Toyota’s own crash testing just turned up a problem most owners would never catch on their own: a second-row seat back that can come unlocked in a frontal crash. More than 228,000 Sienna Hybrid minivans are affected, and the fix isn’t available quite yet.
What’s actually being recalled
Toyota is recalling 228,367 Sienna Hybrid minivans in the United States, model years 2022 through 2026, built between September 16, 2021, and July 20, 2026. The recall applies specifically to the seven-passenger configuration, under internal campaign numbers 26TB24 and 26TA24, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
What’s actually wrong with these vehicles
The defect is in the second-row seat backs, which can come unlocked in a frontal crash. Toyota found the problem during its own crash-validation testing, not after a reported real-world incident. A seat back that fails to stay upright can’t properly restrain whoever is sitting in it, which is exactly the job that seat is supposed to do in a crash.
Why this is a software fix, not a recalled part
For most affected vehicles, the remedy is a software update to the electronic control unit that runs the supplemental restraint system — no new hardware involved. A smaller group, roughly 200 vehicles built between 2022 and 2025 with the Mobility as a Service package, will instead get both second-row seat backs physically replaced with an updated recliner mechanism. Either way, the repair is free.
Why there’s a wait before you can get it fixed
Owner notification letters aren’t scheduled to go out until December 7. Dealers won’t have the final scheduling details and parts sorted until closer to that date, so there’s a real gap right now between learning about this recall and being able to act on it.
What to do while you wait
You don’t have to wait for a letter to confirm whether your specific van is affected. Toyota customer service can be reached directly at 1-800-331-4331, or you can run your vehicle’s VIN through NHTSA’s own recall lookup tool. Either way, you’ll know your status well before the letter campaign actually starts.
In the meantime, there’s no interim workaround Toyota has published, the way some recalls come with a temporary precaution to follow. This one is a wait for the software fix or the seat replacement, whichever applies to your vehicle.
The bottom line
Toyota’s own crash testing caught a second-row seat back that can come unlocked in a frontal crash, across more than 228,000 Sienna Hybrid minivans. The fix is free and, for most owners, just a software update — but it won’t be available until letters go out in December. Check your VIN now so you’re not starting from zero when that letter arrives.