2011 Toyota Sienna: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
612 NHTSA owner complaints · 12 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2011 Sienna, which scores 28 on 612 complaints, 211 of them Air Bags and 154 Structure, with twelve recall campaigns. Buy a 2018 to 2020, which score 76, 77 and 88 on 69, 45 and 38 complaints, or the 2016 at 83 on 75. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 612 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Toyota Sienna: the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 612 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 40.8
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I have a flat tire the other day, and I try to put the spare tire on but it's gone. The spare tire's cable holds the spare tire under the car got corroded and broke. The spare tire is gone. It has lost some where on the road that I have not aware. I checked there is a recall for this. I called the toyota service but they said the VIN number is not on the recall list.
The glide pins in the calipers came loose and one of the pins fell out (left front drivers side). As a result it caused the caliper to seize and smoke. It got hot and mangled the lower left control arm bushing. I bought a new glide pin and that one stayed it, but the right side (original part) came loose again, even after tightening it. We replaced the calipers with a different brand and it had no issues.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase in 2025, the mileage was 110,000. The contact stated that a Carfax report indicated that the mileage was 300,000.
Recalls: 12 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 11V306000 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VENZA AND SIENNA PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 7, THROUGH MARCH 10, 2011. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FRONT, RIGHT, DRIVE SHAFT MAY BREAK DUE TO INSUFFICIENT HEAT TREATMENT. |
| 16V396000 | Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010… |
| 19V005000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico,… |
| 13V123000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota… |
| 13V014000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013… |
| 19V741000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350… |
| 14V743000 | Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion… |
| 14V273000 | Tires:Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Sienna vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a minivan of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags211 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Structure154 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Electrical System67 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other60 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Wheels37 complaints · typical job: Wheel bearing or hub replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$460–$920
- Tires33 complaints · typical job: Tyre replacement and TPMS service, per axle (1.0 h labour + parts)$340–$1,020
Other Toyota Sienna years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Toyota Sienna?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (211 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Toyota Sienna a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 28/100, computed from 612 NHTSA complaints and 12 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Toyota Sienna's most common problem?
211 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Toyota Sienna sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Toyota Sienna cost to run per year?
About $6,364 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,822 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Toyota Sienna have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Toyota Sienna, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/06/2011. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Toyota Sienna really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 612 complaints, 12 recalls on record
- 612 NHTSA complaints on record (40.8/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (13.8/yr)
- 12 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems