Toyota Sienna Best and Worst Years (2005–2020)
Across 2005-2020, the Toyota Sienna years to avoid are 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2011, with complaint indexes of 100, 93, 80, and 87. The best years are 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020, each with a much lower complaint index and fewer recalls.
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.
Avoid 2005Avoid 2006Avoid 2009Avoid 2011Best 2016Best 2018Best 2019Best 2020
- Model years
- 16
- 2005–2020
- NHTSA complaints
- 5,142
- Recall campaigns
- 46
- Crashes reported
- 273
- Fires reported
- 52
- Top problem area
- Structure & Body
Sienna Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Toyota Sienna problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Avoid | 100 | 1,130 | 39 | 8 | 12 | Structure & Body | 18.5 | — |
| 2006 | Avoid | 93 | 1,017 | 37 | 2 | 11 | Airbags | 18 | — |
| 2007 | Caution | 67 | 364 | 29 | 6 | 10 | Structure & Body | 18.5 | — |
| 2008 | Caution | 73 | 429 | 37 | 4 | 9 | Structure & Body | 18.5 | — |
| 2009 | Avoid | 80 | 207 | 15 | 3 | 10 | Structure & Body | 18.5 | — |
| 2010 | Caution | 47 | 172 | 15 | 2 | 8 | Structure & Body | 18.5 | — |
| 2011 | Avoid | 87 | 614 | 34 | 7 | 14 | Airbags | 20 | 4★ |
| 2012 | Caution | 53 | 247 | 10 | 4 | 9 | Airbags | 21 | 4★ |
| 2013 | Good | 33 | 183 | 7 | 1 | 6 | Structure & Body | 21 | 4★ |
| 2014 | Good | 27 | 163 | 6 | 2 | 6 | Structure & Body | 20 | 5★ |
| 2015 | Caution | 60 | 232 | 17 | 7 | 6 | Structure & Body | 20 | 5★ |
| 2016 | Best | 20 | 75 | 7 | 1 | 5 | Structure & Body | 20 | 5★ |
| 2017 | Caution | 40 | 154 | 13 | 4 | 10 | Transmission & Powertrain | 21 | 5★ |
| 2018 | Best | 13 | 72 | 5 | 0 | 7 | Transmission & Powertrain | 21 | 5★ |
| 2019 | Best | 7 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 7 | Fuel System | 21 | 5★ |
| 2020 | Best | 0 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Fuel System | 20.5 | 5★ |
Sienna years to avoid: what went wrong
2005 Toyota Sienna Index 100 · 1,130 complaints · 12 recalls
The 2005 Sienna carries the highest complaint index (100) of any model year and leads with 1,130 total complaints. Structure & Body issues make up 51% of its complaints, with a median failure mileage of 65,000. Owners also reported brake problems with a median mileage of 100,000 and engine trouble around 77,525 miles. NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for this year, including one for a shift lock assembly that could let the shift lever move unexpectedly and another covering seat heaters that could overheat.
2005 structure & body problems →2005 brakes problems →2005 engine problems →
2006 Toyota Sienna Index 93 · 1,017 complaints · 11 recalls
The 2006 Sienna has a complaint index of 93 and 1,017 total complaints. Airbags are the top problem area at 30% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 74,000, followed closely by Structure & Body issues at 29% and 66,000 miles. Suspension, wheels, and tire complaints appeared at a median of 52,500 miles. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns, including the same shift lock solenoid issue and a seat heater recall shared with other Toyota models.
2006 airbags problems →2006 structure & body problems →2006 suspension, wheels & tires problems →
2011 Toyota Sienna Index 87 · 614 complaints · 14 recalls
The 2011 Sienna has a complaint index of 87 from 614 total complaints, the highest recall count of the avoid years at 14 campaigns. Airbags top the list at 34% of complaints with a median failure mileage of 63,500, followed by Structure & Body at 29% and 67,000 miles. NHTSA recalls include front airbag inflator replacements and a power sliding door recall covering wire harnesses that could prevent the door from opening in a crash.
2011 airbags problems →2011 structure & body problems →2011 electrical system problems →
2009 Toyota Sienna Index 80 · 207 complaints · 10 recalls
The 2009 Sienna shows a complaint index of 80 across 207 total complaints. Structure & Body problems dominate at 48% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 78,000. Electrical system issues followed at 14% with a much higher median mileage of 114,500, while engine complaints occurred earlier, at a median of 47,500 miles. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this year, including the shift lock solenoid recall and the seat heater disconnection recall shared across multiple Toyota models.
2009 structure & body problems →2009 electrical system problems →2009 engine problems →
Most common Toyota Sienna problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.
- Structure & Body1,781 (35%)
- Airbags798 (16%)
- Other585 (11%)
- Engine567 (11%)
- Electrical System523 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires508 (10%)
- Brakes428 (8%)
- Transmission & Powertrain335 (7%)
- Steering291 (6%)
- Seat Belts188 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- What Toyota Sienna years should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2011 Toyota Sienna years rank worst, with complaint indexes of 100, 93, 80, and 87 respectively.
- What are the best Toyota Sienna years?
- The 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Sienna earn a Best verdict, with complaint indexes of 20, 13, 7, and 0, the lowest in the lineup.
- Why is the 2005 Toyota Sienna rated worst?
- The 2005 Sienna has the highest complaint index (100) among all years, driven mainly by Structure & Body complaints (51% of its 1,130 total complaints) and 12 recall campaigns.
- Does the Toyota Sienna have airbag problems?
- Airbags are the top problem area for the 2006 and 2011 model years, making up 30% and 34% of complaints for those years, and airbags account for 16% of complaints across all Sienna model years.
- Are any Sienna years capped to Caution despite low complaints?
- Yes. The 2010 and 2017 Sienna have relatively low complaint indexes (47 and 40) but are capped to Caution because of 8 and 10 recall campaigns requiring a dealer visit.