Problems : lost acceleration when the car was free running (no gas pedal applied) down hill or declined roads at about 8-10 MPH, while the engine speed was 1100rpm or above ( this mostly happened in winter while the engine was cold or not warm up, but it happened in hot engine too), if I stepped on the gas pedal to accelerate the car at this time, the car would not pick-up speed and accelerate;…
2011 Toyota Sienna cruise control problems
severe 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
6crashes
6injuries
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Multiple 2011 Sienna owners report sudden unintended acceleration during low-speed maneuvers and braking, along with cruise control issues on downhill grades and transmission delays; dealers consistently find no fault despite the repeated incidents and confirmed reproducibility of at least one condition across multiple vehicles.
Owners describe sudden, unexpected acceleration during low-speed driving—backing up, parking, and approaching driveways at 5-15 mph—with the engine revving rapidly despite brake pedal pressure. Several incidents resulted in collisions with trees, garages, and other vehicles; one vehicle rolled out of Park on a highway with children inside. A second pattern involves cruise control: on downhill grades, the system continues accelerating rather than holding the set speed, pushing the vehicle from 60 mph to 75-80 mph. A third issue shows up when coasting downhill at 8-10 mph—applying throttle produces no response until engine RPM reaches 1,800-2,000. A dealer confirmed this last problem exists across multiple 2011 Siennas and attributed it to transmission computer programming.
Other owners report transmission shifts that fail to occur in the normal 20-40 mph range after braking, and cruise control that races the engine to 5,000-5,500 RPM during acceleration or uphill operation. One owner's dealer said that high RPM behavior is normal engineering; most dealers inspecting unintended acceleration found nothing wrong despite repeated incidents and confirmed reproducibility of the downhill throttle-response issue on multiple vehicles.
Same Toyota Sienna cruise control reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2010
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration while braking or at low speed
Vehicle accelerates unexpectedly when brake pedal is applied or while moving slowly (5-15 mph), sometimes during backing up, parking, or approaching driveways. Engine revs rapidly, vehicle fails to slow down, brake input appears ineffective. Occurs whether foot is on brake or shifting into Park.
When: Low speed maneuvers (backing, parking, approaching driveway); also reported at 10-15 mph, 20,400 miles, 3,100 miles, 900-1,184 miles, 33,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden rapid acceleration when brake applied; Engine revs without driver input; Vehicle does not respond to braking; Loud engine revving sound during incident; Loss of vehicle control during low-speed maneuvers; Vehicle continues to rev after coming to complete stop
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers inspected but found no fault; no repairs performed in reports provided; one dealer stated 'all systems okay'
Cruise control fails to cut power on downhill descent
When cruise control is engaged and vehicle descends a hill, the system continues accelerating rather than maintaining set speed. Vehicle speed increases from set point (60 mph) to 75-80 mph on downhill sections. Uphill acceleration works normally.
When: During downhill grades while in cruise control; reported at 1,200 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control does not disengage or hold speed on downhill; Uncontrolled acceleration downhill in cruise mode; Speed increases from 60 mph to 75-80 mph; Normal operation on uphill sections
Loss of throttle response at low RPM during downhill coast
When vehicle is coasting downhill with no throttle input at 8-10 mph and engine RPM is 1,100 or above, stepping on accelerator produces no response initially. Vehicle acts as if in Neutral until engine reaches 1,800-2,000 RPM. Occurs more frequently when engine is cold but also in warm engine. Does not occur uphill or at speeds below 10 mph.
When: Downhill coasting at 8-10 mph with engine RPM ≥1,100, particularly in cold/winter conditions
Symptoms owners cite: No acceleration response when gas pedal applied at low speed downhill; Accelerator feels lighter than normal; Vehicle behaves as if in Neutral; Acceleration only begins when engine reaches 1,800-2,000 RPM; More frequent in cold engine conditions
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer performed transmission computer reset to allow transmission to relearn driving habits; owner states this did not fix the issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer tested multiple other 2011 Siennas and confirmed all exhibited same behavior; dealer attributed to computer programming design
Cruise control races to high RPM before acceleration
While in cruise control, when vehicle needs to accelerate to regain speed or climb a slope, engine races to 5,000-5,500 RPM before vehicle actually speeds up. Represents excessive engine revving during cruise control operation.
When: During cruise control operation when slope/speed maintenance required
Symptoms owners cite: Engine races to 5,000-5,500 RPM during cruise acceleration; Excessive RPM before vehicle gains speed; Engine nearly dies on some left turns
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated this engine racing behavior is normal and part of the vehicle engineering
Delayed or missing transmission gear shifts
Transmission fails to shift at expected speeds. After braking for speed reducer then accelerating, gear shift does not occur in normal 20-40 mph range; RPM continues rising. Issue resolves after stopping and restarting vehicle. Occurs multiple times.
When: When accelerating after braking at low speeds (speed reducers)
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission does not shift in normal 20-40 mph range; RPM continues rising without shift; Issue resolves after vehicle restart
Vehicle rolls out of Park
Vehicle that was placed in Park with engine on and hazard lights activated begins rolling across highway on its own. Vehicle was not touched and did not roll downhill; no explanation found for why vehicle disengaged from Park.
When: While parked at highway entrance with children inside
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle rolls out of Park without driver input; Vehicle rolls across busy highway; Children injured in rolling vehicle; No air bag deployment during impact
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2011 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 cruise control problem on the 2011 Toyota Sienna?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 3,100 and 63,000 miles, with the median around 20,400. A quarter of owners report trouble before 3,100; a quarter make it past 63,000. 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 $600 for cruise control 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 cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
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/2011/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.