2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Complaints

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA 4X4. I HAD THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE DONE AT PIERCEY TOYOTA MILPITAS, CA. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISING ME THAT THE VEHICLE BATTERY NEEDED REPLACEMENT, WHICH I AUTHORIZED. WHEN I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT THE VSC/VSC TRACTION LIGHT WAS ON AND WOULD REMAIN ON. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO PIERCEY TOYOTA, AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE VSC COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT WAS $2,000. I DECLINED REPAIR UNTIL I COULD DO SOME RESEARCH. I HAVE CHECKED THE WEB, AND APPARENTLY THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE VSC COMPUTER. YOUR NHTSA ACTION NUMBER IS PE08072. I HAVE NO WAY OF PROVING IT, BUT I THINK WHEN THE NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED, THE VSC COMPUTER WAS DAMAGED, SINCE IT HAD WORKED FINE UNTIL THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE/VEHICLE BATTERY REPLACEMENT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ALONG AT CITY STREET SPEEDS, DURING DRY WEATHER, ON PAVED ROADS, MY VSC TRAC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS COME ON. NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. THEN A BUZZER SOUNDS FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. THEN AT THE SAME TIME, A STRANGE GRINDING SOUND COMES FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR, AND THE BRAKES SEEM TO START WORKING FOR NO REASON. I QUICKLY PULL OVER, TURN OFF THE CAR. I CHECK THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AND SEE NO INDICATION OF RUNNING OVER ANYTHING. I THEN START THE CAR AND ALL THE LIGHTS ARE BACK TO NORMAL (OFF). THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 2-3 TIMES A MONTH, FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR 2 NOW. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE ANY PROBLEMS. *TR

I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS DETAILED IN NHTSA ACTION NO. PE08072. SEVERAL TIMES, MY VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM HAS ACTIVATED UNEXPECTEDLY. EVERY TIME, IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS AT A STOP SIGN. WHEN I ACCELERATED TO TURN RIGHT, THE VSC SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND I LOST POWER TO THE VEHICLE, HALF-WAY PULLED OUT IN A TURN. AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS, POWER RETURNED. *TR

BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER SAYS THE SKIP CONTROL COMPUTER WHICH INCLUDES VSC/ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ON VEHICLE, THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE FIX. MY LAST SERVICE ON THIS VEHICLE WAS A COMPLETE BRAKE REPLACEMENT AFTER WHICH THE BRAKE LIGHT STARTED TO COME ON AT RANDOM. THE BRAKE LIGHT HAS TO BE ON IN ORDER TO CHECK THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS AN INCONVENIENCE IN ITSELF. I FINALLY MANAGED TO CATCH THE BRAKE LIGHT ON AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS CONFRONTED WITH. NO INJURIES OR DEATH SO FAR IT THAT WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5 4WD. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2003 BRAND NEW. THE VSC OFF LIGHT AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHTS ARE ON ALMOST ALL THE TIME. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE SENSORS ON THE BRAKES OR THAT I NEEDED A NEW BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR. I HAVE BEEN DOING THE REPLACEMENT DEALS FOR THE PAST THREE TIMES ALREADY AND IT IS STILL GIVING ME THE SAME PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY CAR OWNERS WHO HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS DUE TO A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. IT BECOMES A GREATER PROBLEM BECAUSE THE COMPUTER DISABLES THE VEHICLE CONTROL MECHANISM RESULTING IN LOSS OF SKID CONTROL. THE BRAKES FAIL TO ENGAGE AND THERE IS NO TRACTION DURING A SKID. IT IS A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION WHEN DRIVING DURING THE WINTER OR WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE ROADS ARE WET AND SLIPPERY. I WAS TOLD TO UNPLUG THE BATTERY AND PLUG IT BACK IT TO RESTART THE COMPUTER BUT IT DOES NOT KEEP THE VSC OFF AND ENGINE LIGHT FROM COMING ON. I AM BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND HOPE TO GET THEM TO REALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY CAR OWNERS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND THE HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMISSION SHOULD REQUIRE TOYOTA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL OWNERS FOR FREE. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5 4WD. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2003 BRAND NEW. THE VSC OFF LIGHT AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHTS ARE ON ALMOST ALL THE TIME. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE SENSORS ON THE BRAKES OR THAT I NEEDED A NEW BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR. I HAVE BEEN DOING THE REPLACEMENT DEALS FOR THE PAST THREE TIMES ALREADY AND IT IS STILL GIVING ME THE SAME PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY CAR OWNERS WHO HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS DUE TO A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. IT BECOMES A GREATER PROBLEM BECAUSE THE COMPUTER DISABLES THE VEHICLE CONTROL MECHANISM RESULTING IN LOSS OF SKID CONTROL. THE BRAKES FAIL TO ENGAGE AND THERE IS NO TRACTION DURING A SKID. IT IS A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION WHEN DRIVING DURING THE WINTER OR WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE ROADS ARE WET AND SLIPPERY. I WAS TOLD TO UNPLUG THE BATTERY AND PLUG IT BACK IT TO RESTART THE COMPUTER BUT IT DOES NOT KEEP THE VSC OFF AND ENGINE LIGHT FROM COMING ON. I AM BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND HOPE TO GET THEM TO REALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY CAR OWNERS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND THE HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMISSION SHOULD REQUIRE TOYOTA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL OWNERS FOR FREE. *TR

VSC/TRAC OFF & ABS FAILURE REQUIRING COMPUTER AND YAW SENSOR REPLACEMENT. I TOOK MY 2003 SEQUOIA TO THE LOCAL DEALERS SERVICE DEPT. IN 2006 BECAUSE THE LIGHTS MENTIONED ABOVE WERE ON. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I TOLD THEM THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PULLING TO THE SIDE - VERY HARD TO CONTROL. THEY COULD NOT MIMIC THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I ARGUED WITH THEM, BUT LOST THAT ARGUMENT. LUCKILY FOR ME THE BATTERY NEEDED REPLACING IN A FEW MONTHS, AND WHEN REPLACED PROBLEM WENT AWAY. NOW THAT MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED (LAST MONTH) THE VSC/TRAC OFF AND ABS LIGHTS ARE ON AGAIN. I DIDN'T RUSH IT IN BECAUSE OF MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE OR I WOULD HAVE HAD IT IN WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THEY WANT $2200 TO REPLACE COMPUTER AND YAW RATE SENSOR. I SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TOYOTA. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY REFUSE ANY RESPONSIBILITY ALTHOUGH THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOW ISSUE. IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS. LUCKILY MY DRIVING IS IN A VERY SMALL COMMUNITY AND I DON'T DRIVE VERY FAST. *TR

VSC OFF AND VSC TRAC WARNING LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON ALONG WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HAD RESET EVERY TIME. DEALER IS VAGUE ON CAUSE AND SAYS PROBABLY GAS CAP SEAL. REPLACED OXYGEN COMPONENTS ONE TIME. HAPPENING AGAIN. I SUSPECT FAULTY PART OR COMPUTER WITH THE CAR THAT IS NOT YET DOCUMENTED. *TR

SIMILAR COMPLAINT AS MANY. I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA THE VSC/TRAC LIGHT IS ON. DEALERSHIP SAYS SKID CONTROL COMPUTER NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. BUT COMPUTER SCANNER SHOWS NO CODES THAT VERIFY ANY DEFECTS. *TR

VEHICLE STALLS OCCASIONALLY WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC WHICH MADE FOR AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS I HAVE TO QUICKLY STEER THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, VSC OFF LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AND STAYS ON. WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN GEAR AND DRIVING FOR A FEW SECONDS, A GRINDING NOISE WITH A WARNING SIGNAL OCCURS. *TR