2005 Toyota Sienna Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the rear sliding doors and several body and hardware items: door check welds, liftgate struts, and seat belts that bind in their guides. Reports are spread fairly widely across mileage: a number of sliding-door and liftgate complaints come in under about 70,000 miles, while stability-control incidents cluster at higher mileage. Some complaints describe the sliding doors becoming hard to operate or failing to latch, which owners say forced them to drive with a door that would not close properly.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Power sliding doors fail, cable snaps, or door will not

   • 289 complaints (26%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (246 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,600 (median of 61 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2022

   Owners describe the power or manual sliding doors on one or both sides that stop opening or closing, sometimes after a cable snaps or the motor assembly fails. Several report the door remains partly open and cannot be fully shut, or that the interior lights flicker while driving because the van senses a door as open. Others mention the door working only when the outside handle is pulled, or failing to unlock at all. Dealers typically quoted replacement of the motor/cable assembly or the latch, and some owners said an extended-warranty notice did not cover their part number. Spread from roughly 45,000 to 190,000 miles, with many reports under about 110,000 miles.

   What to check: Open and close each sliding door several times, both from the buttons and the outside handle, and check whether the cable and motor operate smoothly and the door latches flush. Ask whether the door latch or cable assemblies have ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “During cold weather, my 2005 Toyota Sienna, one or both rear sliding doors (manually operated) will fail to open more than a fraction of an inch. Furthermore, having pulled on the door to attempt to open it, it is then difficult to close all the way. Therefore, I have often been riding along at highway speeds (sometimes at night) with the interior lights flickering on-and-off because the van's sensors sense that a door is open. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10313810, filed 2010-02, 42,000 miles

   “Our right side-power door stopped working and we then received a warranty enhancement notice certain 2004 to 2007 model year Sienna rear sliding door latch assemblies and power sliding door cable assemblies extending the warranty to 120,000 miles. We took it to the Toyota dealer and they stated that the door latch assembly in our vehicle is not covered because the part numbers are different. It seems if they are having an issue with these components they all should be covered. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10467874, filed 2012-07, 102,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Traction/stability control engages on dry curves

   • 79 complaints (7%)
   • median 125,000 mi at 11.6 yrs old (65 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,050 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2023

   Complaints describe the anti-slip or stability control light and warning beep coming on while driving on dry roads, usually on curves, ramps, or downhill, above roughly 20 mph. Owners say the brakes then apply on their own and the van slows or pulls to one side, and a few report a loss of power. Several say a dealer could not reproduce the condition, and others report no repair was made. Mostly reported from about 90,000 to 190,000 miles, on dry pavement in mild curves or highway ramps.

   What to check: Test drive on a curved ramp or sweeping turn at moderate speed and watch for the anti-slip light, beep, or unexpected braking. Ask whether wheel speed sensors or the stability control system have been diagnosed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving around curves with dry pavement on highways and exit/entrance ramps at highway rates of speed (55-65 miles per hour or less) the anti-lock brake system engage,s causing the van to pulse and slow down unexpectedly. It disengages once the wheel straightens. We first tried to trouble shoot with our local mechanic with no success, prompting us to have our local Toyota service department attempt to diagnosis. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10970378, filed 2017-04, 125,000 miles

   “I've only had the van for 5 months and this problem has occurred over a dozen times, beginning with the day I bought it. And every time this problem has occurred I've been driving on dry roads. It usually happens when driving around a corner, anywhere from 35-65 MPH, far. All of a sudden the traction control light starts beeping, the brakes engage on their own, and then engine makes a loud noise (likely downshifting itself). …”

   NHTSA complaint #11355155, filed 2020-09, 150,000 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Front door check or hinge weld breaks

   • 102 complaints (9%)
   • median 76,000 mi at 7.2 yrs old (97 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 16 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2020

   Owners describe a loud pop or crack when opening the front driver door, after which the door swings open without stopping. In some reports the door check separated from the door frame at its weld, and one owner said the door was close to hanging loose. Dealers often said the vehicle was out of warranty and offered no help, with repair costs quoted in the hundreds to over a thousand dollars. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 85,000 miles.

   Recall 10V160000

   What to check: Open and close the front doors slowly and listen for a pop, and check the door check area and welds on the door frame for cracks or rust. Ask whether any door check or hinge repair has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Door check broke loose at weld to door frame on drivers side front door. Cost over $500 to have a new one installed. Didn't really notice when it happened, just when it didn't work anymore (the door would swing open wider without stopping) (about november 2015).”

   NHTSA complaint #11351124, filed 2020-08, 63,313 miles

   “The contact owns 2005 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the driver side door makes a loud noise when it was opened. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer who offered no assistance. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance only an extended warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The current mileage was approximately 65,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10364209, filed 2010-11, 60,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Rear liftgate struts weaken and hatch drops

   • 120 complaints (11%)
   • median 47,070 mi at 3.8 yrs old (98 state mileage)
   • 26 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $600 (median of 15 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2023

   Owners report the rear hatch or liftgate does not stay open and drops back down, in some cases striking the person loading or unloading. A hissing sound from the strut was noted before failure in one report, and another describes the door closing on its own from the fully open position. Dealers quoted replacement of the gas struts or cylinders, and some owners said only partial assistance was offered. Reported from about 24,000 to 51,000 miles, often within the first few years of ownership.

   Recall 08V244000

   What to check: Open the liftgate fully and see whether it holds position; a sagging or slow hatch suggests worn struts. Ask whether the struts have been replaced, and note that a service campaign addressed power liftgate strut wear on this generation.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I opened the manual liftgate on the 2005 Sienna and it immediately came back down on my head, striking me on the forehead. According to the dealer the cylinders will have to be replaced. They stated they have received numerous similar complaints and to date there has been no recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10196686, filed 2007-07, 45,000 miles

   “The liftgate on my Toyota Sienna minivan 2005 has failed. The back door closed down after it lifts to the most open position. This is a constant failure. The dealership wanted me to pay for entire repair. I called Toyota consumer affairs and after that the dealership was willing to split the over $600.00 repair with me. I have rejected that offer, am filing this complaint and am going to go back to Toyota consumer affairs to see if I can get a better resolution. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10199516, filed 2007-08, 51,300 miles

Buying note. Check the sliding doors, liftgate struts, front door checks, and seat belt guides carefully on a used example, since these account for most of what owners report. Confirm which open recalls or service campaigns have been completed, and test drive on curves to see whether the stability control behaves normally.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.