1999 Toyota Sienna Problems and Recalls (198 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1999 Toyota Sienna is Engine (18% of 198 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 198 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 1999 Toyota Sienna?

35 of 198 filings named Engine (18% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Body / frame (35 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1998 has 270 reports on file; this year has 198. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1999 Toyota Sienna

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  4. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 35 complaints · 17.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 14
  • Fires 4
  • Injuries 25
  • Deaths 1
All Toyota Sienna years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 35 of 198 owner complaints (17.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 35 complaints, 17.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 fire reports 35 · 17.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 35 complaints, 17.7% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 35 · 17.7% Steering (STEERING): 17 complaints, 8.6% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 crash reports 17 · 8.6% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 14 complaints, 7.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 14 · 7.1% Tires (TIRES): 13 complaints, 6.6% of reports Tires (TIRES) 2 crash reports 13 · 6.6% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 11 complaints, 5.6% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 11 · 5.6% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 9 complaints, 4.6% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 crash reports 9 · 4.6% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 7 complaints, 3.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 7 · 3.5% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 6 complaints, 3.0% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 5 crash reports 6 · 3.0% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 149 complaints, 75.3% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 8 crash reports 3 fire reports 149 · 75.3% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 35 17.7% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 35 17.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 17 8.6% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 14 7.1% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Tires (TIRES) 13 6.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 11 5.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 9 4.6% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 7 3.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 6 3.0% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 149 75.3% 8 crashes · 3 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 1998; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 1998. 1998-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 1999-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 1999-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2000-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2000-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2000-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2000-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2001-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2001-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2001-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2001-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2002-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2002-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2002-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2002-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2003-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2004-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2004-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2004-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2010-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1998 Oct 2020 Recall campaign 98E035000 ◆ Recall campaign 98E035000 Recall campaign 98V278000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V278000 Recall campaign 10V160000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V160000 Investigation PE99070 ● Investigation PE99070 Investigation DP02004 ● Investigation DP02004
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1998-Q4 Owner reports 1
1999-Q1 Owner reports 1
1999-Q2 Owner reports 7
1999-Q3 Owner reports 11
1999-Q4 Owner reports 10
2000-Q1 Owner reports 10
2000-Q2 Owner reports 2
2000-Q3 Owner reports 9
2000-Q4 Owner reports 7
2001-Q1 Owner reports 8
2001-Q2 Owner reports 9
2001-Q3 Owner reports 4
2001-Q4 Owner reports 7
2002-Q1 Owner reports 6
2002-Q2 Owner reports 6
2002-Q3 Owner reports 5
2002-Q4 Owner reports 5
2003-Q1 Owner reports 4
2003-Q2 Owner reports 3
2003-Q3 Owner reports 4
2003-Q4 Owner reports 3
2004-Q1 Owner reports 14
2004-Q2 Owner reports 4
2004-Q3 Owner reports 2
2004-Q4 Owner reports 4
2005-Q1 Owner reports 2
2005-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q3 Owner reports 4
2005-Q4 Owner reports 2
2006-Q1 Owner reports 1
2006-Q2 Owner reports 1
2006-Q3 Owner reports 3
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 3
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q3 Owner reports 6
2010-Q1 Owner reports 4
2010-Q2 Owner reports 3
2010-Q3 Owner reports 2
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 2
2012-Q1 Owner reports 2
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 98E035000
Recall campaign 1 98V278000
Recall campaign 1 10V160000
Defect investigation 1 PE99070
Defect investigation 1 DP02004
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Electrical.

  1. Recall campaign 10V160000

    Safety recall 10V160000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND THE SPARE TIRE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS WITH AN INTERIM LETTER INITIALLY INSTRUCTING THEM TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED DEALERS TO INSPECT FOR CORROSION. A SECOND NOTICE WILL BE SENT WHEN THE PERMANENT REMEDY IS AVAILABLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE TOYOTA'S AMENDED RECALL REPORT OF JULY 19, 2010. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 98E035000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 98V278000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 198 complaints · page 1 of 8
2020-12-16Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11383773
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE VAN HAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM AT TIMES IT IS HARD TO SLOW IT DOWN EVEN STOP IT. THE PROBLEM MAINLY OCCURS FROM STOP AND GO ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR FEW HOURS.
2016-05-03Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10862745
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE CABLE TO MY DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR SNAPPED, THUS THE DOOR CAN NO LONGER BE OPENED AUTOMATICALLY. THIS DEFECT IS UNDER A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR MODEL YEARS 2004-2007, BUT I HAVE A 2009 MODEL YEAR.
2014-12-10Tires (TIRES)
NHTSA ODI 10663491
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE DRIVING, MY SPARE TIRE FELL FROM UNDERNEATH MY CAR DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CABLES SNAPPED. THE CAR BEHIND ME RAN OVER IT AND I AM NOW BEING CHARGED FOR THE DAMAGES TO THAT PERSON'S CAR. *TR
2014-07-27Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10616686
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE CAR WAS OFF, THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. SHE TOUCHED THE SHIFTER AND IT WENT BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE; THE CAR STARTED ROLLING DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY. SHE DID NOT PRESS THE BRAKE (SHE IS UNABLE TO) BUT THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE. THE VAN HIT A TREE. WE CHECKED AND THE CAR WAS IN BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE. SO, SOMEHOW, THE CAR REVERSED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN PARK, TURNED OFF, AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT TOUCHED. *JS
2014-04-14Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10579610
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE GEARING SHIFTER ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR, WHO STATED THAT THE ENTIRE GEAR SHIFT MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
2014-02-11Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10563840
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 225,000.
2013-01-25Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 10494221
CrashFireInjuryDeath
1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT OF FAULTY TIRE CARRIER REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED IN EARLY 2006, HE NOTICED THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER WAS INOPERABLE, AND APPARENTLY, IT HAD RUSTED IN PLACE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE REPAIR STATION, WHERE THEY REPLACED THE CORRODED SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $300. SOMETIME LATER, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL, REGARDING THE PROBLEM HE PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED. THE CONSUMER THEN SUBMITTED THE PAPERWORK FOR REIMBURSEMENT. HOWEVER, TOYOTA DENIED THE REQUEST, BASED ON THE FACT, THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE THE WORK PERFORMED AT AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SHOWING COMPLETION OF SSC A9E. THE CONSUMER THEN WENT TO AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED. TOYOTA DENIED THE REIMBURSEMENT AGAIN, IN A LETTER WHICH STATED THE REPAIR THAT WAS PERFORMED DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN SSC A9E. UPDATED 02/06/13.
2012-03-09VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
NHTSA ODI 10451011
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE RESPONDED AND CAME TO A STOP. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND RECURRED WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
2012-01-24Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10445006
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BUMPER FAILED. THE BUMPER WAS MADE WITH DEFECTIVE MATERIAL THAT CAUSED THE BUMPER TO CRACK AND DENT EASILY WHEN STRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
2011-02-12Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10381692
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WANT TO REPORT A SCARY INCIDENT OCCURRED YESTERDAY WITH MY MINIVAN. ON 2/11/2011, AT ABOUT 7 AM, I STARTED BY TOYOTA SIENNA TO SEND MY SON TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL, I HEARD STRANGE NOISE. IT SOUNDS LIKE NOT ALL THE CYLINDERS WERE RUNNUNG. THE CAR WAS NOT POWERFUL AS USUAL. I TRIED TO TURN OFF MY VAN, BY TURNING THE KEY TO STOP AND TAKING KEY OUT. THE CAN DID NOT STOP. I INSERTED THE KEY TO START AGAIN, IT STILL HAD THE NOISE. I DROVE MY SON TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL ANY, WHICH IS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY. AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF AT THE SCHOOL, I DROVE BACK TO HOME. WHEN I WAS CLOSE TO MY I SAW THE TEMPERATURE METER WAS MIDWAY. WHEN I GOT TO HOME, I STOPPED MY CAR IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, TOOK THE KEY OUT. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. I OPENED THE HOOD, SAW SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE ENGINE AREA. ALTHOUGH NO FLAME WAS STARTED, I USED MY HOUSE FIRE DISTINGUISHED TO PUT OUT THE SMOKE. THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE CAR DIED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE ON MY DRIVE WAY. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO TOYOTA TODAY. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1999 Toyota Sienna?

Owners named Engine most often — 35 of 198 reports (18%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1999 Toyota Sienna?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1999 Toyota Sienna?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources