Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Toyota Sienna owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Driving on dry pavement in mountainous terrain the slip indicator light/sound activates temporarily and the brakes can engage by themselves! Usually happens during right turns. I've been to several automotive specialists for mechanical & electronic diagnosis. I've replaced the lower control arm & the clock spring behind the steering wheel but the issue persists. Online searches indicate this is a common problem with Toyota siennas that is extremely difficult to diagnose & very costly to replace all the possible problematic components! I've had this problem since buying the car used several months ago.This should be a recall issue!!!!!!!!!!!
Issues with VSC. The sensor alarm goes off when driving at more than 50 mph and slightly turning the steering wheel. The car brakes itself and this is DANGEROUS. It happens all the time, it has been more than 5-6 years and we are to the point of not using the car on the freeway to prevent a potential fatal accident. I found posts describing the same issue with this model of Toyota. Car should be recalled to get this fixed.
Anti skid/slip malfunctions, Brakes are automatic applied while turning a corner. When this happen one dry road surfaces it was harder to control the car. This happen multiple times in the pass. Yes my safety and others on the road was put at risk. Yes been confirmed by independent service centers. 4.) UNKNOWN 5).No. The warning indicator light and buzzer comes on at the time the incident happens.
My Toyota seinna 2008 , has been locking and unlocking while driving....for the past few months in 2016 my sliding doors and front passenger door lock up and will not unlock with my remote or any other way...I can unlock the front passenger door with a key,but there is no way to unlock the sliding doors...recently I had two friends riding with me...we got to our destination and I got out tried to unlock sliding doors with my remote,they did not unlock...my friend sitting in the second row seating could not get out .she is handicapped....I had to crawl through the rear door and help her up out of her seat and then carefully crawl on the floor of the van to the rear door and climb out.this is truly a safety hazard and cannot be dismissed....sometimes the doors will unlock and sometimes they won't .....so when I take it to the Toyota dealer it always seems to work for them......my van runs …
My passenger side power sliding door cable snapped on it, when I went to open it months back, the cable is hanging down on it and I havent been able to use my power sliding door in months! It snapped on me when it was parked and I had a load of groceries I hit the power door button and I saw something fall from the window and it wouldnt open or shut. I actually have to have the indoor light switch off because the door when I go around corners light will come on that it isnt properly shut! Its a safety hazard that I cant afford to fix! It happened at 117,000 miles back in May 2018. I was told it was going to be $2,000! I was never notified of a extended warranty on these sliding doors! Now im just past the mileage of 120K and 9 years? I bought a Toyota minivan in 2008 for safety for my family. I loved the power sliding door when I picked my kids up. …
I was getting things out of back with power lift gate up. While leaning in vehicle the power lift gate came down without warning and caught me. It did not continue to crush me but it did not reverse so I had to use a pretty good force to push it up (my wife probably would not have been able to do it). It did it a second time a week or so later. When I took it to Toyota they said the struts were bad and replaced them. When I asked why there was no warning they just shrugged their shoulders and said do not know and insinuated they would not know what to do so it would not happen again without warning. How was I to know the struts were bad since it is a power lift gate had been working just fine? …
I had trouble accelerating up a hill and stalling and turning off on the road. I took my vehicle to my Toyota dealership for inspection and was told that rodents or such type had chewed on the electrical wiring harness because of the insulation materials attractiveness. After been first offended, I then remembered seeing a squirrel near the vehicle I presumed innocently taking shade from the hot florida sun. During that time I parked my vehicle in my driveway outside. I advised the dealership of this and they confirmed that indeed such animal would liking have chewed on the harness wiring causing the issue at hand. I paid out of pocket for this repair since I was told it was not under warranty. It has come to my attention that the Toyota dealership was aware of this type of animal and the attraction to the soy based insulation around the electrical wiring harness. …
Dear madame/sir, I own a Toyota Sienna (2008). The driver side sliding door cable just got cut-off last week while my kid was trying to open the door and get in and the passenger side door moves very slowly. I went to the Toyota dealer(s) and they said they had a fix at no cost only for vehicles which are 9 years/120,000 miles and if the customer came with a problem (not a recall) and I do not qualify as it has been 10 years (how did Toyota come-up with this number?). I went online and found that many people have reported a similar issue and looks like Toyota did not take care of them either. From the dealer I understand Toyota was aware of the problem and did not take care of the issue or did not do enough to resolve this problem. I sincerely request you to provide necessary directions/action taken against manufacturer so that 1000s of customers like me will get their car fixed. …
Powered passenger doors on both sides of the van malfunctioned and then cable system broke and locked the doors in the closed position. This happened one after the other in about a three-week period. The cable is clearly rusted and shredded on the one side. I cannot tell why the cable pulled out and stopped working on the other side. As I transport 3 or more children at a time, it is a huge safety issue that the only way out of the car in case of emergency is through one of the front doors or the back trunk hatch. I have owned this vehicle since it was new and I am told this is out of warranty/isn't covered and will cost at least $6,000 to fix. I cannot drive the vehicle like this and I can't afford to fix it. I am apparently not the only one who's had this problem with the van, yet Toyota is doing nothing about it for their customers.
That was around 2012 new year time when I , my wife and my kid visited our friend at atlanta, ga. We drove our van on interstate highway I-75, in the middle of our trip, our van started shaking vigorously. I felt that was from engine, it forced me to stop on the side of I-75. After a while we restarted our van, we could only drive for < 65 miles/hour. Any acceleration resulted in vigorous shaking. After we came home I drove my van to an auto service center, and was checked. It turned out that 3 ignition coils, spark plugs, and manifold gasket had to be replaced. Yesterday (9/10/2015) the same problem happened again.
Electrical complaints in other Sienna years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2008 Toyota Sienna?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 Toyota Sienna, 10% of the model year's 429 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Toyota Sienna electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2008 Toyota Sienna, though it has 9 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 2008 Toyota Sienna electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 24% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to electrical system 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.