Second-Row Seat Backs Can Unlock: Toyota Recalls 228,367 Siennas
Toyota is recalling 228,367 Sienna hybrid minivans in the United States because the second-row seat backs can unlock during certain frontal crashes, raising the risk of injury to rear passengers. The recall, NHTSA campaign 26V690, covers the 2022-2026 model years, autoevolution reported on 2 November.
Key takeaways
- 228,367 Siennas assembled between 16 September 2021 and 20 July 2026.
- In some frontal crashes the outboard second-row recliner can disengage.
- Most vans get updated airbag control unit software; about 200 get new seat backs.
- Owners will be notified by mail no later than 21 December 2026.
What goes wrong in a crash
The fault lies in how the seat and the seatbelt interact. When the second-row seatbelt pretensioner fires, its deployment load can make the cam and pawls of the outboard recliner oscillate. In some frontal impacts the cam can rotate far enough to release the locked recliner, so the seat back is no longer held upright. A seat back that folds forward in a crash gives its occupant less protection. The vans are built by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, and the seat assemblies come from Toyota Boshoku Indiana.
How Toyota found it
Toyota spotted the problem while developing a different product. In January 2025 it began testing modified seat and seatbelt assemblies for a future production model, and sled tests showed the outboard recliner disengaging. Further tests until August 2026 isolated the variables, and Toyota recovered seats from customer vehicles to check the condition of their recliners. Full-vehicle crash tests in September and October 2026 then reproduced the fault on the current Sienna. The autoevolution report did not mention any injuries or crashes linked to the defect.
Two different fixes
The remedy depends on the version of the van. About 200 Siennas fitted with the Mobility as a Service Package will have both second-row seat backs replaced with assemblies that use a different recliner mechanism. Every other van will get updated software for the SRS (airbag) electronic control unit, installed by a dealer free of charge. Toyota has not published how the new software changes the pretensioner behaviour, but the update is designed to stop the recliner from releasing.
What it means for owners
The recall applies to US-market Siennas from the current fourth generation, the hybrid-only model sold since the 2021 model year. Owners can check their VIN on the NHTSA website now instead of waiting for the letter, and book the software update once dealers have it. There is no do-not-drive warning, and the fault shows up only under crash loads, so the van can stay in normal use until the fix is done.
Read about every Toyota Sienna generation or browse the Toyota catalogue.
Sources
- autoevolution: Toyota's hybrid minivan gets recalls, 228K Sienna people carriers affected (2 Nov 2026) (accessed 4 Nov 2026)
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