U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Toyota SIENNA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

185 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

90,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 67 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 185 complaints (9.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	19	10.3%
Steering behavior	17	9.2%
Transmission and shifting	7	3.8%
Electrical and battery issues	6	3.2%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.1%
Engine operation	1	0.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Tires

Structure:Body:Door

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Unknown Or Other

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling

Tires:Tread/Belt

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	18
Tires	18
Structure:Body:Door	17
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	11
Unknown Or Other	10
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	8
Engine And Engine Cooling	7
Tires:Tread/Belt	7

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 18; Tires: 18; Structure:Body:Door: 17; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 11; Unknown Or Other: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Tires:Tread/Belt: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 7

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (21). 118 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2020

2000: 37; 2001: 32; 2002: 22; 2003: 15; 2004: 24; 2005: 9; 2006: 6; 2007: 4; 2008: 3; 2009: 8; 2010: 13; 2011: 2; 2012: 3; 2013: 1; 2014: 4; 2016: 1; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10026073 · 2003-07-14 (July 14, 2003)

REAR BRAKE DRUMS SQUEAK VERY LOUDLY, PROBLEM FIRST NOTED IN APRIL 03. ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA DEALER, THE PROBLEM IS IN THE MAKE OF THE DRUMS AND TOYOTA IS STUDYING THE PROBLEM BUT NO TIME FRAME FOR ITS DECISION. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026073 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10054972 · 2004-01-27 (January 27, 2004)

OUR 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN HAS 73,000 MILES WE REPLACED THE ROTORS 2 TIMES AND WE ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. WHEN WE APPLY THE BRAKES WE GET VIBRATION ON THE PEDAL. WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT THIS CAN BE DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE VAN. ALSO IT COULD BE THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS TO SMALL FOR THIS VAN. IS THIS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND IS ANYONE ELSE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054972 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000513 · 2003-01-04 (January 4, 2003)

WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC MY 1999 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE VAN WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR BY A HONDA CIVIC. ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VAN WERE WEARING LAP AND SHOULDER SEAT BELTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED BACKWARDS CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FORCE FROM THE HONDA STRIKING THE VAN WAS SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE IT FORWARD INTO THE CHEVROLET PICKUP STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE VAN. BEING UNABLE TO SEE OVER THE DASHBOARD OR HANG UNTO THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND AVOID THE PARKED VEHICLE IN …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000513 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10075680 · 2004-06-03 (June 3, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075680 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021153 · 2003-06-06 (June 6, 2003)

MODEL: TOYOTA SIENNA VAN - XLE YEAR: 1999 MILEAGE : 60600 OTHER OWNERS: THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS ISSUE AS REPORTED IN WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM AND WWW.EDMUNDS.COM - FORUMS. PROBLEM REPORTED: THE SIENNA TRANSMISSION IS DEFINATELY A PROBLEM IN OUR CASE AS MENTIONED BY TOYOTA DEALER AND MANY OTHER OWNERS AT OR NEAR 60K MILES. THIS IS UNCALLED FOR OF A TOYOTA FOR WHICH WE PAY A PREMIUM. I DODNOT SEE ANY RECALLS AND DEALERSHIP CHARGES MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR LABOU - IN OUR CASE UPTO $3200. DETAILS : WE CURRENTLY HAVE A 1999 (5/1999) SIENNA V…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021153 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023017 · 2003-06-13 (June 13, 2003)

TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY FAILS ON 99 SIENNA AFTER 61K MILES. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023017 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056251 · 2004-01-31 (January 31, 2004)

BATTERY WENT DEAD SUDDENLY. AFTERWARDS THE DOME FUSE WOULD BLOW INTERMITTENTLY. THIS KNOCKS OUT ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE DOOR LOCK CONTROL WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE IGNITION IS ON. IT APPEARS THAT THE $250 INTEGRATION RELAY WAS SHORTED BY THE BATTERY FAILURE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10056251 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10073449 · 2004-06-14 (June 14, 2004)

THE SLIDING ELECTRONIC DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED, IT WOULD REOPEN ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXAMINED TWICE BY THE DEALER. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE ELECTRICAL DRIVE IN THE DOOR SHOULD BE REPLACED. *AK THE DOOR COULD BE OPENED AND CLOSED MANUALLY, BUT WITH DIFFICULTY. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073449 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 857074 · 2000-02-16 (February 16, 2000)

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD COME ON. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER'S SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAP ON THE FUEL TANK WAS LOOSE. BUT PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. OTHER THEN THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE VEHICLE? PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 857074 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 882401 · 2001-03-07 (March 7, 2001)

AFTER STOPPING AT A GAS STATION TO PUT FUEL IN VEHICLE, AND UPON OPENING FUEL CAP FLAMES WERE COMING FROM INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK, BURNING CONSUMER'S FACE. FIRE INVESTIGATOR COULD NOT SAY WHAT HAD CAUSED FIRE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 882401 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10110995 · 2005-02-07 (February 7, 2005)

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. AFTERWARDS, DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10110995 at NHTSA ↗