2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Complaints

THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED REPLACING THE MECHANIC CALLED ME INDICATING THE CALIPERS ALSO NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO RUST. ALSO THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTED HE INDICATED OTHER TOYOTA CUSTOMERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FRAME CORROSION. I CALLED TOYOTA AND FILED A COMPLAINT, I FOUND OUT TOYOTA HAD REPLACED TUNDRA FRAMES (SAME FRAME AS THE SEQUOIA) BUT THEY WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 89,000 MILES AND IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED. THE FRAME IS IN VERY BAD SHAPE I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I UNDERSTAND OTHER TOYOTA SEQUOIA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN A VERY EXPENSIVE VEHICLE. ANOTHER REASON TO BUY AMERICAN! *TR

SAME PROBLEM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE I'VE READ ABOUT. THE TRACTION CONTROL, VSC, BRAKE LIGHT,AND ABS LIGHT ON. DEALERSHIP SAYS NO RECALL BUT THEY RECALLED ALL 2003 MODELS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. VEHICLE LIGHTS ARE OFF WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED, AFTER 2-3 MILES ALL THE LIGHTS COME ON THEN THE CAR IS HARD TO HANDLE DUE TO TRACTION CONTROL MAKING THE CAR UNSTABLE. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW. THE VSC/TRAC LIGHT ON MY 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE LOOSES POWER AND GOES INTO "ANTI LOCK" MODE. IT'S A SCARY FEELING WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ONCE THE VSC WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THE VEHICLE DRIVES NORMALLY, WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT COST 800.00 DOLLARS TO REPAIR. I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THE REPAIR MADE AND FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO. IF THE 2003 MODEL HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND SO MANY OTHER 2002 SEQUOIA OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY SHOULDN'T OUR TRUCKS ALSO QUALIFY FOR RECALL AND DEALER REPAIR AT NO COST TO US. MUST WE FIRST HAVE AN ACCIDENT TO WIN RIGHTS TO BE ACCOMMODATED. DOES TOYOTA NOT WANT TO MAKE GOOD ON IT'S PRODUCT AND SATISFY ALL OWNERE/CUSTOMERS. I WORRY EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY VEHICLE AND THANK GOD EACH TIME I REACH MY DESTINATION WITHOUT INCIDENT. *KB

I WAS ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY TODAY AND IT FELT AS IF THE LEFT BRAKES CAME ON ALONG WITH A SCREECHING SOUND AND IT MADE ME SWERVE LEFT. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID SWERVING INTO MERGING TRAFFIC BUT I NEARLY CRASHED. OVER THE LAST WEEK THE VSC OFF LIGHTS HAVE STARTED GOING ON AND OFF AND AND AFTER REVIEWING SOME LITERATURE ON LINE IT SEEMS THAT HUNDREDS OF OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. THE 2003 SEQUOIA WAS ACTUALLY RECALLED FOR THIS SAME THING. VERY DANGEROUS AND NOW I WILL HAVE TO CONTACT THE DEALER TO SEE ABOUT IT GETTING FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. I HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND THIS REALLY PISSES ME OFF. EVEN IF THERE IS NOT A RECALL I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE DANGER I WAS PUTTING MYSELF IN. I HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH MY TRUCK FOR 8 YEARS BUT AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND SEEING WHAT OTHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA!!! *KB

HEADLIGHT RELAY GOES OUT CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO SHUTOFF WHILE DRIVING. FOR THE 2ND TIME IN A YEAR. PART WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW PART. REAR DOOR WILL NOT LATCH AND RATTLES. REAR LATCH ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. IT DOES NOT SHUT OR SEAL SO CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERS THE CABIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. BRAKE CALIPERS SEIZE UP FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE, REAR DRIVER SIDE. *TR

RUST IN THE REAR FRAME AND TAILGATE AREA IS RENDERING MY VEHICLE UNUSABLE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE TAILGATE DRAIN HOLES QUICKLY CLOGGED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL DEBRIS RESULTING IN EXCESS MOISTURE IN THE TAILGATE AND CAUSED ALL INTERNAL PARTS TO RUST TO THE POINT THAT THE TAILGATE LATCH CABLE/HANDLE HAS BROKEN TWICE AND THE REAR WINDOW IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. RECENTLY I REALIZED THAT UNDERNEATH THE ORIGINAL FRAME PAINT, MY FRAME HAS SEVERE RUST. ALSO VERY CONCERNING, I RECENTLY REALIZED THAT HOLES MANUFACTURED INTO THE REAR OF THE FRAME ARE ALLOWING SAND TO ACCUMULATE IN THE FRAME. THE SAND IS HOLDING MOISTURE AND I HAVE NOT FOUND A WAY TO GET IT OUT OF THE FRAME. MY REAR CROSS MEMBER AND SPARE TIRE CARRIER ARE ALSO SERIOUSLY RUSTED. MOST CONCERNING IS THAT I PULL A LANDSCAPE TRAILER AND MY VEHICLE HAS SERIOUS RUST ON THE TRAILER HITCH AND THE FRAME AREA WHERE THE HITCH CONNECTS TO THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP YEARS AGO, THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AS MY RUST ISSUES WERE A RESULT OF THE AREA IN WHICH I LIVE. I PAID NEARLY $40,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2002 AND HAVE CARED FOR IT VERY WELL. IT IS DEPLORABLE THAT THE POOR DESIGN OF THE FRAME AND TAILGATE WILL RENDER THIS VEHICLE TO THE SCRAP YARD WELL BEFORE ITS TIME...IF IT DOESN'T KILL SOMEONE FIRST. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AT OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER ON 1/5/2012 BECAUSE OF MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND SHAKING WITH ACCELERATION AT SPEEDS ABOVE 20 MPH. IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE EXTENSIVE RUST DAMAGE TO THE FRAME WITH A LARGE RUST HOLE IN THE RIGHT FRONT AREA AT THE SWAY BAR BUSHING BRACKET. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING FLUID, THE RIGHT AND LEFT SWAY BARS WERE BROKEN, BOTH FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS WERE STUCK AND THE ROTORS BADLY RUSTED. REPAIRS FOR THE FRAME ALONE WERE ESTIMATED AT OVER $10,000 WITH MORE THAN THAT AMOUNT TO TAKE CARE OF THE OTHER ISSUES. THIS SEQUOIA HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE, WASHED REGULARLY AND KEPT AT NIGHT IN A GARAGE. THE BODY AND INTERIOR ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE CAR HAS ONLY 76,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT WAS QUITE A SHOCK TO GO FROM A CAR WE RELIED UPON TO CARRY US SAFELY IN WINTER WEATHER TO ONE WHICH HAS HAD TO BE ABANDONED FOR SCRAP. I UNDERSTAND THAT FRAME RUST ISSUES HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR MANY TOYOTA MODELS INCLUDING THE TACOMA AND TUNDRA RESULTING IN RECALLS. THE SEQUOIA NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THIS LIST. *TR

DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE VSC LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WENT TO THE RIGHT BY ITSELF.I SLOW DOWN, AND THEN THE SKID TRACTION LIGHTS CAME ON AND A LOUD NOISE WAS COMING OUT OF THE FRONT....I THINK THAT IF I WAS DRIVING FASTER I COULD OF HAVE AN ACCIDENT...THE SAME THING HAPPENED YESTERDAY... *TR

DRIVING ON NY THRUWAY TRANSMISSION WENT. TOWED TO NEAREST SERVICE STATION WHERE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED AFTER WHICH WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CHASSIS WAS EXTREMELY RUSTY. TWO DAYS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON - TOOK CAR TO SEARS TO FIND OUT TRANS FLUID LEAK AND FRAME ROTTED AND DECLINED SERVICING VEHICLE. FOLLOWED UP AT TOYOTA DEALER FOR LEAK AND FRAME INSPECTION. TECHNICIAN FOUND POWER STEERING LINE LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID AND EXCESSIVE FRAME PERFORATION / CORROSION. THEY WOULD NOT WORK ON IT. TECHNICIAN INSTALLED A NEW HOOK LOCK AND CABLE ASSEMBLY AS HOOD WOULD NOT LOCK.

I WENT TO EXIT MY CAR ONE NIGHT AND THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED OFF IN MY HAND LEAVING ME TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO EXIT MY VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT ALL PEOPLE USE TO EXIT THEIR VEHICLE THE DRIVERS DOOR. SHOULD I HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AT THE TIME I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN MY VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THAT MY REAR LID HANDLE STOPPED WORKING. TOYOTA REFUSED TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE WARRANTY IS UP AND THEY FEEL THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. IN CONTACTING MY LOCAL DEALER I WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND WAS JUST LAUGHED AT I WAS TOLD WHAT DO YOU EXPECT IT IS ONLY PLASTIC.

TO START, I WANT TO STRESS THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE VSC TRAC, ABS, SKID CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AND STAYED ON AS OF THE ABOVE DATE. PRIOR TO THAT DATE, THE VSC TRAC AND SKID LIGHTS WOULD COME ON FOR NO REASON, BUT WOULD GO OFF UPON TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE CAR. WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON, I READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, WAS WORRIED THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK, SO I CALLED THE DEALER. WHEN I SPOKE TO SOMEONE IN THE DEALER'S REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THE PROBLEM BEFORE I BROUGHT THE CAR IN, HE SAID THAT THE WARNING LIGHTS MEANT THAT MY ABS SYSTEM WAS GONE AND IT WOULD COST $2,000 TO FIX. HE SAID THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY OR A RECALL. SO, I TOOK IT TO THE NEAREST AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO MY HOME, THAT I HAD USED PREVIOUSLY. THEY CHECKED THE WARNING LIGHTS WITH THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEN, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CHECKED THE WARNING LIGHTS AND SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LOW VOLTAGE WITH THE BATTERY. I HAD RECENTLY BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY, SO I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE FIRST PLACE, WHICH CHECKED THE BATTERY AND SAID IT WAS FINE. SO I RECEIVED CONFLICTING MESSAGES FROM THE DEALER. HOWEVER, SINCE OTHER OWNERS WITH MY YEAR/MODEL TOYOTA HAVE HAD SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND TOYOTA HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 MODEL AND THEY HAVE ISSUED A RECALL, I BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE 2002 YEAR. PLEASE LOOK AT ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE FROM SO MANY CONSUMERS (AND I'M SURE PLENTY OF OTHERS WHO DID NOT TAKE THE TIME TO REPORT IT) AND ACT BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED!!!!!! *TR