2023 TOYOTA Sienna Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

SERVICE BRAKES

17 complaints

Brakes will intermittently lurch when coming to a stop with normal braking pressure. The lurch feels like the brakes have stopped working and the driver has to press harder on the brake to avoid rear ending the vehicle in front. Brake pedal feels normal the entire time. Dealership is unable to duplicate on a test drive since the issue is intermittent.

Sep 11, 2025

When I go to brake the brakes seem to malfunction and skip engagement. I’ve had acceleration happen in the vehicle when I brake. At one time this caused my speed to jump while braking, I went from 5 to 10 MPH. This now happens several times a week.

Jul 30, 2025

The brakes on my '23' Hybrid Toyota Sienna seem to have a sudden acceleration when braking at times. Typically, it happens when braking going down a hill or around a curve (at slower speeds) and sometimes when trying to come to a full stop. This has caused me to almost rear-end other vehicles on several occasions and has also caused me to go slightly beyond the stop sign, putting the nose of my car in the street. It is not reproducible at the dealership. It has happened since I drove it off the lot in July of 2023 and happens randomly and without warning. This is scary when you seem to be braking in plenty of time to keep safe distances and then you suddenly get propelled forward! It happens weekly and has happened weekly since purchase. In speaking with other owners, this sounds like a common issue.

Apr 04, 2025

intermittent brake issues, primarily characterized by a "brake release" sensation where the brakes momentarily disengage while slowing down, causing the vehicle to lurch forward unexpectedly, sometimes happening during turns or on uneven roads and downhills and even while stopping at any light or a normal road sometimes

Feb 02, 2025

Car lunges forward 10ft or so intermittently when braking is applied. This is very dangerous given situations. Toyota dealer is given new car models under 36k miles a free fix, but they would charge high mileage cars a lot of money. I wish NHTSA demand Toyota provide free fix for this issue.

Oct 26, 2024

+ 12 more complaints for this component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

13 complaints

The sunroof spontaneously exploded while in a closed position, not in use in any way, while driving in the rain on the highway. While driving at highway speed, a sudden “shotgun blast sound” occurred. The interior cover was closed. Wind noise became immediately apparent. Upon stopping to inspect, the exterior sunroof glass had shattered with the appearance it blew out from the inside, as the middle section was protruding upward. The sunroof has been used very minimally since purchasing the vehicle right at a year ago. There have been no issues with the sunroof. The vehicle is going to the dealership body shop in the next few days.

Apr 05, 2025

I purchased the car with 0 Miles. The tire pressure monitoring system would show an error every so often. Then go off immediately. But would never stay on long enough to get it diagnosed. It’s an issue and has be discussed on many forums as being a problem.

Jan 16, 2025

-Car loss power for few seconds turning out from parking lot with an oncoming semi. Could have gotten smash. -Right sliding door randomly not fully closed. Dealer cannot repro neither issues and told me that they are charging $99 diagnose fee next time I bring the car in for the same reason. They did a 1x goodwill diagnose. Absolutely unacceptable for a car that is under warranty with 22k miles on it.

Jun 26, 2024

My husband and I bought a new Toyota Sienna Hybrid in September, 2023. I had a horrific accident on Wednesday, June 5 2024. The Sienna was in our garage and I went back in the house to get my cell phone I forgot. I had started the car, pressed the button to turn off the car but did not put the car in park as I should have. The car ended up going out of the garage and down the driveway- fortunately it hit a cement wall and almost totaled the car. We feel blessed that no one got hurt. I have never had anything like this happen before. I believe if this car was equipped like the gas powered cars we have always had driven this would not have happened. The key fob was around my neck. If I had to remove the key like in our Ford Transit Connect the car would have been in park-the car has to be in park to remove the key. I always take the key to prevent theft and being locked out. You cannot remove the key without the car being in park. I consider this a safety feature. These hybrid/electric cars have just the push button and have eliminated this safety feature. If the Sienna had had some kind of key to remove only when in park this could have avoided such a horrible accident. I had to chase after the Sienna going down the driveway- Fortunately there were no cars going by or people walking by. I consider myself an excellent driver- you can check my record. I know I need to just manually check the gear. With all the new technology there should be a way to assist the driver with avoiding this mishap- they could put in sensors that take the car out of gear if the driver’s seat becomes unoccupied. The same situation happened to our old neighbor about 5 years ago- her electric car rolled out of the garage and took down a brick wall. Please help with getting this matter rectified as more and more drivers are getting hybrid/all electric cars. As you can see we need this safety mechanism on all cars

Jun 07, 2024

Crash: 1

My sunroof EXPLODED on 5/31/24 at 1:30 pm. I was driving about 55mph. There was no car in front of me or at my sides, and I was passing a rural grassy area. I did not see anyone or anything. It appears that the glass broke outwards. Fortunately, because it was 85-90 degrees, I had closed the shade about an hour earlier.

May 31, 2024

+ 8 more complaints for this component

VISIBILITY/WIPER

6 complaints

Vehicles equipped with rear entertainment: when tv is folded down, Toyota failed to include a digital mirror to support the ability to see through the rear of the vehicle. When the entertainment system is folded down, the rear view mirror is inaccessible. Many reports are filed online describing the same issue by other owners. Recall should be made to fix the issue and have a digital mirror put in place.

Dec 30, 2023

Rear seat entertainment causes blind spot when screen is down. Driver cannot see cars behind via the rear view mirror.

Nov 12, 2023

The sienna does not have a rear view camera when the entertainment system is in use. The TV blocks the mirror for the driver making it very unsafe to drive.

Jul 19, 2023

2 month after buying the car, in Jan i turned the car on and the windshield wipers didn't work. It was a snowy day and the salt and snow made it dangerous to drive. Before i had a chance to bring it to the dealer, after about 2 hours, the wipers started working. This happened again in April, i was driving on the highway and it was raining intermittently. . I was using the wipers, and suddenly they wouldn't turn on. I pulled into the first rest stop and forced the wipers up by hand and than it started working.

Jun 28, 2023

The entertainment screen is completely blocking the rear view when in use which is very dangerous when backing out. Also, I can’t see ambulances, fire trucks, police, etc. are coming behind me to pull over. This is a very serious safety issues for driver. Toyota said that I need to close the screen when this happens but it’s more dangerous for the driver to turn around to close the screen while driving.

Apr 25, 2023

+ 1 more complaint for this component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

4 complaints

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving, the fuel gauge indicated there was 121 miles of fuel available. The contact stated that within twenty miles, the fuel gauge indicated that the fuel tank was empty. The contact stated that when the gauge indicated 170 miles available, the fuel usage decreased quickly. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased and modified for transporting the contact’s disabled son. The Freedom Motor company provided the modification requests. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the modification company several times, however no assistance was provided. The contact was advised to always keep the fuel tank full. The contact stated that it was very hot and dangerous to be driving a vehicle and running out of fuel while transporting her disabled son. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Aug 14, 2025

The vehicle has a standard installation of a kick sensor for the rear hatch. I purchased the vehicle used and was able to start the vehicle and drive it for a period of time hoping to charge up the 12V battery. However, upon stopping the vehicle I could not restart it. Even after repeated jumpstart and driving the vehicle for over 45 minutes, the 12 V battery could not restart the car. I read about a similar issue with 2022 Toyota vehicles and so I followed the directions to disable the kick sensor. I then jumpstarted the car, drove it around and I found I could restart the car even after a short drive. I left the vehicle sitting in my driveway for two days and I could still restart the vehicle. I believe the 2023 Toyota sienna has the same issue as the 2022 model and the kick sensor needs to be replaced so it doesn’t drain the 12V battery when the sensor gets dirty. I live in the Midwest and this happened during January when there was snow and slush on the streets.

Jan 28, 2025

Passenger side sliding door randomly opens even when car is in the locked mode and when parked. It has happened 4 times. Toyota blames my chair lift and the mobility works blames Toyota. Service has not been able to recreate the problem since it is intermittent and has documented the complaint. However the only way to insure it doesn’t happen is to shut off the power to the doors making them difficult to open. This has only happened while parked but is a safety issue when not at home in the garage.

Aug 09, 2024

Our family bought a 2023 new Toyota Sienna [VIN [XXX] ] on July 7, 2023 paying the full price plus premium dealer markup from Elmore Toyota in Westminster, Orange County, California on January 7, 2023 and only received one keyfob for the 7 seater van. I was told that I would get a second keyfob within 2-3 weeks. I have constantly contacted Elmore Toyota and they have said that the keyfob has still not arrived as of December 5th, 2023. As we have three adult drivers using the vans and children who are seated in their car seats in the van, it is imperative that we get our second keyfob as soon as possible. If we were told that we would only get one keyfob and would have to wait over 5 months to get a second keyfob, we would not have bought this vehicle. It is a safety issue as the possibility exists that the single keyfob could be in the car when a child pushes a lock button for the van, there would be no second keyfob to free the trapped children. Please contact me to resolve this risk. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Dec 06, 2023

VISIBILITY

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, there was a popping sound coming from the sunroof, and the contact discovered that the sunroof had shattered. Neither the dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

Sep 09, 2025

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

multiple times this has been an issue. I stepped on the break and the car essentially leaps forward typically when going up down or straight. In November 2024 it happened while going up a hill slowly and I bumped into the vehicle ahead of me. My vehicle had no damage, but the car in front of me had to get a new skid plate and my insurance doubled because of it. Since the incident in November 2024, my car has unintentionally accelerated intermittently. finally, April 2025 this happened my car started shaking jolted forward, engine revving, and then my check engine light came on then immediately contacted my local dealership and scheduled an appointment to get my car in. They have had my vehicle since then and have said it is not safe to give it back to me so I am currently driving a loaner vehicle.

May 14, 2025

Crash: 1

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

The (PCS) Precollision System has been already set to LOW sensitivity, but every once in awhile when pulling in to oncoming traffic the vehicle would think there's still a car and just stalls for a few seconds (nonresponsive to acceleration pedal) leading to a dangerous occurrence where I could be hit by a vehicle because I've basically stopped in an active intersection. My vehicle is clean, so no dirt blocking the sensors, and I also own a 5th gen RAV4 without this issue.

Apr 16, 2025

AIR BAGS

1 complaint

Air bags did not deploy during a major crash took place on 9-25-2024 the vehicle was a total loss.

Oct 02, 2024

Crash: 1

Injuries: 2

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

I turned right to park behind another car on the driveway and my car suddenly accelerated hitting the car in front. The collision was strong enough that the car that was hit then hit a barrier at the home.

May 25, 2024

Crash: 1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

On July 7, 2023 I paid in full and was given possession of the 7 passenger seating Toyota van. The car has automatic door locking mechanism as part of the electrical system and can be locked from inside the car. The van is used to transport 2 children in car seats who can touch car components. We were given one Keyfob by the dealership and we were told that Toyota manufacturer did not have a second Keyfob to give at that time; we were told that we would get the second Keyfob within a few weeks. We were not told prior to purchasing the car that only one Keyfob would be given or else we would not have purchased the car; there was a failure to disclose this. It has now been close to 3 months that we have driven with only one Keyfob. With children who can touch inside controls, they could lock themselves inside the van with the windows closed and the single Keyfob left inside the car. We do not have a second Keyfob to prevent possible deaths and injuries that could occur from the manufacturer's negligence and faulty car electrical system design. Toyota vans aimed at parents with children are unsafe for use when only one Keyfob is issued. It is the responsibility of the NHTSA to help protect the safety of these children and parents as Toyota cares more about making a short-term profit from getting the full cash from the sale of the van instead of delaying the sale of the van until both Keyfobs are available to purchasers at the time of sale of the vehicle. It is estimated that this is not an isolated incident as my multiple contacts with Elmore Toyota dealership and Toyota of America headquarters result being told that it is a "Toyota wide problem with several other purchasers waiting also." This should be a class action lawsuit with both compensatory damages awarded along with punitive damages to discourage Toyota and other Auto manufacturers from placing profits above the safety of children who cannot speak or defend themselves from such gross negligence.

Sep 27, 2023

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

I parked the car in the garage and my child left the passanger side sliding door open. Then, the door malfunctioned because it would not electronically close after being left open more than 80 minutes. I tried to manually close the door, but encountered resistance. Afterwards, I pushed the "power door main switch" and was able to close the door manually. Our safety was at risk because if a dangerous person or aniaml was approaching, there is no intuitive way to quickly close the door. The vehicle DID NOT provide any warning messages about the door malfunction.

Sep 06, 2023

SEATS

1 complaint

The 3rd row seats in the Sienna do not stay stowed as there is no lock. This creates a very dangerous situation when braking. I just got this car a few days ago and already have issues. When I brake or go over bumps, the stowed 3rd row seat pops up a little. That's okay, until you brake. In one instance, I had to brake harder than usual during a traffic incident in front of me, and the 3rd row seats flew forward (up and out of the stowed position) and slammed into the 2nd row seats. It was loud and scary. My child was sitting in the 3rd row (split 3rd row so only one side was stowed) and the seat flying up and forward almost broke her leg as she was sitting with one leg out to the side. We even had items on top of the seat to keep the 3rd row from bouncing and popping up, but that is not a safe solution either. This is an issue reported for recent years on Toyota forums. I called Toyota to report it. I have read the owner's manual to make sure I am stowing the seats correctly. Any animals or children near a stowed 3rd row seat could be seriously injured.

Aug 18, 2023

SEAT BELTS

1 complaint

In a couple of instances the latch mechanism in 2 different seats became loose during trip. In one ocassion there was an alarm while in the second ocassion we realized when removing the car seat of an infant.

Aug 16, 2023

POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

We had a "hybrid system malfunction" warning on the dashboard and the van slowed down to 20 mph on a climb. With the flow of traffic at 50mph on a two lane road and no shoulder to pull off, this cause a serious risk to us and other drivers. Stopping and starting the car several times did not cause the warning to go away and the owner's manual says to stop driving. There were no warning lights prior to this happening. The warning and the MIL came on at the same time as the van started slowing. The local dealer now has the van and are not able to exactly diagnose the problem. They are contacting the manufacturer. They said the warning is no longer on.

May 22, 2023

⭐

4.3/5.0

70 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2023 TOYOTA Sienna have?

The 2023 TOYOTA Sienna currently has 50 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2023 TOYOTA Sienna?

The most common problems reported for the 2023 TOYOTA Sienna are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2023 TOYOTA Sienna problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2023 TOYOTA Sienna comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.