1998 Toyota Sienna Seat belts Problems
- Complaints
- 12about this part
- Share
- 4%of 294 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 89,350miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the seat belts of the 1998 Toyota Sienna, 4% of the 294 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 89,350 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I have a 1998 Toyota Sienna le. All of the seat belts do not retract back into the panels without help from the passengers. If you lean forward they stay where they are extended to. I have had them looked at and the technician said the return springs have all relaxed. This is the 4th Toyota automobile I have owned and all of them have done this. I don't know how this can be safe?”
NHTSA complaint #10283614, filed 2009-09, 117,000 miles“We were in an automobile accident recently and have a question about needing to replace the seat belts and possibly question of malfunction of airbags. Our Toyota Sienna van was going about 35 MPH and hit straight-on a car that turned in front of us hitting the driver side with extensive damage with essentially no braking. Essentially the Toyota sustained a front impact collision. The airbags didn't deploy and our repair mechanic is telling us this impact was not sufficient to deploy airbags. …”
NHTSA complaint #10098750, filed 2004-11, 99,000 miles“The air bag light remained illuminating while driving. The dealer informed the consumer the vehicle was not covered under a recall. The seat belt light would come on and the seat belts tensioners were found inoperative. The air bag light would stay on due to sensor failure.”
NHTSA complaint #10096594, filed 2004-11, 78,000 miles“Front seatbelt warning light comes on when buckled, goes off when unbuckled. Not sure if seatbelt will function properly in a crash. Dealer charged $92 to diagnose and quoted $375 to replace whole seatbelt assembly. I've read online about other people having the same problem with this light so I felt I should report it.”
NHTSA complaint #10032659, filed 2003-08“The seat belts in our 1998 Toyota Sienna have been failing. They will not retract. We have had two replaced at our cost, now two more have failed. I have the parts from the second belt that failed. It is not twisted and there is no foreign material in the belt or it's path. Prior to the failure of our seat belts, I talked our friends (the miller family) into buying a van just like ours. They were hit by a red light runner may 29, 2005. The seat belt holding their three-year-old son, kyle, failed and he was ejected from the vehicle. He was killed instantly. …”
NHTSA complaint #10229608, filed 2008-06Seat belts: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 1% |
| 2021 | 8 | 5% |
| 2019 | 2 | 4% |
| 2017 | 4 | 3% |
| 2016 | 6 | 8% |
| 2015 | 8 | 3% |
| 2014 | 5 | 3% |
| 2013 | 4 | 2% |
| 2012 | 3 | 1% |
| 2011 | 9 | 1% |
| 2010 | 5 | 3% |
| 2009 | 3 | 1% |
| 2008 | 13 | 3% |
| 2007 | 5 | 1% |
| 2006 | 38 | 4% |
| 2005 | 83 | 7% |
| 2004 | 98 | 5% |
| 2003 | 5 | 5% |
| 2002 | 7 | 4% |
| 2001 | 9 | 5% |
| 2000 | 21 | 6% |
| 1999 | 6 | 3% |
| 1998 | 12 | 4% |
Other parts of the 1998 Toyota Sienna
44 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
40 complaintsTires
38 complaintsBody and structure
35 complaintsEngine cooling
33 complaintsSteering
25 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
23 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
17 complaintsElectrical system
14 complaintsAir bags
12 complaintsSuspension
11 complaintsVehicle speed control
8 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Toyota Sienna
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology