ToyotaSienna1999Overview/toyota/sienna/1999/base/

1999 Toyota Sienna

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 Sienna.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1999 Toyota Sienna is a van paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA figures of 16 city, 22 highway, and 19 combined mpg, with routine service calling for 5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. The model year has accumulated 218 owner complaints — predominantly in the engine and engine cooling category — alongside four recalls, placing it on the lower end of the Sienna's complaint spectrum that runs from just two complaints in 1997 to a peak of 2,062 in 2004 across the 1996–2020 model years. For researchers, this means the 1999 Sienna sits far below the model's worst trouble spots, with complaint volumes a fraction of the 2004 peak, though its engine and cooling concerns remain the dominant area worth investigating.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920181999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/22/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHOTOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-70R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1
Engine air filter1780103010
Fuel filter2330029065 alt 2330074280
Front wiper blades8521202121 alt 8522202130
Serpentine belt993662095083 alt 9008091212
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 1632562010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length193.7 in
Overall width73.6 in
Overall height67.3 in
Wheelbase114.2 in
Curb weight3759 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 63.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sienna of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.3–9.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.30 sec — 1998 LE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1998LE 3.0L V69.30 sec16.90 sec194 hpFWD
1998XLE 3.0L V69.40 sec17.00 sec194 hpFWD
2001LE 3.0L V69.90 sec17.40 sec210 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, FINAL DRIVE: DEXRON in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilFINAL DRIVE: DEXRON
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts159 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing7-19 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacitySingle A/C, 1.76; 4 door models w/dual A/C, 2.76; 5 door models w/dual A/C, 2.98. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity7.61 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression145-218 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 43-78 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.014 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miDriveshaft Flange Yoke (torque)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Driveshaft Flange Yoke (torque) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1999 Toyota Sienna recorded 218 federal complaints, 4 recalls, and 2 investigations, with its top complaint areas being Engine & Engine Cooling (33), Structure (29), and Tires (27), alongside 15 crash and 5 fire incidents. Compared to the debut 1998 model's 315 complaints, 1999 represents a slight improvement, but it immediately precedes the 2000 model year which saw this generation's highest complaint count of 381. Across the first generation (1998-2003), the data reveals a high-complaint arc that peaked in 2000 before steadily declining to just 116 complaints by 2003. The 1999 model sits squarely in the early, problematic phase of this arc, sharing the same elevated 4-recall count as the 1998 debut rather than the improved 1- to 2-recall figures of later years. Because the data does not specify the root causes for these early-generation complaints, buyers cannot easily predict specific failures, making the later, lower-complaint 2002 or 2003 models a much safer purchase than the 1999.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
111
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
218
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 218 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling33
Structure29
Tires27
Steering16
Latches/Locks/Linkages15
Service Brakes, Hydraulic13
Suspension10
Power Train9

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

10V160000StructureReported 20/04/2010

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2010 SIENNA PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 7, 1997 AND JANUARY 4, 2010, CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS… Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS WITH AN INTERIM LETTER INITIALLY INSTRUCTING THEM TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED DEALERS TO INSPECT FOR CORROSION. A SECOND NOTICE WILL BE SENT…

98V278000Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control ModuleReported 19/10/1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 111 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-SB-0043-142024-01-22EquipmentOBSOLETE NOTICE January 22, 2024: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0057-18.
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0057-182023-05-30EquipmentTSB: The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new…
TTT0636202022-03-17Back Over PreventionTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sienna. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 Sienna take?

5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 Sienna have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Sienna get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 19 combined mpg.