FaultScore

2003 Toyota Sienna brake problems

14 of the 124 complaints about the 2003 Toyota Sienna are about the braking system — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 16,744 miles.

C

14

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Service Brakes, Hydraulic 4 28.6%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 3 21.4%
Rotor 2 14.3%
Foundation Components 1 7.1%
Disc 1 7.1%
Pads 1 7.1%
Shoes/Linings 1 7.1%
Service Brakes 1 7.1%

Brakes across every Toyota Sienna year

1998 46 8.0%
1999 15 2.6%
2000 41 7.1%
2001 25 4.3%
2002 26 4.5%
2003 14 2.4%
2004 89 15.5%
2005 72 12.5%
2006 73 12.7%
2007 27 4.7%
2008 43 7.5%
2010 10 1.7%
2011 32 5.6%
2012 11 1.9%
2013 12 2.1%
2014 10 1.7%
2015 18 3.1%
2017 11 1.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 75,000 miles SAN Francisco, CA

SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL WAS LOCKED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE WHEELS WOULD SEIZE AT TIMES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES FOR A DIAGNOSIS, HOWEVER THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,618.

NHTSA complaint #10464763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 43,000 miles Temple City, CA Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

HERE IS A LIST OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS INDICATING MANUFACTURING DEFECTS ON MY TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CURRENT MODELS RECALLED BY TOYOTA MOTORS DO NOT COVER ALL VEHICLES WITH DEFECTS. BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, TOYOTA MOTORS HAVE A LOT OF LYING EMPLOYEES IN THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. IN SHORT, TOYOTA MOTORS PUT THEIR BUSINESS INTEREST WAY AHEAD OF THE LIFE SAFETY OF AMERICAN PEOPLE. I HOPE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION WILL CHECK THIS MANNER AND ENFORCE PROPER REGULATION. UPDATED 03/14/10 *BF *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD STALL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE AND COOLANT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED HE HAD PROBLEMS STOPPING THE VEHICLE, WHICH LED TO AN ACCIDENT. UPDATED IVOQ 10/12/10

NHTSA complaint #10319618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sugar Land, TX

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2003 TOYOTA SIENNA MAY ALSO HAVE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. WHY ISN'T 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA ON TOYOTA'S RECENT RECALL LIST YET? THIS HAPPENED TO ME ONCE, I AM STILL VERY SCARED NOW, BUT I AM PUZZLED WHY 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA IS NOT ON TOYOTA'S RECENT RECALL LIST YET. PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING LINK FIRST. HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F105086 I BELIEVE MY ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2009. VERY FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO INJURY, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I DID NOT REPORT THE ACCIDENT THEN. I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA FROM HOUSTON TO AUSTIN, TX. MY OLDEST SON WAS A FRESHMAN AT THAT TIME AND THE SPRING SEMESTER WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. MY WIFE, MY YOUNGEST SON, WERE ALSO IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. THERE WERE TOTAL OF FOUR IN THE CAR. I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 71 USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. ABOUT 50 MILES (I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY THE LOCATION, BUT I CAN FIND THAT LOCATION IF I DRIVE ON HIGHWAY 71 AGAIN) FROM AUSTIN, THERE WAS A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN I WAS APPROACHING TO THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT, IT ALREADY TURNED TO RED, AND I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO TRY TO STOP THE CAR IN FRONT OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. AT THIS MOMENT, SOMETHING SCARING HAPPENED. THE BRAKE DID NOT SEEM TO WORK, AND THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE IN STEAD. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR, AND MY CAR RUN THROUGH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, AND EVERYONE IN THE CAR WAS VERY VERY SCARED. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE BECAUSE THE CARS IN THE OTHER DIRECTION WERE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR GREEN LIGHT. FINALLY THE CAR WAS STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 40 YARDS AFTER THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. I SLOWLY DROVE MY CAR INTO A GAS STATION NEARBY AND CHECKED THE CAR (BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS BECAUSE I AM NOT A MECHANIC). AFTER THAT, I SLOWLY DROVE THE CAR TO AUSTIN TO DROP MY SON THERE, AND I DROVE BACK TO HOUSTON THROUGH HIGHWAY 290 VERY SLOWLY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I TOLD THE STORY TO MY COLLEAGUES AND MY CHURCH GROUP. I TOLD THEM IT WAS THE GOD WHO STOPPED THE CARS IN OTHER DIRECTION.

NHTSA complaint #10305394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 66,669 miles Ellentown, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 45 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN APPLIED. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH VERIFIED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AT THE COST OF $4,000 AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 66,669. UPDATED 03/01/10. *LJ UPDATED 06/14/10.

NHTSA complaint #10272965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,500 miles North Hollywood, CA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT ABS PROBLEMS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVEN TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT FELT THIS WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10146608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Peoria, AZ

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10079651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Peoria, AZ

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10079651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 3,330 miles Palm Harbor, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD. DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES SQUEAKED. IT FELT LIKE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CREPT FORWARD WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WITH THE BRAKE APPLIED.

NHTSA complaint #10062829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Martinsburg, WV

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 15-30 MPH DEPRESSED BRAKES AND PEDAL TRAVELED TO FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.

NHTSA complaint #10059252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 20,000 miles Heath, TX

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKES SQUEAK WHEN APPLIED AT LOW SPEED. DEALER FIXED IT THREE TIMES, BUT IT IS BACK AGAIN. THE VAN WAS PURCHASED NEW AND IS STILL UNDER 3 YEAR/36,000 MILES WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #10049702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 6,000 miles Bethesda, MD

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED THEY SQUEALED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO GET THE PROBLEM REPAIRED, BUT AFTER THE REPAIRS THE SQUEALING DIMINISHED BUT PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10041928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,488 miles Paris, CA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

WHEN BRAKING OR ACCELERATING THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER SAID THAT ROTORS AND BRAKES NEEDED REPLACING.

NHTSA complaint #10022876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Valencia, CA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL SQUEAL AND MOAN. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10022772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brandon, MS

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THERE WAS A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE WHEEL WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10017970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2003 Toyota Sienna problems

← Full 2003 Toyota Sienna report