2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Complaints

ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS THAT'S RELATED TO THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VSC) SYSTEM ON MY 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN IT DOES OCCURS, IT HAPPENS DURING INITIAL ACCELERATION. DURING THIS TIME, THE VSC LIGHT WOULD START BLINKING AND I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE. BRAKING WOULD REQUIRE TREMENDOUS FORCE APPLIED TO ACTIVATE IT. THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE INCIDENT WHERE THE VSC ACTIVATED DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, BUT THAT INCIDENT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 5 OR SO SECONDS. HOWEVER, IT DID REQUIRE THAT I SUDDENLY APPLY THE BRAKE AND STARTED PUMPING IT FOR THE VSC TO DE-ACTIVATE. DUE TO THE INTERMITTENT NATURE, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY DID FIND THAT ERROR CODES WERE PRESENT RELATING TO THE VSC. THOUGH THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE PINPOINTED ON THE INITIAL VISIT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. SUBSEQUENT OCCURRENCES PROMPTED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC. EVENTUALLY IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO ME TO REPLACE THE "SPEED SENSORS" WHICH I AUTHORIZED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM TEND TO HAVE GONE AWAY. RECENTLY, I STARTED TO INTERMITTENTLY EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH VSC LIGHT BLINKING BRIEFLY WHENEVER I PULL OUT OF A DRIVE WAY PERFORMING AT LEAST AN 80 DEGREE TURN. THIS TIME AROUND THE PROBLEM ISN'T AS SEVERE AND IS VERY INFREQUENT. I WOULD SAY IN A WEEK OF COMMUTING, I WOULD EXPERIENCE IT MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE. OF COURSE THIS IS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS INCIDENTS WHERE I WAS EXPERIENCING THE VSC PROBLEM ALMOST HALF THE TIME. EARLIER THIS WEEK, I READ THERE WAS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA RECALL WHICH HAS THE EXACT SYMPTOM AND PROBLEM I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING ON MY 2002 SEQUOIA. I STRONGLY URGE THE NHTSA TO RECOMMEND TOYOTA TO INCLUDE THE RECALL FOR 2002 SEQUOIA MODEL YEAR AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND TIME! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CENTRAL COMPUTER SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

VSC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. INDICATOR LIGHT GOES ON AND VEHICLE STARTS TO APPLY BRAKES. HAPPENED ABOUT ONCE A MONTH FOR A FEW MONTHS. HAPPENS AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THE CAR STARTS TO APPLY BRAKES AND VEER TO THE RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH. I COMPLAINED IN WRITING TO TOYOTA BOTH LOCALLY AND AT US HEADQUARTERS. THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT A RECALL. I PAID $2,300 TO HAVE THE ECU REPLACED. I SEE THIS EXACT COMPLAINT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA BY MANY 2002 SEQUOIA OWNERS. THE RECENT RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO 2002 MODEL YEAR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THIS MODEL. *TR

2002 SEQUOIA. NOW HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRUNK LATCH TWICE AS EACH TIME IT HAS RUSTED OUT AND WOULD NOT LATCH. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *TR

I NOTED TODAY THE RECALL OF 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA'S DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE VSC SYSTEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2002 MODELS AS I HAVE HAD RECURRING ISSUES WITH THE VSC SINCE DAY 1. AT LOW SPEED, PARTICULARLY ON GRADES OR WHILE MAKING SHARP TURNS, THE VSC WILL CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO TEMPORARILY LOSE POWER. I HAVE REPORTED THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASION BOTH TO TOYOTA AND VIA TELEPHONE. IT IS SO BAD THAT I NOW KNOW LOCATIONS ON MY REGULAR DRIVES DURING WHICH THIS WILL OCCUR. SO, I EITHER GO A LITTLE FASTER THAN I MIGHT OTHERWISE ON GRADES OR I SWERVE OUT BEFORE MAKING TURNS TO MAKE THE ANGLE LESS ACUTE. OBVIOUSLY, NOT THE SAFETY WE'D EXPECT IN A $40K VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE ALSO OCCURS GOING OVER SLIGHTLY JARRING BUMPS SUCH AS STEEP SPEEDBUMPS OR POTHOLES. THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY LOSES POWER, WHICH IN THIS CASE CAN BE POSSIBLY EVEN MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE WE ARE OFTEN BEING FOLLOWED BY OTHER VEHICLES TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED. *TR

HELLO, I'M IN THE MILITARY AND MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE DRIVING IN OUR 2002 SEQUOIA 4X4, SHE CALLED ME AT WORK CRYING AND SAID THAT HER AND THE KIDS HAD ALMOST HIT A 18 WHEELER HEAD ON. SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING AROUND A TURN AND THE TRUCK JERKED HER INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES HARD, AND PULLED THE TRUCK BACK INTO FLOW OF TRAFFIC. SHE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND I HAD IT TOWED HOME. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET FOR THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE. ALMOST VERBATIM OF MY SAME ISSUE. AFTER THAT THE VSC, OR VEHICLE SKID CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES, AND IT CAUSES MY TRUCK TO BRAKE ONE WHEEL AT A TIME. IT ALSO WILL NOT ALLOW US TO ACCELERATE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER YESTERDAY AND THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THE ECU WAS BAD AND THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF TRUCK, WHICH IS VISIBLE ON THE INTERNET. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT THE PART IS $650 DOLLARS, AND THE LABOR IS CLOSE TO $250. COULD YOU PLEASE ASSIST, I GETTING READY TO DEPLOY TO IRAQ AGAIN. I NEED TO KNOW MY FAMILY IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF WHILE I'M GONE. CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE ME ASSISTANCE WITH THIS ISSUE? MY QUESTION IS, IF THERE IS SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL. REMINDS ME OF TOYOTA'S GAS PEDAL ISSUES. THIS IS JUST AS BAD WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ASAP. ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE PROVIDE ME ASSISTANCE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA *GR THE CONSUMER STATED A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES AND THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED.*JB

SPOKE WITH MR. RICHARD NEWMAN-SERVICE MANAGER AT FRONTIER TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA ON 3/13/10 REGARDING RECENT ISSUES WITH THE GAS TANK SENSOR ON OUR 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WE HAVE A PHANTOM PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL GAUGE READING NO GAS WHILE OUR MILEAGE COUNTER INDICATES LARGE MILEAGE LEAPS TAKEN WHILE NOT DRIVING HARDLY ANY MILEAGE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SPORADIC OVER THE SEVERAL MONTHS. MR. NEWMAN STATED TOYOTA HAS BEEN OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WHEN WE TOLD HIM THAT TOYOTA REFUSED TO FIX IT WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION WHEN IT FIRST OCCURRED AND WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $600.00 TO REMOVE THE TANK AND FIX THE PROBLEM. MR.NEWMAN WAS ASKED BY US WHY TOYOTA NEVER ISSUED A RECALL OR NOTICE FOR THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL. HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT HE WAS ONLY AWARE THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS EXISITED FOR THIS 2002 SEQUIOA AND ADVISED US TO CONTACT YOUR AGENCY WITH REGARDS TO ANOTHER ELECTRONIC PROBLEM EXISITING WITH ANOTHER TOYOTA PRODUCT. THIS IS DISTRESSFUL TO DRIVE SUCH A VEHICLE TO FIND IT SUDDENDLY INDICATING IT IS OUT OF GAS AND TICKING OFF HUGE AMOUNTS OF MILEAGE NOT TRAVELED AND WE CAN NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM ON DEMAND.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA ON THE HIGHWAY IN CHICAGO AND MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. MY BATTERY WAS BRAND NEW AND I HAD FULL POWER. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. TRIED TO DRIVE IT HOME THE NEXT DAY AND IT DIED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. HAD IT TOWED AGAIN TO OUR HOME TOWN AND TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND ALSO THAT THE DEBRIS FROM THE MECHANICAL PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION WERE LAYING ON THE BOTTOM. HE STATED HE HAS SEEN THIS IN MANY TOYOTA SEQUOIAS AND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT HAS NOT.

WHILE DRIVING AT EVEN SPEEDS AND WITHOUT TURNING THE WHEEL OR APPLYING THE BRAKES OR GAS, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SWERVE TO THE RIGHT ALL BY ITSELF. ADDITIONALLY, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ENGAGING EVEN WHEN I AM NOT IN A SKID OR HEAVY BRAKING PATTERN. I HAVE FILED TWO COMPLAINTS WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND BECAUSE I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS, I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE "YAW RATE SENSOR" REPLACED. I VISITED TWO DEALERSHIPS IN MY AREA AND BOTH WERE FAMILIAR WITH SEQUOIAS (MODEL YEARS 2001-2003 AND SOME 2004) HAVING THIS PROBLEM. MY INTERNET RESEARCH SUGGESTS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA, MY YAW RATE SENSOR IS FAULTY AND IT DETECTS THAT MY CAR IS SKIDDING EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE SKID CONTROL SYSTEM ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE SKID. HOWEVER, SINCE I WASN'T SKIDDING TO BEGIN WITH, THE CORRECTION CAUSES THE CAR TO SWERVE RAPIDLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY TO THE RIGHT, GENERALLY INTO THE NEXT LANE. I HAVE NARROWLY AVOIDED HITTING CARS SEVERAL TIMES. TOYOTA TELLS ME THAT THERE IS ALSO A BRAKE BOOSTER PROBLEM AND THAT I MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE SKID CONTROL COMPUTER. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE. I DO NOT HAVE THE $3-5K TO DO ALL THIS WORK. I DID REPLACE THE YAW RATE SENSOR, WHICH COST ME $811 AND I'M HOPING THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS NOT A MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR ISSUE. THIS IS A FAULTY PART SOLD BY A CAR MANUFACTURER AND THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THE CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASED FROM THEM. BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I AM CERTAIN PEOPLE HAVE DIED OR WILL DIE FROM THIS PROBLEM. IT COMES ON SO QUICKLY THAT YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY AVOID IT. I FEEL THIS WARRANTS IMMEDIATE INSPECTION BY THE NHTSA. THIS STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ON A SPORADIC BASIS AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE/MORE FREQUENT.