TOYOTA SIENNA · model year

1996 TOYOTA SIENNA

3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996TOYOTASIENNA carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 SIENNA is structure:body:door with 1 filings, followed by vehicle speed control:cables (1) and air bags (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 1996 SIENNA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES1
AIR BAGS1

Recent Complaints

20170105AIR BAGS

AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING CONTINUALLY WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING. DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSTIC CODES B0111 AND B 0116 OPEN INSIDE SQUIB AIRBAGS. REPLACE SIDE AIRBAG SQUIBS COST PARTS AND LABOR $677 PLUS TAX

Mileage: 102,000

20030324VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE/DISENGAGED, WHILE DRIVING. *TS *JB

Mileage: 51,290

20000131STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE ELECTRIC SLIDING DOOR ON THIS MINIVAN IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS FOR TWO REASONS. THE FIRST IS THAT IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF RESISTANCE BEFORE THE DOOR WILL REVERSE WHEN IT ENCOUNTERS AN OBJECT. THAT OBJECT, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HAS BEEN A CHILD GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL BRUISES, BUT THE REAL CONCERN IS THAT A SMALLER CHILD WOULD BE CRUSHED, OR THE NECK OR LIMB OF A LARGER CHILD WOULD BE EASILY BROKEN. I AM AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN AND CAN ATTEST TO THIS FACT. THE SECOND DANGER POINT IS THAT THE DOOR OPERATES FROM A KEYCHAIN REMOTE. IF THE REMOTE IS BUMPED, DROPPED, OR LIGHTLY PRESSED (AS WHEN IN A POCKET), THE DOOR WILL EITHER OPEN OR CLOSE. THIS OFTEN OCCURS WHEN CHILDREN OR OTHER PASSENGERS ARE IN THE DOORWAY, AND HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN SEVERAL CRUSH INJURIES. THIS IS A DEADLY COMBINATION OF DESIGN FLAWS (I.E. A HAIR-TRIGGER ON A GUILLOTINE) THAT MOST ASSUREDLY WILL CAUSE A DISASTER. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE TOYOTA DEALER AND WITH THEIR NATIONAL O

Compare 1996TOYOTASIENNA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 TOYOTA SIENNA have?
The 1996 TOYOTA SIENNA has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 TOYOTA SIENNA?
The most-complained component for the 1996 TOYOTA SIENNA is STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES and AIR BAGS.
Is the 1996 TOYOTA SIENNA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.