Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Toyota Sienna owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I had my car's brake lines replaced at McGee Toyota in Hanover MA on June 20, 2023. On July 19, 2023, my wife and I had just exited the interstate, and were stopping at a grocery store on our way home. I tried to brake upon entering the parking lot and the brake pedal sank to the floor. There was no resistance when I tried pumping the brakes. Fortunately, I was traveling at a slow speed and there were no moving cars in the lot, so I was able to safely stop the car without an accident. I had the car towed to McGee for repairs and the next day was told the catastrophic brake failure was due to a defective part. Since this would likely have had much more serious consequences such as serious injuries or worse if the failure occurred on the exit ramp or at the busy state highway intersection in front of the grocery store, I wanted to report it to be sure it doesn't happen to someone else.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Toyota Sienna. While driving approximately 40 MPH, when she applied the brakes they failed to respond and the pedal extended to the floor. She panicked, swerved into the left lane and crashed into a vehicle. The vehicle was towed, inspected and the brake pads were replaced; however, the failure was not corrected. The contact also experienced corrosion failure around the spare tire cable. A report was filed with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 60,000.
I was driving in town on dry pavement on a relatively flat street. I started braking for a stop light. The ABS system kicked in and was making that awful pulsing noise that it usually makes on icy roads. Then suddenly there were no brakes at all. I think the pedal went to the floor. I could not brake and ran into the car in front of me. We pulled into a parking lot and then the brakes were working fine. On the drive to the repair place they worked. They could not find anything wrong. I'm scared to drive it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Toyota Sienna. When the ignition was started, the vehicle started to accelerate and moved forward without shifting into drive. The contact depressed the brake pedal and applied the emergency brake, but both failed to stop the vehicle. The contact was able to stop the vehicle by shifting into neutral gear. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer and the manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 210,581.
At approximately 40,000 miles anti-lock brake warning light started turning off and on. Eventually ABS light stayed on and the ABS system stopped functioning. The ABS system has not been repaired due to the very high cost of the ABS actuator part. The lack of a functioning ABS system makes the car unsafe in situations where the anti-lock braking feature is needed (such as wet roads).
My Toyota Sienna 2000 might has an ABS system malfunction and caused a minor accident on aug 28 2007 at 3:30 pm. The weather ~90c and sunny. I drove in school zone at the time the school over and the students presented on the sidewalk. I drove ~20-25 MPH or less. The distance between my van and the car in front of me ~ 2 cars space. The car in front of me stopped suddenly because of one car in front of us turned left or made a u turn without warning. I stepped on my brake pedal very hard but the van still cruised like the brake was doing anything and I hit to the rear end of the car in front of me. My car have 133,000 mile on it. I had my front brake replaced by dealer when it 100,000 mile, the same time they replaced the timing bell, they told me the rear brake were in good condition at that time so I didn't had it replaced. …
I purchased my Sienna in 2001. It is a 2000 Toyota Sienna ls which currently has 150K miles. In 2002 I began to have issues with my rear brakes since this time I have had my brakes inspected every year due to grinding noises and squeaking. The first 2 times I've taken my van in they have inspected the rear brakes and said they are fine, just dusty and the claimed to have cleaned them. In 2008 however they sounded so bad and seemed very dangerous as they were still making grinding noises. I took my van to christian bothers and they redid my rear brakes... (oh, the ABS light as been on all this time as well) maybe a week went by and the problem persisted. I took my van back a month later ( my transmission went out that same week and that's how long it took to get my van back)!! …
I was driving the 2000 Sienna xle minivan and the brakes failed. It took a lot of pressure to push the brake in and the brake did not work. Nothing happened. I had to use both feet pushing down to get the minivan to stop. This problem came on all of a sudden. I took it in to our mechanic and he said it was a failure of the power brake booster. I called Toyota to see if they would assist with the repair. Toyota said their final answer was that it was not covered by the warranty as it only covered the drive train. Our engine and transmission have already been replaced under warranty! But Toyota would not cover this additional failure -- the car is a lemon, clearly. So I had to pay $1350 to have the brake booster replaced. Then the problem was still there! The brakes failed the day I picked it up from the shop. …
I like my Toyota Sienna van (2000) serving me faithfully. Last week, it was very cold - with all the winter storms. I warmed up the van for a few minutes and then started to drive. Within a few minutes, I need to pick up another child for car pooling and when I tried to make a turn, I applied brakes and they did not work at all. I got suddenly scared and somehow managed to turn in the same speed. Then I was running very slowly (and periodically checking the brakes) until I felt confident that the brakes started working again. It was a one-time event so far and I have gone through the online postings (not this gov.'t one) to see that this has happened to a few people earlier for 2000 model vans. Interesting! I need to be careful while applying brakes in cold weather. Thanks.
I was stopping in my driveway slightly downhill on loose stone and grass - 5 MPH. The ABS engaged, I could hear it. My foot was firmly on the brake pedal, I confirmed this visually during the incident. The car did not stop when it should have and the ABS did not release until the car had rolled through bushes, etc. And stopped on its own. I believe that something is wrong with the ABS safety system - the ABS did not work properly, but at no point did the ABS light come on to warn me of a safety hazard. Currently I have disabled the ABS system by pulling the fuse. I have had the hydraulic brakes checked out by a local garage. I have not taken the vehicle to Toyota to get the ABS system inspected yet.
Brake complaints in other Sienna years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2000 Toyota Sienna?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the brakes of the 2000 Toyota Sienna, 11% of the model year's 363 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Toyota Sienna brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2000 Toyota Sienna, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Toyota Sienna brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.