Should I buy a 2008 Toyota Sienna with documented tires problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented tires issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2008 Toyota Sienna tires problems

moderate Owners of the 2008 Toyota Sienna have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the tires, typically surfacing around 54,000 miles at roughly $150 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See tires across all vehicles →

Failure mileage

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$150

tires complaints on the Toyota Sienna, by model year
Model year	tires complaints
2005 Sienna	59
2006 Sienna	57
2007 Sienna	20
2008 Sienna (this page)	15
2009 Sienna	10
2010 Sienna	3
2011 Sienna	29
2012 Sienna	8

What stands out

No new NHTSA tires complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 14V273000 May 22, 2014

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Sienna vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia

If the carrier cable is corroded due to road salt, the spare tire may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Toyota sent owners in August 2014 an interim notification to advise owners of the recall and that dealers will perform an interim remedy to remove the spare tire and relocate it to the luggage compartment, free of charge. Owners are being mailed a second letter as parts become available and dealers will replace the spare tire carrier assembly with an improved one, free of charge. The remedy campaign is being performed in phases. The first phase of the recall began July 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. NOTE: 2004-2010 Siennas subject to this recall were subject to recall campaign 10V-160 initiated in 2010. Those owners are advised that they must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign and that having the earlier recall completed did not remedy their vehicles. Additionally, model year 1998-2003 Siennas were recalled as part of safety recall 10V-160. Owners of those vehicles that have not had not the remedy performed on their vehicles, should contact their Toyota dealer to schedule a free repair.

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering tires on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.

Service Bulletin Toyota PRO19-02 Jan 2022

POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Toyota.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin T-SB-0187-12_Rev Feb 2018

TSB: REVISION NOTICE February 12, 2018 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2015 ? 2018 model year vehicles. January 23, 2014 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2013 ? 2014 model year vehicles. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. Toyota vehicles are equipped with either conventional or run-flat tires. Sometimes punctures may occur as a result of contact with road debris or other hazards. If a puncture occurs, it may be possible to repair the tire and return it to service. With a conventional tire it is not possible to drive for an extended amount of time with the tire at low pressures as damage to the tire may occur. With run-flat t

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin T-SB-0187-12_Rev Feb 2018

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin ESS_Dealer Daily Mar 2016

Dealer Daily: Toyota has received reports indicating that some vehicles may experience spare tire carrier or carrier cable corrosion even after being inspected and/or repaired as part of a previous Special Service Campaign. During normal usage, water splashing rearward can reach the spare tire carrier due to variation in the placement of the foam splash guard or loss of the splash guard. If the splashed water contains high concentrations of road salt, corrosion of the spare tire carrier and the carrier cable may result. In limited instances, the spare tire may become seperated from the spare tire carrier and create a road hazard that could cause a vehicle crash. Toyota has revised the inspec

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin ESS_Region Lette Mar 2016

Dealer Daily: The Special Service Campaign ESS Dealer Letter and Technical Instructions are now available on TIS.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

The failure pattern owners describe

Run-flat tire punctures cannot be repaired, forcing complete tire replacement at $200–$270 per tire with no warranty. Owners also report sidewall failures in Michelin Energy LX4 tires at 10,200 miles—low-speed failure that caused loss of vehicle control—with warranty denied due to claimed road damage. Premature wear is cited at 16,000 miles when tires should last 25,000 or more, leaving owners waiting for dealer resolution while being told recalls take priority.

Steel belt separation in run-flat tires causes noise, severe vibration, and catastrophic failure recurring every 10,000–30,000 miles, requiring complete four-tire replacement. Blowouts occur at highway speeds (55 mph) and parking lot speeds (5 mph tire bead unseating), with one tire explosion at 54,000 vehicle miles. A rare but critical incident involved a rear-wheel explosion that damaged adjacent heater and air-conditioning lines.

Spare tire cable problems appear widespread: corrosion led to cable failure and wheel drop at 15 mph during driving, while winch mechanism failures jammed the cable and prevented retraction. Recall 14V273000 addressed these issues, but parts remained unavailable for extended periods, leaving owners without cargo space as temporary solutions.

Same Toyota Sienna tires reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2009 · 2011

Failure modes owners describe

Puncture in run-flat tire requiring replacement

Run-flat tires cannot be repaired when punctured; owners must purchase new tires at high cost. The design prevents repair despite advertising suggesting the tires are durable for 100+ miles.

When: Unpredictable; complaint mentions low-pressure indicator coming on frequently

Symptoms owners cite: Low tire pressure warning light activation; Nail puncture detected during inspection

Repairs/costs cited: $269.56 for one tire including mounting, balancing, and tax; dealer had to send rim to special tire facility due to special rim requirements

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No warranty on run-flat tires per owner report

Sidewall failure in early life

Michelin Energy LX4 tires on new vehicle experienced sudden sidewall failure during low-speed turn, causing loss of vehicle control and requiring replacement. Tire dealer and Michelin denied warranty claim citing road damage despite minimal vehicle mileage.

When: 10,200 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Heard explosion and felt jolt from driver-side front wheel; Sidewall failure visible on inspection

Codes mentioned: Michelin Energy LX4

Repairs/costs cited: $198.73 out of pocket for tire replacement; dealer refused warranty claim

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Michelin warranty denied; dealer cited road damage

Spare tire winch mechanism failure

Spare tire winch cable jammed after lowering, preventing retraction. Owner could not return spare to undercarriage. Issue appears subject to recall but dealer initially refused support citing warranty expiration.

When: Approximately 3 months into ownership

Symptoms owners cite: Cable stuck; could not lower winch back to original position; Winch mechanism unresponsive

Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced winch mechanism at own cost; Toyota refused support when out of warranty

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 14V273000 eventually identified; initial dealer refusal to support

Premature tire wear

Tires worn out by 16,000 miles when they should last at least 25,000 miles. Manufacturer and dealer delayed resolution, stating all recalls must be handled first before addressing tire wear.

When: 16,000 miles (should last to 25,000+ miles)

Symptoms owners cite: Excessive wear and tear appearance at 16,000 miles

Repairs/costs cited: No repair provided; owner still waiting for resolution

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer instructed owner to wait for district manager; stated recalls take priority

Spare tire cable corrosion

Spare tire carrier cable corroded excessively, requiring removal per recall 14V273000. Spare tire relocated to cargo area, rendering rear storage and seat-folding functionality unusable for months due to parts unavailability.

When: Fall 2014 (during recall implementation)

Symptoms owners cite: Visible corrosion on spare tire cable

Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 14V273000

Repairs/costs cited: Spare tire removed and placed in cargo area as temporary measure; permanent repair parts unavailable

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 14V273000 issued but replacement parts not available for extended period

Spare tire hatch cable snapped

Spare tire hatch control cable snapped at low speed, dropping the spare tire onto the roadway. Vehicle then ran over the tire, causing a jolt. Cable failure allowed tire to fall unsecured.

When: 195,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Cable snapped while driving at 15 mph; Spare tire dropped onto road

Repairs/costs cited: Owner did not repair; vehicle remained drivable after incident

Tire bead unseating

Front passenger-side tire disengaged from rim at very low speed (5 mph backing out of driveway), with approximately two-thirds of tire still hanging on rim. Represents critical safety issue at minimal speed.

When: 7,500 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle appeared unbalanced left to right; Front passenger-side tire disengaged from rim while backing slowly

Codes mentioned: Dunlop SP4000 A/F P215/65S/R16, DOT DA2HC4ER3807

Repairs/costs cited: No repair provided; owner aware of safety risk

Blowout at highway speed

Passenger-side front tire blowout during highway driving. Owner did not pursue diagnosis or repair.

When: 134,920 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Tire blowout at 55 mph

Codes mentioned: BF Goodrich All Terrain K02, 215/65/R16, DOT BFAEAT11

Repairs/costs cited: No repair; owner did not take vehicle for inspection

Tire explosion during parking

Front driver-side tire suddenly exploded while vehicle was parked. Tire dealer identified internal manufacturing defect as cause. Tire was less than 4.5 months old.

When: 54,000 vehicle miles; approximately 4.5 months after tire purchase (12/5/2015 purchase, 4/19/2016 failure)

Symptoms owners cite: Tire exploded while parked

Codes mentioned: Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, 215/65R16

Repairs/costs cited: Tire replaced; dealer identified internal manufacturing defect

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Tire manufacturer notified of failure

Run-flat tire steel belt separation and catastrophic failure

Run-flat tires develop noise, then vibrate badly, with internal steel belt separation leading to catastrophic failure recurring every 10,000–30,000 miles. Requires full set replacement.

When: Every 10,000–30,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Noise from tire; Severe vibration; Steel belt separation inside tire; Catastrophic failure

Repairs/costs cited: All four tires must be replaced each failure cycle

Tire explosion with secondary damage

Rear passenger-side tire explosion on highway broke heater and air conditioning anti-freeze pipes adjacent to the wheel, creating additional fluid leak and damage beyond the tire failure.

When: Highway driving (specific mileage not stated)

Symptoms owners cite: Tire explosion on rear passenger-side wheel; Pipes for heater and air conditioning anti-freeze damaged by explosion

Repairs/costs cited: Heater and air conditioning system pipes damaged

Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 1 most recent

tires · filed 12/22/2014

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Toyota sienna. The contact received a notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14v273000 (tires) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the delay. The contact had not experienced a failure. Mailout 1/13/15*lj

Had tires trouble with your 2008 Toyota Sienna? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.

Common questions

How serious is the tires problem on the 2008 Toyota Sienna?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 15 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $150 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the tires typically fail?

Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most tires failures cluster between 11,373 and 107,601 miles, with the median around 54,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 11,373; a quarter make it past 107,601. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $150 for tires repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to tires?

Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover tires issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Toyota/Sienna. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.