Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Toyota Sienna owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
- Traction control engaged at high speed(70 mph on interstate) causing the vehicle to brake abruptly and pull the vehicle to the right. Had I been traveling in the left hand lane, I could have been forced into the right hand lane causing a collusion with another vehicle. Also occurred at lower speed(30 mph on a windy road) causing the same issue as described above, almost causing the vehicle to leave the paved surface. - Mechanic was able to duplicate the issue - Mechanic diagnosed intermittent traction control activation, scanned computer for codes. Yaw rate/steering angle correlation causing false activation ABS/traction. Replaced hub bearing and spindle. Four wheel alignment, including check castor, camber and adjust toe. Performed zero point calibration and reset ABS memory. - Traction control lights up briefly
While driving typically around 35 mph and either left or right turn the vehicle traction control engages and the van brakes and steering is affected. The roads have always been dry and in each instance the speed of the van was at or below the speed limit - traction was never lost and yet the traction control engaged as if we were in a skid. This occurred at least 12 times while driving to and from a day trip in the mountains (windy road). It has also happened multiple times at around 50 mph while turning left on a nearby flat freeway. An independent service shop has not been able to replicate the problem. The safety of the driver and passengers were at risk when it occurred on the freeway as a driver behind us got close to rear ending the van while it was in its brake mode.
About a year ago the Vehicle Stability Control warning light along with an audible alarm started coming on intermittently while turning on highways going uphill or downhill in dry weather and with no risk of any tire slipping. At first this only happened at higher speeds 65+mph. Over time, it has occurred more and more frequently and can occur at speeds down to 25 mph. At times, the Anti-lock Braking System is also activated resulting in jerky braking and loss of throttle. When people have been following me too closely, this has almost caused accidents. When these symptoms occur, it is always on a curve (of any degree, even slight curves) and while driving at least 25 mph, and even happens on flat turns now. The weather has always been dry with no risk of tire slippage.
Numerous times (too many to say), the traction control indicator sensor comes on & I am unable to control the car. Typically it lasts for 2-3 minutes and turns off. It does not depend on road conditions, weather, and or speed. I have taken the car to the repair shop and they have not been able to capture anything on the engine diagnostic system. No codes were found for them to troubleshoot this issue. I've seen this problem being reported on several posts. Yet the NHSTA has done NOTHING!! TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR THIS ISSUE. WAKE UP NHSTA. MAKE OUR TAX DOLLARS WORK!!! This poses a huge risk to my family and other drivers, not to mention impact on budget.
Vehicle often applies brakes on its own . At first it was only in turns . However now it does it when driving straight on the the freeway or just down the street at 45mph. I have fixed my alignment ,new tires, all of the front suspension and nothing prevents the car from trying to brake for me. it is a safety feature that is not safe at all. a car slamming on your brakes at any speed is dangerous in addition to that it seems to cut off your fuel , leaving you unable to accelerate until its done beeping which can take a long time. the vsc , chenk engine and trac off flash there is no crash to report I have been lucky so far
Sometimes when I take turns in my Sienna, the VSC starts going off and braking individual wheels without my control. This happens unexpectedly on highway bends at speeds of 60+ mph and it is difficult to control the car and keep from swerving into another lane. If the roads were icy when this happens, it would probably cause a dangerous accident. Toyota has a technical service bulletin for this, but not a recall - which it should since this is a significant safety issue. The TSB is BR008-04. There are many others experiencing this same issue: https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/13855/toyota/sienna/vsc-sudden-activation-2004-toyota-sienna
While driving on dry freeway or other stable road conditions, the Electronic Stability Control kicks in, braked hard, causing the van to swerve, and the lights on the dash started flashing, accompanied by a loud beeping. This has happened multiple times now. There is no reason for this to be occurring. It is involuntary, sudden, and random. If someone were close behind me, they could rear-end the vehicle. It also sometimes pulls the steering so hard that it swerves into the other lane. This is a serious safety issue that Toyota needs to deal with.
The Traction Control System commonly malfunctions while making turns on curving road sections. I will lose power through turns as the TCS light blinks on my dashboard and makes a beeping sound. On some occasions the brakes will automatically engage in the tire that the car perceives as experiencing slippage. This problem is continuously worsening and commonly endangers me and my passengers, as the car engages brakes or cuts power to the engine at unexpected and in opportune times.
The slip indicator light and alarm comes on sporadically, engaging the ABS suddenly and unexpectedly, when we are on completely dry roads. Happens while driving 40-80 mph. And doesn't matter if I'm going straight or turning.
When driving in dry conditions at various speeds over 25 MPH, the vsc warning light comes on, an alarm sounds and the antilock brakes engage for no reason. This is a terrifying and extremely dangerous issue that is well documented by so many Toyota Sienna owners but to date has not been addressed or acknowledged by Toyota. When taken to a dealership, they claim (as other owners have also stated) that they cannot replicate the problem and it does not register through the obd2 sensor so there is no record of it happening. With as many people as this is happening with, it is not a question of whether there will be accidents, injuries and ultimately deaths caused by this issue. The only question is when and how many have to occur before Toyota acknowledges this is a problem. …
NHTSA investigations
Steering intermediate shaft binding
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation, pe08-041, to investigate allegations of steering binding or increased steering effort caused by corrosion of steering intermediate universal joints in model year (my) 2004 Toyota sienna vehicles.Toyota's response to odi's request for information in pe08-041 indicated that Toyota has been investigating reports of increased steering effort in…
Steering intermediate shaft binding
Odi's analysis of warranty data shows that the alleged defect has occurred in just 0.2 percent of the subject vehicle population.when the analysis is limited to salt-belt states, the rate is still well below one percent of the population (0.4 percent).in addition, tests conducted by odi and Toyota have shown that the alleged defect has a minimal affect on steering efforts.odi interviews of owners who experienced the…
Steering complaints in other Sienna years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2004 Toyota Sienna?
NHTSA has 159 complaints about the steering of the 2004 Toyota Sienna, 8% of the model year's 2,062 complaints. The component named most often is column (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Sienna steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2004 Toyota Sienna, though it has 10 recalls 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 2004 Toyota Sienna steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 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.