Most common 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid problems
Share of the 45 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Sienna Hybrid complaints by model year
2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid recalls (4)
Equipment adaptive/mobility › Wheelchair restraints/securement › Latch/anchor
Vantage Mobility, LLC (VM) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Honda Odyssey, 2021-2025 Chrysler Pacifica, and Toyota Sienna vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters was mailed January 27, 2026. Owners may contact Vantage Mobility customer service at 1-800-488-9082.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly › Recliner
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Sienna Hybrid vehicles. The bolts for the seatbacks on the third-row seat assemblies may not be tightened properly.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the seat assembly bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024.
Electronic stability control (ESC) › Control module › Software
Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid owners say
Air bags
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Brakes
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, there was a three-second delay before the brakes would respond. Additionally, the brake pedal was difficult to depress, creating an extended stopping distance. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who adjusted the brake stroke sensor and recalibrated the braking system; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken to a second dealer who bled the brake lines, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 30,800. The VIN was not available.
FAILURE: Brake control system. Vehicle intermittently surges forward while braking at low speed, most often through a curve - the brakes momentarily release and the vehicle lurches before braking resumes. Appears to occur during the transition between regenerative and friction braking. Vehicle available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: Unpredictable momentary loss of braking at low speed, in parking lots, residential streets and curves where pedestrians and other vehicles are close. Driver cannot anticipate it. WARNING LAMPS: None. No lamp, no message, no stored trouble code. Present since early in ownership; purchased new September 2021. CONFIRMED BY DEALER: No. Reported to a Toyota dealer in 2022 under warranty. Dealer test drove, could not reproduce the intermittent condition, took no action. Also reported in writing to Toyota in August 2022; no substantive response. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid. The contact stated that the passenger's side rearview mirror detached and the rear liftgate door inadvertently opened while parked in the garage. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I found a big design flaw in our new minivan. When my kids are using the rear entertainment system, the screen block the driver rear mirror line of sight. I don't feel safe driving around if I can't have back and forth visibility from the driver seat. I don't understand why Toyota didn't make the digital rearview mirror standard in all the trims equipped with rear entertainment system. The lack of rear visibility from the driver can put at risk the life of all the passengers. I tried contact the dealer and Toyota directly but I'm not getting a resolution. This is a serious design flaw! Toyota should issue a recall for all the minivans with rear entertainment system and no digital rearview mirror.
2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 36 / 36 / 36 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | AWD | 35 / 36 / 35 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the Sienna Hybrid to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid?
The air bags — 13 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (9) and windows, wipers & sunroof (5).
How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid, the most recent from December 17, 2025 (latch/anchor). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Sienna Hybrid?
Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2024 and 2023. See the full Toyota Sienna Hybrid years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 31,000 miles; 62% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.