Power sliding door cable breakage is the dominant complaint in this cluster. Owners across multiple model years report the cable assembly snapping during normal operation between 35,000 and 105,000 miles, sometimes earlier. When the cable breaks, the door jams partway open or closed, trapping passengers. Cutting the cable by hand is the only workaround to free the door. Repair costs range from $1,800 to $2,500 for the cable-and-motor assembly, and dealers will not replace the cable separately. Toyota issued a warranty extension for 2004–2007 models but refuses to cover 2008–2010 despite using identical components.
Owners also report power liftgate struts that fail and close unexpectedly, sometimes pinning children or adults. The door won't stop pushing down even when held open. Cold weather (below 40°F) exacerbates the problem. Additionally, some owners describe spare tire carrier cables seized by corrosion, making the spare tire impossible to retract after emergency use. Toyota acknowledged the corrosion issue (Recall #E1S) but stated no remedy was available at the time. Dashboard stickiness and melting, window leaks with mold growth, and a mismatched rear member bar causing tire misalignment round out the reported failures. Sliding door hinge wear and interior door handle non-function when the power system fails create passenger-trapping hazards.
Failure modes owners describe
Power sliding door cable breakage/fracture
The cable assembly that operates the automatic opening and closing of the left and/or right rear sliding doors breaks or fractures during normal use, causing the door to jam partially or fully closed. Owners report the cable snapping unexpectedly, sometimes while pressing the open/close button or during routine operation. Once broken, the door may be inoperable from both inside and outside, trapping passengers and forcing owners to cut the cable manually to free the door.
When: Typically between 35,000 and 105,000 miles; some failures as early as 4,000 miles; owners report failures within 3–6 years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Door becomes difficult to open, requiring hard pulling on the outside handle; Door stops opening mid-cycle and jams partway open or closed; Visible cable hanging out of the door track or frame; Door will not open or close using the power button or remote; Door can only open manually from outside with great force, if at all; Interior door handles do not function in manual mode; Cable makes a snapping noise or door suddenly ceases operation
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers report that the cable and motor assembly must be replaced as a package; motor alone costs around $1,800–$2,500. Owners report dealers often will not cover the repair under warranty for model years 2008–2010. Some owners manually cut the cable to free a jammed door as a temporary workaround. One owner paid $280 for hinge replacement to restore smooth sliding after cable failure.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued a warranty enhancement (Customer Support Program) for model years 2004–2007 to replace the cable assembly due to a recall on this defect. Toyota stated in 2012 that they had not received enough complaints on 2008–2010 models to extend the program to those years. One owner received a letter from Toyota prior to failure stating they would replace the lock assembly if the problem occurred, which they did under warranty in February 2014. Dealers report the 2010 model has not been redesigned to address the cable issue present in earlier generations.
Rear sliding door lock assembly failure
The lock mechanism on the rear sliding doors becomes faulty or worn, making the door difficult or impossible to open. Owners report having to pull and hold the outside door handle repeatedly to get the door to open, which is difficult for children to perform. The lock assembly may fail on one door, and then the other door can fail independently.
When: Early in ownership; one owner reported failure within months of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Door becomes progressively harder to open; Requires sustained pulling and holding of the outside door handle to initiate opening; Door difficult for children to operate; Lock mechanism does not fully disengage
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had the lock assembly replaced under warranty. After replacement, the door opened normally. However, the door cable subsequently broke, requiring additional repairs.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued a service letter prior to 2014 notifying owners of lock assembly issues and stating they would replace the assembly if the problem occurred. One owner had the replacement completed under warranty in February 2014.
Rear hatchback/liftgate strut failure (power liftgate closes unexpectedly)
The power liftgate automatically closes itself without user command while open, or closes with excessive force. This occurs when the opening strut becomes faulty. On several occasions, the liftgate has closed on passengers or children, creating a potential injury hazard. The liftgate may continue to push down even when held open by hand, and may reopen without warning only to close again.
When: Failure reported as early as 4,000 miles; some failures occur after years of ownership. Temperature-dependent failures below 40°F noted by at least one owner.
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate closes automatically without pressing the button or key fob; Liftgate closes uncontrollably once fully opened; Requires extreme pressure to hold the liftgate open against closing force; Liftgate may reopen on its own after closing; Liftgate continues to close even when being held up by occupants; Failures occur intermittently; Problem worsens in cold weather (below 40°F)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers report the opening strut must be replaced. One owner reported that replacement parts were on national back order at the time of the complaint. No repair costs were cited by owners in the narratives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued a recall in the past for older Sienna models with faulty power liftgate struts. Owners note that this same defect was recalled for prior model years but no extension to 2010 is mentioned in the narratives.
Rear hatchback closure failure (intermittent, does not close fully)
The rear hatchback door intermittently fails to close either electronically via remote or manually, or fails to remain in the closed position. Dealers are unable to reproduce the failure during diagnosis.
When: Reported at 30,000–34,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Hatchback will not close with electronic remote; Hatchback will not close manually; Failure is intermittent and difficult to reproduce; Door may open unexpectedly
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced the sensor strip and re-initialized the remote but the failure persisted. Dealer stated they could not replace additional parts and could not resolve the issue.
Spare tire carrier cable corrosion
The cable mechanism that raises and lowers the spare tire under the vehicle experiences excessive corrosion, rendering it inoperable. Owners are unable to retract the spare tire after using it, leaving it hanging or stuck in the deployed position. The corrosion is attributed to the spare tire being stored under the vehicle where it is exposed to road salt, dirt, and moisture.
When: Corrosion can develop early in ownership; one owner reported the spare tire stuck shortly after purchase (within two months)
Symptoms owners cite: Spare tire carrier cable becomes seized or stuck; Spare tire cannot be raised or lowered; Visible corrosion on the cable end; Spare tire mechanism inoperable
Repairs/costs cited: One owner's spare tire mechanism was replaced by the dealer. Corrosion damage to the cable itself appears difficult to repair; owners report the spare tire remains stuck in the deployed position for months waiting for a remedy.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued NHTSA Safety Interim Notice Recall #E1S noting 'EXCESSIVE CORROSION MAY OCCUR ON THE END OF THE SPARE TIRE CABLE.' As of the time of these complaints, Toyota stated they had not yet formulated a remedy. One owner reported contacting Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371 and was told no remedy was available.
Dashboard sticky/melting condition
The dashboard surface becomes sticky and develops a melting or warping appearance, creating glare that obstructs the driver's view. The defect occurs on both the driver and passenger sides.
When: Reported at 65,000 miles; also reported at higher mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard surface sticky to the touch; Dashboard appears to be melting or warping; Excessive glare from dashboard obstructs driver view; Problem occurs while driving at various speeds
Repairs/costs cited: One owner was provided information on an extended warranty covering this failure but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota acknowledged this defect and issued an extended warranty in 2016. One owner reports Toyota claims the warranty period has expired and will not replace the dashboard. Another owner notes Toyota acknowledges the defect but refuses to cover replacement after the recall period closes.
Front passenger door interior/exterior latch failure
The front passenger side door fails to open from either the interior or exterior of the vehicle.
When: Reported at 55,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Door will not open from inside or outside; Door latch unresponsive
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed fractured clips holding the door panel in place and replaced them. Vehicle was repaired.
Sliding door hinge/bearing wear
The center hinge bearing or the hinge itself wears excessively or fails, causing the sliding door mechanism to bind or fail. One owner reported visible wear on the hinge after a cable failure.
When: As early as 12,000 miles; also reported after cable failure at ~100,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Door does not slide smoothly along the track; Center hinge bearing appears to have failed; Door binds or sticks when attempting to open or close
Repairs/costs cited: One owner paid $280 to replace a worn hinge to restore smooth sliding action after a cable failure. The owner noted they chose the repair due to concern the worn hinge might break and cause the door to fall off.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers report this is not covered under warranty.
Sliding door interior handle non-functional
When the automatic sliding door cable fails or the door becomes inoperable, the interior door handle does not function to open the door manually, potentially trapping passengers inside.
When: Coincident with cable failure or door mechanism failure
Symptoms owners cite: Interior door handle does not function in manual mode; Passengers cannot exit from inside the vehicle when the power system fails; No redundant manual exit capability
Water leak and mold in vehicle interior
Water enters the vehicle interior, creating an environment for mold growth and musty odors. The problem is attributed to faulty window seals.
When: Not specified in narratives
Symptoms owners cite: Water leaking into interior; Visible or olfactory evidence of mold growth; Musty smell in cabin; Mold causing asthma attacks and illness in occupants
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers inform owners that window seal repairs are not covered and owners must pay for repairs.
Rear window seal failure / rear window panel separation
A rear side window panel fell out of the vehicle while parked. This suggests a failure of the window retaining mechanism or seal.
When: Unknown when failure occurred; discovered while vehicle parked
Symptoms owners cite: Rear side window panel falls from vehicle
Passenger seat rail corrosion
The rails of the automatic sliding passenger seats developed visible corrosion within two months of purchase, raising concerns about corrosion affecting other non-conspicuous parts of the vehicle and long-term resale value.
When: Within two months of purchase (early in vehicle life)
Symptoms owners cite: Visible corrosion on seat rails; Corrosion appears on both rails
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer did not address the corrosion issue; the concern is that it suggests a broader corrosion problem.
Incorrect or mismatched rear member bar
The rear member bar installed on the vehicle is too long or is designed for a different vehicle, causing misalignment of the rear axle and accelerated tire wear.
When: Detected at 36,000 miles during routine tire inspection
Symptoms owners cite: Rear tires worn to the metal wire; Tires out of alignment; Both rear tires showing unsafe wear
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer agreed to replace the rear member bar but could not confirm the replacement would correct the alignment issue. Dealer confirmed the part on the vehicle was for a different vehicle model.
Recall parts unavailability and excessive delay
Owners received recall notifications but the manufacturer or dealers were unable to obtain parts to complete the recall repair, causing indefinite delays. In one case, the delay exceeded a reasonable time frame.
When: Delays reported in 2015 and later
Symptoms owners cite: Recall part unavailable from manufacturer; Recall repair delayed indefinitely; Lengthy wait with no resolution
Codes mentioned: 10V160000, 14V273000
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owners received NHTSA recall notifications (Campaign 10V160000 for Structure, Campaign 14V273000 for Wheels) but parts were unavailable, and manufacturer exceeded a reasonable time to complete recalls.
Synthesized from 47 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.