Worst 2008 Toyota Sienna Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Body Structure
Unintended Acceleration
Electrical Faults
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Toyota Sienna.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Structure | 64 | 4 | — | 106,141 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 51 | 22 | — | 58,164 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 42 | — | 1 | 72,067 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 39 | 1 | 1 | 96,567 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 33 | — | — | 107,736 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 29 | — | 1 | 128,969 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 28 | 4 | — | 84,081 mi | |
| Brakes | 28 | 2 | — | 120,036 mi | |
| Structure:Body:Door | 25 | — | — | 72,039 mi | |
| Structural Problems | 18 | — | — | 65,985 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 15 | — | — | 37,727 mi | |
| Airbags | 13 | 4 | — | 82,690 mi | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 13 | — | — | 86,397 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 12 | 4 | — | 28,110 mi | |
| Fuel System | 10 | 1 | — | 54,419 mi | |
| Latches / Locks | 10 | — | — | 41,672 mi | |
| Wheel Issues | 10 | 1 | — | 93,080 mi | |
| Automatic Transmission | 9 | 2 | — | 30,286 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 9 | — | — | 86,662 mi | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 8 | — | — | 127,259 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 7 | — | 1 | 40,575 mi | |
| Other Equipment | 7 | — | — | 23,030 mi | |
| Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate | 6 | — | — | 86,702 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 2 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Toyota Sienna. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2008 Toyota Sienna
7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,070,059 vehicles.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Sienna vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The affected vehicles have a spare tire carrier assembly mounted under the vehicle whose attachment cable may corrode due to high concentrations of road salt splashing onto the spare tire carrier.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Sienna vehicles manufactured January 10, 2003, through August 10, 2005; and model year 2007-2009 Sienna vehicles manufactured February 20, 2007, through December 12, 2008. In the affected vehicles, due to a problem within the shift lock solenoid, there is a possibility that the shift lever could be moved out of Park position without depressing the brake pedal.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2010 SIENNA PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 7, 1997 AND JANUARY 4, 2010, CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SPARE TIRE STOWED UNDER THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN THE COLD CLIMATE REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE ROAD SALT IS FREQUENTLY USED, WATER SPLASHED BACKWARDS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT CAN REACH THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER AND CORRODE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER ASSEMBLY CABLE.
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Other Toyota Sienna Years
2008 Toyota Sienna — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2008 Toyota Sienna reliable?
What are common problems with the 2008 Toyota Sienna?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Toyota Sienna?
How safe is the 2008 Toyota Sienna?
Does the 2008 Toyota Sienna have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2008 Toyota Sienna?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Toyota Sienna reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2008 Toyota Sienna
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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