The drivers side sliding door when on the power on, it will either not catch when opening or not shut when you are trying to shut it. You can be in the door way and it will shut on you by itself. You have to physically stop it or pull it shut. I have taken it in the past to the local Toyota dealership, when it was under warranty, multiple times. They don't see anything wrong, or cannot explain…
2017 Toyota Sienna body problems
severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
1fire
2injuries
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Power sliding door failures are a documented problem, with some causing injury to children when doors close on occupants without warning; hood design is inadequate and prone to deformation. One engine fire was reported, though specific cause remains unclear from the complaint.
The 2017 Sienna has generated complaints across multiple body systems. Power sliding doors present the most frequent issue: doors fail to fully open or close, stop mid-cycle, and reverse without warning. Several owners report the door closing on occupants—including children—without detecting obstacles, causing bruises and injury. Toyota dealers have replaced door sensors multiple times without fixing the problem; one owner notes a previous Sienna generation had a recall for the identical failure, but no recall exists for this model year. When owners disable power operation, the door becomes nearly immovable due to its weight. One door cable snapped during routine opening, leaving the door inoperable.
Hood failures also appear: owners report the hood bends and crumples under minimal pressure, won't latch properly, and is structurally inadequate. One incident involved extreme cold conditions (wind chill -53°F); the dealer deferred to insurance and the manufacturer declined assistance.
A roof side rail detached at 80 mph with accompanying oil warning light illumination. One catastrophic failure involved simultaneous warning lights (all-wheel drive, check engine, battery, collision braking), power loss, black smoke, and engine fire on the interstate—the vehicle burned completely within minutes.
Same Toyota Sienna body reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Power sliding door malfunction — incomplete closure/opening
Driver or passenger side power sliding door fails to fully close or open using the power function. Door may stop mid-cycle, reverse unexpectedly, or close on occupants without detecting obstacles. When power is disabled, the door becomes extremely difficult to operate manually due to weight.
When: Intermittent; some owners report onset since purchase (2018), others during normal operation. One failure at 45,397 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Door does not fully close when power function activated; Door reverses or stops mid-closure; Door closes on occupants or in doorway without warning; No warning lights or sensor alerts; Door becomes very hard to move manually when power disabled; Sensor replacement does not permanently fix the issue
Repairs/costs cited: Toyota dealer replaced door sensor multiple times without permanent resolution. One owner reports dealer could not identify the problem.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner notes previous van model had a recall for the same issue. Current 2017 Sienna owner states no recall was issued for this vehicle despite reporting the problem.
Power sliding door collision hazard — undetected obstacle closure
Power sliding door closes on occupants or children without detecting their presence or stopping. Door crushes limbs and causes injury despite occupant being in the doorway or with arm inside vehicle.
When: During normal opening/closing operations while parked and while on the road
Symptoms owners cite: Door closes with occupant or child in the way; No safety stop or reversal when obstacle detected; Arm or limb crushed or trapped; Door closes while vehicle is in motion; Door opens unexpectedly while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Owner reports dealer refused to replace door latch. One incident resulted in child injury requiring medical attention.
Power sliding door cable failure
Sliding cable inside the power door mechanism snaps or fails during normal opening operation, rendering both power and manual operation unusable.
When: During normal opening operation with vehicle parked
Symptoms owners cite: Audible snap or cable failure; Cable hanging visibly from vehicle side; Power button no longer operates door; Manual opening impossible after cable failure
Repairs/costs cited: Cable snapped while opening door; currently hanging from vehicle body.
Hood latch failure and deformation
Hood fails to close properly and bends or crumples under minimal pressure. Hood rod holding it open deforms easily, and hood design is inadequate for securing the panel.
When: One failure at 20,000 miles during cold weather with wind chill of -53°F. Another failure mentioned without specific mileage.
Symptoms owners cite: Hood ajar and unable to close properly; Hood bent and deformed; Hood crumples like aluminum foil under slight pressure; Hood rod fails to hold hood securely; Hood panel fragile and prone to bending
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer informed owner to submit insurance claim. No repair attempted.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was contacted and declined to assist. Owner stated hood design was inadequate and unsustainable.
Roof rail detachment
Side rail roof rack detaches completely from vehicle while driving at highway speed. Oil warning light also illuminated at time of failure.
When: While driving at approximately 80 MPH; failure mileage 59,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Roof rack separates from vehicle body; Oil warning light illuminated; Personal property damage occurred
Repairs/costs cited: Two dealerships contacted; vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but provided no assistance.
Engine fire — catastrophic electrical/fuel system failure
Multiple warning systems illuminate simultaneously (all-wheel drive, check engine, battery, collision braking) followed by power loss at highway speed. Black smoke and fire erupt from engine compartment within minutes of pulling over.
When: While driving on interstate at 65 MPH
Symptoms owners cite: Check all-wheel drive system warning; Check engine light; Battery alarm; Collision braking system alert; Multiple simultaneous warnings; Complete power loss while driving; Black smoke from engine; Burning smell; Fire in engine compartment; Vehicle engulfed in flames within minutes
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle destroyed by fire. Fire department extinguished blaze after 5-minute response time.
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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Common questions
How serious is the body problem on the 2017 Toyota Sienna?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, body issues most often appear around 31,350 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body 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 body?
No active recalls currently cover body 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/2017/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.