The 2009 Toyota Sienna has 5 recalls, the most serious including a transmission shift lock failure that lets the gear lever move out of Park without the brake pedal pressed, which can cause the vehicle to roll away or back over someone unexpectedly.
Two recalls share a related structural concern: the cable holding the spare tire under the vehicle can corrode from road salt exposure and snap, sending the spare tire onto the road and into traffic. These recalls apply to vehicles registered or originally sold in certain northern and mid-Atlantic states where road salt is common. On the interior side, certain vehicles equipped with aftermarket seat heaters have a copper heating element that can short circuit if damaged, raising the risk of a fire in the seat. This recall originates from Southeast Toyota Distributors and covers vehicles sold through that regional distributor.