Most common 2009 Toyota Sienna problems
Share of the 207 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Sienna complaints by model year
Best Sienna years: 2020, 2019, 2018. Years to avoid: 2005, 2006, 2011, 2008, 2007. Compare all years →
2009 Toyota Sienna recalls (10)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2005-2007 and 2009-2010 Toyota Sienna vehicles. In the affected vehicles, due to a problem within the shift lock assembly, the shift lever may be moved out of the 'Park' position without depressing the brake pedal.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid and reapply the grease, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0V.
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
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…
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
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.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge.
Tires › Temporary/emergency spare tire
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…
Remedy: Toyota sent owners in August 2014 an interim notification to advise owners of the recall and that dealers will perform an interim remedy to remove the spare tire and relocate it to the luggage compartment, free of…
Power train › Automatic transmission
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.
Remedy: Toyota will mail interim notifications to owners beginning in late October 2013. When parts are available, owners will be sent a second notice and dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid, free of charge.
Structure
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,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners with an interim letter initially instructing them to bring their vehicle to authorized dealers to inspect for corrosion. A second notice will be sent when the permanent remedy is available.
Show 4 more recalls
Equipment › Other › Labels
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.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual.
Equipment › Other › 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.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2009 sienna and 2009 Lexus gx passenger vehicles. The vehicle capacity weight on the tire and loading information label and the gvwr on the certification label is insufficient for certain vehicles.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners instructing them to return their vehicle to a Toyota or Lexus dealer for an exchange of the certification label and the tire and loading information label, an installation of the load carrying…
Equipment › Other › Labels
Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2009. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.
What 2009 Toyota Sienna owners say
Body & structure all 97 →
The rear passenger side sliding door cable and motor assembly on the Toyota Sienna failed, causing the door to become completely inoperative (cannot open nor close) and the broken cable nearly cut my wife as it broke under tension and came flying out toward her as she was trying to close the door normally. The cable and motor had been replaced in 2015. The cable and motor on the rear driver side sliding door was also replaced in 2013 and 2017. The problem was confirmed by Woburn Toyota (dealer) and reported to the manufacturer. The manufacturer has confirmed the failure and safety defect, but refuses to provide repairs. No warnings were provided, no recall was issued, and customers were not notified of internal safety bulletin POL12-02 issued by Toyota.
The driver's side sliding door was stuck and I was struggling with it. Suddenly, the quarter panel window shattered (the window between the door and the back of the car) and the door came halfway off the track. It's important to note that this was not the window of the door I was struggling with and nothing visible hit the window. Luckily, my baby was not yet in his seat which is right next to the window. It is normal for people to struggle with a stuck door. If a non-visibly connected window suddenly shatters it is a significant safety risk.
Electrical system all 28 →
Odometer Fraud. The contact owned a 2009 Toyota Sienna. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the vehicle was sold. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the sale, the vehicle mileage was 253,000. The contact posted the sale on Craigslist, and several days after the sale, the contact noticed that the vehicle was posted back on Craigslist for sale. The contact discovered that the new owner had rolled back the mileage on the odometer to 126,000. The ad on Craigslist was showing the fraudulent mileage.
The rear passenger side sliding door cable and motor assembly on the Toyota Sienna failed, causing the door to become completely inoperative (cannot open nor close) and the broken cable nearly cut my wife as it broke under tension and came flying out toward her as she was trying to close the door normally. The cable and motor had been replaced in 2015. The cable and motor on the rear driver side sliding door was also replaced in 2013 and 2017. The problem was confirmed by Woburn Toyota (dealer) and reported to the manufacturer. The manufacturer has confirmed the failure and safety defect, but refuses to provide repairs. No warnings were provided, no recall was issued, and customers were not notified of internal safety bulletin POL12-02 issued by Toyota.
Wheels & tires
Sometime around August 2014, I received a safety recall notice from Toyota. It mentioned a new safety recall #e1s which supersedes the prior notice #a9e. This involves the spare tire carrier cable which May corrode due to road salt in cold climate areas, which I understand includes maryland where I live. I have called Toyota dealers near me and they keep saying that Toyota has not provided them with the part to repair this. I tried again today, March 13, 2015, but the answer is the same. Therefore, I am registering my complaint today and would like to know how soon this safety defect might be taken care of.
Had Firestone auto care install 4 brand new tires on vehicle at 9 am on 11/3/17. That afternoon while traveling on interstate left front tire blew out. Took vehicle to Firestone no indication that vehicle had hit something and no punctures in tire. Firestone replaced the tire. On 11/717 while traveling on local road the left rear tire suddenly lost all air and went flat. Once again no indication that the vehicle hit anything and no punctures in tire. I demanded a full refund from Firestone which they agreed to provide. I took the vehicle elsewhere and had tires replaced with a different brand.
2009 Toyota Sienna engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Toyota Sienna a good car?
Based on 207 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Sienna rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Sienna at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Toyota Sienna?
The body & structure — 97 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the electrical system (28) and wheels & tires (16).
How many recalls does the 2009 Toyota Sienna have?
There are 10 recalls for the 2009 Toyota Sienna, the most recent from October 18, 2017 (automatic transmission). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2019 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2006, 2011, 2008 and 2007. See the full Toyota Sienna years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota Sienna problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 27% 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.