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.
2008 Toyota SiennaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 429 owner complaints about the 2008 Toyota Sienna, most often about the structure. It is covered by 9 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 August 21, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Toyota Sienna has problems
429 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
117Structure11 crash/fire/injury
51Vehicle speed control22 crash/fire/injury
45Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
39Engine2 crash/fire/injury
38Power train7 crash/fire/injury
33Steering
29Electronic stability control (ESC)
28Service brakes
19Tires
13421 other systems16 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 117 | 11 |
| Vehicle speed control | 51 | 22 |
| Electrical system | 45 | 2 |
| Engine | 39 | 2 |
| Power train | 38 | 7 |
| Steering | 33 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 29 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 28 | 2 |
| Tires | 19 | 0 |
| 21 other systems | 134 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
9 recalls
2008 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 · 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.
repaired · 2015 Q2
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. 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…
Show 5 more recalls
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.
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 structure problems start?
82kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 101 structure complaints. 71% were reported before 100,000 miles.
11under 30k miles72under 100k miles29100k 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.
Structure
17 owners mentioned a cost$1,500median
Middle half: $995 – $1,800
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
2008 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
2008 Toyota Sienna safety ratings
2008 Toyota Sienna w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (16.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Sienna owners report
Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
MY VEHICLE HAS 138,000 MILES AND WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT FIXING THE SLIDING DOOR, I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS OVER IN 2016; HOWEVER, I KNOW OF A PERSON THAT WAS ABLE TO HAVE HIS VEHICLE FIXED BY TOYOTA. IN FACT, TOYOTA REPLACE BOTH THE DOOR SLIDING COMPONENTS / LATCHES. FOR MY VEHICLE I TRIED…
LIFT-GATE FRAME CRACKING AROUND LEFT HINGE. SAFETY HAZARD AS THE LIFT-GATE COULD BECOME UNSECURED WHILE DRIVING, OR DURING OPERATION, RESULTING IN INJURY OR CRASH. *TR
INSIDE DASHBOARD IS VERY STICKY AND ALWAYS SHOWS A GLARE ONTO THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING (SAFETY ISSUE); THE DASHBOARD DURING THE SUMMER TIME IS VERY MALLEABLE, IF YOU GENTLY PRESS ON IT, IT MOVES AS IF IT WAS MELTING SLOWLY. THIS HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR A FEW YEARS, WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA THEY…
Own a 2008 Sienna?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.