2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Complaints

THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES ON MY 2002 SEQUOIA ARE BOTH BROKEN, ONE TO THE POINT THAT THE DOOR CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE AFTER FIRST ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOW. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE HANDLES ON MY 1995 CAMRY BUT FIGURED THAT WAS DUE TO IT BEING OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME IN THE HOT TEXAS SUN. MY SEQUOIA THOUGH IS GARAGE KEPT. THIS IS NOT NO DOUBT A SAFETY ISSUE. I ALSO HAVE A 2005 CAMRY AND ITS INTERIOR DOOR. *NM

VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN PUT IN TO GEAR. VSC TRAC AND VSC OFF LIGHTS LIGHT UP AND BUZZER SOUNDS. ONCE THE LIGHTS AND BUZZER GO OFF THE GRINDING STOPS BUT THE LIGHTS REMAIN ON. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR FEELS VERY LOOSE, LIKE IT IS GOING TO LOSE CONTROL. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT 2 COMPUTERS , THE VSC COMPUTER AND THE TRANSLATOR COMPUTER, FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INSTANCES OF THIS OCCURRENCE, AND THAT THE SOFTWARE USED IN THE COMPUTERS WAS BAD. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED AT 39K MILES AND THE WARRANTY WAS UP AT 36K. TOYOTA HAS BEEN NEGLIGENT IN THE FACT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND THERE IS NO RECALL OR WARRANTY FOR THESE DEFECTS. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE INJURIES OR DEATH, OR POSSIBLY RE-OCCUR. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN AUGUST 2005 REGARDING FRONT SUSPENSION: LOWER BALL JOINTS ON 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. SHE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD SHE WOULD BE CONTACTED IN 2-4 WEEKS. SHE CALLED ON 9-20-05, AND WAS TOLD SHE WOULD BE CONTACTED WITHIN ONE WEEK. THE CONTACT CALLED AGAIN ON 10-6-05, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH HER ON 10-10-05 BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE NOT IN YET. THE CONTACT FELT THIS WAS NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OFF IN A TIMELY MANNER. SHE WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. SHE HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED BY THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

DT: 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONSUMER STATED RECALL 05V225000 REPAIRS CONCERNING LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE DONE. THERE HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE OUTER PART OF THE TIRES. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS DUE TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT PROBLEM AS STATED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT THE TIRES WERE STILL WEARING OUT SINCE THE REPAIRS. AFTER CONTACTING TOYOTA, THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPLACE THE TIRES. THESE TIRES CAME WITH THE VEHICLE AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER.*AK *MR *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE. BUT THE CONTACT FELT THAT THIS RECALL PROBLEM CAUSED THE TIRES TO WEAR OUT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TREAD. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE CAUSED FROM THE RECALL, BUT THE CONSUMER FELT THAT IT WAS. IF IT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL, THEN THE CONSUMER FELT THAT IT MAY BE DUE TO A DEFECT WITHIN THE TIRE OR ANOTHER DEFECT WITHIN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES WERE ROTATED EVERY 5,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONSUMER TO ARBITRATION, BUT THIS COULD TAKE UP TO 60 DAYS. *AK

ON MY 2003 SEQUOIA WITH 50K MILES, I BELIEVE I HAVE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION! ON TURNS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT TURNS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE INTO FAST MOVING TRAFFIC I EXPERIENCE A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WITH NO ACCELERATION. I CAN PUMPING THE GAS PEDAL AND PRESS IT TO THE FLOOR, BUT I JUST COAST SLOWLY INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WAIT TO BE POSSIBLY REAR ENDED. THIS HAPPENS IN DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, AND SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. MY SKID/TRACTION LIGHTS BLINK FOR A SECOND OR TWO, THEN I RE-GAIN ENGINE POWER ANOTHER SECOND OR SO AFTER THAT. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED MY STEERING HAS BECOME VERY STIFF WHEN DRIVING IN VERY SLOW SITUATIONS 2-4 MPH (PARKING LOTS, DRIVEWAY ETC.), I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS RELATED. THANK YOU, DAVE FRAZEE - STRONGSVILLE, OHIO. *NM

MY VSC & TRACK OFF LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF. I LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR AT ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR DUE TO THIS PROBLEM ABOUT ONCE EVERY OTHER DAY. TOYOTA ADVERTISES THIS BREAK SYSTEM AS A SAFETY FEATURE ON THEIR WEBSITE, YET DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE COMPUTER CONTROLLING THIS HAS FAILED & NEEDS TO BE REPLACE AT A COST OF $1300. MY CAR IS NOT YET 3 YEARS OLD BUT JUST OUT OF MILEAGE WARRANTY, SO THEY SAID THIS COST WAS UP TO ME TO PAY. MY MOTHER OWNS THE SAME MODEL & YEAR SEQUOIA & THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TO HER CAR & THE SAME DEALERSHIP FIXED HER PROBLEM AT 36K MILES BUT WON'T FIX MINE @ 46K B/C I'M OUT OF WARRANTY. MY HUSBAND'S EMPLOYER HAD SAME PROBLEM AT 40K MILES ON HIS 2003 SEQUOIA & HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I KNOW PERSONALLY 5 FAMILIES WHO OWN SEQUOIAS & 4 OF US HAVE HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM. THE 5TH JUST BOUGHT THEIR CAR 4 MONTHS AGO, SO WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR THEIR PROBLEM TO OCCUR. I'M MEETING WITH THE DISTRICT FACTORY REP TOMORROW & WILL BRING UP THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE ABOUT THE VSC COMPUTER FAILURE. *NM

DT: THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FRACTURED WITH VERY MINOR FORCE. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR HANDLE, THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO DID NOT HAVE PART IN STOCK. THE PART ITSELF WAS PLASTIC, NO METAL REINFORCEMENT. HOWEVER, CONSUMERS FELT THE PART SHOULD BE METAL. VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER DID CONTACT TOYOTA'S COMPLAINT LINE AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE COMPANY. *AK

MY 2003 SEQUOIA HAS 31,000 MILES AND ALREADY THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES, BACK BRAKES REPLACED ONCE AND THE ROTARS RESURFACED THREE TIMES. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. MY FRIEND WHO HAD A 2001 MODEL HAD THE VEHICLE TAKEN IN AND THE WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED DUE TO A TSB. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERS THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TSB ONLY AFFECTED THE YEARS 2000 & 2001. HOWEVER, THE 2003 SEEMS TO HAVE PROBLEMS, TOO! I'VE NEVER HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT 6700 MILES THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME MY FRONT BRAKES HAD PREMATURE WEARING AND ACCUSED ME OF BRAKING TOO HARD BUT AGREED TO HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE ROOTERS WERE MACHINED. THE SECOND TIME THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AT 17,500 MILES OUR FRONT BRAKES WERE TOUCHING METAL TO METAL. THE ROTERS WERE ALSO RESURFACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $500.00. AT THAT TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER CONVINCED US THAT THIS WAS NORMAL I'VE HAD OTHER MECHANICS SAY IT IS NOT. AT 30,000 MILES I WAS INFROMED THAT MY FRONT AND BACK BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE ROTERS AGAIN WERE RESURFACED. WE WENT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND PAID $400. I'VE READ THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE SEQUOIA IS INADEQUATE, TUNDRAS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THE CALIPERS ARE TOO SMALL THUS CAUSING WARPING AND THE BRAKES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY.

DT: BRAKE SYSTEM WILL GRAB AND THROW CAR INTO SKID, BUT PARTS ARE FAILING INTERMITTENTLY. THE SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD DOES NOT SHUT IT OFF. CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP, AND FOUND OUT STEERING ANGLE SENSOR WAS BAD, AND REPLACED IT. ALSO, COMPUTER WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER WAS REPLACED ALSO. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT CONFIRM WHAT FAILED FIRST, WHY EITHER FAILED, OR WHY HE COULD NOT FIND ANY TROUBLE OVER ONE YEAR AGO, WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED BLINDING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE DRIVERS DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER THIS ACTIVE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. ALSO THE DASH CONTROL WILL NOT SHUT OFF VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL), NOR ANY OTHER FUSE, SWITCH, WIRE, OR OTHER VSC'S.*SB