repaired · 2019 Q1
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. 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,…
2006 Toyota SiennaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,017 owner complaints about the 2006 Toyota Sienna, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 11 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 Toyota Sienna has problems
1,017 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
307Air bags14 crash/fire/injury
261Structure13 crash/fire/injury
85Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
67Latches/locks/linkages
65Tires
61Steering
54Wheels
50Vehicle speed control
50Service brakes
21922 other systems23 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 307 | 14 |
| Structure | 261 | 13 |
| Electrical system | 85 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 67 | 2 |
| Tires | 65 | 0 |
| Steering | 61 | 2 |
| Wheels | 54 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 50 | 12 |
| Service brakes | 50 | 5 |
| 22 other systems | 219 | 23 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
11 recalls
2006 Toyota Sienna recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. 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.
repaired · 2016 Q4
Tires: temporary/emergency spare tire
Risk. If the carrier cable is corroded due to road salt, the spare tire may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Show 7 more recalls
no report yet
Seats
Risk. THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY BE INJURED IF THE SEAT BASE PIN WERE TO BREAK.
no report yet
Structure
Risk. THE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND THE SPARE TIRE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. THE GVWR IS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE VEHICLES.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Body: hatchback/liftgate
Risk. 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…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
74kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 263 air bags complaints. 81% were reported before 100,000 miles.
34under 30k miles212under 100k miles51100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
79 owners mentioned a cost$2,400median
Middle half: $1,237 – $3,000
Structure
31 owners mentioned a cost$1,500median
Middle half: $950 – $1,800
Steering
12 owners mentioned a cost$1,350median
Middle half: $1,200 – $1,436
Electrical system
9 owners mentioned a cost$2,125median
Middle half: $1,500 – $2,200
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other Sienna year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sienna median. How we score
'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 Toyota Sienna safety ratings
2006 Toyota Sienna w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2006 Toyota Sienna, and the recalls they led to.
- UNEXPECTED CLOSING OF POWER LIFTGATELed to recall 08V-244
- STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDINGNo recall
- Stabilus Rear Liftgate Struts FailingNo recall
In owners' words
What Sienna owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Airbag warning light intermittently flashes, upon personal research on owner forums this is a common issue that is most commonly fixed by wiggling or disconnecting/reconnecting the airbag sensor wiring below the front seats.
Airbag system warning light due to failing connector under the front passenger seat. Code 44 / B0111. See Toyota T-SB-0069-12. This is a pattern failure in a critical safety system.
MY 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA HAS AN INTERMITTENT AIRBAG WARNING LAMP APPEAR OFF AND ON. I HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS NOTIFICATIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING VARIOUS RECALLS WHICH HAVE USUALLY BEEN DISMISSED AS UNNECESSARY FROM THE VARIOUS DEALERS WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. I HAVE NOT…
Own a 2006 Sienna?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.