NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 13 recalls, 609 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2011 Toyota Sienna.
18 mpg combined
13.1 L/100km
Minivan - 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
For the 2011 Sienna, the two heaviest complaint areas are airbags and structure. On the airbag side, owners most commonly describe the airbag warning light illuminating intermittently, sometimes clearing on its own after a restart, with the underlying system showing no obvious trigger. The structural complaints center heavily on the power sliding doors, where owners report the cable mechanism snapping, doors failing to open fully, or the automatic function stopping working entirely, leaving doors operable only by hand. Electrical complaints, while lower in volume, include warning lights for ABS, stability control, and tire pressure appearing together, often without a clear triggering fault. The sliding door cable failure pattern stands out because multiple owners describe both sides eventually failing, with the door sometimes binding or not fully opening after the cable breaks.
609
Total Complaints
34
Crash-Related
7
Fire-Related
24
With Injuries
By System
The 2011 Toyota Sienna has 13 recalls, the most serious being a Takata passenger-side airbag inflator that can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
A related inflator issue covers vehicles in high-humidity states and territories, where the same rupture risk applies. On the drivetrain side, the front right driveshaft can break without warning, cutting power while driving. Certain vehicles equipped with aftermarket heated seats face a fire risk if the copper heating element short-circuits. The spare tire carrier cable can corrode from road salt exposure and drop the spare onto the road.
Two related brake recalls involve the stop lamp switch bracket sitting close to the parking brake pedal: a driver's foot can damage the bracket, causing brake drag, noise, and reduced braking. The power sliding door has its own set of concerns: if the door is frozen or obstructed, the motor can stall, and once the obstruction clears, the door may swing open unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving.
Two recalls address a tire placard that shows incorrect cargo and passenger weight limits, which can lead to tire overloading. There is also a recall for second-row child seat anchor location markers that may be positioned slightly outside the required placement zone.
At a glance
What can fail
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Driver or passenger front airbag inflators previously replaced under an earlier recall may explode due to propellant breakdown after prolonged exposure to humidity, high temperature, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the affected front airbag inflator, assembly, or sub-assembly depending on vehicle model.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to high humidity, temperature, and temperature cycling.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator or air bag assembly depending on your vehicle model.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The power sliding door may freeze shut and become unable to open when commanded. Once thawed or unfrozen, the door could open unexpectedly, potentially while the vehicle is moving.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the junction block, rear sliding door wire harnesses, and install two sub wire harnesses at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When ice or obstruction blocks a power sliding door, the motor can stall and draw excessive current, tripping the door's circuit breaker. If the latch is unlatched when this happens, the door may open while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the junction block and rear sliding door wire harnesses with updated versions and install two sub-harnesses to connect them.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The electrical wiring in aftermarket seat heaters with copper strand heating elements can be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed, potentially causing electrical issues.
What the fix does
Dealers will disconnect the seat heaters at no charge and refund the purchase price of the accessory.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown after long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator or entire air bag assembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The cable attaching the spare tire carrier under the vehicle may corrode from road salt exposure in certain regions, potentially causing the spare tire to become insecure.
What the fix does
Dealers will relocate the spare tire to the luggage compartment and replace the spare tire carrier assembly with an improved version, free of charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The vehicle capacity weight placard does not display the correct rated load for the combined weight of cargo and passengers.
What the fix does
Toyota will mail a corrected placard and revised owner manual information at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Tire and Loading Information label shows incorrect weight limits for occupants and cargo. This could allow the vehicle to be overloaded, reducing handling control and increasing crash risk.
What the fix does
Updated Tire and Loading Information label and owner's manual overlay will be installed. Some owners can choose to remove the trailer hitch or replace tires and rims with Extra Load Tires.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front right drive shaft may break because it did not receive proper heat treatment during manufacturing.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the drive shaft and replace it with a new one if it was not correctly manufactured.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The plastic buttons on second row seatbacks that mark the location of child seat anchor bars may be installed slightly outside the position limits set by safety standards.
What the fix does
Manufacturing process has been updated to ensure buttons are installed within the correct position limits going forward.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The brake stop lamp switch bracket, mounted on the service brake pedal support, can be damaged by the operator's foot when applying the parking brake due to their proximity.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the bracket assembly at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The brake stop lamp switch bracket can be damaged by the parking brake pedal, potentially causing brake lights to stay on or service brakes to partially engage, leading to brake drag, noise, vibration, and reduced braking performance.
What the fix does
The service brake pedal support assembly will be replaced.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
