IllustrationWHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN STEERING WHEEL STICKS IN ONE POSITION, CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. ALSO, AFTER APPLYING EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING WHEEL GOES BACK INTO POSITION. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. PE99-070. *AK
1999 Toyota Sienna
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Toyota Sienna do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 183.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sienna years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
70–25K
325–50K
1750–75K
1275–100K
21100–150K
7150K+
67 reports with mileage · 148 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports4 fire reports14 injury reports
Steering complaints
21 reportsUPON ACCELERATION AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, STEERING WHEEL STUCK, CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTIONS. YH
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN ATTEMPTING LEFT HAND TURNS AND EXTREEME FORCE MUST BE USED TO COMPENSATE. *AK
THE VAN HAS A PROBLEM WITH STICKY RETURN-TO-CENTER AFTER 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN. TENDS TO HAPPEN IF SPEED IS ABOVE 20 MILES PER HOUR DURING TURN. REQUIRE JERKING OR SWERVING TO RETURN TO CENTER AFTER A LEFT TURN. MY WIFE THOUGHT I WAS SWERVING SINCE THE CAR WAS SWAYING BUT I WAS JUST TRYING TO PREVENT US FROM MAKING A FULL CIRCL…
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THE VAN HAS A PROBLEM WITH STICKY RETURN-TO-CENTER AFTER 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN. TENDS TO HAPPEN IF SPEED IS ABOVE 20 MILES PER HOUR DURING TURN. REQUIRE JERKING OR SWERVING TO RETURN TO CENTER AFTER A LEFT TURN. MY WIFE THOUGHT I WAS SWERVING SINCE THE CAR WAS SWAYING BUT I WAS JUST TRYING TO PREVENT US FROM MAKING A FULL CIRCLE TO THE LEFT. THE STICKING PROBLEM HAPPENS IRRESPECTIVE OF ROAD CONDITION. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER, WHO CHECKED THE FLUID BUT DID NOT PURSUE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP ON THE VEHICLE. *AK
THE VAN PULLS TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO A CENTERED POSITION WHEN MAKING TURNS. I FIRST REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER 2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND SINCE HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE TOYOTA SALESMAN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR (SINCE I GAVE IT TO H…
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THE VAN PULLS TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO A CENTERED POSITION WHEN MAKING TURNS. I FIRST REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER 2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND SINCE HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE TOYOTA SALESMAN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR (SINCE I GAVE IT TO HIM TO TEST DRIVE) YET THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM, AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I WROTE THE PRESIDENT OF TOYOTA A LETTER ABOUT AN INCIDENT 3 MONTHS AGO WHERE I ALMOST WENT INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC BECAUSE I HAD TO PICK UP SOME CHANGE FROM THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. IF I DON'T KEEP A TIGHT GRIP ON THE WHEEL, IN SOME CONDITIONS, IT WILL IMMEDIATELY GO INTO THE OTHER LANE. CALLS TO TOYOTA WENT UNCONCERNED AND THE LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF TOYOTA WENT UNANSWERED.
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN SMOOTHLY. THE DEALER IS REPLACING THE RACK AND PINION BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER REQUIRED ONE MONTH TO FIX PROPERLY.*YC
STEERING WHEEL "LOCKS" WHEN RETURNING FROM LEFT TURN WHILE ACCELERATING. REQUIRES STRONG PULL TO RETURN WHEEL TO STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION. OCCURS INTERMITENTLY, BUT REPEATEDLY. DEALER "CAN FIND NO PROBLEM."
WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TURN LEFT UNLESS MANUALLY TURNING STEERING BACK TO RIGHT, AND CLICKING IS HEARD. *ADJ
Official recalls
210V160000 · Structure
Apr 20, 2010
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND THE SPARE TIRE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: 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.
98V278000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module
Oct 19, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
PE99070 · Steering Wheel To Return To Center
Opened Nov 17, 1999 · Closed Apr 12, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available