YearToAvoid

2005 Toyota Sienna Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 48 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Toyota Sienna, 4% of all 1,130 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 16 Sienna model years. These complaints report 4 crashes and 1 injury. Median mileage at failure: 75,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
48
4% of 1,130
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
75,000 mi
Related recalls
2

When 2005 Toyota Sienna transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 21, 2005, latest Mar 15, 2023.

2005 Toyota Sienna transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month3Feb 2005Aug 2006Nov 2007Dec 2011Jun 2014Apr 2016Jul 2018Mar 2023
48 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2005 to Mar 2023; peak Jul 2006 (3).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Toyota Sienna

  1. NHTSA 17V657000Oct 18, 2017Transmission & Powertrain310,475 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2005-2007 and 2009-2010 Toyota Sienna vehicles. In the affected vehicles, due to a problem within the shift lock assembly, the shift lever may be moved out of the 'Park' position without depressing the brake pedal.

    Risk: If the shift lever can be moved from the "Park" position without depressing the brake pedal and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid and reapply the grease, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0V. Vehicles that were previously recalled under campaign 13V-429 are not affected by this recall.

  2. NHTSA 13V429000Sep 26, 2013Transmission & Powertrain614,722 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Sienna vehicles manufactured January 10, 2003, through August 10, 2005; and model year 2007-2009 Sienna vehicles manufactured February 20, 2007, through December 12, 2008. In the affected vehicles, due to a problem within the shift lock solenoid, there is a possibility that the shift lever could be moved out of Park position without depressing the brake pedal.

    Risk: If the shift lever is moved out of the Park position without the brake applied, the transmission will either engage a drive gear or Neutral, increasing the risk of a backover or roll away crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will mail interim notifications to owners beginning in late October 2013. When parts are available, owners will be sent a second notice and dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Sienna model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200548 (4%)
  2. 200640 (4%)
  3. 200731 (9%)
  4. 200838 (9%)
  5. 20096 (3%)
  6. 201017 (10%)
  7. 201130 (5%)
  8. 201217 (7%)
  9. 201314 (8%)
  10. 20147 (4%)
  11. 201512 (5%)
  12. 20163 (4%)
  13. 201737 (24%)
  14. 201820 (28%)
  15. 20197 (16%)
  16. 20208 (21%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Toyota Sienna have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 48 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Toyota Sienna, 4% of all complaints for this model year, including 4 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 75,000 miles.
Which Toyota Sienna year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2005 Toyota Sienna has the most transmission complaints (48), compared with 48 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Toyota Sienna?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for the 2005 Toyota Sienna concern the transmission: 17V657000 and 13V429000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.