2003 Toyota Sienna recalls and problems

The 2003 Toyota Sienna has 1 safety recall and 105 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer.

Recalls
1
Complaints
105
Crashes / fires
12 / 2
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2003 Toyota Sienna vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2003 Toyota Sienna recalls

Recall 10V-160: Structure

Reported Apr 20, 2010 · 600,000 vehicles affected · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

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.

2003 Toyota Sienna problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Latches/Locks/Linkages21
Structure19
Service Brakes, Hydraulic13
Vehicle Speed Control11
Power Train10
Tires7
Engine and Engine Cooling6
Seat Belts5
Suspension4
Steering4
Equipment4
Electrical System4

Most reported parts

  • Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch — 9
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 7
  • Structure › Body › Door — 7
  • Structure › Body — 5
  • Seat Belts › Rear/Other — 4
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 3
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor — 2
  • Child Seat › Harness Retainer/Chest Clip — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 54,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2003 Toyota Sienna complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Equipment · reported Jun 1, 2021
A plug-in battery charger failed. You may inspect it. It got hot and smoked, and I suppose was a fire hazard. The problem has not been confirmed nor inspected. There were no symptoms of the problem before the failure. - - - - I used the automotive charger to charge a battery after a light had been on overnight, discharging the battery. I removed the battery from the vehicle because the terminals might have been corroded. When I first put the charger on the battery it indicated full and did not start to recharge it, so I used jumper cables to charge the discharged battery from a good battery in…
Seats · at 230,000 miles · reported Jun 6, 2016
Mva - other party rear-ended us at 35-40 miles/hr. While we were stopped at a light. Both driver and passenger front seat backs broke. Our vehicle was totaled , other vehicle air bags did not deploy . Appeared to be minimal damage to other vehicle. Pictures of both vehicles available
Structure · reported Aug 21, 2015
The contact owns a 2003 toyota sienna. While driving approximately 45 MPH, an abnormal squeaking sound emitted from the rear of the vehicle. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where it was diagnosed that spare tire carrier assembly cable was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 10v160000 (Structure); however, the recall part needed was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified…
Vehicle Speed Control · at 97,000 miles · reported Feb 7, 2014
The toyota sienna's gas pedal has been and remains intermittently sticky. It takes some foot stomping to depress the gas pedal in order to accelerate the vehicle. Toyota does not believe this to be a major problem when I questioned them a few years ago.
Structure · reported Apr 11, 2013
The rear window at driver side started to loose about 6 months ago. At the beginning, it made noise when open the rear window. So we kept it closed all the time. But gradually, it is getting worse and worse. Now even with the window closed, the window still shakes and makes noises, sounds like the window glass will drop at time.

Other Toyota Sienna years

Compare all Toyota Sienna years · All Toyota models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Toyota Sienna have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2003 Toyota Sienna: 10V-160 (structure). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2003 Toyota Sienna?

Owners report latches/locks/linkages problems most often (21 reports), followed by structure (19). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 54,000 miles.

Are Toyota recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Toyota dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.