YearToAvoid

2006 Toyota Sienna Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2006 Toyota Sienna carries a complaint index of 93, the second-highest of all 16 model years, and NHTSA lists 1,017 complaints and 11 recalls tied to it. It ranks Avoid based on owner complaints and recalls, driven mostly by airbags and structural issues.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
93/100
#2 of 16 Sienna years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
1,017
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
11
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
37
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
53
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2016
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 22.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
53 / 1

Top 2006 Toyota Sienna problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags307 (30%)
  2. Structure & Body299 (29%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires132 (13%)
  4. Brakes96 (9%)
  5. Electrical System89 (9%)
  6. Other67 (7%)
  7. Engine65 (6%)
  8. Steering61 (6%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain40 (4%)
  10. Seat Belts38 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration while parking or slowing down, sometimes ending in a crash into fixed objects.
  • Several reports describe brakes that suddenly fail to slow the van despite firm pedal pressure, sometimes tied to ABS or VSC warnings.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal collisions, including one where the steering wheel panel separated without inflation.
  • A seat belt is reported to have unbuckled during a side-impact collision, allowing the occupant to be thrown into the door.
  • One report describes a rollover at low speed that caused roof and structural failure with a fatal injury to the driver.
2006 Toyota Sienna complaints: complaints filed per quarter582005 Q42008 Q22010 Q42013 Q22015 Q42018 Q22020 Q42023 Q4
1,017 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (58).

2006 Toyota Sienna recalls

11 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  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 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

  3. NHTSA 14V743000Nov 19, 2014Structure & Body3,233 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

    Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

See all 11 recalls for the 2006 Toyota Sienna →

2006 Toyota Sienna fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
22.5 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Sienna years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid1001,1301218.5
2006Avoid931,0171118
2007Caution673641018.5
2008Caution73429918.5

All Toyota Sienna years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Toyota Sienna reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2006 Sienna has a complaint index of 93, the second-worst among all 16 Sienna model years, so it ranks Avoid relative to other years.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Toyota Sienna?
NHTSA complaints are led by airbags (307 complaints, 30% share) and structure & body issues (299 complaints, 29% share), followed by suspension, brakes, and electrical system complaints.
Does the 2006 Toyota Sienna have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2006 Sienna, covering areas including transmission shift lock, structural seat heaters, suspension, and tire labeling; none are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2006 Sienna compare to other model years?
Its complaint index of 93 is second only to 2005's index of 100, both rated Avoid, while newer years like 2018, 2019, and 2020 earn Best verdicts with indexes of 13, 7, and 0.
What mileage do 2006 Sienna problems typically show up at?
The median mileage at failure across all complaints is 71,000 miles, with airbag issues at 74,000 miles and brake issues at a higher 120,000 miles.

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.