2012 Toyota Sienna Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 58,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 61,400 miles

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…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 230,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 48,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (55), Body: door (12).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The automatic side doors of this Toyota sienna le have malfunctioned twice between expensive repairs. When the hardware comes off the guide rail, it hits the window behind the door and shatters in covering the interior and occupants with glass. I had the window repaired after I had the door hardware replaced after its first failure in…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Sienna. The contact was unable to use the driver's side cargo door. The contact stated that the door was possibly frozen; however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the door opened unexpectedly. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V858000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not associated…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 201,235 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 40,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Toyota Sienna. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 48,230. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 241,080.Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 241,080 miles

2013 toyota sienna minivan the power doors no longer close and open properly, they essentially stick, and we have to manually get out, and slam it shut with great force. The car door opened once while I was driving. My child on that side was wearing a seatbelt, I pulled over, and had to get out to shut the door with great force. For a…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 100 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 89,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Sienna equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: Cross Climate 2, Tire Size: 235/60/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated sidewalls on all four tires were expanding, causing the tires to bubble and bulge outwardly. The dealer was not contacted. The contact informed the tire shop where tires were…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 152,000 miles

On 8/22/2022 I had to replace the 2 front tires with MIM-Supreme Tour 18 inch tire 235/55R18. On 8/22/2022 I had 162,323 miles on the 2012 Toyota Sienna XLE 4 months later and 17,252 miles driven - the 2012 Toyota Sienna now has 179,575 miles and on 12/28/2023 the 2 front tires again have to be replaced - Matrix Toyr RS 11 on 18 inch…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 96,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 79,000 miles

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…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 52,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The battery light came on suddenly and the power steering went out making it extremely difficult to steer the vehicle. An accident was narrowly avoided. We replaced the battery, alternator, and serpentine belt. The problem resolved for over 6 months, then reappeared. It starts with no issue, is charging properly, the serpentine belt is…Owner complaint, filed 2025

My wife let me know that when turning to the right (not an aggressive turn, but a normal turn from one lane to the next), the whole electrical system of the minivan would shut down and then come back on. I had a mechanic check it out and they say that this is due to the electrical steering system and will have to be replaced by the…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 42,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The vehicle stability control activates and causes the car to slow and brake randomly. This occurs at low speeds and when the car is not skidding.Owner complaint, filed 2023

On the afternoon of january 10, 2019, my toyota sienna failed to brake and resulted in a two-car collision. Just before the accident, my son who was seated in the second-row, observed on the multi-information display that the ABS, vsc, and trac were displaying.Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 81,500 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 9,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2012 toyota sienna. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH attempting to engage the brakes, the vehicle [VIN] independently. The contact stated that when the brakes were depressed, the vehicle continued [VIN]. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the problem could not be diagnosed. The [VIN] was made aware…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 49,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 toyota sienna. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the brake pedal was engaged and the vehicle failed to decelerate. There was a sudden and rapid increase in acceleration. The vehicle was driven off the roadway where the engine was turned off. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 25,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 30,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The passenger side headlight turns off intermittently. It will turn on again if you turn the headlights off and back on, but then will go out again. I have read online about many other toyota owners, specifically those with priuses, but also some siennas, having this problem. Dealers don't know how to resolve it - mine wants to replace…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 58,000 miles

Cpsc: io1510097a. 2012 toyota sienna. Consumer stated while driving on the freeway the rear passenger side window exploded.Owner complaint, filed 2015

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 38,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Coolant leaking from rear of the engine through the head gasket. Vehicle struggles to accelerate beyond 55mph or 80kmph. A quick search on the internet shows that this is a frequent occurrence in this 3.5L V6 engine from Toyota model years 2011 through 2017.Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2012 toyota sienna. While driving various speeds, a knocking noise was present coming from the engine. The cause of the failure was not determined. The [VIN] was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 70,000.Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 70,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The third row passenger side split was stored and then put back up. Upon lifting the seats, pieces fell out (spring, washer, and screw) and the locking mechanism would not lock the seats into place. I am not sure how long these parts were loose, but it is a major safety hazard as the vehicle seat was not secured to the car as intended.…Owner complaint, filed 2023

There is a rattling that comes from the 2nd row seats. It is loud and driving me crazy. I see hundreds of complaints on toyota forums but toyota will not acknowledge the issue, sounds like I am driving a clunker instead of a $35,000 car. I purchased new and this has been going on for seveal yearsOwner complaint, filed 2017

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The top hinge of the fuel filler door broke at 82000 miles. It now does not allow the automatic sliding door on the drivers side to open because of the safety mechanism. The hinge broke when I opened the door during refueling.Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 82,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 toyota sienna. The contact stated that there was a knocking and swooshing sound coming from the fuel tank. The noise would become louder when the contact was driving at lower speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions. The dealer replaced the fuel tank but the repair did not correct the…Owner complaint, filed 2013, at 836 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2012 Toyota Sienna having problem while braking on highway 65mph or above, when i hit brake it's start shaking so bad and brake doesn't work properly. i believe it is sway bar link or lower control arm. even i had replaced once, it didn't helped and again i claimed warranty and replaced other set, but still having same issue.Owner complaint, filed 2025

2012 toyota sienna AWD has excessive premature wear on tires. New set of tires, following [VIN] 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.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 140,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was at a full stopped and rear Ended at 30 miles an hour and the air bags did not deploy and I am suffering many injuries pain and loss The air bags didn’t deploy at allOwner complaint, filed 2022