Toyota Sienna Owners Say Minivans Are Unusable as Recall Fix Delays Spark Lawsuit
In October 2025, Toyota recalled certain Sienna minivans for defective second-row seat rails that could prove dangerous in a crash. Over half a year later, a new class action lawsuit has been filed against the automaker for the same issue, alleging that as of April 1, not a single Sienna seat rail has been replaced. One owner of three children says their Sienna has been "unusable" for their family for over 80 days as the automaker is still searching for a resolution, and many more owners have expressed their concerns. Here's everything we know about the minivan's ongoing safety issue.
Toyota's Remedy Is Taking Too Long
The lawsuit, which includes all Ohio and South Carolina entities and was shared by Car Complaints, is centered around how long it's taking for Toyota to replace the potentially defective seat rails. 54,600 Sienna models in the U.S. were implicated in the original recall, which states that one of the second-row seats could lose structural integrity in certain high-speed crashes, increasing the risk of an injury.
Recall letters were sent to customers on December 4, 2025, but these did not state when repairs would be available as Toyota had to acquire the relevant parts and ship them to dealers. This process has dragged on for months, with numerous complaints on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website from frustrated owners still waiting for a fix.
"Toyota has instructed owners not to use the second-row seats until a repair becomes available," said one Sienna owner. "I am a parent of three children, including an infant who requires a rear-facing car seat. Without the ability to use the second-row seats, the vehicle is unusable for my family. As of today, the vehicle has been out of service for over 80 days, and Toyota has confirmed that there is still no repair remedy available and no timeline for resolution."
This owner was provided with a RAV4 loaner vehicle, but argues that this compact crossover isn't comparable to the much larger Sienna which has three seating rows. The owner says they've had to continue making monthly payments of around $900 for a vehicle they can't use.
Complaints Pile Up
We checked the NHTSA's website, with the most recent complaint from a Sienna owner dated April 29, 2026. The owner said that parts were not yet available. Another owner said on April 26 that they're uncomfortable placing their newborn in the middle row and that using the third row is difficult. "7 months without a remedy is unacceptable," said the Sienna owner from Norfolk, Virginia.
Understandably, many minivan owners have young children that are typically seated in a car seat in the more spacious second row. The third row is smaller and more challenging to access, while some families have multiple children so are unable to avoid using the second row. Even worse is that both the left- and right-hand seat rails could be affected, so there's no safer side to sit on in the second row.
The lawsuit has been filed by Ohio plaintiff Juliet Kelsten and South Carolina plaintiff Adam Hamblin.
What It Means
The new lawsuit highlights the logistical challenges when large, mass-market automakers like Toyota are hit with a recall. If an issue can't be corrected with an over-the-air fix, sourcing replacement parts for tens of thousands of models can drag on for months, putting owners of these vehicles in an uncomfortable position with the knowledge that their safety could be compromised.
Vehicle safety is important regardless of the body style, but expectations are even higher in a vehicle that can seat up to eight people-especially with kids often occupying the back seats. The amount of time it's taken to resolve the Sienna's seat defect is concerning, and the automaker's legal troubles will only get worse if it doesn't initiate a fix soon.
Related: No Minivans Make IIHS Safety List as Rear-Seat Safety Falls Short
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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 1:30 PM.