Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the airbags, wipers and visibility, and exterior lights. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2021Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2021 Toyota Sienna: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/4
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2021's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2021 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2021 Toyota Sienna. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 35–36 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2021 Toyota Sienna, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Recall repairs stall because the replacement part is on backorder. All 10 complaints concern NHTSA campaign 23V865000, and dealers and the VIN lookup tool confirm parts are not available. Almost no filer reports an actual air bag failure, though one notes an illuminated SRS warning light. The shared grievance is that the manufacturer has taken too long to supply the fix. No crashes or injuries are reported. For a buyer, the key question is whether this recall has since been completed on the van in front of you.
The rear entertainment screen blocks the inside rearview mirror when it is folded down. All 3 complaints describe XLE vans with the Plus and rear entertainment packages that lack a digital rearview mirror, leaving the driver unable to see cars close behind at stops or approaching from the rear. Filers call it a design flaw and say neither dealers nor Toyota offer a fix. No crashes are reported, but losing the rear view while the screen is in use raises collision risk.
Reports here cover two unrelated problems. In one, the rear climate control panel falls out of an oversized headliner cutout and strikes rear passengers at any speed, with 1 injury reported. In the other, the third brake light reflects off the rear glass and defroster lines in low light, limiting the driver's view out the back window. With only 2 complaints, neither shows a broad pattern, but the falling controls are a direct injury risk to rear occupants.
A melted spot appears on the lower backrest of both front seats in one report, found around 60,000 miles with no diagnosis. Another describes a rattle from the second-row seats along with a "Check Rear Seats" message. Recall 25V086000 addresses the seats, but that owner was told the remedy covers the third row only, leaving the second-row noise unresolved. No injuries or crashes appear in these 2 complaints, and the reports are too few to show a clear pattern.
Water collects inside the doors, producing a sloshing or splashing sound while driving and dripping out underneath when parked, reported near 22,500 miles. Service bulletin 0121-20 addresses this noise, though the affected van was not covered. Separately, the power liftgate failed to open at 67,000 miles. The dealer traced it to a faulty passenger-side strut bolt and replaced the strut and bolt. Neither report involves a crash or injury, but a stuck liftgate can trap pets or cargo inside.
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2021 ranks seventh for owner complaints among 8 Sienna years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2021 is the first model year of the Sienna's fourth generation (2021–2023). First years of a redesign often carry teething problems that Toyota fixes in later years, so the checks above matter more than usual.
Toyota updated the Sienna for 2022, so a 2021 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2022 (not on a 2021)
Should you avoid the first year of a redesign? See the 45-car study.
Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Sienna Hybrid vehicles. The bolts for the seatbacks on the third-row seat assemblies may not be tightened properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints," 207, "Seating Systems," and 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems.".
Risk: An improperly tightened seatback may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will tighten the seat assembly bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 1, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA05.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Cars shoppers compare with the Toyota Sienna, with their own 2021 checklists.
2021 owner complaints, side by side
