2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Complaints

I HAVE NOT HAD AN "INCIDENT". THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL BE REPLACED ON 7/21/2015. MY QUESTION IS: ARE ALL THE OTHER AIRBAGS (DRIVERS SIDE MAIN AIRBAG, ALL THE SIDE AIRBAGS) IN THIS VEHICLE SAFE? IF THEY ARE SAFE WHY ARE THEY SAFE IN COMPARISON TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG? OR ARE THERE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS?

THE FIRST TIME MY ABS/VCS TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON WAS AFTER I HAD TO BRAKE HARD ON A DOWNWARD HILL. I ACCELERATED TO CLIMB THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL AND IT WAS AFTER DOING THAT WHICH THE VCS TRAC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS FIRST CAME ON AT AROUND 168,000 MILES. THERE WAS A FAST BEEPING SOUND LASTING FOR MAYBE 10 SEC THEN IT REGAINED POWER. NOW IT WILL DO IT WITHIN JUST A FEW MILES OF OUR HOME. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL MORE OCCASIONS SINCE THIS INITIAL INCIDENT WHERE THERE WAS A JERKING/PULLING OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. ALSO THE AIR CONDITIONING WOULD COME ON AND OFF LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO SURGE. ALSO IDLES VERY LOW, BELOW 500 RPM AND THEN FINALLY SHUTS OFF. THIS VEHICLE HAS BECOME VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO GET FIXED ON IT SINCE WE HAVE READ THAT OTHER OWNERS ARE BEING TOLD THAT ITS ANYTHING FROM A YAW SENSOR, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, BRAKE BOOSTER SYSTEM, OR A SKID CONTROL COMPUTER ISSUE. ALL OF THESE ARE VERY PRICEY TO GET FIXED AND THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT THEY WILL EVEN CORRECT THE PROBLEM. MOST HAVE HAD THE YAW SENSOR REPLACED AND IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SOME OF THE MECHANICS WE HAVE TALKED TO SAID THAT THERE COULD BE BRAKE DUST OR MUD AND ROAD GRIME BUILD UP OVER THE SENSOR MAKING IT MALFUNCTION AND THAT IT SHOULD BE HOSED OFF AT AN UNDERBODY CARWASH. WE HAVEN'T TRIED THIS YET SINCE WE DIDN'T PUT MUCH FAITH IN IT UNTIL WE DISCOVERED HEARING AGAIN ON YOUTUBE. THE 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA VCS RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED DOWN TO THE 2002 MODELS AS WELL. WE ALL ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE THAT THEY DID.

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE TO INSPECT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR MODULE BACK IN 2013. UPON TAKING THE ABOVE VEHICLE TO THE SIMI VALLEY TOYOTA DEALER FOR THIS INSPECTION, THE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO INSPECT MY AIRBAG INFLATOR MODULE. IN 2014 I RECEIVED ANOTHER SAFETY RECALL NOTICE TO INFORM ME THAT THIS FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR MODULE NOW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO DO SO. THE TOYOTA CORPORATION STATED THEY WOULD INFORM ME WHEN THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. IN 2015 I RECEIVED ANOTHER SAFETY RECALL NOTICE TO INFORM ME THAT THEY HAD THE PARTS AND THAT I COULD GO TO ANY TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE THIS REPLACEMENT DONE. ON JUNE 18, 2015, I CONTACTED THE SIMI VALLEY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO COMPLY WITH THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THAT PART IN UNTIL FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR JUNE 26, 2015 AND DROPPED MY CAR OFF TO HAVE THE AIRBAG INFLATOR MODULE REPLACED. SIX HOURS LATER, I WAS CONTACTED TO PICK UP MY CAR AND INFORMED THAT THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR MODULE-THEY ONLY INSPECTED IT. I WAS INFORMED BY THE MANAGER THAT MY AIRBAG DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED PER THEIR RECORDS. I ASKED FOR A COPY OF THEIR RECORDS, BUT THE MANAGER STATED SHE COULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH ANYTHING TO SUPPORT THAT ONLY AN INSPECTION OF THE MODULE WAS NEEDED-INSTEAD OF THE REPLACEMENT PER THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM THE TOYOTA CORPORATION. I SHOWED THE MANAGER MY COPY OF THE RECALL NOTICE, BUT SHE STILL MAINTAINED THAT IT ONLY NEEDED TO BE INSPECTED-NOT REPLACED. I AM CONCERNED THAT SIMI VALLEY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS NOT COMPLYING WITH THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICES PROPERLY. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT ANY FRONT PASSENGER IN MY CAR COULD BE INJURED! PLEASE ADVISE HOW TO PROCEED WITH SAFETY RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A STATE INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL TWO YEARS PRIOR; HOWEVER, THE DEALER COATED THE FRAME WITH ANTI-CORROSIVE LUBRICANT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. MA 08/13/15 THE CONSUMER STATED TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL WAS DONE INCORRECTLY CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH REPAIRS. UPDATED 12/1/2015 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VSC TRACK WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED GRINDING AND SHOOK WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,069. UPDATED 8/21/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE ALARM SOUNDED, VSC AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE. UPDATED 08/27/15*JB

VSC/ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO PASS STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO BRAKE LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED. IN THIS VEHICLE HAVING THE VSC OPERATIONAL IS FAR MORE DANGEROUS. PLEASE ORDER TOYOTA TO PERFORM A RECALL AS THERE IS ABUNDANT EVIDENCE THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL/ABS SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS.

2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR MODULE RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ONLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED HER THE AIR BAG INFLATOR DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE LETTER THE CONSUMER RECEIVED, IT STATED THE AIR BAG INFLATOR WOULD BE REPLACED REGARDLESS OF THE INSPECTION RESULTS. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V312000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ABS FAILED TWO YEARS AGO. UPDATED 09/08/15*JB

WHILE DRIVING ON FWY, VSC LIGHT COMES ON, THE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED BY THE SYSTEM, CAUSING PULLING OF THE STEERING INTO OTHER LANES. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND IT STOPPED AT 10 MPH, TURNED OFF CAR AND IT RE-SET SYSTEM, IT HAPPENED 6 TIMES ON THE WAY HOME, ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS AS IT JERKS THE STEERING IMMEDIATELY AS IT APPLIES THE BRAKES TO GAIN STABILITY AGAIN. IT HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY EVER SINCE, EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. IT IS IN SHOP NOW, $3500 TO FIX IT, IT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM ON THE NET, THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. SOMEONE WILL GET KILLED, A CYCLIST IN A SHOULDER, OR CAR HITTING ANOTHER OR LOSING CONTROL AND ROLLING OVER. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE VSC SYSTEM, HOW CAN YOU IGNORE IT?

NOW, BEFORE WE CHANGED THE AXLE A NEW ISSUE POPPED UP AS THE ABS MODULE CAUSED THE VSC SYSTEM TO ENGAGE AT LOW SPEED BELOW 10 MPH. AFTER 10 MPH THE SYSTEM WORKED FINE. DURING THAT ENGAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR INJURED VERY BADLY. SO, THE MECHANIC WENT BACK TO CHANGE OUT THE LEFT AXLE AND DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE SENSORS, WHICH THE LEFT FRONT WAS NOT READING AND THE RIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT. THAT WAS BAFFLING TO THE MECHANIC, SO WE TALKED AND CHANGED BOTH SENSORS AND THE LEFT AXLE. HE CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND THE VSC SYSTEM STILL ENGAGED AT THE LOW SPEED BELOW 10 MPH, MOST OF THE VIBRATION WAS GONE BUT SOME WAS STILL THERE AT 70 MPH, WHICH HE AGREED WITH ME THAT IT COULD BE POSSIBLY THE DRIVE SHAFT THAT TIES INTO THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. SO HE DECIDES TO DO THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST IN THE 4X2 MODE AND 4X4 MODE ON ALL THE SENSORS ON EACH WHEEL. IN THE 4X4 MODE ALL THE SENSORS CHECKED AND READ FINE. THE 4X2 MODE CHECK OF THE SYSTEM REVEALED A PROBLEM WITH IN THE SYSTEM THAT TIED TO THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. SO, AS OF NOW HE HAS WORKED WITH ME TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE TYPE TO TRY TO GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE. HE HAS SINCE NOT CHARGED ME FOR THE SENSORS, UNTIL HE CAN GET THE ABS MODULE CHECKED OUT THROUGH A CERTIFIED REPAIR MANUFACTURER WHO WORKS ON THESE PARTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.