YearToAvoid

2009 Toyota Sienna Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

80/100

#4 most-complained of 16 Sienna years

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

The 2009 Toyota Sienna has 207 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 80 out of 100 — #4 highest of 16 Sienna model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is structure & body (100 complaints, 48% of the total). Complaints report 15 crashes, 3 fires, and 49 injuries.

Complaints
207
Recalls
10
Crashes / fires
15 / 3
Injuries / deaths
49 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18.5
16.5 city / 22 hwy

Top 2009 Toyota Sienna problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body100 (48%)
  2. Other40 (19%)
  3. Electrical System29 (14%)
  4. Engine26 (13%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (9%)
  6. Airbags14 (7%)
  7. Steering12 (6%)
  8. Brakes10 (5%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain6 (3%)
  10. Fuel System3 (1%)
2009 Toyota Sienna complaints: complaints filed per quarter152009 Q12011 Q12013 Q12014 Q42016 Q32018 Q22020 Q4
263 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q1 to 2026 Q1; peak 2015 Q2 (15).

2009 Toyota Sienna recalls

10 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 10 recalls for the 2009 Toyota Sienna →

2009 Toyota Sienna fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 MPG
Highway
22 MPG
Combined
18.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,500
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.

2009 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
2007Caution673641018.5
2008Caution73429918.5
2009Avoid802071018.5
2010Good47172818.5
2011Avoid876141420

All Toyota Sienna years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Toyota Sienna a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Toyota Sienna ranks #4 of 16 among Sienna model years (Complaint Index 80/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 207 complaints and 10 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota Sienna?
The most reported problem areas are structure & body (100 complaints), electrical system (29 complaints), and engine (26 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 84,425 miles.
Does the 2009 Toyota Sienna have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2009 Toyota Sienna, most recently reported 2017, covering transmission & powertrain, structure & body, suspension, wheels & tires, and other.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Toyota Sienna?
EPA rates the 2009 Toyota Sienna at 18.5 MPG combined (16.5 city / 22 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,500. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.