2005 Toyota Sienna Problems: Body / frame (1,088 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2005 Toyota Sienna is Body / frame (41% of 1,088 owner reports). There are 12 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Body / frame — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 1,088 complaints · 12 recalls

What problems show up on the 2005 Toyota Sienna?

442 of 1,088 filings named Body / frame (41% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Seat belts (75 reports).

There are 12 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Body / frame, Transmission / driveline, and Tires. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2004 has 1,990 reports on file; this year has 1,088. 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 2005 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 12 campaigns on file below.
  2. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  3. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  4. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Body / frame. 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: Body / frame 442 complaints · 40.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 39
  • Fires 7
  • Injuries 71
  • Deaths 1
Compare with 2004 →
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 Body / frame (STRUCTURE) appears in 442 of 1,088 owner complaints (40.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 442 complaints, 40.6% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 442 · 40.6% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 75 complaints, 6.9% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 75 · 6.9% Steering (STEERING): 65 complaints, 6.0% of reports Steering (STEERING) 65 · 6.0% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 51 complaints, 4.7% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 18 crash reports 51 · 4.7% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 50 complaints, 4.6% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 9 crash reports 50 · 4.6% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 43 complaints, 4.0% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 4 crash reports 43 · 4.0% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 40 complaints, 3.7% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 40 · 3.7% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 40 complaints, 3.7% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 crash reports 40 · 3.7% Tires (TIRES): 30 complaints, 2.8% of reports Tires (TIRES) 30 · 2.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 679 complaints, 62.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 8 crash reports 1 fire reports 679 · 62.4% 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)
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 442 40.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 75 6.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 65 6.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 51 4.7% 18 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 50 4.6% 9 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 43 4.0% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 40 3.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 40 3.7% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Tires (TIRES) 30 2.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 679 62.4% 8 crashes · 1 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 Jan 2005; the first recall shown was reported in Jul 2005. 2005-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2005-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2005-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2006-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2006-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2006-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2007-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2007-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2007-Q3: 20 owner reports 20 2007-Q4: 20 owner reports 20 2008-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2008-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2008-Q3: 21 owner reports 21 2008-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2009-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2009-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2009-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 2009-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2010-Q1: 68 owner reports 68 2010-Q2: 39 owner reports 39 2010-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 2010-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2011-Q1: 42 owner reports 42 2011-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2011-Q3: 37 owner reports 37 2011-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2012-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2012-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 2012-Q3: 34 owner reports 34 2012-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2013-Q3: 34 owner reports 34 2013-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2014-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2014-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2014-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2014-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2015-Q1: 24 owner reports 24 2015-Q2: 20 owner reports 20 2015-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2015-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2016-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2016-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2016-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2016-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2017-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2017-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2017-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2018-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2018-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2019-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2020-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2005 Apr 2024 Recall campaign 05V327000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V327000 Recall campaign 08V244000 ◆ Recall campaign 08V244000 Recall campaign 09V234000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V234000 Recall campaign 10V035000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V035000 Recall campaign 10V036000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V036000 Recall campaign 10V160000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V160000 Recall campaign 11V539000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V539000 Recall campaign 13V429000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V429000 Recall campaign 14V273000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V273000 Recall campaign 14V743000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V743000 Recall campaign 16V396000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V396000 Recall campaign 17V657000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V657000 Investigation EA05010 ● Investigation EA05010 Investigation PE06010 ● Investigation PE06010 Investigation PE06029 ● Investigation PE06029 Investigation EA06020 ● Investigation EA06020 Investigation EA08024 ● Investigation EA08024 Investigation EQ12010 ● Investigation EQ12010
  • Campaign 08V244000 was reported 1,070 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09V234000 was reported 1,633 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V035000 was reported 1,856 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V036000 was reported 1,856 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 13V429000 was reported 3,139 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V273000 was reported 3,259 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V743000 was reported 3,606 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V396000 was reported 4,167 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V657000 was reported 4,622 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2005-Q1 Owner reports 7
2005-Q2 Owner reports 10
2005-Q3 Owner reports 14
2005-Q4 Owner reports 5
2006-Q1 Owner reports 9
2006-Q2 Owner reports 12
2006-Q3 Owner reports 18
2006-Q4 Owner reports 10
2007-Q1 Owner reports 13
2007-Q2 Owner reports 9
2007-Q3 Owner reports 20
2007-Q4 Owner reports 20
2008-Q1 Owner reports 17
2008-Q2 Owner reports 15
2008-Q3 Owner reports 21
2008-Q4 Owner reports 16
2009-Q1 Owner reports 25
2009-Q2 Owner reports 23
2009-Q3 Owner reports 31
2009-Q4 Owner reports 19
2010-Q1 Owner reports 68
2010-Q2 Owner reports 39
2010-Q3 Owner reports 31
2010-Q4 Owner reports 26
2011-Q1 Owner reports 42
2011-Q2 Owner reports 25
2011-Q3 Owner reports 37
2011-Q4 Owner reports 24
2012-Q1 Owner reports 25
2012-Q2 Owner reports 33
2012-Q3 Owner reports 34
2012-Q4 Owner reports 18
2013-Q1 Owner reports 18
2013-Q2 Owner reports 7
2013-Q3 Owner reports 34
2013-Q4 Owner reports 11
2014-Q1 Owner reports 15
2014-Q2 Owner reports 17
2014-Q3 Owner reports 14
2014-Q4 Owner reports 18
2015-Q1 Owner reports 24
2015-Q2 Owner reports 20
2015-Q3 Owner reports 12
2015-Q4 Owner reports 12
2016-Q1 Owner reports 10
2016-Q2 Owner reports 11
2016-Q3 Owner reports 13
2016-Q4 Owner reports 11
2017-Q1 Owner reports 12
2017-Q2 Owner reports 10
2017-Q3 Owner reports 5
2017-Q4 Owner reports 5
2018-Q1 Owner reports 6
2018-Q2 Owner reports 8
2018-Q3 Owner reports 8
2018-Q4 Owner reports 9
2019-Q1 Owner reports 3
2019-Q2 Owner reports 7
2019-Q3 Owner reports 7
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 5
2020-Q2 Owner reports 2
2020-Q3 Owner reports 9
2020-Q4 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 4
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q3 Owner reports 5
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 2
2023-Q1 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 4
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 05V327000
Recall campaign 1 08V244000
Recall campaign 1 09V234000
Recall campaign 1 10V035000
Recall campaign 1 10V036000
Recall campaign 1 10V160000
Recall campaign 1 11V539000
Recall campaign 1 13V429000
Recall campaign 1 14V273000
Recall campaign 1 14V743000
Recall campaign 1 16V396000
Recall campaign 1 17V657000
Defect investigation 1 EA05010
Defect investigation 1 PE06010
Defect investigation 1 PE06029
Defect investigation 1 EA06020
Defect investigation 1 EA08024
Defect investigation 1 EQ12010
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (12)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Body / frame, Transmission / driveline, and Tires.

  1. Recall campaign 05V327000

    Safety recall 05V327000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IF THE SEAT BELT BINDS IN THE BEZEL, THAT EXTRA WEBBING MAY EXIST IN THE SEAT BELT WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN IMPROPERLY FITTED SEAT BELT ON A PASSENGER. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, A SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BEZEL AND CLIP. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 08V244000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    IF NOT REPAIRED, THE GAS STRUTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE LIFTGATE WHEN IT IS OPEN EVENTUALLY, THE GAS STRUTS COULD DETERIORATE TO THE POINT THAT THE LIFTGATE WILL FALL ABOUT TEN INCHES AFTER IT REACHES THE FULLY OPEN POSITION, AT WHICH POINT THE POWER MOTOR WILL ENGAGE AND POWER THE LIFTGATE TO THE FULLY CLOSED POSITION. THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE INJURY TO A PERSON WHO IS STRUCK BY THE LIFTGATE WHEN IT FALLS OR WHEN IT IS CLOSING.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GAS STRUTS WITH NEWLY DESIGNED GAS STRUTS THAT HAVE A LONGER SERVICE LIFE. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2008, AND WILL BE MAILED IN THREE PHASES ENDING IN LATE DECEMBER 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 09V234000

    Safety recall 09V234000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THE GVWR IS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE VEHICLES.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS INSTRUCTING THEM TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA OR LEXUS DEALER FOR AN EXCHANGE OF THE CERTIFICATION LABEL AND THE TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL, AN INSTALLATION OF THE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABEL, IF NECESSARY, AND A CORRECTION TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 10, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 10V035000

    Safety recall 10V035000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 10V036000

    Safety recall 10V036000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. 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 →

  7. Recall campaign 11V539000

    Safety recall 11V539000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Recall campaign 13V429000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    If the shift lever is moved out of the Park position without the brake applied, the transmission will either engage a drive gear or Neutral, increasing the risk of a backover or roll away crash.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will mail interim notifications to owners beginning in late October 2013. When parts are available, owners will be sent a second notice and dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Recall campaign 14V273000

    Tires

    Report date
    Component:
    Tires (TIRES)
    Consequence:
    If the carrier cable is corroded due to road salt, the spare tire may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Toyota sent owners in August 2014 an interim notification to advise owners of the recall and that dealers will perform an interim remedy to remove the spare tire and relocate it to the luggage compartment, free of charge. Owners are being mailed a second letter as parts become available and dealers will replace the spare tire carrier assembly with an improved one, free of charge. The remedy campaign is being performed in phases. The first phase of the recall began July 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. NOTE: 2004-2010 Siennas subject to this recall were subject to recall campaign 10V-160 initiated in 2010. Those owners are advised that they must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign and that having the earlier recall completed did not remedy their vehicles. Additionally, model year 1998-2003 Siennas were recalled as part of safety recall 10V-160. Owners of those vehicles that have not had not the remedy performed on their vehicles, should contact their Toyota dealer to schedule a free repair.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Recall campaign 14V743000

    Safety recall 14V743000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Recall campaign 16V396000

    Safety recall 16V396000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Recall campaign 17V657000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    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.
    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 1,088 complaints · page 1 of 44
2024-05-31Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11591696
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The dashboard has so many cracks literally everywhere. All the way from the driver side to the passenger side. When the temperature changes hot to cold or cold to hot. There’s nothing but cracking sounds.
2024-02-14ENGINE
NHTSA ODI 11571869
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the oil warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over, opened the hood, and added additional oil. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed him that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 142,000.
2023-11-25Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11556754
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The rear hatch on our 2005 Toyota Sienna, after being opened, comes down almost immediately and can hit a person who is reaching into the back cargo area and cause injury. Other people have also reported this same dangerous malfunction online as far back as 2007.
2023-09-29Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11547272
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When driving on the highway, the van will suddenly brake and the steering will lock up for about 10 seconds. It is truly frightening. It has happened many times, even with the anti-lock button off. I love this vehicle otherwise, but cannot drive it for safety reasons. And I feel bad selling it to anyone else because I don't want anyone to die! The scariest part when it's on a windy 2 lane road. It really becomes non responsive and also the brakes come on when you are going 60+ miles an hour! HELP! I DONT WANT TO DIE
2023-09-25VISIBILITY
NHTSA ODI 11546395
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The stickiness of the dashboard causes unwanted glare and reflections on the windshield, especially when driving in bright sunlight. This glare and reflection make it extremely challenging to maintain a clear and unobstructed view of the road ahead, leading to hazy and blurry vision. As you can imagine, this compromised visibility poses a significant safety risk for both my family and other road users. The dashboard was recalled by Toyota however the part was not available at first for many months and by the time I inquired again, the recall had already expired, leaving us without a viable solution.
2023-09-14Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11544568
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Air bag warning light illuminated red on dashboard.
2023-07-28Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 11534963
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The airbag light is on. The seatbelt on the passenger side gets stuck.
2023-04-22Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11518385
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I was driving on a dry road, going 70mph when my car began flashing the abs indicator and it began breaking and controlling my steering taking me into another lane. The car slowed my vehicle suddenly down to 60 mph and then went off like it never happened. I then had control. There was no reason for the car to do this. There was nothing in the road and luckily no one was to close to me or there would have been an accident. I almost over corrected due to the pulling of the steering and the breaking of the vehicle.
2023-03-15Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11511999
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated when he walked outside, he noticed that the vehicle had rolled backwards into the middle of the street. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back into the driveway; however, the failure reoccurred. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V657000 (Power Train) and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 140,000.
2022-09-23Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11486049
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Broken spare tire carrier. Seems to be a common problem on XLE sienna. I have 2005 LE and my spare tire carrier is completely broken. Tried getting a replacement from 5 parts car sienna and they were all broken as well! Another common problems Sienna have are rack and pinions. They always leak. I owned a 1998 then a 2003 sienna and they both leaked from the power steering pack. Spare tire carrier is a dangerous issue. Spare tire can fall off on the road and can cause auto accidents or serious injuries and serious damage to other autos on the road. rack and pinion leaks leave oil on the floor. Steering locks up without power steering which can cause a serious accident.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2005 Toyota Sienna?

Owners named Body / frame most often — 442 of 1,088 reports (41%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Toyota Sienna?

NHTSA lists 12 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Body / frame, Transmission / driveline, and Tires. 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 2005 Toyota Sienna?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck. 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