2004 Toyota Sienna
The Verdict
The 2004 Toyota Sienna has 2,060 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (1,605 complaints) and electrical (185 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 5/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Toyota Sienna, consider the 2020 model year which has 98% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2020 has 98% fewer complaints
View the 2020 Toyota Sienna dashboard →
Klunk Score: Total Klunk
Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 7
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, IN THE MIDDLE ROW SEATING POSITION, THE SHOULDER PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT MAY BIND IN THE BEZEL TRIM PIECE. THE AFFECTED SEAT BELT BEZEL IS LOCATED ON THE SHOULDER PORTION O...
Risk
IF THE SEAT BELT BINDS IN THE BEZEL, THAT EXTRA WEBBING MAY EXIST IN THE SEAT BELT WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN IMPROPERLY FITTED SEAT BELT ON A PASSENGER. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, A SEAT OCCUPANT MAY...
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BEZEL AND CLIP. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Reported Apr 11, 2026
TOYOTA IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN INVOLVING 26,501 EARLY 2004 MY SIENNA VEHICLES. IN THE EVENT THE RETENTION CLIP USED TO SECURE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER IS MISSING, THE COVER CAN I...
Risk
IF THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN BECOME STUCK WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RETENTION CLIP AND FLOOR CARPET COVER AT NO CHARGE. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY EARLY APRIL 2009. OWNERS MA...
Reported Apr 11, 2026
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, thr...
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 risk of a backover or roll away crash.
Remedy
Toyota will mail interim notifications to owners beginning in late October 2013. When parts are available, owners will be sent a second notice and dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid, fre...
Reported Apr 11, 2026
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,...
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.
Remedy
Toyota sent owners in August 2014 an interim notification to advise owners of the recall and that dealers will perform an interim remedy to remove the spare tire and relocate it to the luggage comp...
Reported Apr 11, 2026
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....
Risk
A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTAC...
Reported Mar 2, 2010
TOYOTA IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN INVOLVING 196,222 MY 2004-2006 TOYOTA SIENNA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER REAR LIFTGATE STRUTS. THE GAS STRUTS USED TO HELP LIFT AND SUPPORT THE ...
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 THAT THE LIFTGATE WILL FALL ABOUT TEN...
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GAS STRUTS WITH NEWLY DESIGNED GAS STRUTS THAT HAVE A LONGER SERVICE LIFE. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2008, AND WILL BE MAILED IN THREE PHASES ENDING IN LATE DECEMBER...
Reported Mar 6, 2008
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, A PART OF THE FUEL TANK MAY BECOME DAMAGED WHEN CRASHED IN THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY'S (IIHS) 40 MPH FRONTAL OFFSET CRASH TEST CONDITIONS, DUE TO...
Risk
IF THE FUEL TANK BECOMES DAMAGED AND FUEL LEAKAGE OCCURS, A FIRE MAY RESULT IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 1, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Reported Dec 8, 2003
Get notified if a recall hits this car.
We email you when NHTSA issues a new recall on the 2004 Toyota Sienna. No spam, no marketing.
Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 184 | 37 | 18 | 78 | 61 |
| 2001 | 100 | 19 | 23 | 38 | 7 |
| 2002 | 105 | 31 | 30 | 25 | 16 |
| 2003 | 71 | 12 | 6 | 13 | 14 |
| 2004 | 1605 | 84 | 185 | 104 | 82 |
| 2005 | 854 | 64 | 117 | 46 | 46 |
| 2006 | 525 | 66 | 366 | 21 | 38 |
| 2007 | 199 | 25 | 55 | 63 | 21 |
| 2008 | 244 | 38 | 49 | 62 | 35 |
| 2009 | 144 | 3 | 39 | 17 | 4 |
| 2010 | 111 | 8 | 26 | 11 | 16 |
| 2011 | 265 | 27 | 239 | 37 | 27 |
| 2012 | 103 | 8 | 103 | 15 | 15 |
| 2013 | 105 | 11 | 39 | 13 | 13 |
| 2014 | 104 | 9 | 23 | 20 | 5 |
| 2015 | 131 | 16 | 47 | 20 | 10 |
| 2016 | 53 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 2 |
| 2017 | 59 | 9 | 21 | 29 | 33 |
| 2018 | 24 | 1 | 10 | 17 | 16 |
| 2019 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 6 |
| 2020 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 5 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Compare Against
See how the 2004 Toyota Sienna stacks up against rivals.
Complaints
The contact's mother owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. While the contact's mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the warning lights illuminated on and off for days and months. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where DTC: P2241 was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure code was confirmed. The contact was informed that the oxygen sensors needed to be replaced. In addition, the contact was informed that a TSB for the ECM software update needed to be performed. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired because the ECM software update was performed, and the ECM software update damaged the ECM. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 150,132.
Shifter not shifting into park even when in park causing it to roll even when you think it’s in park
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while the liftgate door was opened, the door had erroneously closed and failed to remain opened. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the rear hatch door struts were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V244000 (STRUCTURE); but parts were on back order. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 150,000.
The Traction Control System commonly malfunctions while making turns on curving road sections. I will lose power through turns as the TCS light blinks on my dashboard and makes a beeping sound. On some occasions the brakes will automatically engage in the tire that the car perceives as experiencing slippage. This problem is continuously worsening and commonly endangers me and my passengers, as the car engages brakes or cuts power to the engine at unexpected and in opportune times.
Vehicle often applies brakes on its own . At first it was only in turns . However now it does it when driving straight on the the freeway or just down the street at 45mph. I have fixed my alignment ,new tires, all of the front suspension and nothing prevents the car from trying to brake for me. it is a safety feature that is not safe at all. a car slamming on your brakes at any speed is dangerous in addition to that it seems to cut off your fuel , leaving you unable to accelerate until its done beeping which can take a long time. the vsc , chenk engine and trac off flash there is no crash to report I have been lucky so far
While driving typically around 35 mph and either left or right turn the vehicle traction control engages and the van brakes and steering is affected. The roads have always been dry and in each instance the speed of the van was at or below the speed limit - traction was never lost and yet the traction control engaged as if we were in a skid. This occurred at least 12 times while driving to and from a day trip in the mountains (windy road). It has also happened multiple times at around 50 mph while turning left on a nearby flat freeway. An independent service shop has not been able to replicate the problem. The safety of the driver and passengers were at risk when it occurred on the freeway as a driver behind us got close to rear ending the van while it was in its brake mode.
Was driving on highway at 60-65 mph. The car continued to accelerate. Pressed on brake and wasn't slowing the vehicle. The driver was weaving in and out of cars as the van started to creek up to 92 mph. The driver and passengers thought they were going to crash and possible die. The driver tried the brake multiple times and nothing. The driver said the accelerator pedal wasn't pressed all the way down to the floor. It was half way and driver had to go down and pull up on the pedal while driving. The van then started to slow and driver was able to pull over to have the van evaluated . The throttle body was reached and cleaned of carbon because it said that this may have been part of the issue. Never has this van taken off like this. The throttle body cable wasnt loose or disconnected either. So far we havent been able to recreate but 3 people could have been killed.
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and the speed of the vehicle increased to over 90 MPH. During the failure, the braking system had failed and would not stop the vehicle while pressing the brake pedal. The front passenger was able to view the fuel pedal was stuck to the floor and was able to physically pull the fuel pedal up from the stuck position and the vehicle's speed was reduced. The incident lasted for approximately 10 minutes. During the incident, the police were on the scene. A police report was later filed at the scene and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The contact was informed by the dealer that the failure was due to a missing fuel pedal pen. No further information was available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact expressed experiencing emotional stress and anxiety during and after the incident. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000. The VIN was not available.
When opening the rear hatch, it will not stay open and slams down if you let it go. Incredibly dangerous. I turned of the power doors and it still happens. I'm planning to take it to the dealership tomorrow.
Driving on dry roads at speed not exceeding 35 mph, the traction control system activates. It has happened on slight curves to the right. The traction control symbol lights up, a beeping sound occurs and it feels like the vehicle is braking. It has happened now on several occasions.
The trac control is activated while the car is driving variable speed and brake the car and and the driver loose control of acceleration.
The slip indicator light and alarm comes on sporadically, engaging the ABS suddenly and unexpectedly, when we are on completely dry roads. Happens while driving 40-80 mph. And doesn’t matter if I’m going straight or turning.
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the tailgate inadvertently opened, then closed independently. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the tailgate hydraulic struts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that she noticed that the failure had reoccurred in 30-degree temperatures on two occasions. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
- Traction control engaged at high speed(70 mph on interstate) causing the vehicle to brake abruptly and pull the vehicle to the right. Had I been traveling in the left hand lane, I could have been forced into the right hand lane causing a collusion with another vehicle. Also occurred at lower speed(30 mph on a windy road) causing the same issue as described above, almost causing the vehicle to leave the paved surface. - Mechanic was able to duplicate the issue - Mechanic diagnosed intermittent traction control activation, scanned computer for codes. Yaw rate/steering angle correlation causing false activation ABS/traction. Replaced hub bearing and spindle. Four wheel alignment, including check castor, camber and adjust toe. Performed zero point calibration and reset ABS memory. - Traction control lights up briefly
About a year ago the Vehicle Stability Control warning light along with an audible alarm started coming on intermittently while turning on highways going uphill or downhill in dry weather and with no risk of any tire slipping. At first this only happened at higher speeds 65+mph. Over time, it has occurred more and more frequently and can occur at speeds down to 25 mph. At times, the Anti-lock Braking System is also activated resulting in jerky braking and loss of throttle. When people have been following me too closely, this has almost caused accidents. When these symptoms occur, it is always on a curve (of any degree, even slight curves) and while driving at least 25 mph, and even happens on flat turns now. The weather has always been dry with no risk of tire slippage.
The 2004 Toyota Sienna van VSC Trac warning light and alarm come on when making turns on highway ramp under normal speed at around 35 mph.
The failing component is the VSC/ABS system. It puts the occupants of the van and other motorists at risk of either causing a collision or causing the driver of vehicle in question to be unable to control the vehicle . The failure appears when going in a curve in the road at low speed causing the abs to engage lock the brakes and steering wheel rapidly decelerating the car and causing the car to jerk to one side or the other and go into a skid where the driver is unable to control the wheel due to steering wheel locking up when it happens the VSC and TRAC lights come on and there is a loud and rapid beeping that can be heard inside the vehicle. The issue usually appear when going between 25-40mph in banking curves
Driver's side seat belt buckle stopped locking in seat belt. Buckle unit then came apart. I called toyota; was informed that there was a recall on this matter. I was told that I was 2 years past the scope of the recall. I informed them I never received a notice of recall so how would I be aware of problem until it occurred. Spoke to supervisor was told I was no longer covered under recall. Went to 2 mechanics and was unable to obtain needed part. I feel that for this safety item there should be no time limit on a recall and I felt Toyotas help in remeding the situation was poor especially as they tout their vehicles safety.
Sometimes when I take turns in my Sienna, the VSC starts going off and braking individual wheels without my control. This happens unexpectedly on highway bends at speeds of 60+ mph and it is difficult to control the car and keep from swerving into another lane. If the roads were icy when this happens, it would probably cause a dangerous accident. Toyota has a technical service bulletin for this, but not a recall - which it should since this is a significant safety issue. The TSB is BR008-04. There are many others experiencing this same issue: https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/13855/toyota/sienna/vsc-sudden-activation-2004-toyota-sienna
Toyota VSC and ABS engaging and activating for no reason on dry pavement causing loss of proper control of the vehicle. The have been multiple occurrences on dry pavement between 30 and 65 mikes per hour. The car pulls to one side as the computer takes control of the car end engages the brakes suddenly for no reason. VSC Skid light goes on on the dash and there is a beeping sound while this happens. Very dangerous. Toyota USA notified and assigned case number 220201001364. They refuse to take any responsibility for this dangerous failure.
2060 total