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2004 Toyota Sienna Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2004 Toyota Sienna has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Traction control (VSC) false activation and braking.” Toyota's owner's manual splits service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1 because it covers short trips, extreme temperatures, dusty roads, or heavy idling. The intervals below reflect Schedule 1 — the schedule Toyota recommends for typical real-world use.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2004 Toyota Sienna.

Reported to NHTSA

Traction control (VSC) false activation and braking

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

61 NHTSA complaints · 2016-01 → 2025-05

“THE VSC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVATES ON IT'S OWN. DRIVING THE VAN IT AUTOMATICALLY COMES ON AND BRAKES THE VAN, DASHBOARD LIGHT AND BEEPING NOISE COMES ON. BRAKES YOU AUTOMATICALLY CAUSING THE VAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10899249
“THE ANTI-SKID CONTROL ENGAGED WHEN TURNING SLIGHTLY ON THE FREEWAY. WHEN IT ENGAGED AT HIGHWAY SPEED (ROUGHLY 55MPH) IT PULLED ME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11138911
“WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH OR FASTER, GENERALLY ON A RIGHT HAND BEND, THE VSC WILL ACTIVATE PULSING THE BRAKE AND VIOLENTLY PULLING THE CAR TO THE LEFT AND TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10940130

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Power sliding door cable and motor failure

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

29 NHTSA complaints · 2016-01 → 2020-04

“VERY COMMON PROBLEM: POWER SLIDING DOOR CABLE BROKE STRANDING THE OWNER WITH A HALF OPENED DOOR. THE INTERNET IS FILLED FULL OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10993137
“RIGHT PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT SHUT MECHANISM INSIDE APPEARS TO HAVE BROKEN. OCCURRENCE HAPPENED GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10925272
“RIGHT SIDE POWER DOOR CABLE FRAYED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN BROKE RENDERING THE RIGHT DOOR USELESS. CANNOT OPEN AND CLOSE IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10823072

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Front door check pocket weld failure

STRUCTURE

12 NHTSA complaints · 2016-01 → 2019-05

“TOYOTA SIENNA FRACTURED DEFECTIVE LEFT FRONT DOOR CHECK POCKET POPPING NOISE. IT'S A BROKEN WELD, THE WHOLE DOOR HAS TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF CLOSE TO $2000. OBVIOUSLY IT'S A MANUFACTURING DEFECT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11096719
“DOOR HAS A BROKEN WELD, THE WHOLE DOOR SWINGS OPEN AS THE WELD IS THE STOPPING DEVICE. THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND I AM NOT ABLE TO GET HELP FROM TOYOTA ON THIS AS IT HAS BEEN BROKE FOR OVER 4 YEARS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10870731
“THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR POPS EVERY TIME IT OPENS AND CLOSES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10983921

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Liftgate strut and latch failure

STRUCTURE

11 NHTSA complaints · 2016-03 → 2025-08

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE STRUTS FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE EXPIRED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10872436
“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”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11562912
“THE REAR DOOR LATCH WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED, IT FAILED AGAIN, THE REAR DOOR OPENS BUT THEN DROPS, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I REPORTED TO TOYOTA BUT THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT AGAIN. SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE STATIONARY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11039859

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Front seat belt retraction and buckle failure

SEAT BELTS

16 NHTSA complaints · 2016-01 → 2022-02

“PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT CONSTANTLY GETS JAMMED UP, FOLDED OVER AND RENDERS IT UN-USEABLE. VERY UNSAFE!!!! I JUST FIXED IT SO I AM NOT GOING TO RECREATE THE SCENARIO JUST TO GET A PHOTO....THIS IS THE 5TH TIME IT HAS HAPPENED!”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11208668
“THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT. HAVE TO YANK THEM AND TRY ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO GET THEM TO RETRACT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10956157
“WAS GETTING INTO VAN TO DRIVE AND PULLED THE SEATBELT ACROSS MY CHEST, IT WAS SLACK SO PULLED A LITTLE MORE TO GET IT TO RETRACT AND COME OUT, IT WOULD NOT, KEPT COMING OUT AND STUCK ALL THE WAY OUT NOW. WOULD NOT GO BACK IN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10936089

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Dashboard cracking and melting

STRUCTURE

13 NHTSA complaints · 2016-04 → 2020-06

“DEVELOPED MULTIPLE CRACKS ON THE DASH AROUND THE AIRBAGS ON PASSENGER SIDE. TOYOTA IS NOT COVERING THIS UNDER WARRANTY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11142466
“DASHBOARD CRACKING HAS BECOME SIGNFICANTLY WORSE IN THE LAST MONTH AND THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT INTEGRITY OF DASHBOARD COMPONENTS, INCLUDING INSTALLED AIRBAGS WHICH ARE IN DASHBOARD AREA”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11019919
“DASHBOARDS THAT GET STICKY, CRACKED, SHINY AND MELT IN HEAT AND HUMIDITY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10888415

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Shift cable failure causing vehicle rollaway

POWER TRAIN

11 NHTSA complaints · 2016-08 → 2025-10

“Shifter not shifting into park even when in park causing it to roll even when you think it’s in park”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11693880
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND IN PARK, IT STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11006633
“I HAVE A PROBLEM AT SHIFT SOLENOID E MAKE MY CAR JUMP AND NOT SAFE WHEN PARK”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11182765

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Unintended acceleration events without driver input

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

3 NHTSA complaints · 2019-12 → 2025-01

“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”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11635166
“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”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11576843
“UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM. TWO EPISODES, MONTHS APART, BOTH AT VERY LOW SPEED. WAS STOPPED BEHIND TWO CARS. TWO CARS IN FRONT STARTED UP TO GO THROUGH INTERSECTION. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND MOVED IT TO THE GAS PEDAL. CAR STARTED UP NORMALLY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11289614

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace 0W-20 full-synthetic oil and filter every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1, or 10,000 miles under Schedule 2. Toyota covers the first 2 oil changes through ToyotaCare.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Toyota recommends rotation at every oil change to maximize tire life on FWD and AWD models.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 5,000 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 5,000 miles. Toyota recommends measuring pad thickness at each service.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 36 months. Critical for the integrity of the ABS, VSC, and brake assist systems.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace the engine air filter every 30,000 miles. Earlier under Schedule 1 if driven on unpaved roads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

Toyota labels ATF as 'lifetime fill' on most automatics, but recommends inspection and replacement every 60,000 miles under severe service. Use Toyota WS or Type-IV — no substitutes.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 120,000 mi

Toyota iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated for 120,000 miles. Earlier replacement reduces fuel economy and can cause misfires on direct-injection engines.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Super Long Life Coolant (SLLC)

Every 50,000 mi

Toyota SLLC (pink): first change at 100,000 miles, then every 50,000 miles. Do not substitute green or orange coolant — it will damage the cooling system seals.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace the cabin air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner in dusty climates. Located behind the glove box on most Toyota and Lexus models.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Serpentine / Drive Belt Inspection

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect the serpentine belt and tensioner every 60,000 miles. Toyota uses long-life EPDM belts that rarely fail before 100,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Timing Chain — No Replacement

On condition / lifetime

Toyota's 2AR-FE, 2GR-FKS, A25A-FKS, and most Toyota engines built since 2010 use a timing chain rated for the life of the engine. No scheduled replacement.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Pro only

Timing chains are normally lifetime. Listen for rattle on cold start — that's the actionable signal. Replacement is major work, quote separately.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

141 crashes 1990–2024

How the 141 occupant deaths break down

74

driver deaths

67

passenger deaths

141

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2004 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

51

complaints mentioning a crash

8

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2004 Toyota Sienna reflects Toyota's published service intervals and the Maintenance Required Light system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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