12 of the
352 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Sienna are about the
airbag system — 3% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
103,982 miles.
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONT END COLLISION. WE WERE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, WRECKED, AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN OUR LANE AND FACING US. MY HUSBAND BRAKED HARD BUT WE COULD NOT AVOID THE VEHICLE. WE TRULY HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST WE WERE GOING AT IMPACT BUT I WOULD GUESS 30-40 MPH. IT HAD JUST STARTED RAINING LIGHTLY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. SEAT BELTS AND GOD SAVED US. NO MAJOR INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #11042613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oklahoma City, OKCrash2 injured
AIR BAGS
DRIVER IN WRONG LANE HIT MY VAN, WITH MOST OF IMPACT ON RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF VAN. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALLED IN COLLISION. RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT INITIALLY HELD, BUT RELEASED DURING COLLISION AND PASSENGER ENDED UP ON DRIVER'S ARMREST. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED.
NHTSA complaint #10444654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 220,000 milesEdmonton, 00
AIR BAGS
I HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA SIENNA RECENTLY THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE NOT WORKING I WONDER IF THIS CAN BE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE OR DO I JUST HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10381713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 120,000 milesColorado Springs, COCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
1998 TOYOTA SIENNA MINI VAN. INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHERE THE MINI VAN RAN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE ACTUAL COLLISION OCCURRED AFTER THE BRAKES WERE FULLY APPLIED WHEN IT HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE SIENNA, SO MUCH SO THAT THE RADIATOR WAS DAMAGED AND LEAKING. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT NEITHER THE DRIVERS OR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND ALL MECHANICAL WORK HAD BEEN DONE BY THE DEALER OR OTHER CERTIFIED MECHANIC. SEAT BELTS WERE IN USE AND DID WORK PROPERLY. A CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS IN USE IN THE SECOND ROW SEAT AND IT ALSO WORKED PROPERLY.
NHTSA complaint #10279171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 108,884 milesAtlanta, GA
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
ON OCT 14TH 2006 AT ABOUT 4:45 PM I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT SLOW SPEED. I CAME TO A STOP AND THEN TRIED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. AS I TURNED THE WHEEL AND APPLIED THE GAS THE STEERING COLUMN MADE A NOISE LIKE BREAKING PLASTIC AND THE CAR MOVED IN A STRAIGHT LINE DESPITE THE WHEEL BEEING TURNED. I INCREASED THE TURNING MOTION UNTIL IT WAS CLEAR STEERING HAD FAILED. SINCE THE LOT WAS EMPTY I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SANDY SPRINGS TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING SHAFT HAD BROKEN AT THE "KNUCKLE" WHERE THE COLUMN CONNECTS TO THE SHAFT. IN ADDITION I WAS TOLD THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE TO THE AIRBAG HAD BEEN DAMAGED IN THE INCIDENT. MY CONCERNS ARE THAT HAD THIS OCCURED AT HIGH SPEED OR WHILE ALREADY IN A TURN OR IN TRAFFIC THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. IN ADDITION THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAG MEANT THAT HAD I IN FACT HAD A COLLISION I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE PROTECTION OF THE AIRBAG. I DRIVE THIS CAR DAILY AND I DID NOT DETECT AND CHANGE IN STEERING OR HANDLING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A WARNING. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND HAS DRIVEN NROMALLY SINCE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS.
NHTSA complaint #10174880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 99,000 milesSAN Juan Capistrano, CACrash3 injured
AIR BAGS
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. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER OF THE TOYOTA SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES, KNEE INJURIES, WITH GENERALIZED PAIN, ESPECIALLY NECK, SHOULDERS, AND BACK. WE THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING AND THE SEAT BELTS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT SHOULD BE REPLACED. OUR AUTO MECHANIC IS TELLING US THAT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT IMPACT, AND THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. CAN YOU HELP US HOW WE GET THE CORRECT ANSWERS? SCOTT S. LEE 949-295-0438 CELL 949-598-3302 WORK SCOTTSLEE@COX.NET.
NHTSA complaint #10098750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 78,000 milesMason, OH
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATING WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *JB 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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 45,007 milesHightstown, NJ
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
AIR BAG SENSOR FAILURE,
NHTSA complaint #10056922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 99,080 milesSAN Jose, CACrash
AIR BAGS
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING A 98 TOYOTA SIENNA WITH KIDS ON THE FREEWAY IN A COMUTER LANE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING AND LOCKED IN LEFT POSITION. AS A RESULT THEY ENDED UP CRASHING IN THE MIDDLE DIVIDER HEAD ON. THE VAN TOOK A 180 DEGREE SPIN AND HIT FROM THE BACK. WE HAVE DONE 99000 MILES ON THIS VAN IN LAST 5 YEARS. THIS IS TOTALLY A MALFUNCTION OR MECHANICAL FAILURE OF STEERING WHEEL. WE HAVE DONE LONG TRIPS WITH OUR VAN IN THE PAST 5 YEARS AND NEVER HAD PROBLEM. ALSO THE AIR BAGS DID NOT OPEN UP EVEN THOUGH THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE.
NHTSA complaint #10056363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Portland, ORCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH VEHICLE WAS HIT IN REAR AND SLAMMED INTO A VEHICLE IN THE FRONT, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT.
NHTSA complaint #8017767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gaithersburg, MD
AIR BAGS
WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE HORN WILL SUDDENLY BECOME INOPPERATIVE CAUSING AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION OF OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE HORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 08/28/2001 WHERE I WAS TOLD THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT WAS DISTORTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ($470.00) NOT 3 WEEKS LATER THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED, THE HORN SUDDENLY BECOMES INOPPERATIVE. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH WE PAID ALMOST $900.00 DOLLARS FOR. THE IS OBVIOULSY A VERY SERIOUS SAFTEY CONCERN AND ARE THERE ANY AVENUES TO PERSUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM PAID FOR BY TOYOTA? I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH TOYOTA AND THERE EXTENDED WARRANTY POLICY.
NHTSA complaint #753090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Poway, CA
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #607274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.