GarageIntel

2011 Toyota Sienna: problems, recalls and what it’s worth

NHTSA has 1 open defect investigation (not a recall). 14 recall campaigns to confirm with a dealer. A lot of owner complaints, 34% about airbags.

Before you buy Ask for the VIN and check it, then get a pre-purchase inspection.

Looking at a 2011 Toyota Sienna for sale?

No VIN? Paste the ad for a fair-price check.

The full report adds this car’s market value and what to offer.

Known problems on the 2011 Toyota Sienna

No generation-wide weak spot is flagged in GarageIntel’s research for this year and model. A specific car can still have its own problems, so get it inspected.

2011 Toyota Sienna recalls

NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2011 Toyota Sienna. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.

Show all 14
  • Seats

    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.

    Details 14V743000

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

    Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

  • Airbags

    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 the passenger's size and position.

    Details 13V014000

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

    Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

  • Equipment

    An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires.

    Details 13V123000

    Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

  • Transmission & drivetrain

    SHOULD THE DRIVE SHAFT BREAK DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

    Details 11V306000

    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VENZA AND SIENNA PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 7, THROUGH MARCH 10, 2011. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FRONT, RIGHT, DRIVE SHAFT MAY BREAK DUE TO INSUFFICIENT HEAT TREATMENT.

    Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DRIVE SHAFT, AND, IF THE DRIVE SHAFT IS IDENTIFIED AS ONE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY MANUFACTURED, IT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

  • Equipment

    INCORRECT INFORMATION ON THE VEHICLE PLACARD MAY LEAD TO TIRE OVERLOADING AND POSSIBLY CAUSE TIRE FAILURE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

    Details 11V560000

    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 THROUGH 2012 SIENNA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 110, "TIRE SELECTIONS AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENT FOR DISPLAYING THE CORRECT VEHICLE CAPACITY WEIGHT AS THE RATED LOAD FOR THE COMBINATION OF CARGO AND OCCUPANTS.

    Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND WILL PROVIDE A REMEDY WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE. TOYOTA WILL MAIL OUT A CORRECTED PLACARD TO CUSTOMERS ALONG WITH REVISED OWNER MANUAL INFORMATION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 27, 2013. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

  • Body structure

    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.

    Details 11V566000

    SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 COROLLA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A NON-TOYOTA, BLUE TOOTH HANDS FREE DEVICE OR NAVIGATION UNIT AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A NON-TOYOTA, OVERHEAD ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND/OR BLUETOOTH HANDS FREE DEVICE. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FRONT A-PILLAR TRIM PANEL RETENTION CLIP MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE INSTALLATION OF THE AFTERMARKET ACCESSORY.

    Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE A-PILLAR TRIM PANEL RETENTION CLIP AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.

  • Equipment

    A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

    Details 10V036000

    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." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

    Fix: 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 CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.

  • Brakes

    THIS COULD RESULT IN BRAKE DRAG WITH ASSOCIATED BRAKE NOISE, VIBRATION, AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT.

    Details 10V620000

    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SIENNA VEHICLES. THE BRAKE STOP LAMP SWITCH IS MOUNTED ON A SMALL BRACKET WELDED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SERVICE BRAKE PEDAL SUPPORT ASSEMBLY. DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES THE STOP LAMP SWITCH BRACKET COULD BE DAMAGED BY THE OPERATOR'S FOOT DURING PARKING BRAKE APPLICATION.

    Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKET ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. TOYOTA PLANS TO MAIL AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY 2011, TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THE RECALL. A SECOND LETTER WILL BE MAILED WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

2011 Toyota Sienna safety investigations and free repairs

Under investigation (not a recall):

Ask the seller if the car has had this problem.

Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):

6 more in the full VIN report.

A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.

Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.

2011 Toyota Sienna safety and fuel

4 of 5 starsNHTSA overall crash rating
18–21 mpgEPA combined, depending on engine and drive
$3,100–$3,600 a yearEPA fuel-cost estimate (15,000 miles a year)

From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.

What owners complain about

614 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, which is a lot.

Airbags34%
Body structure25%
Electrical11%
Tires & wheels10%
Brakes5%

Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.

Other Toyota Sienna years

2010 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Looking at a 2011 Toyota Sienna for sale?

No VIN? Paste the ad for a fair-price check.

The full report adds this car’s market value and what to offer.