This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Very dangerous situation: Toyota Sienna 2005 vsc (anti skid system) kicks in unexpectedly for no reason. Numerous times I have been driving straight along dry roads only to have my ABS (antilock braking system) suddenly come on, the van slow down, with the vsc alarm going off, and the vsc light blinking. It's very scary, especially on the highway, and it becomes hard to control the van. This has happened at high (~55 mph) as well as low (~25-30mph) speeds. I drive 90% on smooth, well-paved Suburban roads, and about 10% on highways. The frequency of this defect is definitely increasing. One day it happened 4 times in one trip! all for no reason, and all under dry, normal driving conditions on smooth, Suburban roads. My van has 113K miles on the odometer. This defect creates a very dangerous situation where the vehicle slows suddenly and unexpectedly, and swerves to one side without warning. I can't understand how there hasn't been a recall yet. A quick search online shows many people have had this exact same experience.
2005 Sienna anti skid activates without provocation, similar to many other complaints, skid vsc comes on for no reason, putting on brakes uncontrollably. Happened on freeway in rain and almost lost control. See the websites and dealer complaints. Someone is going to get killed here. Do something! intermittent and very dangerous can cause out of control skidding and happens without warning in wet or dry conditions
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. During cold weather, the rear brakes failed to engage. The contact had the rear brakes replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 88,000.
2005 Toyota Sienna's vehicle stability control engaged for no reason while in many different conditions (dry, wet, curve, straight, it didn't matter) making me lose control of the car. The vsc, trac off and check engine lights came on and a beeping sound engaged while the care took over not allowing driver input. I had to put it in neutral until it turned off. I have read many accounts online of other Toyota Sienna drivers experiencing the same dangerous problem. Thank goodness when it has happened, I haven't had a truck or semi next to me. This is my family car in which I need to drive my kids and other people's kids, and I cannot drive it anymore. Toyota has to fix this problem, since it is a manufacturer problem.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. While driving at approximately 15 mph, the gear shift lighting failed to work and the brake pedal sank to the floorboard. The failure recurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the brakes failed; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 169,000.
Approaching full stop realized that although braking car was not slowing. Brake again and again then car felt as if coasting in free fall then shot forward like an air plane taking off. Kept slamming on brake; suddenly car stopped moving forward - no huge jerk/lurch as one might expect from sudden stop just......stopped. Continued to drive home. A few times I pressed accelerator and then brake to compare to "event" and am convinced I was braking the entire time of the "event". I am trained movement specialist and know my foot was on brake not accelerator. Towed car to dealer today. Toyota can't find anything wrong with car and suggested I had been stepping on accelerator.
On Monday, Oct. 13, 2014, I was slowly backing out of my driveway when my 2005 Toyota Sienna van suddenly accelerated rapidly and uncontrollably. I tried to stop the van, but it sped backwards across the street in front of my house, ran over a curb, and crashed into a parked car. The car that my van struck pushed into another car which was also damaged. This was most frightening and upsetting, especially since I have learned that this type of malfunction has been reported many times to Toyota. My van was totaled, the second car may have been totaled and the third car will need at least a new door. A woman who was in the third car is claiming to have been injured.
Driving 45 to 50 mph on a road on a dry sunny day. Suddenly vsc light came on and warning beep and at the same time the brakes engaged causing a rapid slow down of the van. I almost swerved into the next lane due to the brakes engaging. This happened 3 times in one morning. This is extremely dangerous as it could cause a collision, especially at higher speeds.
At near highway speed on clear, dry pavement while traveling straight the electronic stability control (as evidenced by the dashboard light blinking) activated the brakes without warning causing the vehicle to suddenly lose speed. The his happened intermittently in the past.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the traction control warning indicator illuminated with a chime. The vehicle began to brake independently and then veered off the roadway. The failure recurred five times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
I was backing out of space in parking lot. With engine still on and running, the steering column locked and the brakes became inoperative. Fortunately I was able to jam down on emergency brake to keep from backing into other vehicles across the aisle in the lot.
I was driving in traffic and briefly looked to side of road. Then looked back and noticed traffic stopped ahead of me. Fully applied brakes (hard) but no braking, squealing or ABS. Full airbags but fortunately no injuries. Looking at the scene I should have had plenty of distance to stop. Car totaled.
I was driving the car and noticed it was a bit sluggish. The next thing I know, the brake pedal is on the floor even though I am not pressing it, and the car is still moving. I had my three children in the car, so I drove carefully to a safe stopping place, used the emergency brake, and exited the car. I then noticed that all four brakes or tires were smoking and there was a very strong burning smell. If there had been a need for me to stop suddenly while I was still moving, my brakes would not have worked! after getting the car towed and replacing both the ABS actuator and the master cylinder, my mechanic diagnosed the source of the problem: The brake light switch and bracket had been knocked out of alignment and were causing brake application even when the pedal was not depressed by the driver. This caused ABS and vehicle stability control failures when the brakes overheated. I searched Toyota's recalls and found a recall for this exact problem was issued for 2011 Siennas only, but I had experienced precisely the same problem in a 2005 Sienna. I called Toyota and got nowhere; because no recall had been issued for my model year, they would not help me at all with covering the tremendous cost I had incurred.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Ashburn, VA, USA