2008 Toyota Sienna Reliability
The 2008 Toyota Sienna has 429 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about body structure and speed control / throttle. Compared with nearby Sienna model years (2006–2010), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sienna's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
429
NHTSA owner complaints
9
Recall campaigns
37
Complaints citing a crash
4
Complaints citing a fire
2008 Toyota Sienna complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 model year, filed between 2007 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Body structure | 117 | 27% |
| Speed control / throttle | 51 | 12% |
| Electrical system | 45 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 43 | 10% |
| Engine | 39 | 9% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 38 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 34 | 8% |
| Steering | 33 | 8% |
2008 Toyota Sienna recalls
9 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2008 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09V223000 | Jun 15, 2009 | Equipment — other / labels | Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor… |
| 09V234000 | Jun 25, 2009 | Equipment — other / labels | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2009 Sienna and 2009 lexus gx passenger vehicles. The vehicle capacity weight on the tire and loading information label and the gvwr on the certification label is insufficient for certain vehicles. Some… |
| 10V036000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying… |
| 10V035000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008… |
| 10V160000 | Apr 20, 2010 | Body structure | Toyota is recalling certain model year 1998 through 2010 Sienna passenger vehicles manufactured between August 7, 1997 and January 4, 2010, currently registered in or originally sold in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, kentucky, maine, maryland,… |
| 13V429000 | Sep 26, 2013 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Sienna vehicles manufactured January 10, 2003, through August 10, 2005; and model year 2007-2009 Sienna vehicles manufactured February 20, 2007, through December 12, 2008. In the affected vehicles, due to a… |
| 14V273000 | May 22, 2014 | Tires — temporary/emergency spare tire | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Sienna vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,… |
| 14V743000 | Nov 19, 2014 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4,… |
| 16V396000 | Jun 2, 2016 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011… |
How the 2008 compares with nearby Sienna years
Verdicts compare these Sienna model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,017 | 11 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2007 | 364 | 10 | Body structure | Caution |
| 2008 (this page) | 429 | 9 | Body structure | Avoid |
| 2009 | 207 | 10 | Body structure | Solid |
| 2010 | 172 | 8 | Body structure | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2008 Toyota Sienna
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 9 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2008 Toyota Sienna can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2008 Toyota Sienna reliability FAQ
Is the 2008 Toyota Sienna reliable?
The 2008 Toyota Sienna has 429 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about body structure and speed control / throttle. Compared with nearby Sienna model years (2006–2010), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sienna's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2008 Toyota Sienna problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Toyota Sienna are body structure (117), speed control / throttle (51), electrical system (45), service brakes (43). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2008 Toyota Sienna have recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2008 Toyota Sienna, including 09V223000 (equipment — other / labels) and 09V234000 (equipment — other / labels). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2008 Toyota Sienna compare with the 2007 and 2009 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2007 has 364 complaints and 10 recalls (caution); the 2009 has 207 complaints and 10 recalls (solid). The 2008 has 429 complaints and 9 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2008 Toyota Sienna?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Toyota Sienna research
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2008 Sienna, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.