Power sliding door malfunctions dominate these narratives. Owners describe doors that open unprompted while parked or driving—sometimes multiple times over weeks or months—fail to latch or close completely, jam mid-operation, or refuse to open or close on any command (manual override, button, or key fob). Many cars have experienced the same failure repeatedly after dealer repair attempts.
The fuel filler door hinge fracture shows up in several accounts. Owners report the upper hinge breaks, preventing the door from seating properly. In one dramatic case, a child choking was at risk because the faulty fuel door's mechanical interlock prevented the power sliding door from opening fully. Other owners note the fuel door won't open or close as needed, and dealers cite repair costs over $400.
A cable controlling the sliding door snapped in at least two cases—one owner observed rust on the cable despite the van being garage-stored, questioning design durability.
Latching failures appear across multiple complaints: doors don't latch when closing, slide open during parking-lot exits or highway driving, or fail to stay latched despite appearing closed.
Toyota issued recall 16V858000 (STRUCTURE) addressing sliding door electrical faults. However, the overwhelming majority of complaints stem from parts unavailability—owners waited months (some 6+ months from recall issuance) with no estimate for remedy availability, forcing many to disable the automatic feature or operate doors manually.
One rear liftgate complaint notes it won't stay open and falls closed, leaving the "door open" warning active.
Sunroof water leaks into the B-pillar area were reported by one owner; dealer suspected the rear sunroof as a common Sienna problem.
Failure modes owners describe
Power sliding door independent opening
Power sliding doors open unprompted while vehicle is parked or driving, sometimes repeatedly over weeks or months. The issue persists intermittently even after recall repair attempts.
When: Various mileages reported; recall notification issued November 2016 for 2015 models; failures documented as early as 16,000–30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Door opens without driver activation; Continuous independent opening while parked; Door opens while vehicle is in motion; Automatic feature remains active despite being disabled per recall instructions
Codes mentioned: 16V858000
Repairs/costs cited: Recall 16V858000 calls for replacement of instrument panel junction block and new wire harnesses to power sliding doors; repair parts were unavailable for extended periods (6+ months from recall issuance in some cases); one owner reports repair recurred
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V858000 (STRUCTURE); parts unavailable for months; manufacturer could not provide remedy timeline
Sliding door latching failure
Power sliding doors do not latch properly when closing, refusing to lock fully into the closed position. Doors may slide open during vehicle motion or when parked.
When: Ongoing; reported at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Door will not latch when closed; Door slides open during parking lot exits; Door slides open during highway driving; Door closes partway then reopens on its own
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple dealer visits reported with no lasting fix; one owner visited dealer 4–5 times with persistent issue; owners disabled automatic feature per recall guidance
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 16V858000; customers instructed to disable automatic door feature
Sliding door fails to open or close on command
Power sliding doors refuse to open or close using interior buttons, overhead switches, or key fob activation. Manual override may also fail or be difficult.
When: Various mileages; some at recall receipt (16,000–55,000 miles reported)
Symptoms owners cite: Door does not respond to interior close buttons; Door does not respond to key fob activation; Door does not respond to overhead switch; Manual closing difficult or impossible
Codes mentioned: 16V858000
Repairs/costs cited: One case documented motor failure requiring replacement; recall parts unavailable in multiple cases; one owner reported cable snap
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V858000; parts unavailable at time of complaint
Fuel filler door hinge fracture
Upper hinge of fuel filler door breaks or fractures, preventing proper seating. Mechanical interlock with power sliding door prevents passenger door from opening fully when fuel door fails.
When: 71,000 miles and 117,000 miles reported; documented as design issue in owner forums
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel door will not seat properly when closed; Fuel door will not open; Fuel door will not close; Interconnected power sliding door interlock prevents full opening
Repairs/costs cited: Independent repair shop and dealers quoted over $400 for fuel door and hinge replacement; not covered under warranty; one owner's July 2025 replacement request denied due to warranty expiration
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers and Toyota claim not a warranty issue; documented in owner forums and prior NHTSA complaints (case IDs #11104672, #11025478)
Sliding door cable snap or corrosion
Cable controlling sliding door operation snaps or shows premature rust. Owners report cable breaking during normal opening operation or while parked.
When: Mileage not specified; one owner's van stored in climate-controlled garage
Symptoms owners cite: Cable snapped during door opening; Cable visibly rusty despite protected storage; Door hangs open approximately 1 cm; Door cannot be closed via button; difficult to manually close
Repairs/costs cited: Cable replacement needed; owner questioned design flaw given garage storage and no moisture exposure
Liftgate (rear trunk door) does not stay open
Rear liftgate/trunk door fails to remain in open position; door opens but falls closed immediately, leaving continuous 'door open' warning active.
When: Mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Door opens but does not stay up; Door falls closed when opened remotely; Door falls closed when opened from interior; Door open warning buzzes continuously while driving
Sunroof water leak into B-pillar
Water pours from B-pillar area where seat belt adjusters are located, with extensive water staining on headliner. Dealer suspects rear sunroof as source and reports this is a common issue on Sienna models with sunroof.
When: After dry summer followed by rainstorms; vehicle purchased May 2015
Symptoms owners cite: Water pouring from B-pillar seat belt adjuster area; Extensive water stains on headliner (driver and passenger sides)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer suspects but uncertain; reports this as common Sienna sunroof issue
Mirror paint melting in normal use
Driver side mirror paint (on upgraded painted mirror) melted under normal parking and driving conditions in San Diego. Dealer attributed it to external reflections from surrounding buildings or vehicle windows.
When: Normal usage in San Diego climate
Symptoms owners cite: Mirror paint melted under normal conditions; Plastic storage frame painted with body paint, not mirror-rated coating
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer blamed external reflection sources (buildings, buses, RVs, freeway reflections)
Fuel door weld failure
Weld on fuel door is broken, preventing proper closure. Owner purchased vehicle used and noticed defect on first gas fill-up.
When: Unknown; discovered at first gas fill-up post-purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel door will not close properly; Weld visibly broken
Synthesized from 52 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.