Toyota Recalls 228,000 Siennas For Seat Backs Detaching During a Crash

Toyota is recalling 228,367 units of its 2022–2026 Sienna Hybrid seven-passenger minivans due to second-row seat backs that may unlock and fail to stay upright during a frontal collision.

According to recall documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the second-row seats are equipped with integrated seat belts with pretensioners designed to rapidly cinch occupants into place during severe impacts. However, the force generated when the pretensioner fires can trigger high-magnitude oscillations between the locking cam and pawls inside the seat's outboard recliner mechanism.

Under specific frontal impact forces, seat displacement, and deployment timing, this oscillation can force the internal cam to rotate, allowing the recliner mechanism to unseat from its locked position. A released seat back compromises occupant restraint and increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Discovered During Future Product Testing

The issue was uncovered internally rather than through consumer complaints. Between January and November 2025, Toyota engineers observed a rear seat back recliner disengage during prototype sled tests evaluating modified seat designs for future vehicles.

Toyota launched an extensive engineering investigation, running dozens of sled and full-scale crash tests between late 2025 and October 2026 to pinpoint how floor acceleration, internal friction, and pretensioner firing sequences affected the mechanism. Crash validations confirmed the failure mode, prompting Toyota's decision on October 14, 2026, to initiate a voluntary safety recall.

As of October 12, 2026, Toyota has confirmed zero field technical reports and zero warranty claims in the U.S. related to this condition.

The Remedy and Timeline

Toyota has developed two distinct remedies depending on the vehicle's equipment:

• Standard Sienna Hybrids: For the vast majority of affected vehicles, Toyota dealers will update the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software to recalibrate pretensioner deployment timing free of charge.
• Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Models: For approximately 200 units from the 2022–2025 model years equipped with the specialized "Mobility as a Service" package, dealers will completely replace both second-row seat backs with updated units featuring a redesigned recliner mechanism.

Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed beginning December 7, 2026. Sienna owners can contact Toyota customer service directly at 1-800-331-4331, referencing internal recall numbers 26TB24 or 26TA24.

This article was written using AI and was then edited and optimized by our editorial team.

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