2021 Toyota Sienna

Family: Sienna · filed with NHTSA as REDUNDANT SIENNA, SIENNA HYBRID

Summary

In its first three years the 2021 Sienna drew 97 complaints — 1.0× the median of its generation (2021–2026). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Of the 192 complaints that name a component, 46% concern Brakes (89).
4 recalls filed for this model year.
1 federal defect investigation covers this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 210
Recalls: 4
Investigations: 1
NCAP overall: 5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 35–36
Annual fuel cost: $1,750–$1,800
Median mileage at complaint: 28,800 mi (n = 24)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 14 / 4 / 12 / 0

What owners report

Brakes

89 complaints · 46% of complaints that name a component · median 30,800 mi (n = 4)

Owner report I purchased my 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid new in March 2021. For several years I have had an intermittent braking problem: when I apply the brakes, especially while slowing down or driving downhill, the vehicle sometimes lurches or feels like it suddenly accelerates forward instead of slowing. I must press the brake ped…

Owner report This is a supplemental correction to my NHTSA complaint #XXX (2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid, VIN [XXX]). The description of the brake defect itself is unchanged; I am correcting the service-history details. First dealer visit: the correct date is XXX, at approximately 41,192 miles, Repair Order #XXX, at Checkered Flag Toy…

Airbags

29 complaints · 15% of complaints that name a component · median 98,000 mi (n = 2)

Owner report SRS light has been showing up on the dashboard, off and on for 3 weeks. Diagnostic reader completed by the dealership states it is an airbag module malfunction of the 2nd row left passenger seat. The seat has never been removed, there have been zero accidents and no damage to the seat or wiring.

Owner report Unknown, I got the SRS Airbag system malfunction in my vehicle, I got the same error in my vehicle dashboard a few times in the past but it would go away and since yesterday I have the message in my dashboard

Seats

22 complaints · 11% of complaints that name a component · median 60,000 mi (n = 4)

Owner report The electronic driver's seat motor and track assembly failed completely on my 2021 Toyota Sienna (VIN: [XXX]) at less than 18,000 miles. The seat is permanently seized in a fixed position. This creates an immediate safety and crash-protection hazard, as drivers of different heights cannot safely adjust their distance f…

Owner report 2nd row passenger seat recline does not work. My seat is very reclined now causing the 2nd row passenger to not be in the optimal position for SRS airbag performance that may result in possible death due to head impact during a side collision. Toyota likely has enough data to issue a TSB to resolve this issue prevent…

9% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2021–2026)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 94.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2021	210	97
2022	141	94
2023	71	52	fewest complaints
2024	69	69	not compared
2025	268	268	not compared
2026	18	18	not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

25V877000 · EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY:WHEELCHAIR RESTRAINTS/SECUREMENT:LATCH/ANCHOR:

Filed 2025-12-17 · 1,019 vehicles

Defect: Vantage Mobility, LLC (VM) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Honda Odyssey, 2021-2025 Chrysler Pacifica, and Toyota Sienna vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured.

Risk: An unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters was mailed January 27, 2026. Owners may contact Vantage Mobility customer service at 1-800-488-9082.

25V086000 · SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Filed 2025-02-13 · 167,802 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Sienna Hybrid vehicles. The bolts for the seatbacks on the third-row seat assemblies may not be tightened properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints," 207, "Seating Systems," and 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."

Risk: An improperly tightened seatback may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will tighten the seat assembly bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA05.

23V865000 · AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Filed 2023-12-20 · 999,901 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

22V239000 · ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC):CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Filed 2022-04-13 · 458,110 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

Risk: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
DP22005	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM	2023-01-27	2023-08-07	22V063000

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Sienna Hybrid 2WD	2.5L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (AV-S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	36	36	36	$1750
Sienna Hybrid AWD	2.5L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (AV-S6)	All-Wheel Drive	35	36	35	$1800

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2021 Toyota SIENNA HYBRID VAN AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2021 Toyota SIENNA HYBRID VAN FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 219 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about structure.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2026-08-20	ENGINE	This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV) Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries.
2026-08-20	ENGINE	OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0051-26.
2026-08-11	ENGINE	Although the flow shut-off valve is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repair…
2026-05-14	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toy…
2026-02-27	ENGINE	OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
2026-01-30	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
2026-01-28	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
2026-01-07	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2026-01-06	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toy…
2025-12-02	STRUCTURE:BODY	Some customers may experience a condition in which the 2021-2025 Sienna HV 2nd row FRAME SUB-ASSY, No.1 does not function even when the stow lever is pulled. Because the cable has come off from the bracket that holds it inside.

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Sienna, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Sienna model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.