2016 Toyota Sienna Problems and Recalls (74 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2016 Toyota Sienna is Body / frame (26% of 74 owner reports). There are 5 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 74 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2016 Toyota Sienna?

19 of 74 filings named Body / frame (26% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (5 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Seat belts, Body / frame, and Brakes. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2015 has 227 reports on file; this year has 74. 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 2016 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 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  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 19 complaints · 25.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 7
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 6
  • Deaths 0
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 19 of 74 owner complaints (25.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 19 complaints, 25.7% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 19 · 25.7% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 5 complaints, 6.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 5 · 6.8% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 5 complaints, 6.8% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 5 · 6.8% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 4 complaints, 5.4% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 crash reports 4 · 5.4% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 4 complaints, 5.4% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 4 · 5.4% Steering (STEERING): 4 complaints, 5.4% of reports Steering (STEERING) 3 crash reports 4 · 5.4% Wheels (WHEELS): 4 complaints, 5.4% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 4 · 5.4% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 3 complaints, 4.1% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 3 · 4.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 2 complaints, 2.7% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 · 2.7% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 38 complaints, 51.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 38 · 51.4% 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) 19 25.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 5 6.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 5 6.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 4 5.4% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 4 5.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 4 5.4% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 4 5.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 3 4.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 2.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 38 51.4% 1 crashes · 0 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 Apr 2016; the first recall shown was reported in Apr 2016. 2016-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2017-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2017-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2016 Dec 2025 Recall campaign 16V197000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V197000 Recall campaign 16V858000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V858000 Recall campaign 19V410000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V410000 Recall campaign 19V553000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V553000 Recall campaign 25V876000 ◆ Recall campaign 25V876000
  • Campaign 19V410000 was reported 854 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V553000 was reported 905 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 25V876000 was reported 3,502 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2016-Q2 Owner reports 4
2016-Q3 Owner reports 3
2016-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 15
2017-Q2 Owner reports 11
2017-Q3 Owner reports 4
2017-Q4 Owner reports 7
2018-Q1 Owner reports 3
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 3
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 2
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2023-Q1 Owner reports 2
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 2
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 16V197000
Recall campaign 1 16V858000
Recall campaign 1 19V410000
Recall campaign 1 19V553000
Recall campaign 1 25V876000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Seat belts, Body / frame, and Brakes.

  1. Recall campaign 16V197000

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    Failure and detachment of seat belt height adjuster would result in the occupant not being properly restrained in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seat belt height adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 29, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0H.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 16V858000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    If door opens while the vehicle is moving, there would be an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the junction block, rear sliding door wire harnesses, and install two sub wire harnesses, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G04.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 19V410000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    The reduction in the braking system pressure may cause a loss of braking power in the rear braking system, increasing the risk of crash.
    Remedy:
    Braun has notified owners, and dealers will install an adaptor to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began June 25, 2019. Owners may contact Braun customer service at 1-800-488-0359.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Recall campaign 19V553000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    The contact may cause failure of the rear brake hoses, resulting in a loss of vehicle control and reduced braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Vantage will notify owners, and dealers will install a set of rear brake hoses that will provide the proper clearance, free of charge. The recall began December 16, 2019. Owners may contact Vantage customer service at 1-800-488-9082.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Recall campaign 25V876000

    Safety recall 25V876000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    An unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Rollx will work with Q'Straint to inspect and replace the retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 5, 2026. Owners may contact Rollx's customer service at 1-800-956-6668.
    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 9 of 74 complaints · page 1 of 3
2025-08-11Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11679778
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Our van has recently been having issues with the sliding doors. It has occurred while driving and the warning light as well as the warning for a door open, and the door lights have came on. Right before this occurs you can hear a click sound from the sliding door behind the driver's side as well as when you close the door, you can hear a strange sound when it closes, unlike the passenger side sliding door.
2025-04-25Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11656702
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the driver’s side electric sliding door failed to properly open and close, and occasionally abruptly closed, causing a safety hazard to the occupants entering and exiting the vehicle. The cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V858000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.
2025-04-07Wheels (WHEELS)
NHTSA ODI 11653088
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Excessive outer wear on front tires
2025-02-04Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11640664
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated the driver-side sliding door latch failed to latch as intended. The contact stated that after several attempts, the sliding door failed to close completely. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed. However, an unknown part was repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact removed the button under the sliding door to manually close the door. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign number: 16V858000 (STRUCTURE); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
2024-02-11Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11571331
CrashFireInjuryDeath
After 80,000 miles have a loud whirling sound coming from rear, after inspection and online investigation found many many others with same issue, the dust cover and or o-ring doesn’t properly protect the rear bearing in the coupler. So while the fix is to remove the rear differential coupler, and replace the bearing with an improved version, seems Toyota has stopped supporting this, and no longer offers the improved bearing as a replacement part, but only supports replacing the entire rear differential coupling at $2000 for the part plus labor. While many have replaced the bearing without issues despite toyota not allowing it as a fix. So first it should be a recall as this is an obvious defect effecting thousands, but then to gouge owners for thousands when the fix doesn’t require a complete replacement of the rear differential coupling assembly.
2023-06-18Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11527575
CrashFireInjuryDeath
A deer was struck on the driver to middle of the front of the van while traveling 75 mph on the highway. Caused significant enough damage that van was inoperable. What was concerning was the airbags did not deploy despite the significant force and high speed associated with this accident.
2023-02-27Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11509231
CrashFireInjuryDeath
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine/transmission and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While driving the vehicle at the rate of 55-60 mph, the vehicle came to a complete/instant stop without warning — potential causing harm or even death to the occupants of the associated vehicle, and it adversely affected my ability to safely control the vehicle. Also, as the incident was occurring, my drivers seatbelt became very, very tight. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, but this is the second occurrence of this same incident within the past 30 days.
2023-02-10Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11506720
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The rear sliding power door on the passenger side closed on my six year old child. He was trapped in the door and could not move until I opened the door. He has pain and visible injuries on his back from the door. This happened on 2.10.23. There have not been any incidents with the van leading up to this incident. This happened when the van was parked in the garage and the engine was off. We have not tried to replicate the incident because it caused an injury. The vehicle is available for inspection.
2022-09-18Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11485031
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AIR CONDITIONER WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. NOT SURE WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE ISSUE.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Toyota Sienna?

Owners named Body / frame most often — 19 of 74 reports (26%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2016 Toyota Sienna?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Seat belts, Body / frame, and Brakes. 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 2016 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