Toyota Sienna Years to Avoid
Based on federal records, the Toyota Sienna years to avoid are 2011, 2012, 2015: the 2011 alone has 612 NHTSA owner complaints and 372 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by air bags issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2020 and 2019 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-09-04 · By CarWhere Research
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 207 | 255 | 10 | — |
| 2010 | 172 | 275 | 8 | — |
| 2011AVOID | 612 | 372 | 14 | — |
| 2012AVOID | 247 | 372 | 9 | — |
| 2013 | 183 | 376 | 6 | — |
| 2014 | 162 | 357 | 6 | — |
| 2015AVOID | 230 | 347 | 6 | — |
| 2016 | 75 | 291 | 5 | — |
| 2017 | 153 | 259 | 10 | — |
| 2018 | 69 | 300 | 7 | — |
| 2019BEST | 45 | 191 | 7 | — |
| 2020BEST | 38 | 153 | 2 | — |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Toyota Sienna problems by year
Across NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported problem areas on the Toyota Sienna are structure, air bags, unknown or other, electrical system. The years below carry the highest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
2011 Toyota Sienna: 612 owner complaints, 372 service bulletins, 14 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: air bags, structure, electrical system.
2012 Toyota Sienna: 247 owner complaints, 372 service bulletins, 9 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: air bags, structure, unknown or other.
2015 Toyota Sienna: 230 owner complaints, 347 service bulletins, 6 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: structure, electrical system, unknown or other.
2020 Toyota Sienna: cleanest recent federal record (38 complaints, 153 bulletins).
2019 Toyota Sienna: cleanest recent federal record (45 complaints, 191 bulletins).
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Toyota Sienna?
Based on federal records, the Toyota Sienna years to avoid are 2011, 2012, 2015: the 2011 alone has 612 NHTSA owner complaints and 372 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by air bags issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2020 and 2019 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Toyota Sienna?
Among recent model years, the 2020 and 2019 Toyota Sienna show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
Is the Toyota Sienna reliable?
The Toyota Sienna's reliability varies by model year. Across 2,193 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2011, 2012, 2015 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2020 and 2019 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Toyota Sienna?
The most-reported problem areas for the Toyota Sienna are structure, air bags, unknown or other, based on NHTSA owner complaints. See the year-by-year table above for how these cluster by model year.
How do I check a specific Toyota Sienna before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.