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Toyota Sequoia Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • jsargjsarg Member Posts: 2
    Just wondering what every body is doing to there door handles I have a 2002 and 90,000 miles and kids door handles have never been an issue and after reading these complaint went out and inspected mine no cracks noticed anywhere. still scratching my head
  • 2001ltd2001ltd Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2001 Ltd 2x with only 18K miles. I joined this forum (1st time) in order to gain some insight into my vibration problem as well. My mechanic (non dealer) has determined my vibration 50-57mph is not a result of tire balancing. I had my tires balances 2 x's already. He says take it back to the dealer. My rack & pinion is ready to fall off. Beware fellow owners. I am exremely happy with my sequoia, but i am wondering if this is an unknown recall issue?
  • sydjar412sydjar412 Member Posts: 1
    Hi... I just wanted to let you know that I have a 2005 Sequoia that has the same smell of sulfur inside the cab. I took it in 2 times and nothing was fixed...
    I called again today to make an appointment and found out that there has been a "fix" for this problem. The serviceman said the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. I hope that this will solve my problem. He said that the notice just came from toyota on October the 4th... maybe this will help you out??
  • elsa2elsa2 Member Posts: 1
    FYI everyone who owns a Toyota Sequioa
    Mine is an 02 model, which was purchased Mar 03
    I have had trac / vsc light / oil pressure/gauge/sensor/"print board"/brakes/alignment problems!
    I have been dealing with this since 2003.
    The svc advisor here in San Antonio, Tx, lacked the hindsight or chose not to bother checking the service alerts for my problems.
    I ended up taking it to a mechanic who is certified and skilled to work on the Toyota Sequoia.
    When I encountered the brake problems, I was told it was a bad left tire, pulling to the right, vibration and shuddering motion.
    My family was traveling to the coast when, my husband found himself braking, with no brake there to stop us.
    If it wasn't for his quick thicking we would have rearended the family in front of us!
    So far, I know there are several TSB alerts on the front brakes, suspension, lower ball joint, oil sensor, oil gauge, and now the print board to the oil conductivity problems.
    I went in yesterday for the ball joint and oil gauge problem, had it "serviced", and woke up this morning to the oil gauge monitor acting erratically.
    So, I took it back, and this print conductivity part isn't available til Tuesday.
    **and from previous comments on this web site... here a clicking noise on the right side dash area near the ac.
    This is my first experience with the Toyota product, and enjoy the look of the suv, but not the problems. You'd think a corporation this size would want repeact buyers?!
    I want everyone who owns a Sequioa or if you know of others to be alerted to these problems.
    I know of one person who lives in Az that said she actually got a letter to bring her vehicle in for the lower ball joint problem.
    Living in Texas, I have never receive any svc alerts or recalls, I had to find it out by being persistant!
    I am pursuing protection from Dept of Transportation in Austin, Tx. ,Texas Lemon Law, and contacting the Better Business Bureau.
  • racertooracertoo Member Posts: 2
    Hello fellow Sequoia owners. Evidently they haven't solved the LOSS OF POWER problem for the 2005 models. Mine is a '05 SR5 withe 18,000 miles. I have experienced the loss of power 3 times. Twice turning right and yesterday while braking hard and turning left. I about got t-boned while I was sittng cross ways with two lanes of traffic coming at me. It was down for about 4 seconds then power finally came back and I floored it to keep from having a serious wreck. Very close. :confuse: Very scary and maddening. How do I find the TSBs to take with me to the dealer when I go.
  • 2001ltd2001ltd Member Posts: 4
    Toyota loves their low lemon law claim rate. In various regions, the low rate of claims are legendary. Consult your local dealer (where you purchased, not a neutral one) to provide you with the forms and instructions for filing a lemon law claim. Keep in mind the details will vary depending on your local legislation; however, I believe there exists a few guidelines that regulate the automobile industry wide:
    1. Your vehicle could not be repaired for a specific problem after three attempt over a certain period of time. (Keep good, itemized records)
    2. Your vehicle has spent more that 30 days in repair since in its first year of ownership.

    Sometimes the mere threat of a lemon law claim is enough to garnish a fair amount of attention. Sometimes it is not, then get ready to fight. You may walk away with a mere moral victory, even a complete defeat.

    If you file a successful lemon law claim, you will pay an adjusted balance on the vehicle, depending on your usage, & the vehicle's age. Your fate will also likely lie in the hands of an arbitrator. Fair will not necessarily be in your eyes.
  • racertooracertoo Member Posts: 2
    :surprise: Twice now I have put the accelerator completely to the floor to pass one or more cars and when I completed the pass, I let up on the accelerator but it just kept on going for about a second or 2 before releasing. Wow, that's exciting. Not to mention extremely dangerous. Any suggestions?
  • tbird05tbird05 Member Posts: 1
    I have just purchased an 05 Sequoia 4WD limited and there is an annoying clicking noise on the right side of the dash. I have taken it into the dealer and they say that this is normal. It almost sounds like something is engaging and then disengaging. It happens at about 20-30mph, what is this!!
    Also, it seems to run very rough when it's at about 1500RPM. Almost like I am driving down a gravel road. The dealership also says this is normal. This is a brand new vehicle, these problems should NOT be normal. My 93 Jeep almost runs better than the sequoia!! HELP
  • kubkub Member Posts: 1
    I just picked up my new 2006 SR5 on Friday and I have the same experience. It seems to be coming from under the right dash and it does seem to be reproducable. It seems to happen every time the engine is restarted once driving and the RPMs hit about 2000. It will click twice with about 2 seconds in between. If I keep driving (i.e. - don't stop and turn the engine off) it won't happen. It only happens once it has been restarted and either hits certain RPMs or is running for X period of time. Anyone else with this?
  • lait2000lait2000 Member Posts: 33
    I brought my 2003 Sequoia to TOY dealer again regarding my oil pressure gauge displayed below the initial mark on the oil pressure gauge when I hit to 75 MPH. I had a same symtom in 01/04 and brought in dealer to replace Oil Pressure Sending unit per TSB EL2010. Last month this symtom happened again. I brought in to a local TOY dealer and they replaced the Oil Pressure Sending unit again per TSB EL017.03. They also replace the Ball Joints and alignment per "RECALL campaign 50J". If you are a owner of Sequoia, you can contact your local dealer to check out this recall that might affect you vehicle.
  • kennynmdkennynmd Member Posts: 424
    I have a 04 and from what I heard it is normal. Do a search here for the specific answer, but from what I remember I think it has something to do with some relays engaging. Again, it is only after the initial start-up.
  • folsom33folsom33 Member Posts: 14
    sounds like the famous "self test". The vehicle will do it everytime you start it and reach a specific speed. Nothing to worry about. A search will result in finding many posts on this issue on this forum
  • 2001ltd2001ltd Member Posts: 4
    Me again. I took my 2001 to the dealer to check the vibration in my front end. They are blaming my front tire. After I cautioned them regarding a diagnosis by an independent service facility, they were a little more cautious regarding my concerns. I retrieved my vehicle with the request of obtaining a fully itemized diagnosis, in contrast to the independent report. I informed them that I would be taking my vehicle to a third party for diagnosis. If my findings prove the first diagnosis correct, I will make the dealer rectify my situation. I have sold over ten vehicles for the local monopoly to my family alone (they own all the dealerships in my state), and my business is under consideration for future promotional efforts with them. I hope they treat me well. I would like to purchase another Toyota, but their treatment will dictate my future purchase.
  • cristygirlcristygirl Member Posts: 1
    I've had problems for about 4 months with the transmission not shifting into 1st gear after backing out of the driveway thereby stranding me on a major street while I am frantically pushing the gas pedal and the car finally lurches into gear about 10-15 seconds later. I took it in and they said they couldn't duplicate the problem. About a month ago, I was getting on the freeway with a car full of children on a field trip and the car would not shift from 1st to second gear for about 20 seconds. We barely avoided being hit. Once again I took it in and after leaving it for 2 days they again said they "culdn't duplicate the problem" Today I pulled out onto a major road and once again it just sat there leaving me stranded as cars honked and tried to avoid me. Aboout 30 seconds later the transmission finally kicked. Now the dealership just says "bring it and we'll see if we can duplicate the problem". This is crazy. I don't feel safe at all. It seems worse on really hot days.So far, I only found one complaint that sounds the same can someone give me any ideas of what to do or where to look for information?

    Thanks,

    Cristy
  • scottvscottv Member Posts: 2
    I have been having a similar problem with my 2002 Sequoia. Every once in a while the VSC and Trac Lights will come on. The owners manual simply states to take it to the dealer. I bought mine from CarMax near Atlanta and they have been unable to find a problem. They said that I need to bring it in while the lights are on so they can run diagnostics. But they are never on when I'm in the area. I'm also having a problem with the Over/Drive light coming on everytime you put the truck in gear. (It is now coming on as you drive down the road). CarMax has determined that the O/D switch needs to be replaced. Thankfully this is all under warranty.
    What was finally done to correct your issue with the VSC & Trac lights? Maybe I can give CarMax some insight about what to look for.
  • 2001ltd2001ltd Member Posts: 4
    My vibration problem was not my rack & pinion after all. I had three different shops inspect my rack & pinion is fine after all. I don't believe in reporting only bad or disturbing news. Be mindful of tsb's for the front end ball joint. My faith in Toyota has been once again restored. Now I can buy my Tundra double cab
  • kittridgekittridge Member Posts: 2
    I bought my 2001 Sequoia new...I want to say I too am surprised at my disappointment with this SUV. You think Toyota, a near perfect brand name, it must be good? Consumer Reports and other mags always rank it at the top, it must be good.

    I am disappointed over many things: the 4 passenger doors won't stay open by themselves when on a slight incline, so kids are constantly getting bumoed by the doors swinging back in (dealer said this was normal). The truck has 54K miles on, I am expecting to put on my 4th set of brakes now. Sometimes, when making a turn on slightly damp pavement the gas won't go and move the car, I am told this is normal, something to do with VSC? It is difficult to close the hatch (stiff) and the radio sound sucks, also, the A/C smells like sour milk when first truned on (leaves in 5 seconds). For a few weeks my gas register kept saying empty but was really full (it fixed it self eventially) and the most annoying thing to me is getting the access to the rear seats, it is a two-arm job. Sometimes the belt buckles won't click either, or when using a car/baby seat the seatbelt strap gets twisted in the slot and refuses to budge.

    Come on Toyota, you can do better. I miss my old Hondas.
  • andrew_starzykandrew_starzyk Member Posts: 2
    Please help. My sequoia has the same problem. They replaced the VSC module a few months ago cause it was not truning on, cost me $800!!!. Then a few months later when I decided to use the 4*4 the the abs light, vcs light, brake light up like a Christmas tree. Took it to the dealer and for 3 hours he could not find anything..mechanic said another modeule needs to be replaced. Need some help with this lemon where can i turn to, does anyone know what the problem could be??
  • andrew_starzykandrew_starzyk Member Posts: 2
    Scotty where you able to figure out what the problem was. I am having a similar problem with my Sequoia and the dealer can't figure it out either...wants to start replacing parts that 'may' solve the problem, to bad they cost close to $1000.
  • folsom33folsom33 Member Posts: 14
    kittridg, its funny to hear someone else with the same problem, both rear doors will not stay open on a slight incline, my local toyota identified an offending part and I am going to have them replaced this friday. It will cost about $180 per door as they have to remove pannel. I'll let you know if it works. Brakes are always a problem on large vehicles,but I am getting about 20K miles on the front set of brakes. Did you have the TSB done on the front brakes, they offered it to all '01 vehicles if you complained about vibrations or excessive wear.

    There was also a replacement for people who complained about "booming bass" on their radios.

    The rear access is not great but better on competors that were on sale in 2001.

    Sounds like your VSC works right, while sometimes annoying it may save us an accident.

    Overall, to me, these are minor issues and would not make me buy another vehicle. The engine is strong and smooth and the transmission flawless.
  • kittridgekittridge Member Posts: 2
    I am happy to hear I am not imagining I am the only person with the door issue, and overall, this SUV handles well, is very smooth and reliable.

    Perhaps my bigger mistake was buying it the first year it was made.

    Thank you for the door info, sounds like the 180 is out of pocket?
  • folsom33folsom33 Member Posts: 14
    I'm afraid so, its out of warrenty, but you have to figure nothing is perfect and some things will eventually break. The dealer said they are the same door stops on all sequoias so first year did not matter.

    As it turns out there were not many things toyota changed in the 4 years since origional release, compaired to other vehicles.

    I would purchase this vehicle again in a heartbeat, its no comparison to the many issues I had with the two Ford vans I previously had.
  • juanitajuanita Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the information. I called the service department today and they advised that a "fix" has been sent by toyota. They have ordered the parts and hopefully that will take care of the sulfur smell. I will let you know.
  • bear8bear8 Member Posts: 1
    Our 2003 Sequoia has 69,500 miles. 2 days ago the "check engine" light, the "Trac Off" light and "VSC trac" light came on. We went online and found someone who had had the same problem. He said he unplugged the negative side of the battery for 15 minutes to reset the computer and his was fine. We did that. Sure enough the warning lights went out. But the next day when I was leaving our driveway (doing about 5 mph) the lights came on and the brakes locked up. We had not experienced the brakes locking up before.

    I called the dealer and he would not say whether or not it is safe to drive it there. (The closest dealer is 50 miles.) I had to "up" my membership in AAA to a "AAA Plus" (an extra $40+) to cover 100 mile tow, or else it would be 5 miles covered and $3/mile if we broke down on the way there.

    He said we may have messed up the computer memory by unplugging the battery, so we should just hope for the best when we bring it in. Well, the battery ran down before about 2 weeks ago, and we had to recharge it....so I think the technician is handing me some story about the memory thing. Last time I was there - about 3 weeks ago for the recall on the 2003 Sequoia's front suspension lower ball joint, they took me for a brake job. I probably needed one, but could have gotten it cheaper elsewhere. It may be just me, but everytime a dealership touches my car, something goes wrong with it within a couple of weeks!

    Add me to your case to Toyota. I am going to contact Consumer Reports and Toyota also.
    Thanks
  • daugiedaugie Member Posts: 12
    My rear window occasionally stops working too. If I take of the interior trim on the tailgate and tap the motor with a hammer, it frees up. Not sure why it happens, but this is easier and more convenient than going to the dealer.
  • daugiedaugie Member Posts: 12
    This is an old thread, but I can't find any answers here. Taligate is leaking (badly) into the cargo area - right rear side. The rear window seals looked good, but I replaced them anyway. Still leaking badly. By all appearances, this window is designed to leak and the water is supposed to be channeled out of 4 holes in the bottom of the tailgate. (These were and still are clear of debris.) After taking the tailgate aprt, it is obvious that the water runs along the top/side window seal into the tailgate. Once in there, it hits wires, etc, which scatter the water and it leaks through the various covers, and holes in the tailage behind the interior plastic panel. It then drips down to where the interior plastic panel and the tailgate meet, pushing the water into the cargo area. Did anybody out there ever find an answer to this problem? Thanks much!!
  • jsnoopyjsnoopy Member Posts: 2
    :mad: I have a 2005 Sequoia Limited that I recently purchased and am having the same problem with a front end vibration. I am getting the same runaround from the dealer's service manager. Not only that but the steering wheel is not centered and when I center it the car will run off the right side of the road. To me this isn't normal. An adjustment to the tie rod ends will fix this situation but the dealership doesn't seem to want to correct it. They blame it on the "Crown of the road" I say "Give me a break". Should they not rectify the condition then I may have to go to litigation.
  • 2toyotas2toyotas Member Posts: 104
    It seems to me that so many of these posts are from people who join , post a complaint, and you never hear from them again. I am on my second Sequoia, and I have not had any problems with either one. I think these posts are either not true, or people are really complaining about every little thing.
  • daugiedaugie Member Posts: 12
    I beleive I have solved the problem. I went to the hardware store and bought new washers for the trim clips and some new weather seal for the access covers. Instaled both and I appear to be dry. It's amazing how much water gets into the tailagte... you have to have each and every hole (and there are a bunch of them) well sealed to keep the interior dry.
  • daugiedaugie Member Posts: 12
    I wish more people stayed around, too, but what are you going to do? After 80K miles, I have experienced many of the typical Sequoia problems (leaking, cracked exhaust manifold, some brake issues), but all in all, it has been a very dependable truck (especaially compared with my Chevy that has had the 4WD repaired 3 times and the transmission rebuilt, all in about 44K miles).
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    From my experience on various forums throughout the internet, this is not at all unusual. People will post with the intention of never returning, or they simply choose not to. However, this should not be construed as intentional lies or an indication of excessive fussiness.
  • klivinlegendklivinlegend Member Posts: 2
    My cousin is a mechanic and has told me how too rectify a odometer issue and this can stop mileage recording. For those of you who wish too stay under warranty longer than normal because your mileage. I can help you.
  • skylarskylar Member Posts: 1
    My 2003 Sequoia had an accelerator surge while pulling into a parking spot. Only the fence stopped the car. Very scary. Has this happened to anyone else? And no, I did not have my foot on the accelerator, I was actually braking to a stop when the car surged forward.
  • sequoiasuckssequoiasucks Member Posts: 1
    I had the same problem and did not do any thing about it..about 1 month later, had to get a rebuild transmission...that really sucks..Now that problem I have is that the steering column is burnt...I don't even know what that mean, but thats what my mechanics told me...It feels like when I put my car in gear, it need to find it..this suv SUCKS
  • fishingfanaticfishingfanatic Member Posts: 1
    My new 2005 Sequoia Idles up to over 1500 rpm on start. When I shift into gear, the rpms stay up over 1000 and the vehicle will lurch ahead or backwards very quickly. I asked by dealer service department if this was a problem and was basically told it was designed to do this and they would not even check the vehicle out to see if there is a problem and pretty much acted like I was an idiot. I understand fast idle at start until operating temp is reached, but the idle level is so high it is unsafe in my opinion. After being insulted by the service department, I spoke with one of the sales people who sold me my vehicle. We started another new Sequoia on the lot and although it idled up to around 1500 on startup, it dropped to about 700 when shifted in to gear. Has anyone else had this problem and what was their solution. I am very disappointed in my first contact with a Toyota Service Department. I feel this fast idle is excessive on my vehicle and is a safety hazard.
  • evergreencevergreenc Member Posts: 1
    Kenny.....I have a 2004 sequoia w/39,000 miles...would appreciate the tip to stop mileage recording ...many thanks.
  • funkyfunky Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Sequoia and I have noticed the wind noise witht the rear windows dow, but I have also noticed it on my Accord, Bonnaville, Celica and Isuzu Pickup. It seems pretty normal to me.
  • czechm8czechm8 Member Posts: 23
    What is your cousin's trick with the odometer?
  • kennynmdkennynmd Member Posts: 424
    My cousin did it to his brother's Tundra but the "check engine" light will stay on. He did it to his Tahoe without any problems. Either way it's ILLEGAL!
  • paliguy81paliguy81 Member Posts: 7
    I just purchased a 2001 toyota sequoia sr5 with 89,000 miles...and i have several problems, hope somoene here can give me some insight on what to do.

    First is the exhaust leak...cold start u hear tick tick tick...and u rev the engine..and the ticking goes faster...after it warms up seems to go away
    i found alot of similar issues online like this, so i called up my local toyota dealer and they said they have had serveral tundra's in with same issue(same engines). Turns out they have to replace the whole exhaust manifold because it warps after a while. I asked if it was recalled, nothing was found under my vin..so i called toyota corporate, and spoke to two people and they said they documented the complaint. Otherwords, ya we know but we havnt had enough complaints to say its a recall. so i will keep my receipt and try to get reimbursed when it finally does get recalled...if you want to submit a complaint about this..its pretty simple call this number and just tell them i want to submit acompalin for manifold exhaust leak for sequioa
    Toyota Corporate: 18003314331 first press option 4 then option3 then just wait for a rep..dont press any more menu buttons eventhough it keeps asking you.

    2nd is rear door...it doesnt open..you unlock it and it door handle feels like its going to open it..but nothing happens..u press it ...doesnt open

    3rd the rear window..goes down no prob..but when it goes up, its slanted and it stops..i have to pull it up from the right side to help it alittle then its fine..maybe the window track??

    cd player...i dont know but cd wont go in at all like not even the lip..as if there is something inside right at the mouth of the cd player

    a big clunk noise in the back..not sure what it is yet..just happened once..but i've only had it 2 days.

    everything else is fine..other than these..i love this truck!!...for now
  • daugiedaugie Member Posts: 12
    Exhaust manifold is a known problem with this truck. I have 80K on my '01 and recently had the right exhaust mainfold replaced (original cracked). Good luck waiting for a recall.
  • daugiedaugie Member Posts: 12
    I have an '01. Since new, this truck will fairly often appear to 'shift' while stopped at a light such that it causes a forward surge. It feels like the guy behind me tapped my bumper (an odd feeling when there is no one behind me!). Toyota dealer was the same as others on this board... essentially told me I was an idiot. I have learned to live with it and keep my foot FIRMLY planted on the brake. I know this is a little bit different than your complaint, but maybe related?? For what it's worth, my gut is that it is an issue with the transmission.
  • tsipostsipos Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2002 Sequoia SR5 that I've had for just under 4 years. The tailgate latch is now inoperable (it does not latch) and appears to have rusted internally. When I removed the interior panels to see what was wrong I also found the window tracks severely corroded and the window will not raise or lower. I've spoken to Toyota customer service and they inform me they've not seen these problems. The vehicle is used in upstate New York where salt is used on the roads but the vehicle is kept clean and is garaged over half the time. Has anyone else experienced similar issues? The last vehicle I owned that had a tailgate this bad was a 1979 Jeep Cherokee. Also I just got my recall notice for the replacement of the front ball joints. Replies will be appreciated.
  • paliguy81paliguy81 Member Posts: 7
    ya im not waiting for a recall....
    update on cd player..figures theres a load button in the upper left corner i didnt see...unfortunately i had already attempted to manually force a cd in there..breaking something inside....after i press load..it took the cd...i've never seen it since..and the cd player(6disc) wont repond to eject..switches back to radio if u press eject.....other than pretty much F$$king it up...is there anything i can do to salvage the cd and make it work again??????????
  • paliguy81paliguy81 Member Posts: 7
    ya as stated in my previous posting.....i have that same problem northern ohio area...we have alot of salt too
  • tsipostsipos Member Posts: 2
    paliguy81 Thanks for the reply. What year is your Sequoia? I have a meeting with a Toyota rep on Nov 10th so I see what he says. Have you filed any complaints with Toyota on this? TS
  • markotamarkota Member Posts: 2
    We have been fighting this same intermittent problem for a year. The computer finally pulled an error code and its the master brake cylinder pressure sensor.....
  • markotamarkota Member Posts: 2
    Its the master cylinder pressure sensor. The sensor is saying "NO Pressure" an is putting the vehicle into a protect you mode.
  • 4camryguy4camryguy Member Posts: 1
    I have a 97 Camry and the driver's door handle broke. I think it was a $200 repair bill. My son has a 99 Camry and his door handle just broke. I am thinking there are a lot of these out there and because it is a several thousand dollar item isn't getting much attention.
  • klivinlegendklivinlegend Member Posts: 2
    what you have to do is take the screws out at the top of the dashboard console the black rim around dash then carefully remove to avoid scratches. Once this is done it should be a white beace with 4 screws remove those. Once this is done slide out dash and you shouls see 3 plugs going into back of dash remove center one. Once this is removed your gauges including speedometer will not work. You can slide everything back into place and drive and slide the plug 1/2 way in so you can stick your hand back to slide in too periodically check fuel consumption. This has saved me alot of headaches with Toyota and prolonged my warranty time. Any other ?'s let me know. Good luck and you may want too keep this info for a select few if you get my drift.
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