Toyota Sienna 2004–2010

2nd generation (XL20) · XL20 (Camry XV30 / Highlander-derived) · 6,807 complaints, 5,474 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 74,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

Body structure accounts for 31.4% of complaints (2,138 reports, 1,790 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 100,000 miles.

A single system taking 31.4% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

Latches and locks account for 8.2% of complaints (560 reports, 469 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,793 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 89,724 miles.

The airbag system accounts for 7.1% of complaints (480 reports, 407 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,496 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 98,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 5.8% of complaints (394 reports, 322 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 79,925 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,760 and 112,000 miles.

The steering accounts for 5.4% of complaints (367 reports, 301 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 87,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 128,000 miles.

The tyres account for 5.0% of complaints (338 reports, 207 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 22,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,000 and 54,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2004 model year drew the most — 2,588 complaints — while 2010 drew the fewest at 227. The median year sits at 570.

That makes 2004 an outlier: roughly 4.5 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 11 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around seats (4), the transmission and driveline (2), equipment (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 6,807 complaints filed against this generation, 297 reported a crash; 47 reported a fire; 550 reported an injury; 8 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.4% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 43,700 and 107,000 miles, with a median of 74,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, body structure and latches and locks are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Latches and locks in particular shows a median failure mileage of 65,793, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (11)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Toyota Sienna 1998–2003
• Toyota Sienna 2011–2020
• Toyota Sienna 2021–2025