2008 Toyota Sienna Structure Problems
Owners have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2008 Toyota Sienna, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 81,850 miles. The words owners use most often: “sliding door” (32% of reports).
- 117structure complaints
- 81,850median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Sliding door: mentioned in 37 of 117 complaints (32%)
- Stay open: mentioned in 9 of 117 complaints (8%)
- Lift gate: mentioned in 9 of 117 complaints (8%)
- Cable snapped: mentioned in 7 of 117 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the 2008 Toyota Sienna at $2,150, and half of them between $1,550 and $2,550.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2011–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 101 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 117 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 7 an injury.
Toyota Sienna structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Sienna | 4 | 11% | — |
| 2019 Sienna | 6 | 13% | 42,500 |
| 2018 Sienna | 5 | 7% | 8,700 |
| 2017 Sienna | 14 | 9% | 20,000 |
| 2016 Sienna | 27 | 36% | 33,256 |
| 2015 Sienna | 61 | 26% | 26,000 |
| 2014 Sienna | 44 | 27% | 63,500 |
| 2013 Sienna | 44 | 24% | 39,000 |
| 2012 Sienna | 72 | 29% | 53,205 |
| 2011 Sienna | 154 | 25% | 71,500 |
| 2010 Sienna | 57 | 33% | 70,500 |
| 2009 Sienna | 97 | 47% | 81,000 |
| 2008 Sienna | 117 | 27% | 81,850 |
| 2007 Sienna | 102 | 28% | 70,000 |
| 2006 Sienna | 261 | 26% | 68,000 |
| 2005 Sienna | 499 | 44% | 65,000 |
| 2004 Sienna | 962 | 47% | 80,000 |
| 2003 Sienna | 18 | 17% | 80,000 |
| 2002 Sienna | 42 | 23% | 75,000 |
| 2001 Sienna | 35 | 19% | 78,000 |
| 2000 Sienna | 52 | 14% | 120,000 |
| 1999 Sienna | 36 | 17% | 95,500 |
| 1998 Sienna | 35 | 12% | 101,000 |
| 1996 Sienna | 1 | 33% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 1998 through 2010 sienna passenger vehicles manufactured between august 7, 1997 and january 4, 2010, currently registered in or originally sold in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, washington district of columbia, virginia, west virginia, and wisconsin. The subject vehicles are equipped with the spare tire stowed under the vehicle. If the vehicle is operated in the cold climate regions of the united states where road salt is frequently used, water splashed backwards with high concentrations of road salt can reach the spare tire carrier and corrode the spare tire carrier assembly cable.
Risk: The cable may break due to excessive corrosion and the spare tire may separate from the vehicle, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners with an interim letter initially instructing them to bring their vehicle to authorized dealers to inspect for corrosion. A second notice will be sent when the permanent remedy is available. For more information, please see toyota's amended recall report of july 19, 2010. The safety recall is expected to begin on october 12, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My vehicle has 138,000 miles and when i inquired about fixing the sliding door, i was told that the recall was over in 2016; however, i know of a person that was able to have his vehicle fixed by toyota. In fact, toyota replace both the door sliding components / latches. For my vehicle i tried…
Lift-gate frame cracking around left hinge. Safety hazard as the lift-gate could become unsecured while driving, or during operation, resulting in injury or crash. *tr
Inside dashboard is very sticky and always shows a glare onto the windshield while driving (safety issue); the dashboard during the summer time is very malleable, if you gently press on it, it moves as if it was melting slowly. This has been like this for a few years, when i contacted toyota they…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Toyota Siennas have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 117 owner complaints about structure for the 2008 Toyota Sienna (27% of the 429 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Toyota Sienna structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 81,850 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the 2008 Toyota Sienna?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,150 (half paid between $1,550 and $2,550), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2008 Toyota Sienna?
The most frequent phrase is “sliding door”, in 37 of 117 complaints, followed by “stay open” (9).
Other 2008 Toyota Sienna problems
See all 2008 Toyota Sienna problems or structure problems across all Sienna years.