108 of the
10,828 complaints filed about the Toyota Sienna
are about the lighting —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2004.
Purchased used vehicle from a Toyota Dealership on or about March 27, 2021. The dashboard illumination on the 2017 Toyota Sienna only appears to operate when the vehicle is turned on AND the front headlight selector is moved to the on or automatic mode. I do not believe it is a standard feature for any vehicle to NOT illuminate the dashboard without the headlights being turned on. Issue: With no illumination of the tachometer and speedometer these items are nearly impossible to see. That naturally forces the human eye to remain looking down slightly longer than normal which can possibly result in an accident. If it is a sunny day with no need for headlights this issue is now exacerbated because the bright sunlight often causes drivers to wear tinted or dark sunglasses rendering the dashboard nearly 100% black. So, my question is a simple one: On the 2017 Toyota Sienna, with the standard feature set included as indicated under VIN - [XXX], should the dashboard lights illuminating the tachometer and speedometer areas turn on immediately and automatically when the vehicle is started? On the vehicle, the dashboard lighting only turn on when the headlights are turned on or set in the auto-headlight mode…both of which are not my choice. I want see my dashboard data automatically and without having to drive with my headlights turned on. This is a poor dashboard visibility standard for this make, model and year Sienna. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11528241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The headlight on the passenger side has LED daylight running lights. A number of the led's are not working of flickering. Toyota refuse to cover this under warranty even though the car was bought 8-31-2019. Not having working daytime headlights is a major safety issue to me.
NHTSA complaint #11476061 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CANNOT SEE SPEEDOMETER IN DAYTIME UNLESS HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. BOUGHT NEW AND TOOK BACK TO DEALER BUT . HE COULD NOLT GET ANY BACK LIGHTING. SPEEDOMETER HAS BLACK BACKGROUND.
NHTSA complaint #11374736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC LIGHT AND TRAC OFF LIGHT ON AND OFF LIGHT INTERMITTENT. AT ANY TIME THE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. IT IS NERVE BREAKING KNOWING THAT THE WARNING LIGHT AND THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE FIXED BY TOYOTA. I HAVE MY TOYOTA SIENNA 2008 AND IT HAVE A VERY LOW MILES DUE TO LIGHTS SAFETY REASONS THAT CAN NOT BE SOLVED BY TOYOTA. EVERY TIME WE COMPLAIN, WE WERE ALWAYS TOLD THAT BRING THE CAR IN WHEN THE LIGHT GOES ON. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THE LIGHT GOES ON IT WILL BE OFF WHEN WE GET TO THE DEALERSHIP. WE NOTICED WHEN THE CAR REACHED APPROXIMATELY 98,000 MILES. THE CAUSE OF THE ON AND OFF LIGHTS ARE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11350809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PULLED OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND VEHICLE HESITATED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR STALLED. ATTEMPTED TO CRANK VAN AND IT RESTARTED BUT WOULD BARELY MOVE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PRESSED FULLY. HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE IT DELIVERED TO THE DEALER. I CALLED TOYOTA ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE NUMBER AND 2.5 LATER NO ONE SHOWED UP. CALLED AGAIN AND DEMANDED A DIFFERENT TOW COMPANY RESPOND AND 30 MINUTES LATER SOMEONE WAS AT THE SCENE. THIS EPISODE STATED 230 PM AND VAN WAS PICKED UP 637PM.
NHTSA complaint #11299633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
JULY 2019 , SPEEDOMETER GAUGE IS NOT VISIBLE IN DAYLIGHT WITH THE LIGHTS OFF. TOYOTA SERVICE ALTERED THE LIGHT CONFIGURATION SO THAT NOW THE AUTO LIGHT FEATURE AND THE LIGHTS ON WARNING DOES NOT WORK. DEALER ADVISED I MUST USE PARKING LIGHTS SWITCH SELECTION IN ORDER TO SEE SPEEDOMETER GUAGE IN DAYLIGHT. THE CAR DOES NOT WORK AS ADVERTISED AND IS A "DRIVING WHILE DISTRACTED" SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK AS NO-ONE CANNOT SEE THE SPEEDOMETER DURING DAYLIGHT DRIVING WITH THE LIGHTS OFF.
NHTSA complaint #11242466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES HARD OR IMPOSSIBLE TO READ DURING DAYTIME HOURS UNLESS FULL SUN IS OUT. CAN NOT SEE THE SPEEDOMETER NOR OTHER INDICATIONS. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING COME ON WHEN HEADLIGHTS OR PARKING LIGHTS ON, BUT AT DAY TIME WHEN THEY ARE OFF, THE TERRIBLY DESIGNED DARK CLUSTER IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. DUE TO THE DARK DESIGN OF THE CLUSTER, I RECOMMEND THAT THE VEHICLE CLUSTER ILLUMINATION TO BE ON AT ALL TIMES DURING VEHICLE OPERATIONS REGARDLESS THE POSITION OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #11112804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL FIRE INSIDE PARKED VAN OCCURRED OVERNIGHT AND BURNED DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEATS, DASH, AND ALL AIR VENTS AND ALL PLASTIC COMPONENT LOCATED NEAR ALL VENTS. VAN WAS PARKED ON STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
NHTSA complaint #11109535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEADLIGHT BULB COMPARTMENT ALLOWS WATER TO LEAK INTO IT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CAUSING THE BULB TO BLOW. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE, THE REPAIR COST WAS $500. WE DROVE THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK AND THE BULB BLEW AGAIN BECAUSE WATER LEAKED INTO THE COMPARTMENT. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND IS HAZARDOUS WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT OR GOD FORBID IF IT'S RAINING AND DARK. WE ALSO WERE PULLED OVER AND GIVEN A WARNING FROM A STATE TROOPER ABOUT THE BULB BEING OUT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND COSTLY SITUATION. WE ARE STILL WAITING TO GET THE BULB REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. IN THE MEANTIME WE ARE WITHOUT A VAN FOR OUR FAMILY. PLEASE DEMAND THAT TOYOTA RECALLS THIS HAZARDOUS DEFECTIVE PART. THE BULB WENT OUT WHILE WE WERE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS IS A PROBLEM AND A HAZARD!
NHTSA complaint #11075113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I RENTED A 2018 TOYOTA SIENNA ON A RECENT TRIP TO HAWAII. UNLIKE EARLIER SIENNA MODELS (WHICH HAD BOLDER, THICKER LABELS FOR THE INDICATORS), THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS VERY FAINT AND HARD TO READ IN DAYLIGHT. IN SHADE, IT WAS ALMOST INVISIBLE. I CHECKED THE MANUAL TO SEE IF I COULD TURN THE BRIGHTNESS UP, BUT IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED THIS WAY. I'M CONCERNED THAT NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO OBSERVE SPEED OR OTHER INFORMATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S SO HARD TO READ. IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE ME NOT BUY THIS CAR, BECAUSE IT MADE ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #11074559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I RENTED A 2018 TOYOTA SIENNA ON A RECENT TRIP TO HAWAII. UNLIKE EARLIER SIENNA MODELS (WHICH HAD BOLDER, THICKER LABELS FOR THE INDICATORS), THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS VERY FAINT AND HARD TO READ IN DAYLIGHT. IN SHADE, IT WAS ALMOST INVISIBLE. I CHECKED THE MANUAL TO SEE IF I COULD TURN THE BRIGHTNESS UP, BUT IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED THIS WAY. I'M CONCERNED THAT NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO OBSERVE SPEED OR OTHER INFORMATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S SO HARD TO READ. IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE ME NOT BUY THIS CAR, BECAUSE IT MADE ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #11074559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ABS, VSC, TRAC OFF, BRAKE LIGHTS ON CONTINUOUSLY, PLUS TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT BLINKING. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND ALSO ANNOYING. TOYOTA DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AND IS ONLY WILLING TO ALLOW ME TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO "TRY" TO FIX THIS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! VEHICLE DRIVES NORMALLY. LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR MONTHS. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WITH A CAR LOAD OF CHILDREN, LATE AT NIGHT, COMING HOME FROM A FOOTBALL GAME WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON. WE WERE DRIVING ACROSS A LONG BRIDGE, ON A 6-LANE ROADWAY, GOING ABOUT 50 MILES AN HOUR. VERY SCARY! I PULLED OVER, BUT SOON REALIZED THE CARE WAS DRIVABLE. I'VE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. I AM SEEING ONLINE THAT THIS IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO TOYOTAS. MANY VEHICLES EXHIBIT THIS ISSUE. INSTEAD OF HELPING US FIX IT, WE ARE SUPPOSE TO PAY MECHANICS (DEALERS OR INDIVIDUALS), THEN THE PROBLEM COMES BACK. SEEMS NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. I'VE BEEN AN EXCLUSIVE TOYOTA OWNER FOR YEARS. IT DISAPPOINTS ME THAT TOYOTA WON'T HELP.
NHTSA complaint #11064947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE OFF, THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTS (SPEEDOMETER) ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEEN WHEN OVERCAST OUTSIDE (NO BACK-LIGHTING). THIS IS OUR 3RD SIENNA AND WAS NOT AN ISSUE WITH PAST MODELS (2011 & 2013). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE IT REQUIRE EYES OFF THE ROAD LONGER THAN NECESSARY IN ORDER TO READY THE INSTRUMENTS.
NHTSA complaint #11051549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING DO NOT STAY STRAIGHT WHILE I AM DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. SINCE I PURCHASED, I WENT TO TOYOTA IN THE BEGINNING THEY FIX IT BUT ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVE AND AS OF TODAY SAME PROBLEM AND I REPLACED NEW TIRES STILL ALIGNMENT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM. LIGHTING IS NOT STRONG TO SEE DEER ON THE ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #11043673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE DASHBOARD SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER GAUGES CANNOT BE ILLUMINATED WITHOUT TURNING ON PARKING OR HEADLIGHTS. THESE GAUGES CANNOT BE SEEN DURING THE DAY WHEN THE DASHBOARD IS SHADOWED. ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED ON SIENNA CHAT BOARDS AND NUMEROUS TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENTS.
NHTSA complaint #11032970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAILGATE SENSOR AND LOCKING MECHANISM ALARM AND LIGHTING GOES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY INDICATING TAILGATE LATCH INSECURE WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION DISTRACTING DRIVER. TAILGATE DOOR LATCH INSECURE PLACING DRIVER, PASSENGERS AND CONTENTS AT RISK IN THE EVENT OF MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS TO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #11025347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN DAYLIGHT, WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE OFF OR AUTOMATIC, THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, ILLUMINATION IS VERY FAINT AT ITS MAXIMUM SETTING. THE DISPLAY IS SO DARK THAT IT CANNOT BE RELIABLY READ. WITH SUNGLASSES, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER. NOTE, THIS IS AN ANALOG SPEEDOMETER, AND THIS MODEL DOES NOT HAVE AN ADDITIONAL DIGITAL SPEED DISPLAY. AN INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS UNIVERSAL FOR THIS MODEL/YEAR (NOT A DEFECT IN MY VEHICLE). IT CREATES A HAZARD BECAUSE ONE CANNOT EASILY DETERMINE SPEED. (AT NIGHT THERE IS NO PROBLEM, SINCE THE DASHBOARD LIGHTING IS SUFFICIENT IN THOSE CONDITIONS.)
NHTSA complaint #11012156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2016 TOYOTA SIENNA DASH HEAD DISPLAY, RADIO GO OUT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS HEADLAMPS GO DIM TO POINT WHERE YOU CAN BARLEY SEE AND HAVE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. TOOK THIS IN TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES THEY STATED THAT UNTIL IT WAS HAPPENING IN THEIR PRESENCE THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. WE WERE ABLE TO VIDEO RECORD THE ISSUE AND SHOWED DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE RADIO HEAD BUT ISSUE STILL OCCURS. ALSO HAVE PROBLEM WITH RECALL ON SLIDING DOOR. DEALER STATED THAT TOYOTA WAS STILL LOOKING FOR A FIX. I HAVE HAD DOOR OPEN AND CLOSE ON MY YOUNG CHILDREN WITHOUT NOTICE. HAVE THE POWER TURNED OFF TO DOORS NOW BUT BOUGHT THIS MODEL FOR THE POWER DOORS DUE TO BEING A DISABLE VET THIS FEATURE HELPS ME OUT A LOT.
NHTSA complaint #11005304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COVERS WERE FOGGY AND CREATED DULL ILLUMINATION AT A DISTANCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD A PROCESS TO SPRAY THE HEADLIGHT COVERS AND MAKE THEM ULTRAVIOLET, BUT THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000.
NHTSA complaint #10981200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.