2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED AT A LOW SPEED FOR A FEW SECONDS. HE STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS QUICKLY AS HE THOUGHT WHICH INCREASED THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. HE WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY NOR WERE THERE ANY RELATED RECALLS. HE WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V176000, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM THAT WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2003 VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 3/7/11 *CN UPDATED 03/141//

I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SINCE JANUARY OF 2002. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES AND NOW THE VSC/ABS SKID CONTROL. FOR STARTERS THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE CHANGED AND RE-SURFACED WITH APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THEN THE SAME THING AGAIN WITH APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. BEFORE THE SECOND REPAIR I DID SOME RESEARCH AND SAW THERE WAS A TSB FOR LARGER CALIPERS AND ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A CLASSIC CASE OF COST CUTTING AND UNDER-ENGINEERING TO INCREASE PROFIT MARGINS. I WENT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND ASK FOR THE REPAIR TO BE DONE BY TOYOTA AT THEIR EXPENSE. THEY WOULD NOT DO THIS FOR ME. NOW WITH APPROXIMATELY 99,000 MILES ON THE CAR I HAVE A FAILURE OF THE VSC/ABS SKID CONTROL. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I WANT TOYOTA TO FINALLY OWN UP TO MY SITUATION. THE VSC/ABS PROBLEM IS VERY FREQUENT AMONG MY YEAR MODEL AND DESERVES A RECALL. ONCE THIS SYSTEM IS DE-ACTIVATED BY FAILURE THE SEQUOIA BECOMES LESS MANUVERABLE AND MORE DANGEROUS TO ITS OCCUPANTS AND ALL THOSE CARS IT SHARES THE ROAD WITH. PLEASE JOIN ME AND DO WHAT YOU CAN TO MAKE TOYOTA MAKE BOTH THE UNDERPOWERED ROTORS AND CALIPERS AND THE ABS SKID CONTROL SYSTEM MANDATORY RECALL ITEMS FOR THE 02 SEQUOIA. *TR

PROBLEM BEGAN IN 2009 WHEN THE VSC LOCKED UP ON MY HUSBAND WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO YOU AND A COMPLAINT FILED. WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF ESCONDIDO, WE WERE TOLD IT CHECKED OUT FINE. THE LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON AN OFF..TAKEN IN AGAIN, THEY PULLED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND FOUND IT REGISTERED THE CAR HAD A TOTAL ROLLOVER..SO NOT THE CASE! TOYOTA HAD NO ANSWER, SAYING MAYBE COMPUTER MALFUNCTION..THEY DID NOTHING! OVER THE YEAR THE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND OFF RANDOMLY, WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT "CHECKS OUT FINE". ON 12/22/2010 I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND NOTICED A FEELING OF TOTAL TIGHTNESS OVER THE VEHICLE. THE VSC LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN PUT IN DRIVE (I HAD BEEN IN REVERSE) THE CAR WAS FINE AND THE FEELING GONE..LIGHT AS WELL. ONE HOUR LATER, I WAS AT A STOPLIGHT IN HEAVY HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. AS THE LINE BEGAN TO SLOWLY MOVER FORWARD, I LIGHTLY TOUCHED THE GAS..IMMEDIATELY THE CAR WAS OVERCOME WITH THE TIGHT FEELING AND LIGHTS CAME ON AND A DEEP GRINDING NOISE STARTED. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS PUSHING FORWARD AND COULD NOT STEER..I LOOKED DOWN THINKING I WAS ON THE GAS..MY FOOT WAS 100% ON THE BRAKE..ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE CAR WAS PUSHING FORWARD! I LOOKED UP AND WATCHED AS MY HUGE SEQUOIA CRUMPLED UP INTO MY WINDSHIELD..THEN THE CAR SHUT DOWN. THE CAR IN FRONT OF MY HAD LITTLE (POPPING NOISE IN TRUNK) TO NO DAMAGE! AIRBAGS NEVER EJECTED. TOWED AND INCOPERABLE AT THE TIME. CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED FOR DAMAGE BY INSURANCE AND TOYOTA. *TR

FREQUENTLY, THE POWER SIDE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE DOOR OPEN BUTTON. WORST YET, THE DOOR CONTINUES TO CLOSE WHEN YOU TRY TO OPEN IT MANUALLY. YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IT DOES NOT CLOSE ON YOUR ARM IF YOU REACH IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

MY VEHICLE SKID CONTROL (VSC) ACTIVATES AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING NORMAL AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR THE VSC TO ENGAGE. THIS HAS HAPPEN ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE YAW RATE AND STEERING ANGLE SENSOR AND IT COST $1,236 TO REPAIR. *TR

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FAILURE - ONLY METHOD OF EXITING VEHICLE. FAILED FOR A THIRD TIME UNDER NORMAL USE BEFORE REPORTING TO NHTSA. IF VEHICLE IS IN A CRASH, ON FIRE, OR UNDER WATER, A PERSON WILL PANIC AND EXERT GREATER FORCE THAN NORMAL ON THE HANDLE, SNAPPING IT, LEADING TO POTENTIAL DEATH. DEALER TOLD ME THEY HAVE "HUNDREDS" OF THESE COME THROUGH. ASK TOYOTA HOW MANY THEY HAVE REPLACED TO GET ACTUAL SCOPE. THEY HAVE NO INCENTIVE TO CORRECT FAILURE SINCE DEALER MAKES $250.00 TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. NO EGRESS IN A BURNING CAR IS EQUIVALENT TO NO FIRE EXIT DOORS IN A BURNING BUILDING. *TR

FRAME RUST THROUGH, 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH ALONG THE BOTTOM DIRECTLY BELOW WHERE THE FRONT LEFT SUPPORT MOUNT IS ATTACHED. THE OPENING AS A RESULT OF THIS RUSTING IS LARGE ENOUGH TO PUT AT LEAST THREE FINGERS THROUGH. THE RUST THROUGH THEN EXTENDS BACK TO BELOW WHERE THE FRONT FRAME CROSS MEMBER IS ATTACHED. THIS WAS FIRST OBSERVED NOVEMBER15, 2010. IT IS BELIEVED THIS IS THE SAME AS THE FRAME WHICH IS USED ON THE TOYOTA TUNDRA FOR WHICH A REPLACEMENT PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EFFECT. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN CONNECTICUT WHERE IT WAS DRIVEN FOR ITS FIRST SIX AND ONE HALF YEARS. THE REMAINING TIME HAVING BEEN IN OHIO. WE NOW HAVE A QUESTIONABLY SAFE VEHICLE FOR WHICH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE TELLS US NOTHING CAN BE DONE. *TR

TOYOTA VEHICLE FRAME SERIOUSLY RUSTING THROUGH. IDENTICAL TO PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA TUNDRA. DEALER AND TOYOTA CLAIM THEY DO NOT HAVE A PROGRAM TO CURE THE FRAME PROBLEM ON SEQUOIA'S EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE SAME FRAME AS THE TUNDRA. *TR

I HAVE OWNED A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SINCE 2006. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN OCCURRING IN THE WINTER OF 2007 WITH THE VSC, VSC TRAC, AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ALL COMING ON. THIS KEPT CONTINUING ANYTIME I WAS DRIVING IN WET SNOWY CONDITIONS. I BEGAN TO RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM ON LINE AND IT SEEMS THERE ARE MANY CASES OF THIS ON 2001-2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIAS. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY COMPUTER CODES RELATING TO THIS ISSUE. AT THE END OF LAST WINTER THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BECOME WORSE. EVEN IN DRY CONDITIONS ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VSC COMPUTER BEGINS TO TAKE OVER ACCELERATION AND VERY OFTEN! AND SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS COME ON AND SOMETIMES NOT. AGAIN I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THERE TO BE A TOYOTA RECALL ON 2003 SEQUOIAS ONLY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN AFFECTING MY SEQUOIA! I CALLED TOYOTA, THEY GAVE ME A CASE # AND TOLD ME TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALER. I TOOK IT BACK TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND AGAIN THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE LIGHTS TURNING ON OR FIND ANY COMPUTER CODES CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS AGO AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS LEADING UP TO YESTERDAYS ACCIDENT. I DROVE UP TO THE MOUNTAINS TO GO SNOWBOARDING. WHEN WE LEFT THE RESORT IT WAS SNOWING VERY HEAVY. I NOTICED THE ABS, VSC, AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS COME ON AGAIN, AS I WAS EXPECTING THEM TO. WE DROVE ABOUT 7 MILES DOWN THE ROAD THEN I WAS MOVING IN TO THE LEFT TURNING LANE OF A TRAFFIC LIGHT. OUR SPEED WAS ONLY 15-20 MPH, AND WHEN I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN THE WHEELS LOCKED UP AND WE BEGAN SLIDING. I LET OFF THE BRAKES AND TRIED THEM AGAIN TO NO AVAIL. I LET OFF THE BRAKES AND TRIED TO MISS THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BY GOING TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THEM OVER A SMALL MEDIAN AS THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING TOWARDS US IN THE INTERSECTION. BUT MY REAR TIRE BOUNCED ME OFF THE MEDIAN AND INTO THE VEHICLE.THE DAMAGE WAS MINOR AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I BELIEVE THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ABS AND VSC SYSTEM WAS WORKING PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THE RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE 01 AND 02 SEQUOIAS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STC LIGHT AND THE VSC TRACT SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN HE WAS DRIVING 70 MPH. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WHEN HE TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK ON, THE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON ALTHOUGH IT NO LONGER SHOOK. WHEN HE GOT OUT AND CAME BACK A COUPLE HOURS LATER, THE LIGHTS HAD TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. RECENTLY, THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED MORE FREQUENTLY AND SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND OTHER TIMES, IT DID NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER STILL COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE YAW SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 142,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. UPDATED 01/26/11*LJ UPDATED 04/13/11