Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Sienna, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Latches/locks/linkages | 17 | 15% |
| Structure | 12 | 10% |
| Power train | 11 | 9% |
| Service brakes | 10 | 9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 8% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 7 | 6% |
| Tires | 6 | 5% |
| Structure | 5 | 4% |
| Seat belts | 4 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 3 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Many things are happening to my truck that’s why I am contacting you people to see if I got any callback thank you so much
NHTSA complaint: Wheels
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. -
NHTSA complaint: Equipment
TAKATA RECALL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT THAT INVOLVED IN CAR BEING AIRBORNE AND ROLLING OVER. CAR WAS TOTALED. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAR WENT THROUGH 50 FOOT OF CORNFIELD AND LANDED ON THE ROOF.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
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 MIN
NHTSA complaint: Seats
TL* 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
NHTSA complaint: Structure
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
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
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 WIT
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A D
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2003 Toyota Sienna. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 HAMP
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 REME
| Reliability raw | 77 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 82 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 76 | good |
| Depreciation | 92 | excellent |
| Performance | 54 | average |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other minivans & vans in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and latches/locks/linkages is the most reported area with 17 of them (15%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 77/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 82/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2003 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.