Toyota Sienna Complaints (2012)

247 consumer complaints on file.

#11461296April 19, 2022
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the rear differential was making an abnormal whirling and grinding sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11426247July 24, 2021
POWER TRAIN
Vehicle began 'whirring' metal noise from underneath. Local mechanic said it was coming from rear differential. I took it to a Toyota dealer, they said rear differential coupler needs replacing ($2159) and drive shaft ($992). It seems the bearing ring inside this sealed unit has failed. Noise is continuous while driving, concern of part failure - we are taking vehicle on family vacation. Researching on - line it appears to be common problem with the Sienna's. Toyota had same issue with RAV 4's and issued recall but have not for the Sienna's. I called Toyota corporate in TX (got up 3 levels) to no avail, and it curt tone, they said they cannot help. Based on other similar stories on line from other Sienna owners, this seems to be a common very expensive design flaw problem with this vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11414122April 27, 2021
WHEELS
WE REALIZED THAT OUR VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE. WHEN WE WENT TO ATTEMPT TO PUT ON THE SPARE, WE NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE LUG NUTS HAD "SWOLLEN" AND NONE OF THE LUG NUTS WOULD FIT IN THE CORRESPONDING SOCKET. ULTIMATELY, THE LUG NUT CAPS DELAMINATED, AND IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR TO TEAR THE CAPS FROM THE NUTS. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WOULD HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MAKE SENSE TO CONTINUE USING LUG NUTS WITH DECORATIVE CAPS FOR AESTHETIC REASONS WHILE IMPACTING THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS WITH FLAT TIRES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11386528January 4, 2021
WHEELS
FRONT TIRES WEAR OUT TOO FAST ON THIS VEHICLE. I PURCHASED VEHICLE AROUND 60K MILES. NOW AT 130K AND ON 4TH SET OF TIRES. ALL MICHELIN/TOP QUALITY FROM COSTCO. ROTATIONS AT 5-7K RELIGIOUSLY. FRONT END SUSPENSION/STEERING IN GOOD SHAPE/PARTS REPLACED WHEN WEAR IS SEEN. ALIGNMENT GOOD. HORRIBLE. WEAR IS ON OUTER EDGES OF BOTH FRONT TIRES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11386135January 2, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY SPARE TIRE CABLE RUSTED AND THE TIRE FELL OF AND I RAN OVER IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11378022December 5, 2020
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SUNROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING OR KNOWN CAUSE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT WAS PRECEEDED BY A LOUD 'BANG' SOUND.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11365250October 19, 2020
POWER TRAIN
MY 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA RECENTLY BEGAN MAKING A LOUD WHINING NOISE FROM THE REAR AXLE AREA. UPON INSPECTION, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WOULD COST US BETWEEN $2,500-$3,000. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SIENNA, LIKELY CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. THE SAME UNIT WAS USED ON THE RAV-4, AND AFTER SIMILAR PROBLEMS SURFACED IT WAS RECALLED AND FIXED BY TOYOTA. GIVEN THE DANGER POSED BY FAILURE OF THIS PART TO A FAMILY VEHICLE, AND THE KNOWN EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM BY TOYOTA, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT IT SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECALLED AND FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11351737August 28, 2020
POWER TRAIN
SERVICE TECH AT THE TOYOTA DEALER SAID MY ELECTROMAGNETIC COUPLER / VISCOUS COUPLER AND DRIVESHAFT UJOINT SEIZED. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS ITS COMMON. WONDERING IF TOYOTA WOULD PUT OUT A RECALL?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11349260August 14, 2020
AIR BAGS
BROUGHT CAR IN FOR AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. WAS TOLD IT WAS COMPLETED. AFTER THIS RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL MAILING FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. CALLED THE TOYOTA RECALL RESOLUTION TEAM NUMBER TO VERIFY. WAS TOLD THAT A TEMPORARY AIRBAG WAS INSTALLED AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE GOOD ONE REINSTALLED WHEN THEY GOT THEM IN. SHE CALLED THE DEALER TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT THEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF AND A NEW AIRBAG WAS NOT NEEDED. AND STATED THAT SHE WAS CONFUSED. AND THAT I NEEDED TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER TO GET A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT THE WORK WAS DONE. I NOTICED AND EXPLAINED THAT IT LOOKS LIKE A SUBSTITUTE WAS MADE AND THE RECEIPT SAYS : 'BAG 0.8. 2007-2009 YARIS HATCHBACK 2007-2009 YARIS SEDAN'. SO IT LOOKS LIKE A TEMPORARY SUBSTITUTE WAS MADE AND THAT I WAS NOT INFORMED. I SAID THAT IF THEY GIVE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION THAT THE REPAIR WAS MADE IT MAKES IT LEGALLY THEIR RESPONSIBILITY BUT THIS WOULD BE AFTER THE FACT IF A PROBLEM OR FATALITY WOULD OCCUR AND NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF ASSURING THAT A PROPER AIRBAG HAD BEEN INSTALLED. CAN YOU GIVE CLARIFICATION AND SUGGESTED FOLLOW UP (POSSIBLY THIRD PARTY) TO GUARANTEE SAFETY?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11339683July 16, 2020
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE THE ENGINE REVS SUDDENLY AND TO VERY HIGH RPMS AND YOU HAVE TO PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE AND/OR THROW CAR INTO NEUTRAL/DRIVE AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE ISSUE RESOLVES. HAPPENED YESTERDAY WHEN REVERSING VERY SLOWLY OUT OF DRIVEWAY--WAS PRESSING BRAKE (NOT ACCELERATOR) AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE GOT VERY LOUD AND WAS REVVING UP. PRESSED BRAKE HARD AND THRU THE CAR INTO PARK AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO NORMAL. VERY SCARY. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND FORTUNATELY WE HAVE NOT RUN INTO ANYTHING AND THE CAR HAS NOT TAKEN OFF AT HIGH SPEED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11326947June 2, 2020
POWER TRAIN
UNIT IS PRODUCING A SPEED DEPENDENT WHINE FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CONSISTENT WITH A BEARING FAILURE IN THE VISCOUS COUPLER. ISSUE FIRST OBSERVED WITH APPROXIMATELY 98,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON COMPONENT FAILURE ON MANY TOYOTA AWD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE LAST 15-20 YEARS, AND THE COMPONENT IN QUESTION MAY BE UNDER-ENGINEERED TO PERFORM AS EXPECTED IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. REPLACEMENT PART COSTS $1300+ FROM TOYOTA, NOT INCLUDING INSTALLATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11324915May 17, 2020
POWER TRAIN
SAYS MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL - VISCOUS COUPLER- IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OOF AT LEAST $1,300 AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE INSTALLATION. HAPPENED JUST AS CAR WENT OVER 100,000 MILES AND IS COVERED IN RAV 4 BC HAD SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT 2012 SIENNA NOTHING HAPPENED EXCEPT IT SUDDENLY STARTED NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING I DID.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316397March 5, 2020
POWER TRAIN
THE REAR VISCOUS COUPLER ON THE AWD HAD GONE BAD AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THIS PART IS THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART ON THE RAV 4 THAT HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE DUE TO BAD DESIGN BUT IS NOT COVERED ON THE SIENNA. THIS PART NEEDS A RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11307184February 5, 2020
POWER TRAIN
THE BEARING FOR THE VISCOUS COUPLER HAS GONE BAD. IT WHINES LOUDLY WHEN IN MOTION, AND THE VOLUME CORRELATES WITH THE SPEED. ACCORDING TO FEEDBACK FROM ONLINE THIS ISSUE HAPPENS A LOT. TOYOTA WILL NOT CHANGE THE BEARING ($50 PLUS LABOR). THEY WILL ONLY CHANGE THE WHOLE COUPLER ($1800 PLUS LABOR) AS THEY STATE THE COUPLER IS NOT SERVICEABLE. MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE SERVICED THE WORKING COUPLER TO CHANGE JUST THE BEARING. TOYOTA RELEASED A SIMILAR TSB FOR THE RAV 4 WHERE THE COUPLER FAILED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11306453February 1, 2020
SUSPENSION, WHEELS
2012 TOYOTA SIENNA AWD HAS EXCESSIVE PREMATURE WEAR ON TIRES. NEW SET OF TIRES, FOLLOWING MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE, HAS CONSUMED A SET OF TIRES IN UNDER 20,000 MILES. DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL IN-TOWN OPERATIONS, MAINTAINED RECOMMENDED TIRE INFLATION, ROTATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11292250December 31, 2019
STEERING
2012 TOYOTA SIENNA DEVELOPED A "CLUNK" IN STEERING SYSTEM WHILE TURNING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE CLUNK CAN BE FELT THROUGH BOTH THE STEERING WHEEL AND FLOOR. THIS IS CAUSED BY A WELL-KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM TOYOTA HAS HAD WITH SEVERAL OTHER MODELS INCLUDING RAV4, HIGHLANDER, AND CAMRY (SOME OF WHICH HAD RECALLS). TOYOTA IS PUSHING THE COST OF THEIR MISTAKES ON ITS CUSTOMERS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, ALONG WITH OTHERS, WITH TOYOTA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11287814December 9, 2019
POWER TRAIN
MY 2012 SIENNA AWD XLE HAS 103K MILES AND HAS A WHIRRING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AREA FOR A WHILE NOW. THE PITCH AND VOLUME IS PROPORTIONAL TO SPEED AND IS LOUDER AS SPEED INCREASES. MY RESEARCH TELLS ME THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT WITH THE COUPLING BEARINGS IN FRONT OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. IT SEEMS THAT RAV4 OWNERS GOT A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE, BUT SIENNA OWNERS DID NOT. TOYOTA HAS REDESIGNED THIS PART ON LATER MODELS TO AVOID THE ISSUE. HOPE YOU CAN GET THIS RESOLVED. THANKS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11277556November 1, 2019
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, IT WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, DROVE OFF THE HIGHWAY, AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED VIA AMBULANCE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO SEEING A CHIROPRACTOR. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. *LN *TR*JB *TR *DT *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11265829October 3, 2019
STEERING, SUSPENSION
EVERY TIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEED...IT MAKE NOISE SOUND LIKE A LOSE BOLT IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT..TOYOTA DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11257485September 23, 2019
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON CHECK SYSTEM. PER THE DEALER. SPIRAL CABLE ISSUE WITH TOYOTA SIENNA 2012 AND PER THE DEALER THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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