Minivans · 4 model years, 2017 to 2026
Toyota Sienna vs Chrysler Pacifica: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sienna and the Pacifica split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 23, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2017 to 2026 | Sienna | Pacifica |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 6.2% | 3.0% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.6% | 0.7% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 4.3% | 1.8% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 30,000 | 31,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 3.8 | 5.8 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 5 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Sienna owners complain about most is brakes; for the Pacifica it is engine. Complaints citing brakes make up 32% of all Sienna complaints, against 4.8% on the Pacifica. The Pacifica leans the other way on engine: 35% of its complaints, against 6.0% for the Sienna.
Toyota SiennaChrysler Pacifica
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Sienna is brake wear (32% of its complaints). On the Pacifica it is stalling (28% of its complaints), against 2.9% on the Sienna.
| Problem | Sienna | Pacifica |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 32% 164most in 2021 · 31k mi | 5.0% 105most in 2017 · 23k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 2.9% 1565k mi | 28% 590most in 2017 · 21k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 4.5% 23 | 9.8% 207most in 2017 · 20k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 1.0% 5 | 13% 276most in 2017 · 61k mi |
| Seat belt or seat problems | 9.5% 49most in 2021 · 28k mi | 2.4% 5141k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 1.8% 9 | 10% 213most in 2017 · 30k mi |
| Hybrid or EV system warning, loss of power | 3.3% 17 | 7.1% 150most in 2021 · 26k mi |
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 1.4% 7 | 8.4% 178most in 2017 · 32k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Sienna complaints that give a mileage come before 30,000 miles, and half the Pacifica complaints before 31,000. 75% of Sienna reports and 69% of Pacifica reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Toyota SiennaChrysler Pacifica
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 142 for the Sienna and 969 for the Pacifica.
Worst and best years
The 2021 Sienna draws 2.3 times the complaints of a typical Sienna year for its age. The 2017 Pacifica draws 3.8 times the complaints of a typical Pacifica year for its age.
Chrysler Pacifica
Toyota SiennaChrysler Pacifica
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Pacifica draws more recalls: 5.8 campaigns per model year against 3.8 for the Sienna. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Toyota Sienna
15 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: service brakes, hydraulic (3), equipment (2) and fuel system (2).
- 25V-086 (seats) covers 2 model years
- 22V-239 (electronic stability control (esc)) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds (closed, led to a recall)
Chrysler Pacifica
23 recall campaigns and 5 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (7), airbags (4) and equipment adaptive/mobility (3).
- 23V-010 (electrical) covers 3 model years
- 25V-876 (equipment adaptive/mobility) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE25009: Intermittent loss of electric power steering (open)
- RQ24004: Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short. (open)
- RQ24001: Ignition-off high voltage battery fire (remedy effectiveness of recall 22v-077) (open, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Sienna complaints report a crash: 6.2%, against 3.0% for the Pacifica. Fire reports: 8 for the Sienna and 14 for the Pacifica. Complaints on file report 0 deaths in the Sienna and 1 in the Pacifica for these model years.
Toyota SiennaChrysler Pacifica
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Toyota Sienna or the Chrysler Pacifica more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sienna and the Pacifica split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Sienna has 514 complaints and the Pacifica 2,111 for the 4 model years from 2017 to 2026 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Sienna or the Pacifica?
The Sienna has 15 recall campaigns and the Pacifica 23 across the 4 model years from 2017 to 2026 that both have on file. The Pacifica draws more recalls: 5.8 campaigns per model year against 3.8 for the Sienna.
What are the most common problems on the Sienna and the Pacifica?
The most reported problem on the Sienna is brake wear (32% of its complaints). On the Pacifica it is stalling (28% of its complaints), against 2.9% on the Sienna.
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