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2013 Toyota Sienna problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
16%
25 of 158 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Toyota Sienna. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 16% of relevant complaints.

Better than 93% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 25 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 14%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2013 Toyota Sienna have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 25 of 158 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Sienna concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (16%). For comparison, the 2012 scores 18% and the 2014 scores 17%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
25
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
183
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
7 crashes · 9 injuries

Complaints by component

STRUCTURE44 · 24%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER33 · 18%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM22 · 12%
AIR BAGS22 · 12%
POWER TRAIN14 · 8%
SERVICE BRAKES12 · 7%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2013 compares with other Toyota Sienna years

Of the 13 Toyota Sienna years with enough complaints to score, the 2013 is the 4th-best on engine and transmission share (16%). The worst is the 2018 (48%), the best the 2022 (9%). By volume, the 2013 drew 183 complaints (25 drivetrain), against 247 for the 2012 and 163 for the 2014.

Toyota Sienna years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2013 Toyota Sienna

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM02/27/2023
The 2GR-FE engine on my Sienna has experienced a front timing cover leak. It's slowly leaking oil out of my vehicle and I'm afraid it will get worst over time. My vehicle has less than 100K miles and if the leak persists, I down want my vehicle breaking down and leaving me stranded.

One of 25 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2013 Toyota Sienna engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2013 Toyota Sienna, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module19V741000 · Oct 2019
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013…
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings19V553000 · Jul 2019
Vantage Mobility International, LLC (Vantage) is recalling certain 2012-2018 AMS Genesis wheelchair vans, built on a Toyota Sienna vehicles. The rubber brake hoses that attach to the rear wheel…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module19V005000 · Jan 2019
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module18V024000 · Jan 2018
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, IS-F, and GX460 vehicles…
structure: body: door16V858000 · Nov 2016
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Toyota Sienna minivans manufactured January 4, 2010, to August 12, 2016. If the power sliding door is…
air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive13V014000 · Jan 2013
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2013 Toyota Sienna? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2013 Toyota Sienna

Does the 2013 Toyota Sienna have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 25 of 158 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Sienna concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (16%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2013 Toyota Sienna?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2013 Toyota Sienna is structure: 44 of 183 complaints (24%) name it, followed by electrical system (22) and air bags (22). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 16% of the relevant total.

Is the 2013 Toyota Sienna reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 16% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 93% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Toyota Sienna years we score, it ranks 4th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2013 Toyota Sienna?

No. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2013 Toyota Sienna, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Toyota Sienna years are better?

Among the Toyota Sienna years we track, the 2022 (9%), the 2016 (10%) and the 2021 (11%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2013 (16%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-sienna

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.