2016 Toyota Sienna: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
75 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 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. 2016 specifically: a year the record favours — 75 complaints, score 83/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Toyota Sienna: the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 75 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Our van has recently been having issues with the sliding doors. It has occurred while driving and the warning light as well as the warning for a door open, and the door lights have came on. Right before this occurs you can hear a click sound from the sliding door behind the driver's side as well as when you close the door, you can hear a strange sound when it closes, unlike the passenger side sliding door.
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that the driver’s side electric sliding door failed to properly open and close, and occasionally abruptly closed, causing a safety hazard to the occupants entering and exiting the vehicle. The cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that …
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated the driver-side sliding door latch failed to latch as intended. The contact stated that after several attempts, the sliding door failed to close completely. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed. However, an unknown part was repaired. The contact stated that the failure …
Recalls: 5 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 19V410000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Toyota Sienna mobility van conversions. The brake lines may have incorrect tube nut fittings installed, which may cause a pressure drop within the braking system. |
| 16V197000 | Seat Belts:Front | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Sienna vehicles manufactured February 15, 2016, to February 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, incorrect front seat belt height adjusters may have been installed. |
| 25V876000 | Equipment Adaptive/Mobility:Wheelchair Restraints/Securement:Latch/Anchor: | Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram Promaster vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. Please refer to Rollx's recall report for specific model… |
| 19V553000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Vantage Mobility International, LLC (Vantage) is recalling certain 2012-2018 AMS Genesis wheelchair vans, built on a Toyota Sienna vehicles. The rubber brake hoses that attach to the rear wheel assembly may be too short, causing them to rub against the rear axle trailing arm. |
| 16V858000 | Structure:Body:Door | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Toyota Sienna minivans manufactured January 4, 2010, to August 12, 2016. If the power sliding door is unable to be opened when commanded, such as if the door is frozen shut, the door may subsequently open unexpectedly, possibly while the vehicle is moving. |
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 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
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.
- Structure26 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Unknown Or Other14 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System9 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Seat Belts6 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
- Wheels5 complaints · typical job: Wheel bearing or hub replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$460–$920
- Air Bags5 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
Other Toyota Sienna years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Toyota Sienna?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Structure (26 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Toyota Sienna a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 83/100, computed from 75 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Toyota Sienna's most common problem?
26 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Toyota Sienna sit in the Structure group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is body, subframe or corrosion repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,070–$2,920 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 2016 Toyota Sienna cost to run per year?
About $5,162 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,812 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 2016 Toyota Sienna have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Toyota Sienna, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/06/2019. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2016 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.
Moderate evidence — 75 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 75 NHTSA complaints on record (7.5/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (13.8/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems