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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
102,360 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Toyota Sienna brakes problems

brakes problem

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2005 Toyota Sienna Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #18

May 272016

Sienna

  • 135,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. While driving various speeds, the ABS seized intermittently and the ABS warning indicator illuminated once during the fourteen times the ABS failed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brake actuator failed and would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

- Shasta Lake, CA, USA

problem #17

May 142016

Sienna

  • 215,000 miles
On several occasions the vehicle stability control on my 2005 Toyota Sienna xle is activated suddenly and for no reason. It has happened changing lanes on the freeway, on off ramps, and city streets. I was never going over the speed limit, turning sharply, and the road was not wet or slippery. The activation caused my car to rapidly decelerate from 50 mph to 20 mph in a matter of seconds and caused my wife, children, and I to lurch forward. Vsc also caused my vehicle to swerve sharply to the right. I had immediately lost control! this put me and my family in mortal danger along with the occupants of vehicles around us. They were completely unprepared for my sudden and unwarranted stop! I believe Toyota has sold a vehicle that has a hardware and/or software error in it that can result in fatal injuries to the driver, passengers and occupants of surrounding vehicles. This is why I believe the national highway transportation safety administration should require Toyota to issue a safety recall that permanently eliminates this problem for Toyota owners like me. Like others I believe this situation is far more serious than your recent recall of the Toyota shift lever assembly to prevent an accidental roll away. (NHTSA campaign number: 13V429000). In our case we are driving at highway speeds when without warning the car suddenly slams on the brakes and veers to the left. I have read others complaints that are almost identicle. Please do not wait for injuries and deaths to resolve this issue!

- Clovis, CA, USA

problem #16

Dec 132015

Sienna

  • 113,000 miles
Very dangerous situation: Toyota Sienna 2005 vsc (anti skid system) kicks in unexpectedly for no reason. Numerous times I have been driving straight along dry roads only to have my ABS (antilock braking system) suddenly come on, the van slow down, with the vsc alarm going off, and the vsc light blinking. It's very scary, especially on the highway, and it becomes hard to control the van. This has happened at high (~55 mph) as well as low (~25-30mph) speeds. I drive 90% on smooth, well-paved Suburban roads, and about 10% on highways. The frequency of this defect is definitely increasing. One day it happened 4 times in one trip! all for no reason, and all under dry, normal driving conditions on smooth, Suburban roads. My van has 113K miles on the odometer. This defect creates a very dangerous situation where the vehicle slows suddenly and unexpectedly, and swerves to one side without warning. I can't understand how there hasn't been a recall yet. A quick search online shows many people have had this exact same experience.

- Ashburn, VA, USA

problem #15

Nov 252015

Sienna

  • 146,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2005 Sienna anti skid activates without provocation, similar to many other complaints, skid vsc comes on for no reason, putting on brakes uncontrollably. Happened on freeway in rain and almost lost control. See the websites and dealer complaints. Someone is going to get killed here. Do something! intermittent and very dangerous can cause out of control skidding and happens without warning in wet or dry conditions

- Grass Valley, CA, USA

problem #14

Nov 102015

Sienna

  • 200 miles
Testing

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #13

Nov 102015

Sienna

  • 56 miles
Testing

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #12

Aug 212015

Sienna

  • 101,760 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

It just turn on anti-lock brake system and brake lights. Toyota told me that the actuator is damaged, replacement cost $ $1,900. Safety issue

- Dorado, PR, USA

problem #11

Feb 232015

Sienna

  • 88,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. During cold weather, the rear brakes failed to engage. The contact had the rear brakes replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 88,000.

- Roxbury, MA, USA

problem #10

Sep 072012

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
2005 Toyota Sienna's vehicle stability control engaged for no reason while in many different conditions (dry, wet, curve, straight, it didn't matter) making me lose control of the car. The vsc, trac off and check engine lights came on and a beeping sound engaged while the care took over not allowing driver input. I had to put it in neutral until it turned off. I have read many accounts online of other Toyota Sienna drivers experiencing the same dangerous problem. Thank goodness when it has happened, I haven't had a truck or semi next to me. This is my family car in which I need to drive my kids and other people's kids, and I cannot drive it anymore. Toyota has to fix this problem, since it is a manufacturer problem.

- Centreville, VA, USA

problem #9

Feb 042013

Sienna

  • 169,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. While driving at approximately 15 mph, the gear shift lighting failed to work and the brake pedal sank to the floorboard. The failure recurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the brakes failed; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 169,000.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #8

Oct 282014

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 30 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Approaching full stop realized that although braking car was not slowing. Brake again and again then car felt as if coasting in free fall then shot forward like an air plane taking off. Kept slamming on brake; suddenly car stopped moving forward - no huge jerk/lurch as one might expect from sudden stop just......stopped. Continued to drive home. A few times I pressed accelerator and then brake to compare to "event" and am convinced I was braking the entire time of the "event". I am trained movement specialist and know my foot was on brake not accelerator. Towed car to dealer today. Toyota can't find anything wrong with car and suggested I had been stepping on accelerator.

- Sunderland, MA, USA

problem #7

Oct 132014

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 106,000 miles
On Monday, Oct. 13, 2014, I was slowly backing out of my driveway when my 2005 Toyota Sienna van suddenly accelerated rapidly and uncontrollably. I tried to stop the van, but it sped backwards across the street in front of my house, ran over a curb, and crashed into a parked car. The car that my van struck pushed into another car which was also damaged. This was most frightening and upsetting, especially since I have learned that this type of malfunction has been reported many times to Toyota. My van was totaled, the second car may have been totaled and the third car will need at least a new door. A woman who was in the third car is claiming to have been injured.

- Salisbury, MD, USA

problem #6

May 302014

Sienna

  • 126,600 miles
Driving 45 to 50 mph on a road on a dry sunny day. Suddenly vsc light came on and warning beep and at the same time the brakes engaged causing a rapid slow down of the van. I almost swerved into the next lane due to the brakes engaging. This happened 3 times in one morning. This is extremely dangerous as it could cause a collision, especially at higher speeds.

- Grapevine, TX, USA

problem #5

Dec 122013

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 106,000 miles
At near highway speed on clear, dry pavement while traveling straight the electronic stability control (as evidenced by the dashboard light blinking) activated the brakes without warning causing the vehicle to suddenly lose speed. The his happened intermittently in the past.

- Brookeville, MD, USA

problem #4

Nov 102013

Sienna

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the traction control warning indicator illuminated with a chime. The vehicle began to brake independently and then veered off the roadway. The failure recurred five times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

- Alamo, CA, USA

problem #3

Aug 082013

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 128,888 miles
I was backing out of space in parking lot. With engine still on and running, the steering column locked and the brakes became inoperative. Fortunately I was able to jam down on emergency brake to keep from backing into other vehicles across the aisle in the lot.

- Los Gatos, CA, USA

problem #2

May 112013

Sienna

  • 11,000 miles
I was driving in traffic and briefly looked to side of road. Then looked back and noticed traffic stopped ahead of me. Fully applied brakes (hard) but no braking, squealing or ABS. Full airbags but fortunately no injuries. Looking at the scene I should have had plenty of distance to stop. Car totaled.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA

problem #1

Jan 042013

Sienna 6-cyl

  • 63,000 miles
I was driving the car and noticed it was a bit sluggish. The next thing I know, the brake pedal is on the floor even though I am not pressing it, and the car is still moving. I had my three children in the car, so I drove carefully to a safe stopping place, used the emergency brake, and exited the car. I then noticed that all four brakes or tires were smoking and there was a very strong burning smell. If there had been a need for me to stop suddenly while I was still moving, my brakes would not have worked! after getting the car towed and replacing both the ABS actuator and the master cylinder, my mechanic diagnosed the source of the problem: The brake light switch and bracket had been knocked out of alignment and were causing brake application even when the pedal was not depressed by the driver. This caused ABS and vehicle stability control failures when the brakes overheated. I searched Toyota's recalls and found a recall for this exact problem was issued for 2011 Siennas only, but I had experienced precisely the same problem in a 2005 Sienna. I called Toyota and got nowhere; because no recall had been issued for my model year, they would not help me at all with covering the tremendous cost I had incurred.

- Sharon, MA, USA

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