2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Complaints

BRAKE PADS ARE WEARING PREMATURELY.*MR CONSUMER HEARD A SCRATCHING NOISE LIKE A ROCK WAS STUCK IN THE ROTORS. WHEN ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THEM REPLACED, HE WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WERE ON A BACK ORDER.*TS *JB

I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. AT 10,740 MILES, THE FRONT DISC BRAKES WERE WORN OUT AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE BRAKES SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER AND SUGGESTS AN UNDERSIZED DESIGN OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. TOYOTA DID PERFORM A "COURTESY" REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKES BUT I AM CONCERNED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NEEDING INVESTIGATION. *LA

RE: VIN [XXX] I AM WRITING THIS LETTER IN REGARDS TO THE 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA I PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2003 WITH APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES FROM TOYOTA TOWN DEALERSHIP IN STOCKTON CALIFORNIA. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP, I AM NOW WRITING TO YOU AS A LAST RESORT. MY VEHICLE EXPELS A VERY STRONG AMMONIA SMELL FROM THE VENT SYSTEM AFTER ACCELERATION. THE SMELL HAS BEEN STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE ONE SNEEZE OR YOUR EYES WATERY. THE THIRD AND FINAL TIME I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A SOLUTION, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME HE HAD CONTACTED TOYOTA MANUFACTURER MECHANICS. THEY STATED IT WAS A CONDENSATION SMELL FROM THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM THAT WAS VERY COMMON. THEY SUGGESTED USING THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM MORE OFTEN. I INFORMED HIM I WAS AWARE OF THAT SMELL BUT THAT WAS ALSO DIFFERENT FROM THE AMMONIA. THE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED THEY WOULD CONTACT ME WHEN THE MANUFACTURER HAD A SOLUTION. HE WANTED TO SET UP ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO SERVICE MY CAR, BUT I REFUSED. TOYOTA TOWN HAD THE CAR TWICE BEFORE TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, BUT WAS ONLY ABLE TO INCONVENIENCE ME FROM GETTING TO WORK ETC. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE FOR 9 MONTHS AND CANNOT RELAX BECAUSE I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED, BUT YET I AM PAYING FOR IT. THE AMMONIA SMELL IS NOT NORMAL AND IT IS NOT COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT STAND BY THEIR WORD AND TRY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. PLEASE FEEL TO CALL ME AT[XXX]. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

EXHAUST SMELLS OF ROTTEN EGGS ARE ESCAPING THROUGHOUT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. DRIVER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE CARBON DIOXIDE MAY BE ENTERING AS WELL. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE OWNER SMELLED GAS FUMES FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FUMES SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE VENTS. WHEN THE WINDOW WAS OPENED THE SMELL BECAME WORSE. THE FUMES MADE THE OWNER NAUSEAS WHICH ALSO CAUSED HER ASTHMA TO FLARE UP. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, BUT NOTHING WAS CORRECTED. *AK. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE REASON SHE WAS SMELLING GAS FUMES WAS BECAUSE SHE WAS USING 89 OCTANE GAS INSTEAD OF 87 OCTANE AND THE COMPUTER WAS PROGRAMMED FOR 87 OCTANE. *TS *JB

DRIVER DESCRIBED THE REARVIEW MIRROR AS A PROBLEM; REARVIEW MIRROR WAS TOO SMALL , COULDN'T SEE CLEARLY WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE. DEALER STATED THIS FEATURE WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY BY MANUFACTURER. *AK

2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LIMITED, 5 MONTHS OLD, 5200 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME AS VSC LIGHTS. SEEMS TO BE OTHER REPORTS OF SAME INCIDENT. ALSO, BRAKES SEEM TO BE INADEQUATE FOR VEHICLE WEIGHT WITH LOING STOPPING DISTANCE, AND SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL WHEN PARKING BRAKE APPLIED (LOW PEDAL)*AK

THE ANTI-SKID CONTROL ENGAGED WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT UNDER 25 MPH *AK *JB

A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA 2WD/LIMITED WAS PLACED IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING ON A DOWN SLOPE DRIVEWAY. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE, OPENED UP THE BACK TO GET SOMETHING TO DELIVER. THE PERSON BEGAN WALKING UP THE SIDEWALK TO THE FRONT DOOR WHEN AN EYE WITNESS NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS IN FOWARD MOTION AND YELLED A WARNING. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A CLOSED GARAGE DOOR AND KNOCKED IT OUT OF PLACE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER RAN TO THE CAR AND THE GEAR LEVER WAS IN PARK. THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.*JB