Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Toyota Sienna submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
ON DRY PAVEMENT DRIVING ABOUT 35-40 MILES AN HOUR THE VSC TRACTION SENSOR CAME ON LIGHTS AND SOUND AND HIT MY BRAKES MY STEERING WENT TO THE RIGHT I ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. *TR
UNEXPECTED ACCELARATION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK;LOW SPEED, BARELY MOVING. THE VEHICLE(2009 TOYOTA SIENNA LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT A PARKED VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGED TO THE SIENNA AND THE PARKED VEHICLE.
I WAS DRIVING MY SIENNA ON A 2 LANE TOWN ROAD AND WITHOUT WARNING SMELLED SMOKE. AS I WAS PULLING OVER CARS IN THE ONCOMING LANE WERE HONKING AT ME AS THEY SAW THE FIRE UNDERNEATH WHERE THE ENGINE IS. WHEN I PULLED OVER SMOKE ENTERED INTO THE CAR. I STEPPED OUT, HEARD A POP, AND NOW THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS FULL ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON SCENE QUICKLY AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. I FILED AN INCIDENT REPORT WITH TOYOTA. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A MAN SAYING HE WAS HIRED BY TOYOTA TO INVESTIGATE THE FIRE AND REPORT BACK TO THEM. TO DATE, I HAVE RECEIVED ZERO COMMUNICATION FROM ANYONE AT TOYOTA REGARDING THIS SERIOUS MATTER.
TAKATA RECALL ! I WAS DRIVING TOYOTA SIENNA ON LOCAL STREET IN BOCA RATON WHEN CAR HAD UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION. CAR STRUCK A TREE WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO REACT. I HAD AIRBAGS STUFFING IN MY LUNGS WITH CONTUSION AND IN MY INTESTINES. MY SON HAD A BAD CONTUSION ON RIGHT SIDE FROM SIDE AIRBAG. MY WIFE HAD TO SPEND 17 DAYS IN A HOSPITAL BECAUSE CONTUSION ON LUNGS AND MULTIPLE BONES. THE FORCE NOT HER OUT OF HER SEAT ON FLOOR. HER SEAT BELT CUT INTO HER ABDOMEN. SHE ALMOST DIED FROM INJURIES AND INCOMPETENT MEDICAL CARE. MY DAUGHTER WAS SAVED FROM SEVERE INJURY BECAUSE THE SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT FUNCTION. THIS WAS A TERRIBLE HOLIDAY GIFT. *TR
AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES, A JERKING CAN BE FELT, AND SHORTLY THE CHECK ENGINE, VSC, AND TRAK LIGHTS COME ON. CONTINUED DRIVING SOMETIMES RESULTS IN JERKING AND/OR LOSS OF ACCELERATION, INCLUDING LOSS OF VEHICLE MOVEMENT CONTROL. THE LOSS OF ACCELERATION TYPICALLY OCCURS DURING A TURN OR IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC. THE SITUATION HAS OCCURRED TO A LESSER DEGREE IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WHEN PASSING OTHER VEHICLES. ANY OF THESE SITUATIONS IS OF CONCERN, BUT ESPECIALLY THE LOSS OF ACCELERATION BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR OTHER VEHICLES TO CRASH IN TO US. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON VARIOUS DATES OVER THE LAST APPROXIMATELY SIX (6) MONTHS. HAVE HAD COMMUNICATION WITH OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, TOYOTA CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND A NON-TOYOTA AUTO REPAIR SHOP; ALL TO NO AVAIL. NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM AND HOW TO FIX IT FOR SURE.
ON 12/25/14 THE TOYOTA SIENNA HAD UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION AND HIT A TREE AT 31 MPH. MY WIFE AND SON HAD RIGHT SIDE LUNG CONTUSIONS. MY WIFE HAD AN OPEN WOUND FROM THE SEAT BELT. SINCE SHE WAS RESTRAINED THAT WELL SHE HAD A BROKEN LEFT LEG AND A RIGHT CLAVICLE FRACTURE THAT REQUIRED SURGERIES. MY WIFE ALMOST DIED IN DELRAY BEACH MEDICAL CENTER DUE TO BLOOD LOSS AND POOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. WE KNOW THE SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK WELL BECAUSE THE REST OF US WERE ABLE TO WALK AWAY FROM THE CRASH. MY WIFE IS STILL SUFFERING AND REALIZED FROM THE AMERICAN COUNCIL SAFETY LESSONS THAT HER SEAT BELT DID NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY AND THE SIDE BAGS ARE DANGEROUS. *TR
GEICO CLAIM NUMBER: [XXX]FEBRUARY 7, 2011 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: NOTE, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'M FILING TO UPDATE MY ADDRESS. ON OCTOBER 18, 2010 MY 2009 TOYOTA SIENNA DASHBOARD VSC (VARIABLE SKID CONTROL)/OFF TRACK AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK MY VAN IN FOR SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALERSHIP MADE REPAIRS THAT WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND ASSURED ME THAT THE VAN WAS SAFE TO DRIVE (A COPY OF THE INVOICE FROM THAT SERVICE IS ATTACHED FOR YOUR REFERENCE). ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010, THE SAME VSC/OFF TRACK AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AGAIN. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, I WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT HAVE AVAILABILITY UNTIL NOVEMBER 30, 2010. SERVICE ADVISOR ASSURED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, AS LONG AS I STAYED IN TOWN, AND WASN'T PLANNING ON TAKING THE CAR ON ANY LONG TRIPS. HOWEVER, I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO RETURN MY VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE ON NOVEMBER 29, 2010 IT STARTED TO MAKE UNUSUALLY LOUD NOISES AND ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY. NATURALLY, I ATTEMPTED TO STOP BY BRAKING, BUT THE BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL. I TRIED AGAIN AND AGAIN TO BRAKE, BUT TO MY DISAPPOINTMENT THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOTHING, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I PUMPED IT. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ANY PEDESTRIANS OR CARS BY STEERING UP THE CURB AND INTO A LAMPPOST. THE VAN CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY UNTIL IT FINALLY CAME TO REST ON THE STEPS OF THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WE WERE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE AT THE HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE WALMART. THE VAN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, THEN THE BRAKES FAILED. NO AMOUNT OF PRESSURE WOULD STOP THE VAN. WE STOPPED BY HITTING A PARKED CAR, DOING SOME DAMAGE TO IT. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE THE EXTERIOR REPAIRED. WE WERE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. AFTER BEING REPAIRED, WE HAD IT TOWED TO LANDER'S IN LITTLE ROCK WHERE IT WAS PRONOUNCED SAFE TO DRIVE. A FEW WEEKS LATER WE SOLD IT AND BOUGHT A 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN. (AN ACCIDENT REPORT WILL FOLLOW ON THE 2011 TOYOTA VAN VIN#[XXX]) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A DAYCARE PARKING SPACE WITH OUR TWO KIDS, GOING 3 MPH (ACCORDING TO BLACK BOX READINGS) WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB, HIT A RETAINING WALL HARD ENOUGH TO THROW IT BACKWARDS AND GET STUCK IN A SNOWBANK (LUCKILY), WHERE THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED. MY WIFE WAS FLOORING THE BRAKE THE WHOLE TIME, WITH NO EFFECT. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA, WHO SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR WHO INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND ACCELERATOR. WEEKS LATER WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT SAYING THE INSPECTOR FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR, AND SINCE THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER THEY CAN DO. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAID THEY FOLLOW TOYOTA'S ORDERS, SO THEY CANNOT HELP EITHER. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SELL THIS AS I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT. *TR
ON JULY 29, 2010 AT 5PM MY WIFE PARKED HER CAR IN FRONT MY HOUSE ON COLESVILLE ROAD, FACING THE ROAD APPROXIMATELY 23 FEET FROM THE SIDEWALK AND 30 FEET FROM THE STREET. I HAD BEEN ASKED BY MY WIFE TO DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT. WE CLOSED THE DOORS, PUT ON THE SEAT BELTS, PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND SHIFTED THE GEAR SHAFT TO DRIVE. THEN I RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE, THE CAR START ROLLING SLOWLY BY THE TIME I WAS MOVING MY FOOT TO THE GASOLINE PEDAL GENTLY, THE CAR KEPT ROLLING , THE GAS PEDAL FAILED TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE. I PUT MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE BRAKE FAILED COMPLETELY. I TRIED TO PUMP THE BREAK TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT SUCCESS. SUDDENLY, I FOUND MY SELF ENTERING THE BUSY STREET AND CARS RUSHING TOWARD ME. TRYING TO TURN RIGHT AND PUSH THE GASOLINE PEDALTO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC, THE CAR KEPT ROLLING SLOWLY AND THE CAR NEVER ACCELERATED. "THE GAS PEDAL FAILED TO ACCELERATE AS THERE WAS NO GAS PEDAL". UNTIL I REACHED THE RIGHT LANE FROM THE SECOND LANE, I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL THE CAR SLOWED AND PUSHED THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP. THEN I CHANGING TRANSMISSION TO THE PARKING POSITION. THE WHOLE TRAFFIC STOPPED, THEN I TRIED AGAIN TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION TO DRIVE AND PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL WHICH RESUMED ITS FUNCTION AND THE BRAKE TOO. WHEN I ENTERED COLESVILLE ROAD THE TRAFFIC WAS RUSHING, SPECIALLY ON THE FIRST LANE WHERE FIRST LANE CAR APPROACHING MY CAR, THE DRIVER STARTED HONKING AND SWERVED DRASTICALLY AROUND MY CAR TO THE SECOND AND THIRD LANE TO AVOID HITTING ME. THE FOLLOWING CARS AND THE WHOLE TRAFFIC STOPPED UNTIL I MOVED TO THE FIRST LANE AND RESUMED MOVING. IT WAS A HORRIBLE AND SCARY EXPERIENCE WITH MY WIFE AND THE TWO YEARS GRANDDAUGHTER SCREAMING AND PANICKING. I CALLED THE DEALER, THE ONLY ADVISE I GOT WAS TO GET AN APPOINTMENT AND LOOK AT THE CAR. TONIGHT I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. *TR
WE RECENTLY BOUGHT TOYOTA SIENNA LIMITED 2WD. THE VAN STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AT A LOWER SPEED (FROM 10 TO 35 MPH). IN ADDITION, THE VAN MAINTAINS ITS SPEED WITHOUT USING A CRUISE CONTROL. FURTHERMORE, WHEN THE VAN IS STARTED, THE IDEAL IS VERY HIGH LIKE SOMEONE IS PUSHING ON THE GAS. WE TRIED TO CONTACT THE DEALER IN HICKORY, NC; HOWEVER, NOBODY HAS CONTACTED US BACK TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. *TR
OUR 2009 SIENNA MAY HAVE HAD A SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. WHEN THE CAR WAS PUT INTO REVERSE, A SUDDEN ACCELERATION SENT IT DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY. SITUATION: PULLING INTO THE CARPORT, WHICH INVOLVES A 90 DEGREE TURN AT THE TOP OF A SHORT (10M) STEEP NARROW WALLED EASEMENT, THE DRIVER OF THE SIENNA COULD NOT MAKE THE TURN IN ONE MOTION AND WAS REQUIRED TO PUT THE SIENNA IN REVERSE AT WHICH TIME THE MINIVAN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, SQUEALING ITS WHEELS. THE RESULT WAS A 5M CAREEN DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE RESULT WAS ABOUT $4,000 BODY DAMAGE, BUT NO INJURY TO THE DRIVER OR MY 2YR OLD DAUGHTER - ALTHOUGH ALL WERE SHAKEN. WE HAVE SINCE GOT RID OF THE CAR - TRADED IT FOR A 2010 HIGHLANDER. *TR
IN NOVEMBER 2009 WHILE PARKING MY CAR IN STORE PARKING, MY FOOT WAS ON BRAKE MY CAR ACCELERATED, SUDDENLY JUMPED ON THE 1 FOOT HIGH FOOTPATH AND CRASHED INTO THE STORE INJURING FEW PEOPLE. NOTHING WORKED EVEN BRAKES JAMMED. I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA AND THEY SENT ME LETTER AFTER 30 DAYS THAT THEY HAVE FOUND NOTHING AND TOYOTA DEALER WAS NOT READY TO TAKE ANY PART IN RESOLVING THE PROBLEM. THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ME RENTAL VEHICLE AND I HAD TO PAY ONE MONTH OF RENTAL CAR AS WELL. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAIN TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IN THIS REGARDS. THANK YOU *TR
IN APRIL 2009 THE ACCELERATOR STUCK ON MY 2009 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN. THE DEALER FAILED TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND NEITHER THE DEALER NOR TOYOTA HAS MADE ANY PROGRESS TO RESOLVING. NOW I SEE WHERE A VAST NUMBER OF OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES ARE SIMILARLY PLAGUED AND MY CONFIDENCE IN THE SIENNA IS FURTHER ERODED. PLEASE HELP! TW*
ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO PASS A LARGE TRUCK AND VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL. TRIED TO BRAKE AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. APPLIED FOOT BRAKE AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. SPEED MAY HAVE INCREASED TO APPROX 70-80 MPH. SPEEDOMETER SHOW APPROX 45 MPH. UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE. IT WAS AS IF THE MOTOR HAD STOPPED AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. AFTER HITTING 2-3 VEHICLES AND THEN THE RIGHT LANE BRIDGE WALL THE FRONT TIRE AND STEERING ASSEMBLY BENT INWARD ND THAT CAUSED THE VAN TO STOP. THAT GOD THAT NOONE WAS INJURED BUT SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG. I'VE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN SIENNA VANS AND THIS NEED MUCH ATTENTION. *TR
ON AN EARLY SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2009 TRIP TO THE AIRPORT THE CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHILE ACCELERATING AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL OR BY PULLING THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER (LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN) TOWARDS THE DRIVER. I HAD JUST GONE THROUGH AN AUTOMATIC TOLLGATE IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AND BEGAN ACCELERATING (AND PROBABLY HIT THE 'RESUME' FEATURE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER) IN ORDER TO GET IMMEDIATELY OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE TO EXIT. WITHIN SECONDS I WAS UP TO AN ADEQUATE SPEED AND TOUCHED THE BRAKE. THE CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING. I PRESSED THE BRAKE MORE FIRMLY AND PULLED THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER TOWARDS ME. NEITHER ACTION DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND POINT THE CAR TOWARDS THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I THEN PUSHED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND THE CAR ENGINE SLOWED DOWN, THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED. ON MY RETURN TRIP I TRIED TO DUPLICATE THE ACTIONS WHICH PRECEDED THE PROBLEM BUT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. (I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 5600 MILES AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED.) THE SAME DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO A LARGE TOYOTA DEALER. THEY DROVE THE CAR SEVERAL MILES AND DID NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM OCCUR. SO THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY COULD ONLY FIX A PROBLEM IF THEY COULD EXPERIENCE IT. AND, THEY SUGGESTED I TAKE THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT SOLD IT TO ME. LATER THE SAME DAY I DID RETURN THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT SOLD IT TO ME. THEY WERE GOOD LISTENERS AND KEPT THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS OF DRIVING, DIAGNOSTICS, AND PHONE CALLS TO TOYOTA. BUT, IN THE END THEY TOO, COULD NOT LOCATE A PROBLEM AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME UNCHANGED. MY CONFIDENCE IN THIS VEHICLE IS GREATLY DIMINISHED. WHILE I WAS SUCCESSFUL IN DISENGAGING THE ACCELERATING CRUISE CONTROL BY PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO DEPEND ON THAT ESPECIALLY IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC SITUATION. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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