Exterior Lighting Problems of Toyota Sienna - part 1

The wiring harness connector for both lights has had water accumulate in the connector which causes the rear tail lights to fail. Both of my tail lights have failed, and the cause was corrosion inside the wiring harness connector. I had to replace the wiring harness and connectors on both sides, driver, and passenger and I had to pay out-of-pocket. The dealer said that this problem is common on 22 Sienna's and I have seen other 22 Sienna's with out their driver and passenger rear running lights burnt out.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

Our 2022 Toyota Sienna would not start after arriving at a doctor’s appointment. Contacted active Toyotacare for towing - no one showed up. Called a friend to jump start van; consulted the owners’ manual and performed jump. Van started but could only be driven about 100 yds in parking lot. Van stopped; multiple error codes showed up when trying to jump start again. Toyotacare didn’t call again or show up so we ended up paying for tow service to the dealership - haley Toyota of richmond. Dealership checked vehicle; concluded the battery had an internal weld problem but that the jump start was not performed properly even though the manual was followed. There are no jump start instructions in the engine compartment. We were given a tech bulletin instruction sheet with more accurate information. We were advised the engine control unit was burned out, causing all the error codes and would not be covered under warranty because “we” did not perform the jump start correctly. The cost of repair is almost $1100. 00 but the battery, which started all the issues, is covered under warranty. The tech instruction sheet indicates to me that Toyota was aware of the inadequate jump start instructions and failed to inform customers of the possible issues. The tech instruction sheet we were given is dated April 6, 2022 - one month before we purchased the vehicle. The sheet lists all Toyota hybrid models as affected.

Problems with the seals in the headlight lamp, water entered it and it was damaged.

Checking engine light on and off slide door not working properly.

See all problems of the 2002 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

After being parked for 4 hours the vehicle caught on fire. Burnt passengers rear corner and rear tailgate.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

Question 1 auto headlight continues to malfunction and it has been inspected 3 times by randy wise Toyota (grand blanc, mi). Yes, it is available for inspection (video & list of incidents provided to randy wise Toyota - as requested by tech/mychal urssing but no action taken). Question 2 high beams have come on when oncoming vehicle is between 300 to 500 feet - potentially temporarily blinding the person in the oncoming car and causing an accident. The high beams also have come on when following vehicles within 300 to 500 feet, also in the city (with city lighting) the high beams were on with a city bus approaching 1 block away. We have had numerous cars flashing their bright lights at us as our high beams do not dim to low beams appropriately potentially temporarily blinding us and creating an accident. We also are concerned about a potential road rage incident due to others thinking we are intentionally turning on our high beams. Question 3 no the dealership service director (brent edwards) took our vehicle home (23 miles each direction - during the day time) but only test drove the vehicle for 6 miles to try to duplicate the issue. When asked how many vehicles he passed, was told he was not available (out of town) we asked for a phone call to discuss this - but never received a call. Tech/mychal urssing stated that we needed to provide video documentation and to keep a list of when the issue happens and details - which was provided but since there was no "code" they determined there was no problem. Question 4 vehicle has been inspected by randy wise Toyota 3 times. Question 5 no warnings prior to failure. First appears immediately after purchase. Add'l info: video provided to dealership shows us following a vehicle (never loosing site of their tail lights) when an oncoming vehicle approached and when the oncoming vehicle was approx 500 ft in front of us our bright lights turned on and remained on until that oncoming vehicle was approx 300 ft from us.

The headlight on the passenger side has led daylight running lights. A number of the led's are not working of flickering. Toyota refuse to cover this under warranty even though the car was bought 8-31-2019. Not having working daytime headlights is a major safety issue to me.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

When turning left in a busy intersection, our van was struck by another vehicle on the front passenger corner of the car. The strike occurred with my van going about 10 mph, the other car going about 45 mph. All of the airbags deployed. When the airbags deployed, the coverings on the lights came off and the small lightbulb and silver casing projected out, scratching my son's arm. Nothing in the vehicle should break or become a projectile when the airbags deploy. I am not certain on the last few questions.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

Purchased used vehicle from a Toyota dealership on or about March 27, 2021. The dashboard illumination on the 2017 Toyota Sienna only appears to operate when the vehicle is turned on and the front headlight selector is moved to the on or automatic mode. I do not believe it is a standard feature for any vehicle to not illuminate the dashboard without the headlights being turned on. Issue: with no illumination of the tachometer and speedometer these items are nearly impossible to see. That naturally forces the human eye to remain looking down slightly longer than normal which can possibly result in an accident. If it is a sunny day with no need for headlights this issue is now exacerbated because the bright sunlight often causes drivers to wear tinted or dark sunglasses rendering the dashboard nearly 100% black. So, my question is a simple one: on the 2017 Toyota Sienna, with the standard feature set included as indicated under VIN - 5tdkz3dc7hs805250, should the dashboard lights illuminating the tachometer and speedometer areas turn on immediately and automatically when the vehicle is started? on the vehicle, the dashboard lighting only turn on when the headlights are turned on or set in the auto-headlight mode…both of which are not my choice. I want see my dashboard data automatically and without having to drive with my headlights turned on. This is a poor dashboard visibility standard for this make, model and year Sienna.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

Pulled out into oncoming traffic and vehicle hesitated and would not accelerate. Dash lights came on and car stalled. Attempted to crank van and it restarted but would barely move with the accelerator pressed fully. Had to call a tow truck to have it delivered to the dealer. I called Toyota road side assistance number and 2. 5 later no one showed up. Called again and demanded a different tow company respond and 30 minutes later someone was at the scene. This episode stated 230 pm and van was picked up 637pm.

Check engine light, vsc light and trac off light on and off light intermittent. At any time the light goes on and off. It is nerve breaking knowing that the warning light and the problem can not be fixed by Toyota. I have my Toyota Sienna 2008 and it have a very low miles due to lights safety reasons that can not be solved by Toyota. Every time we complain, we were always told that bring the car in when the light goes on. The problem is when the light goes on it will be off when we get to the dealership. We noticed when the car reached approximately 98,000 miles. The cause of the on and off lights are unknown.

See all problems of the 2008 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

July 2019 , speedometer gauge is not visible in daylight with the lights off. Toyota service altered the light configuration so that now the auto light feature and the lights on warning does not work. Dealer advised I must use parking lights switch selection in order to see speedometer guage in daylight. The car does not work as advertised and is a "driving while distracted" significant safety risk as no-one cannot see the speedometer during daylight driving with the lights off.

Electrical fire inside parked van occurred overnight and burned driver and passenger front seats, dash, and all air vents and all plastic component located near all vents. Van was parked on street in front of my house.

See all problems of the 2004 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

I rented a 2018 Toyota Sienna on a recent trip to hawaii. Unlike earlier Sienna models (which had bolder, thicker labels for the indicators), the instrument panel was very faint and hard to read in daylight. In shade, it was almost invisible. I checked the manual to see if I could turn the brightness up, but it appears to have been designed this way. I'm concerned that not being able to see the instrument panel to observe speed or other information could cause an accident, especially if you have to take your eyes off the road because it's so hard to read. It's enough to make me not buy this car, because it made me feel very unsafe in driving.

Steering do not stay straight while I am driving this vehicle. Since I purchased, I went to Toyota in the beginning they fix it but issue was not resolve and as of today same problem and I replaced new tires still alignment is the biggest problem. Lighting is not strong to see deer on the road.

Tailgate sensor and locking mechanism alarm and lighting goes on and off intermittently indicating tailgate latch insecure while vehicle is in motion distracting driver. Tailgate door latch insecure placing driver, passengers and contents at risk in the event of movement of the vehicle as well as to other vehicles on the road in the event of a collision.

See all problems of the 2011 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

There is a safety design flaw in this vehicle. The dashboard instrument lights will not light up in the daytime making it very difficult to read the speedometer and other instruments resulting in distracted driving. Toyota refuses to correct this design flaw.

The dash board lights and all interior lights continue to go out with out warning. It requires stopping the van shutting it off and restarting it. The headlamp dim themselves and then brighten while driving. Took it to dealership twice now for issue. Dealer stated since problem was not occurring at that moment there is no test they could do. Service manager also stated that Toyota doesn't like the dealerships trying to guess at what maybe wrong. This is a major safety issue when driving at night.

See all problems of the 2016 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

2016 Toyota Sienna dash head display, radio go out. When this happens headlamps go dim to point where you can barley see and have to stop the vehicle. Took this in to local dealership several times they stated that until it was happening in their presence there was nothing they could do. We were able to video record the issue and showed dealership. They replaced the radio head but issue still occurs. Also have problem with recall on sliding door. Dealer stated that Toyota was still looking for a fix. I have had door open and close on my young children without notice. Have the power turned off to doors now but bought this model for the power doors due to being a disable vet this feature helps me out a lot.

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the interior lighting illuminated upon making a turn. The lights dimmed after the turn was completed. The contact was uncertain if the vehicle would be repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer to schedule an appointment. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 100,000.

Blind spot monitor only activates when passing car reaches rear fender which is insufficient warning -- unsafe at all speeds. If you were to depend on it when changing lanes it could cause a serious accident. My 2013 Lexus also has bsm which operates perfectly with good and sufficient warning for lane change.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the passenger side sliding door cable fractured and caused the door to remain ajar. The contact stated that the failure also caused the battery to be drained because the dome light remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

While passenger side visor is down smoke starts pouring out from under the head liner. When the visor is placed back in the closed position smoke clears out and stops. Per the mechanic, a short in the electrical system has resulted in a melted electrical board and the entire head liner and electrical board needs to be replaced. The visor can not be used or the short may start a fire inside the vehicle. The vehicle was in motion when this occurred. Van filled with smoke quickly. Had to pull over and open doors to clear the smoke.

The cruise control backlighting on the "control stalk" blinks/flashes erratically in the driver¿s peripheral vision. This is quite dangerous and distracting. This happens at all speeds and driving conditions but seems to be worse when having to turn the steering wheel more (I. E. A parking lot vs. Changing lanes on the highway).

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

The cruise-control stalk light flickers at night causing distraction.

The speedometer & tachometer on the model has a dark background with small numbers and doesn't illuminate in the auto position. If the sun is bright with glare off other vehicles and you have to wear sun glasses they illuminate but the are either difficult to see or impossible. This is a safety concern, in my opinion, while you vehicle is in motion.

Airbag light on all the time.

See all problems of the 2007 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

Airbag indicator warning light flashes continuously. Jiggled wires under front passenger seat a year ago, and the warning light quit flashing for a couple months. But then it started flashing again about six months ago. A warranty enhancement notification - ztx was received from Toyota a few days ago. Local dealer said that diagnosis would take two hours & cost $130. Read on the internet to try disconnecting the yellow wire (airbag sensor) under the front passenger seat and wait 15 seconds. Tried that and the flashing light has gone off again. This yellow connector pin and wiring should be fully replaced by Toyota under a full recall so that this doesn't become a recurring, regular issue for Sienna owners.

Highbeams on headlamps work intermittently. Can usually flick them in the correct switch position, so I know the bulbs are working. Low beams working. But highbeams frequently do not work in the correct switch position, as described in the vehicle manual. Occasionally they do work, but I never know when that will be. On long trips at night, I have no highbeams as a result of this malfunction.

See all problems of the 2009 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2005 Toyota Sienna 🔎.

This is a recurring incident. On cold days, the sliding doors will freeze shut. This is a common problem from my understanding, and some folks on web forums have recommended filing a complaint to hopefully get Toyota to issue a recall and resolve the issue. The freezing door problem is exacerbated by the electrical door lock mechanism and open/close sensor on the slider. In many cases, the failed attempt to open the frozen door is enough to trigger the door "open" sensor and cause the interior lights to come on.

Tl- the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 mph the interior and exterior lighting failed when using the highbeams. Switched the lighting to normal and the lighting was restored. The contact stated the light failure has occurred twice. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 120000. Am.

Could not stop after my abs brakes locked up then were soft/absent, drove up on the center median, got back on the road attempting to go around the car infront on the right side couldn't due to other traffic then went back to the left got back up on the median. My passenger side front bumper corner went under the other driver's driver's side rear bumper corner lifting her car up into the air causing it to fall on top of the passenger side of my hood and front right fender crushing them, resulting in over 10000 dollars damage. No one was seriously hurt and neither car's airbags deployed.

Failure of driver's cabin lamp override switch to extinguish cabin reading lights obscured driver's vision at night during high-speed merge maneuver: I was attempting a high-speed highway merge, at night, entering route 29 from the left side of the highway, when my three-year-old son discovered that he was now tall enough to operate his overhead personal reading light. My vision of merging traffic to the right was suddenly obscured by the unexpected operation of the cabin reading lamp, and the situation was compounded by my inability to quickly override the lamp from the driver's position, in the manner as directed on page 526 of the owner's manual. The reading light above my son's head stayed on. According to the Sienna 2011 owner's manual on page 526, the door light button, above the driver's head, also serves as an override for all the personal cabin reading lights when the "door" function is disabled: page 526: "rear on/off: rear personal/interior lights turn on [upon activation of the illustrated individual reading lamp buttons at each seating position] when the personal/interior main switch is in door position. " the dual functionality of the door light button is confirmed; on page 525 of the manual, the other well-known purpose of the door button is separately and independently described to activate automatic cabin illumination when entering/exiting the vehicle: page 525: "door position: the personal/interior lights and rear interior light come on when a door is opened. They turn off when the doors are closed. " therefore, the reference to the door button on page 526 is for the separate override feature. Thank you for your consideration. I recommend Toyota recall the affected vehicles, to correct the functioning of the cabin lamp override switch as this is an essential safety feature of the vehicle for nighttime driving with passengers.

5 month old Toyota Sienna 2011 stalled after the lights inside the dashboard (control panel) started blinking and then would not start again. It was towed to the dealer on 12/22/2010. Dealer initially (on 12/27/2010) said it is due to water damage and engine has to be replaced. Dealer was not able to find any evidence of Sienna being submerged in water (as it did not go into any big puddle or deep waters). I opened a case with Toyota on 12/28/2010. I was in touch with Toyota dealer but case manager at Toyota informed that they were unable to reach/speak to the dealer for 2 days even though they are both in California. She informed me that their policy is to concur with dealer without even looking at the report or talking to them and they would neither investigate nor inspect. My insurance company (aaa) performed visual inspection and found too many metal pieces inside the engine. Insurance company also followed up with dealer and informed there are other cases where they had seen similar issue with Toyota Sienna 2011 and this does not seem to be a water damage. There has been neither an explanation nor a follow-up from Toyota as to what the cause was. Dealer reported back on 01/04/2011 and informed me that it might be a mechanical failure and Toyota will fix it. I am now concerned about the safety of my family and anyone who drives Sienna. What if stalls in the middle of freeway ? what if this happens again ? worried and tensed owner of Toyota Sienna 2011.