RoadVitals

2005 Toyota Sienna Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Apr 30, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 1,130 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Toyota Sienna submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Apr 30, 2018

I DIDN'T KNOW THE CAR WAS GOING TO BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ID
11090992
Incident
Oct 1, 2017
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Jul 6, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, AND THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE PARK POSITION. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THERE WAS NO POWER RESPONSE. WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETECTED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE HAD DISENGAGED, POSSIBLY WHEN ENCOUNTERING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE MANUFACTURER AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DISPLAY AN INACCURATE READING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10341619
Incident
Jul 5, 2010
Mileage
114,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 9, 2010

2005 TOYOTA SIENNA. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION RESPONSE. *TGW THE FIRST ENCOUNTER THE CONSUMER HAD WITH THE DEALER WITH REGARDS TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS POOR PROGRAMMING. SO, THE DEALER RE-CALIBRATED THE ECM. HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO HESITATE BEFORE SHIFTING UP OR DOWN. THE PROBLEM WAS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN SLOWING DOWN.

NHTSA ID
10318653
Incident
Mar 24, 2006
Mileage
7,419 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 15, 2007

THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS UNPREDICTABLE ACCELERATION. WHEN THE ACCELERATION IS PRESSED THERE IS A DELAY OF SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESPONDS RESULTING IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10208980
Incident
Sep 10, 2006
Mileage
17,000 mi
Transmission
Filed May 21, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51000. THERE IS A TRANSMISSION DELAY WITH HIS VEHICLE THAT IS CONSTANT, AND OCCURS WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 6-10 MPH. THE DEALER CALLED IT HUNTING FOR A GEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES SINCE A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM; HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10191377
Incident
May 21, 2007
Mileage
700 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 12, 2007

2005 SIENNA LE AUTO TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY AT SLOWING / LOW SPEEDS. FEELS LIKE SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL AT TIMES. HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER EVERY 5,000 MILE OIL CHANGE WITH SAME ANSWER - NOTHING FOUND. *JB

NHTSA ID
10182383
Incident
Jun 16, 2005
Mileage
1,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 4, 2007

TOYOTA 2005 SIENNA MINI VAN XLE FWD - ACCELERATING FROM LOW SPEED ROLL (AROUND 5 TO 10 MPH) THE CAR ESSENTIALLY EXPERIENCES A STALLING CONDITION WHERE IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE FOR A FEW SECONDS. MORE GAS PEDAL DEPRESSION RESULTS IN A SUDDEN OCCASIONALLY ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION. *NM

NHTSA ID
10177782
Incident
Mar 19, 2005
Mileage
5 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 26, 2006

HESITATION WHEN DOWNSHIFTING TO 1ST, THEN WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE IT FEELS AS IF NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN SO YOU GIVE IT MORE ACCELERATOR AND THEN IT ACCELERATES TOO FAST, MOSTLY NOTICEABLE AS YOU TURN A CORNER. *NM

NHTSA ID
10177006
Incident
Oct 16, 2006
Mileage
4,000 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Sep 14, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD DIFFICULTY SWITCHING GEARS AND CAUSED ACCELERATION ISSUES. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ADJUSTED TO THE DRIVER AND THIS WAS A NORMAL FUNCTION. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THE GEARS DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. UPDATED 10/18/2006 - THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHEN PICKING UP SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER FOUND CODE FOR EVAP PURGE VALVE. THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THE VACUUM LINES OFF AT INTAKE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10168289
Incident
Sep 10, 2006
Mileage
43,700 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 17, 2006

I HAVE A 2005 SIENNA .SINCE I BOUGHT IT , TRANSMISSION IS JERKY, STICKY,JUMPY AND ERRATIC TRANSMISSION MOVEMENT WHEN YOU SUDDENLY STOP AND TRY PROCEED. VISITED DEALER FOUR TIMES RECALIBRATED TWICE. NOW NOT ONLY ORIGINAL PROBLEMS PERSIST IN ADDITION TRANSMISSION SHIFTS MAKE A LOUD NOISE.

NHTSA ID
10165763
Incident
Jun 8, 2005
Mileage
3,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 28, 2006

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAR COULD NOT BE MOVED OUT OF TRAFFIC. *JB

NHTSA ID
10163783
Incident
Jul 26, 2006
Mileage
27,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 24, 2006

AS WE EXITED THE DEALERSHIP AFTER PURCHASING THE 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO SLIP AS IT DOWNSHIFTED INTO A SLOW TURN. THIS HAPPENED SO MANY TIMES WITH VARIOUS DRIVERS THAT WE CONTACTED THE DEALER. SOME FIVE TRIPS AND WEEKS WITHOUT OUR VEHICLE, THE DEALER COULDN'T FIX IT. THEY ALSO EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AND WOULD CONTACT THE TOYOTA REP. MORE VISITS AND CALLS AND NO REPAIR. THE DEALER SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS GETTING USED TO THE PRIMARY DRIVER. DEALER SEEMED TO DOUBT OUR CREDIBILITY, BUT HAS AGREED TO EITHER FIX IT OR "CONVINCE US THAT THIS IS THE WAY A 2005 SIENNA VAN DRIVES." AFTER READING THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS JUST LIKE OURS, I DOUBT THAT TOYOTA CAN FIX THIS. COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED AND FLUID CHANGED--MADE IT WORSE. WE GIVE UP. WE NOTE THAT THE 2006 SIENNA HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10163358
Incident
Jul 24, 2006
Mileage
100 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 1, 2006

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 5-10 MPH, VAN HESITATES AND THEN JERKS FORWARD TRYING TO FIND CORRECT GEAR OR CATCH UP. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS ON SNOW/ICE. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER 3 TIMES AND WAS TOLD ALL OF TOYOTA'S 5-SPEED TRANSMISSIONS DO THIS AND MY SIENNA WASN'T AS BAD AS OTHERS. THE DEALERSHIP DID REPROGRAM COMPUTER AND I COULD TELL NO DIFFERENCE. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD OR /WOULD DO. I COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND STILL GOT NOWHERE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10161198
Incident
Jun 25, 2006
Mileage
15,000 mi
Transmission
Filed May 5, 2006

ON MY 2005 SIENNA XLE LIMITED AWD, I HAVE NOTICED AT 50+ MILES AN HOUR INTERSTATE OR EVEN DOWNHILL) THAT THE CAR FEELS LIKE THERE IS EXCESSIVE ROLLING RESISTANCE, AND IF I DON;T ACCELERATE, VERY SOON IT DOWNSHIFTS (HAVE NOTICED THIS EVEN ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE AT 45 MILES A HOUR). SERVICE ADVISOR SAID ALL TOYOTA CARS AS DESIGNED TO DOWNSHIFT AS SOON AS YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT FROM THE PEDAL (SOMETHING WHICH SOUNDS VERY STRANGE TO ME, SINCE I'M DRIVING OTHER MAKES AND MODELS AS WELL). SEEMS THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT TUNED WELL. ON A SEPARATE MATTER, I NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE FOR A FEW SECONDS WHEN I PUSH THE ACCELERATOR A BIT HARDER AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS WHEN I NEED TO MERGE INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC FROM A SIDE ROAD. IT ALSO HAPPENED WHEN I NEEDED TO CHANGE THE LANES FROM A VERY SLOW MOVING LANE TO ONE WHERE I NEEDED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. AGAIN, SOMETHING FEELS WRONG ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION. *NM

NHTSA ID
10156828
Incident
Mar 14, 2006
Transmission
Filed Feb 13, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15MPH OR LESS, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. ALTHOUGH THE GEARSHIFT WAS NOT VISIBLY SEEN CHANGING GEARS, THE VEHICLE WAS PHYSICALLY FELT SHIFTING DOWN AND LOOSING MOMENTUM. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY THE LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10150109
Incident
Feb 13, 2006
Mileage
11,500 mi
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Oct 5, 2005

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE VEHICLE HAS SEVERE HESITATION, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ON A WET ROAD OR ON A SNOWY ROAD. GAS PEDAL AND TRANSMISSION DO NOT SEEM TO CONNECT. NO CRASHES. NO POLICE REPORTS. NO FIRES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO TOYOTA DEALER 5 TIMES; THE MECHANIC CAME BACK AND SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. *AK (11/08/05) THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT VERY HARSH ON TURNS AND ON HILLS. THE SERVICE DEALER PLACED AN UPGRADED COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE BUT THE PROBLEM WORSENED. *SC

NHTSA ID
10138711
Incident
Jun 30, 2005
Mileage
4,585 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 3, 2005

WE HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA SIENNA, LOVE THE VEHICLE, BUT DISCOVERED A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM. THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER CAN BE ACCIDENTALLY EASILY KNOCKED FROM 4TH GEAR( NOT IN OVERDRIVE) STRAIGHT INTO REVERSE. MY DEALERS SERVICE DEPT. CHECKED THIS OUT AND CONCLUDED SURPRISINGLY THAT IT CAN BE DONE BUT SAID THAT ALL TOYOTA MODELS WITH SIMILAR SHIFTS THAT THEY CHECKED WERE THE SAME WAY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10112485
Incident
Feb 6, 2005
Transmission
Filed Feb 21, 2005

HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING. PARTICULARLY WHEN ALREADY ROLLING AT LESS THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR.

NHTSA ID
10111917
Incident
Feb 14, 2005

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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