Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Toyota Sienna owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
The cables for the rear power sliding doors snapped on my car causing the door to be jammed shut. When the second one broke approximately two weeks later it's snap back whipping nearly hitting my three-year-old son
Car was parked on level Land both times: damages door #1: upon entering the left rear slider door the cable snapped causing loud noises and a large cable to appear and whip around which could have hit one of my children. I was ready to repair it and took it to the dealership when they informed me of the outrageous cost to repair. Within a few months ... The next do happened ... Damaged door #2: months after witnessing the first door, my daughter and son and I were getting out of the vehicle when suddenly the care shook and sounded like glass was breaking aand before we knew it the cable was whipping around like a wild snake. It was crazy! I made an appointment with the dealership at this point because the doors do not open all the way. I was informed there was no recall and their were no other complaints logged. I see now I was misinformed. …
2009 Toyota Sienna with power sliding doors. I believe the cause of this issue May be a poorly designed roller hinge for the sliding doors. If the roller hinge fails and binds, it will cause the power sliding door motor and/or cable to fail. Passenger side power sliding door became stuck, partially open, with my handicapped son inside while I was parked outside his school for drop off. I observed that the power door cable was broken. When I attempted to push the door open to get my son out, the roller hinge failed, coming partway out of its track, and the rear side window shattered, covering the third seat with broken glass. A small amount of glass landed on my son. I was forced to carry him (13 years old, approximately 75 lbs.) out from the driver side sliding door. The door would not open or close so I was forced to have it towed to the dealership for repair. …
Passenger slide door cable snapped when closing the door. It snapped near the end of the grove where the door slides on to. The other end of the cable which pulls the door to the close position is not going in so the sliding door had to be forced to be closed. Eventually, this cable was winded back into the door. However, with the other end snapped, this end would not be released from the motor after a few times of opening and closing the door manually. This had caused the door to be fully shut and closed. A few more pulls on the door handle from the outside eventually made a few big bangs. These bangs were a result of the motor pulling the remaining attached cable end to snap as well. Now both end of the cables are inside the door/motor. Toyota has a warranty enhancement in regards to this door issue. However, it only covers year 2007 to 2007. Mine is a 2009. …
To whom it May concern: regarding customer support program (zts): warranty enhancement for rear sliding door latch assemblies on certain 2004-2010my Sienna vehicles and power sliding door cable assembly on certain 2004-2007my Sienna vehicles. I am here to tell you that my 2009 Sienna should have been covered by this warranty extension. A few years ago our cable snapped on the driver side door. I was told by my dealer and Toyota customer service that my model year was not covered by the able assembly issue. I was quoted approximately $2K for this repair. Well, with the craziness of the pandemic, I decided to do this repair myself. I purchased the attached parts list in the scan myself. As you can see from the images: there are screws missing around the pulley system, the cable cracked the housing and proceeded to tear up the sound insulation. …
Power cable assembly for power sliding door behind the driver snapped while opening the door using the key fob. Door is still operable in manual mode. However, Toyota issued a customer support program (zts) for power sliding door cable assembly for model years 2004-2007. The unfortunate thing is that the same part on my 2009 Toyota Sienna is the same part that is covered for the 2004-2007 model years. There have been no changes to the part or part number for the 2008, 2009 or 2010 models but yet they are not covered. These years should be covered as there is zero difference between them and the 2004-2007 models. My part number is 69641-08030 and was covered if I had a 2004-2007 Sienna, but not for anything newer. Ridiculous. Attaching the customer support program (zts) for your review. Thankfully we were not moving or that the cable snapped and hit someone standing next to the vehicle.
The power door cable has rusted clear through and snapped whipping around like a live wire. This was just after I put my 2 year old in his car seat. The car was parked..now the door will not open all the way and there is a cable loose on the driver's side. There is a bulletin campaign for the cable on Toyota Sienna cable for replacement up to 2007. But 2008-2010 is not covered. This is crazy that Toyota will not cover it. Https://www.facebook.com/Toyota-Sienna-faulty-power-sliding-doors-233250320033754/ there are more people this is happening to, I cannot open my door all the way to get my 2 year old out in an emergency. Unacceptable by Toyota. 1300$ for the part and 5+ hours of labor...for a faulty cable. Dangerous! Now I fear the other side will snap too 2009 should be covered under the bulletin attached below https://www.dropbox.com/s/uutapynppj55gcr/t-cp-zts.pdf?dl=0
Both sliding door cables have broken under normal use and were previously replaced by Toyota. The genuine Toyota replacement cable on the driver side has broken a second time, including damaging the motor assembly. The door does not open or close properly and temporarily trapped my daughter inside who did not know how to open the door besides using the door open buttons and handle. One daughter was standing outside the vehicle when the cable snapped and it nearly cut her neck (it came about 2 inches from her neck when it snapped out of the track). This is a known issue at Toyota where the plastic coating breaks allowing the cable to rust. Having inoperative or improperly operating doors creates a significant safety risk, including vehicle entrapment and inability to enter/egress from the non-traffic side of the roadway.
Related recalls
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.
Body complaints in other Sienna years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2009 Toyota Sienna?
NHTSA has 97 complaints about the body & structure of the 2009 Toyota Sienna, 47% of the model year's 207 complaints. The component named most often is body (62 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Toyota Sienna body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-160 (structure, Apr 20, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota Sienna body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 11 injuries to body & structure 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.