2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 87owner reports
- 35,000median miles
- 8involved a crash
Newest report Sep 5, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
87 of the 208 complaints on this car describe brake wear, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2021 Sienna Hybrid.
Tick what matches of 87 reports
Brake wear on other Sienna Hybrid years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.
What got replaced
Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the brakes covers the 2021 model year as of Sep 27, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 28,800 and 52,023 miles, from the 11 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some drivers of 2021 – 2024 model year Sienna Hybrid vehicles may be sensitive to the momentary transition from regenerative braking to hydraulic braking under certain driving conditions, such as while driving downhill, or turning with light brake pedal ...
TT: Any customer brake concern in the New York and Boston Regions ONLY.
Some customers may notice an abnormal brake feel in their 2021 model year Sienna Hybrid vehicle that could be described as a longer than usual brake pedal stroke.
What owners wrote
“odd random surge while lightly breaking and slowing down. Very scary and concerning. Braking while coming to a stop sign or light, it surges forward while brakes are applied. It happens several times a week while driving short distances”
Filed Jun 26, 2023
“The braking system will disengage randomly during braking for a stop. Results in the vehicle lunging forward. There is no warning when it happens and no codes. It has happened at least once a week if not more since gettingthe vehicle. I have brought it up to the toyota service center but they won't look at it without charging a fee.”
Filed Jun 23, 2023
“when braking the car lunges forward on its own. this has happened multiple times and others speak of it too”
Filed Dec 13, 2022
“The vehicle gets a jolt of power or speed while braking slowly or coming to a stop. This could result into an accident. This was addressed to multiple Toyota dealers and the problem was unidentified or undetectable to the technician multiple times. The problem is reported by several Sienna forum users but it is not being fixed by Toyota dealers.”
Filed Dec 3, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 8 of 87 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Airbag warning light or recall 29 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 29 reports