The Lemon Index2008 Toyota Sienna.
The 2008 Toyota Sienna is about average by owner complaints: 109 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 95, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about speed control, it has 9 recalls, and it gets 18 to 19 mpg combined. The best Toyota Sienna year is 2020.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 429 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Toyota Sienna year. 2008 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 38K to 107K miles on the car (357 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- body structure complaints mostly came at 48K–105K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 17K–85K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 28K–103K miles
Recalls 9
- seats 2016
The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
- seats 2014
Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
- tires 2014
The affected vehicles have a spare tire carrier assembly mounted under the vehicle whose attachment cable may corrode due to high concentrations of road salt splashing onto the spare tire carri.
Show all 9 recalls
- transmission & drivetrain 2013
In the affected vehicles, due to a problem within the shift lock solenoid, there is a possibility that the shift lever could be moved out of Park position without depressing the brake pedal.
- body structure 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2010 SIENNA PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 7, 1997 AND JANUARY 4, 2010, CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, I…
- equipment 2010
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE S…
- equipment 2010
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETW…
- equipment 2009
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 THROUGH 2009 SIENNA AND 2009 LEXUS GX PASSENGER VEHICLES.
- equipment 2009
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Toyota told dealers about
Toyota sent dealers 247 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Multiple warning lights illuminated, vehicle not shifting from park to drive, and other…
- See document search button for owner letter
- The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3400–3550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Rubber on the trunk release hatch melts and sometimes causes the trunk to unlatch by itself. Contacted 2 local dealerships and no recall has been issued and they want about $300 to replace.
2008 Toyota Sienna owner · NHTSA complaint 10434324
More owner reports
The sliding door opened when the car was moving,then failed to be able to close by power or manually.
NHTSA complaint 10402357
Sunroof glass shattered while driving on the freeway with no apparent reason (no collision, no bad road condition).
NHTSA complaint 10334150
Quick answers
Is the 2008 Toyota Sienna reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew about the average number of complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 95; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Sienna year by this measure is 2020.
What are the most common 2008 Toyota Sienna problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are speed control (25%), body structure (19%) and transmission & drivetrain (12%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2008 Toyota Sienna have?
9 safety recalls (latest: seats). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2008 Toyota Sienna get?
18 to 19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2008 Toyota Sienna problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 38,200 and 107,000 miles. The middle report was at 77,000 miles, from 357 complaints.
Does the 2008 Toyota Sienna have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 12% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2008 Toyota Sienna cost in fuel a year?
About $3400 to $3550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2008 Toyota Sienna have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Toyota Sienna year is better than the 2008?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2020, 2013 and 2012.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works