repaired · 2021 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2011 Toyota SiennaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 615 owner complaints about the 2011 Toyota Sienna, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 14 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 October 15, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Shadiac ( talk ), Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2011 Toyota Sienna has problems
615 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
211Air bags15 crash/fire/injury
154Structure9 crash/fire/injury
69Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
37Wheels
33Tires
30Power train
24Steering
23Engine
22Equipment
15020 other systems28 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 211 | 15 |
| Structure | 154 | 9 |
| Electrical system | 69 | 6 |
| Wheels | 37 | 0 |
| Tires | 33 | 1 |
| Power train | 30 | 4 |
| Steering | 24 | 0 |
| Engine | 23 | 3 |
| Equipment | 22 | 0 |
| 20 other systems | 150 | 28 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
14 recalls
2011 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 · 2021 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2018 Q4
Body: door
Risk. If door opens while the vehicle is moving, there would be an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.
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.
Show 10 more recalls
repaired · 2021 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires.
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for…
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. INCORRECT INFORMATION ON THE VEHICLE PLACARD MAY LEAD TO TIRE OVERLOADING AND POSSIBLY CAUSE TIRE FAILURE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Body: roof and pillars
Risk. A DAMAGED A-PILLAR TRIM PANEL RETENTION CLIP MAY ALLOW THE TRIM PANEL TO COME LOOSE AND INJURE AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Driveline: driveshaft
Risk. SHOULD THE DRIVE SHAFT BREAK DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
no report yet
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN BRAKE DRAG WITH ASSOCIATED BRAKE NOISE, VIBRATION, AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE 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 air bags problems start?
64kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 36 air bags complaints. 72% were reported before 100,000 miles.
8under 30k miles26under 100k miles10100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2011 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
2011 Toyota Sienna safety ratings
2011 Toyota Sienna VAN AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (13.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2011 Toyota Sienna, and the recalls they led to.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
In owners' words
What Sienna owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was intermittently illuminated while driving. The contact stated that the warning light turned off while restarting the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the sliding doors failed to function…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNINGS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH A BEEPING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE VOSS TOYOTA (2110 HELLER DR, BEAVERCREEK, OH 45434, [PHONE]), WHERE A TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE…
TOOK IN FOR RECALL. GOT VAN BACK AND DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR NO LONGER OPENS WITH DOOR HANDLE. ALSO LARGE WIRE RAN IN 2ND ROW BEHIND DRIVER SEATS AND JUST LEFT THERE. ALSO JUMPER FUSE RAN UNDER STEERING WHEEL. ELECTRICAL NIGHTMARE. HORRIBLE MAINTENANCE. UNACCEPTABLE. CREATED MORE SAFETY HAZARDS.
Own a 2011 Sienna?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.