Accessibility systems were also defective, including lift and door malfunctions affecting safe operation. United Access was notified immediately but did not correct these safety defects. Instead, they attempted to have the vehicle repaired using an extended warranty for pre-existing conditions. The vehicle was not safe to operate at the time of sale.

This recall has been open for 7 months and a remedy has still not been issued - this doesn’t seem reasonable for a safety concern. I have also several times experienced a failure in the “extra” 8th passenger seat (middle row middle seat) sensor - it alarms that the seat belt isn’t buckled even when that seat is not in use and not even installed at the time.

While driving my 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid, the vehicle suddenly displayed a low oil pressure warning, immediately lost power, and entered limp mode. I was able to pull over safely, but the engine then suffered a catastrophic failure — a connecting rod blew through the engine block, leaving large metal fragments inside the engine compartment. The vehicle is completely inoperable. Prior to this event the van sometimes idled rough and shook slightly on startup when transitioning from battery to gasoline engine after sitting, but it drove normally otherwise. I have performed regular oil changes and routine maintenance according to Toyota’s schedule. Safety Concern: This failure happened suddenly and without warning. If it had occurred at highway speeds, it could have caused a serious crash due to loss of power or debris from the engine. This presents a significant safety hazard for drivers and passengers. Toyota has issued TSB T-SB-0104-21 for the 2021 Sienna Hybrid’s A25A-FXS engine addressing “MIL ON with Low Oil Pressure” conditions and DTCs P05202A/P052477 with milky or discolored oil. This suggests Toyota is aware of oil pressure and lubrication issues on this engine family. My catastrophic failure appears consistent with a loss of oil pressure or lubrication. I am filing this complaint to alert NHTSA of a possible defect or safety issue affecting 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid engines that can result in sudden catastrophic engine failure.

sound coming from engine / transmission other issues with the 2 ruber seals on the minivan keep worping out i looked on all the forms everyone is making the same complaint i toook it to toyota they just put tape and its off again they didnt help for a perminent fix back door is miss alined pasanger side sliding door sometimes does not close takes 3-4 atempts pressing the button

The driver’s side door mirror shakes when going down the road. The image in the mirror becomes shaky. The passenger side is fine, this is only on the driver side. I have brought this into the dealer, but they said it is normal. In 30+ years of driving cars, I have never had a car mirror do this.

2021 Sienna Hybrid Platinum AWD ~65K miles. Safety Issue: Fogging of windows increased, as AC was not working properly. Believe rear AC lines had galvanic corrosion from differing metals, steel bracket with aluminum line-sets causes corrosion hole in refrigerant line set, and leak causing loss of all Freon. No warning lights or messages, AC just stop blowing cold. Vehicle is driven in Michigan on winter roads with road salt, but stored in garage and only 4 years old. $1742 fix to replace line-sets, which can corrode again without proper design fix. Problem confirmed by dealer, and seen in other similar year Sienna's.

I purchased a 2021 Toyota Sienna from United Access Mobility in Sacramento. The vehicle was sold and delivered with multiple serious pre-existing safety defects. The exhaust system was unsafe. The catalytic converter had been stolen prior to sale and replaced with a non-OEM catalytic converter that was improperly welded and mounted too low. This caused exhaust leaks, loud exhaust noise, poor acceleration, and safety concerns including potential exhaust exposure. Multiple professional repair facilities confirmed the exhaust system defect. The electrical system was defective. The vehicle was sold with the wrong size battery that was not properly secured. This caused electrical instability, warning lights, and vehicle failure. The battery was not adequately supporting the vehicle’s electrical system. The airbag and restraint system showed warnings caused by third-party wiring, indicating potential airbag or seatbelt malfunction. The fuel system was defective. The gas cap was broken and required tools to refuel the vehicle. Structural and body components were unsafe. A bumper bracket was loose and flapped while driving, and the passenger seat was unstable. Accessibility systems were also defective, including lift and door malfunctions affecting safe operation. United Access was notified immediately but did not correct these safety defects. Instead, they attempted to have the vehicle repaired using an extended warranty for pre-existing conditions. The vehicle was not safe to operate at the time of sale.

When stop at the stop sign and step in the brake... the car momentary accelerates by its self. Its very dangerous. Pls fix the problems Toyota.

I was driving my Toyota Sienna on a busy 6 lane highway in the second to the left lane, on a bridge. Suddenly without any warning AT ALL, my vehicle lost all power and came to an abrupt halt in the middle of high speed traffic. My wife and children were all in the car and we were in imminent danger of getting hit by another vehicle. It took the police approximately 10 minutes to arrive during which we were in life threatening danger. After the vehicle stopped a message on the dashboard read Hybrid System Failure. The police tried to push our vehicle to a safe spot but the wheels wouldn't turn and the car had to be towed. Upon inspection by the mechanic it appears that there is a broken shaft in the transmission that may have caused this problem. I want to emphasize that there was NO WARNING at all and we did not have a chance to move to safety.

sound coming from engine / transmission other issues with the 2 ruber seals on the minivan keep worping out i looked on all the forms everyone is making the same complaint i toook it to toyota they just put tape and its off again they didnt help for a perminent fix back door is miss alined pasanger side sliding door sometimes does not close takes 3-4 atempts pressing the button

In the 2-1/2 years than I have owned and driven this vehicle, I've had no problems. On Saturday, [XXX], driving home from a 80 mile trip, as I deaccelerated to make a left turn onto my street (speed was 7mph) I tapped the break pedal and the vehicle went bonkers! The Sienna veered right at a high rate of speed that the front end cleared the curb; the back end smashed into the curb flattening both rear tires and damaging the metal hubcaps; the vehicle speed tore off the bumper and both rear panels. I was able to steer the vehicle: missing a large 2-foot high tree stump; two other large trees; a 10-foot high solid fence at the yard back. I then drove down the sidewalk to the next intersection and was finally able to slow down. This entire time, my foot was on the break, but the vehicle would not stop. The Sienna is now at Faulkners Collision Center in Mechanicsburg with virtually no front end damage but colossal rear damage. The vehicle had 5-full maintenance checks since purchase. I was not told of any suspected problems and never received a vehicle recall. I could have been killed or may have killed others as there is a playground on the corner of this block. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the rear end of the vehicle started to sway to the left and the right. The contact attempted to steer the vehicle however, the steering wheel was very difficult to turn. Additionally, the contact depressed the brake pedal, and the pedal was very loose and depressed to the floorboard. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The contact stated that the dealer was not able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

The vehicle has had rocks get in the suspension 4 times so far which creates loud clunking noises and can cause a noticeable feel in the steering. The most recent time, after the rock entered the front end, the brakes were soft and required excessive pedal force followed by a clunk before the brakes abruptly applied. I like on a paved road with a rock driveway and it seems like the shielding for the front end is inadequate. I have friends with a 2022 sienna that live on a gravel road that have experienced similar issues.

While driving approximately 70 MPH the vehicle tends to "float" or wanted to change lanes on me. The vehicle would jerk to the left or to the right requiring corrective action on my part. At first I attributed the problem to the windy conditions, but later decided the wind was not the cause. It appears that when driving less than 40 MPH, there is no problem. This problem continued for my entire trip (about 1400 miles). This is a vehicle that was modified by VMI into a handicapped accessible van. I don't know if regular Toyotas do this or not.

None

While traveling in the far left lane of a four lane highway with a speed limit of 70 mph my car started to fish tale but I was able to control it. The cars behind me saw the blowout of my rear passenger tire and slowed down so that I could move to the far right breakdown lane. No warning light came on at any time to alert me of any problems with any of the tires. I always maintain the correct tire pressure. I had a tire company replace all four tires because I was afraid of the other three tires doing the same thing. When I picked up my car the next day the service dept said the brakes didn't work. I had to have the Sienna towed to a Toyota dealer to repair a crushed brake line caused by the blowout. We kept the tire and have taken many pictures.

Child vomited in car seat. I removed cover to clean it and noticed seatbelt is torn in three places! It appears to have rubbed against some of the seam on the padding and slowly ripped.

After being parked for 4 hours the vehicle caught on fire. Burnt passengers rear corner and rear tailgate