Toyota Sequoia Maintenance and Repair

helsinki · April 2006

Hello All,
Three weeks ago I ran off the road in my Sequoia into about 2 feet of snow. It was already in 4wd so I tried to back out, no dice, tires just kept spinning. I put it in neutral, took off vsc and put it in low and waited for the idiot indicator to stop blinking. Once it stopped blinking I continued to try to get out of the snow bank. The car was at about a 30 degree angle, everytime I turned the steering wheel a bit I heard a loud grinding noise, which I thought was the car sliding further into the roadside ditch. After about 15 minutes of trying to get unstuck, I gave up and called a tow truck. Th truck came and pulled me out. I took the car for a test drive and there was something definitely wrong, the grinding noise was getting worse by the second. I pulled over and checked under the car and saw fluid leaking from the front transfer case, definitely not good. The wrecker took the car to a local dealer who then took the front axle apart. The front axle is toast, inside the transfer case is nothing but broken teeth and mashed metal, I will try to post pictures sometime.

Now the fun part. The dealer is telling me that this is not covered under warranty because it is "operator error". I cannot for the life of me figure out what error I made, could it be that I did not push the button hard enough, or wait long enough after the light stopped blinking.

I love my Sequoia, and this is my second Toyota, but I will be damned if I am going to eat the cost of this repair. If I am forces to eat the cost, I will never own a Toyota again.

BTW, I moved from NY to Finland, it is the local dealer in Finland who is telling me that the repairs are not covered.

Looking for any advice, stories about front axel problems, etc.. that can help me get this squared away.

Scott

dixie · April 2006

We live in Cheyenne, WY, so snow and ice. I apologize for not mentioning that before. I plan on getting 4 wheel or all wheel drive.

zyang · April 2006

I have the same problem as you, same year and model. And I though I was the only one having this problem. I've even show the pictures with time and date. I've been asking the dealership and they told me that the sending unit inside the gas tank is malfunctioning. After $600.00 repair bill, the problem has re-occurred. Now I'm calling the Toyota 800-331-4331. I would recommend that you call Toyota at the number insteading of spending $600.00 repair bill that will not solve the problem.

Now is wait and see what Toyota will do for me.
Zachary Yang

lait2000 · April 2006

You need to bring your TOY back to whoever told you to spend $600 and tell them BS. They need to send their technician back for training. Your 2003 is fully covered by warranty and you don't have to spend a penny for this. Mine is also 2003 and I had to bring in 2 times to make this correction. This is a oil sending unit problem. and there is a new TSB just came out for a new part. More details, Please see my post number 1289 in this section. Good luck.

jwt · April 2006

Thank you! I will check this out. The 'thumping' will occur anytime, any place & at any speed, get's louder & louder, sounds like something is going to blow up, I have to pull over & stop. We have very low mileage on 04, under 10k. jwt.

gaph · April 2006

I should clarify my original posting. Yes, it is a vibration that the driver and passenger feel through the floor. It started about four months ago and has got worse. Some days it's worse than others.

jowen · April 2006

Our Navigation screen in our '06 Sequoia no longer dims at night (It never really dimmed but rather the background went from white to black).

There also used to be an option on the display menu to dim it manually but that option is no longer there. I am about ready to take this in to the dealer but thought I would try this route first.

Any help is appreciated!

lvaughnr · April 2006

Hi everyone,
I have a 02 SR5 Sequoia. The rear leather seats are extremely squeaky and drives me nuts. Does anyone have a similar problem and what was the solution?
Thanks,
Vaughn...

5ofakind · April 2006

Have you read your DVD Nav Owners Manual....it is pretty thorough....I suggest reading the entire booklet before taking to dealer.....I am sure it is just a setting

martyb6 · April 2006

I also have an '01 Sequoia with 71k miles. This past week the engine light came on and it stopped on me several times. I have taken care of it well, but they told me the entire transmission needs replacement @ $3800. It's just out of warranty, but I think its rediculous at 71k the trans would go! I had a 4Runner I drove til 185k with absolutely no trans problems. The engine made several hard shift bang noises before I asked them to look at, but found nothing. I'm absolutely beside myself this would happen so soon!

drogers3 · May 2006

I get the "rearended" feeling too. I'm only guessing, so maybe someone who knows for sure will reply. Anyway, I think it has something to do with the brakes and some kind of pressure release from the ABS after the vehicle has stopped completely??? Our '01 Sequoia has 69,000 miles and has always done this.

floridafitfan · May 2006

My parents own a Sequoia (I think it's a 2004) that I've driven from time to time. There are a lot of things I like about it (commanding view, power, handling), but there is one odd problem I've had that seems like it could lead to tragedy.

There's a handle mounted next to the door frame on the driver's side. It's meant to help drivers hoist themselves into the cabin, which is important because the Sequoia is so tall.

Here's the problem -- the handle is mounted close enough to the steering wheel that a couple of times I have accidentally jammed my left-hand ring finger against it when making a right turn, when I had to move my hands to turn the wheel. Fortunately, when this happened I was making routine turns and wasn't moving the wheel -- or my hand -- all that fast. So I wasn't badly hurt, and was able to complete the turn without incident.

But if I'd had to make a fast, substantial right turn to avoid an accident and did the same thing, I think there's a real possibility I'd dislocate or break my finger, and potentially lose focus and stop turning long enough to suffer the accident I was trying to avoid.

Just wanted to throw that out there. Happy driving, ya'll.

jotx · May 2006

I purchased a 2004 SR5 w/21,000 mi. in January. It is in excellent condition and drives wonderfully. However, there is a noise coming from behind the driver in the headliner that is driving me nuts. I took it to the dealership but found out that my sunroof was after market. I purchased vehicle out of town so I took it to a local installer and they took the sunroof out and found a few hanging wires and removed them. The noise was still there and I took it back a second time and they said it looked like it was something else and fixed it. Well the noise stopped for a few days and now after 2 weeks it is back to the same noise. I can push on the headliner and make the noise. But so far no one can figure it out. I think the sunroof installers are tired of dealing w/me and don't want to look at it again. I don't know who to bring it to and how to get rid of the noise. I've read on this board that others had a rattle/creak w/sunroof and the liner had to be dropped. Others said that it didn't go away after been dropped. Can anyone give me any leads on what to do about this? Thanks so much for your time!!

Jo -

mannyboy · May 2006

My '01 Sequoia was doing the same thing but the dealer change my brakes after that I never have problem.

redsox5 · May 2006

I recently had the ball joint recall done. Shame on me for letting the dealer touch my truck. Within 10 miles of leaving the dealer, I experienced a steady squealing in stop and go traffic, when the brakes were NOT applied. After pulling in the driveway, setting the parking brake and stepping off the main brake pedal, I heard this loud clank, like a large piece of metal came loose and dropped off. Does the ball joint work require the dealer to mess with the brakes? I brought the truck to the local tire shop and was told the brakes were fine and that I still have 30% left on the pads. I now have a strong front end vibration when decelerating down steep hills at higher speeds. I also have a rattle/vibration when driving at low speeds (0-10 mph), noticeable more on inclines. It sounds like it's coming from the front end, but possibly not the brakes. The truck also frequently pulls to the left when braking. Any advice?

daugie · May 2006

I have an 'o1 with 85K. Mine has done the same thing since new. Dealer never could help. I've gotten used to it.

daugie · May 2006

I get noise from my seat occasionally too. The seats don't feel like they are loose, nor is there any obvious play in the seat latch mechanism. Nonetheless, I have found that unlatching and then securely re-latching (i.e. FIRMLY pushing the seat into place) solves the problem. Hope it works for you too.

daugie · May 2006

Cracked exhuast manifolds are fairly common on these. I'd check that first.

toneib · May 2006

My '02 Sequoia (50,000 miles) has been a dream in the past. However, about a year ago my VSC lights started coming on and off, then stayed on all the time starting at the beginning of the year. The engine light never came on so Toyota told me they would be unable to pull a code to diagnose the problem and not to worry about it. Great. So... fast forward to yesterday. Truck goes in for regular intermediate service, all is well with no recommendations for service. How often does that happen? Anyway, take truck home, drive to pick up kids, take to practice, etc. About 6 hours after the all is well from Toyota, the truck won't start. Have it jumped and all is well, right? No, the ABS and Brake lights light up the dashboard. But still no engine light. Back to Toyota. First diagnosis, get a new battery. OK, now they are putting the new battery in and then are going to try to figure out the malfuncioning lights. Help! Anyone have any ideas on why the battery and everything going south so soon after my A-Ok from Toyota?

mikessequia · May 2006

Need Help with noisy breaks.Need Help with noisy breaks.I just got my Sequia a few months ago. I love it but the breaks are squeaky at slower speeds. Checked pads and they are almost brand new. Are there any issues with toe on pad position? Front/rear. Just not sure what to do with that. Please help.
Mike

sb55 · May 2006

Have you been driving gently? Maybe are "glazed" over. Have you tried "de-glaze" them? Take the truck to a deserted safe place, drive to 30-40 mph then brake hard in a straight line. Do this 4-5 times, then drive slowly without braking to cool them down.
Most people do not do this. It a good idea to bed in any new brakes.

kfreeman · May 2006

Your hatch handle instructions were very helpful on my '03 Sequoia...thanks!

The problem I'm having now is that the latch cable has loosened so much that it does not pull the latch far enough to open the hatch. Can you tell me how to tighten the cable?

Thanks!

Kelley

72heaven · May 2006

What Ball Joint Recall ?? I have a 2002 Sequoia, and just started having some front end shake. Also strangely enough the "AC" button light is blinking off & on.
Anyone have a clue?

harbo · May 2006

From the search site Edmunds.com/maintenance/recalltsb they refer to Suspension Front Control Arm: Lower Ball Joint. They suggest contacting Toyota at 800-331-4331.

My local dealer (Scottsdale, AZ) made me aware of the recall and did the job. From the Work Order;
Part # toy 04005-04134 joint assy. Total bill was between $400 and $500 dollars. Covered under warranty.

72heaven · May 2006

Thanks! Have you had any air conditioner problems with your Sequoia? My A/C indicator light is blinking. Manual says have it looked at. The odd thing is, that as soon as I noticed the "blinking" light, I also noticed a rough idle, vibration up front. Anyone have any history?

72heaven · May 2006

Did you or anyone else get any help with this??
My 2002 Sequoia compressor just bit the dust. Dealer says yes the TSB's are out but no recall. They may help with the cost. That would be a blessing. Even though if Toyota knows of an issue such as this, they should recall.

jakarta · May 2006

I bought an 01 Limited late 03, and notice that the AC is not blowing cold. The original owner had the AC system replaced under warranty because the compressor seized, and he mentioned prior to the problem, the AC is cold. Last summer I have tried different local dealers and they all told me it is within spec. So summer is coming and I am need to have cold AC here in KY. When outside is 80F, the middle vent is blowing about 60F with vehicle moving. If the vehicle stops, it will go up to 70F. Any idea what is wrong with this AC? I am close to the end of extended warranty 100K, so I need to solve this asap, not to mention it is getting warm here....

Its a wonderful vehicle except the AC issue.
Thanks
Chris

72heaven · June 2006

Also being from KY, I have noticed the same problem. My 02 Sequoia is in the shop now having the compressor/system replaced. It was on the verge of seizing. I'll see what the temp does after it's replaced. Even though reading some of the "forums" here from our western states, it seems this may be a common thing in extremely hot temps.
But remember your in KY, wait a minute and the weather will change. HA! HA!

72heaven · June 2006

Just got the bill for my Sequoia's AC problem. Are you ready for this; $1800. Dealer helped, but still. WOW!

72heaven · June 2006

Any Michagan Sequoia owners out there with advice on what to do or use on the "rust" that developes under the vehicle?

jakarta · June 2006

Hi 72heaven,
How cold is your AC right now after the new parts went in? If you dont mind me asking, which dealer that does the service? I am looking for a good dealer :-)

72heaven · June 2006

AC is blowing cold. In my area the choice is Don Moore in Owensboro, KY or Kenny Kent in Evansville, IN. The A/C job is a pricey one. Actually Don Moore would have been the least expensive service provider. They perform the task off of a "list" that I guess comes from Toyota.

mstacy1 · June 2006

I have a 2001 Sequoia and have had the same problems with my rear hatch...What happens is the lock mechansim will get corroded and lock up..This will cause the rear latch to fail as it cannot pull the lcok mechansim...When I first had this problem I just shot up some WD40 and it worked for a while..But eventually it locked up and I could not open the tailgate..The handle actually also broke..I had to have my mechanic pull apart the door and replace the lock mechanism..This is a problem with this vehicle..Everyone I know in Massachusetts that has this SUV has had to have the hatch fixed... I have also had the various other issues discussed here on the board..Transmission surge( i just ignore it). Brake squeal and rotor warping..VSC/Brake lights coming on..I just reset with on/off. I have 110K on my truck and other than the hatch it has been pretty reliable...

loom1967 · June 2006

My VSC & Trac Control Lights came on and flashed, the break peddal locked BUT NOT THE BREAK! So my wife is crusing down the street, unable to break! Our 2003 SR5 with 55k miles is at the dealership and wants $2300 to replace the bad computer. I asked for the Factory Rep and was told that they (dealership) would call first and get back to me. HUGE safety concern, can't believe Toyota would not want to back this repair!!!

sb55 · June 2006

Your BRAKES broke.
Sorry, how did she stop.

loom1967 · June 2006

No. Sorry if I wasn't clear. She couldnt depress the break peddal. She pushed with all she had, but the vehicle would not break.... so she coasted to a stop. Toyota says its not covered by the 5yr/60k warrantee - not part of powertrain. My response was that the computer(VSC) controls the powertrain so either disconnect it or fix it under warrantee.

Still waiting for decision by factory rep.

kattikat · June 2006

This is my very first (non work) forum. I had to relate this very mysterious story. I too had a problem with my 2001 Sequoia AC. The engine rumbled, the AC light blinked and the AC was not cold. It just stopped working. I went to Reliance Auto Care in Nashua, NH. They found ***this is the mystery*** that the unit was "severely overcharged". Instead of 2.2-2.4 lbs it contained 3.1 lbs! The mystery is "how did it get that way!?" And how long was it that way???

I just have to tell you, check the amount of freon. Just in case Toyota made a huge mistake.

The Tech that did the work said that everything was still intact and said it was a testimonial to Toyota Quality, that it shut itself off.

slider8 · June 2006

I leave in a small rural state in the south. We bought a Sequoia from another dealer than our local dealer. We tried to purchase the SUV form them, on three different occasions, but the either did not have one or colors, models etc We purchased the extended warranty, Thank GOD!, because we have had the $1,500 Brake problem & $1,000 brake booster, that I had to fight tooth and nail to get fixed even with a 2k extended Toyota warranty. I have been harassed from day one from the service person, because we did not buy the truck from them. I told them that we tried, but the day we bought ours, they did not even have one on the lot. Well long story short, it has been a fight to get anything done. We used to get the truck serviced there, but my father-in-law put tape on the filter to see if they were actually doing the work and believe it or on they were not. I told the service person and he said he would bet his paycheck, that his people did the work. Since I cannot prove it, and it is my word / his word kind of situation. I just told him not to expect to get business from us except for warranty work. Well, about 2 months or so, we had it serviced and they did work on the manifold because of ticking. They made it worse, my wife told them. She took it in; I do not go so there are less words exchanged and less confrontational. She called me on her cell and I explained the problem to the mechanic. They wanted to do all this, non-warranty work that amounted to $400. They even wanted to change the air filter that was just checked out the week before during our routine service. We refused the addition work and I got on the net to try to find any known problems like I did on the brakes. I found piston slap and cracked manifolds. I called and asked had the looked at those items. They replaced the manifold that they replace the time before and said that they would no longer service our Toyota. The service manager was mad because we did not do the $400 of additional work and more over he was insulted that I got on the net and looked for problems. He said that we did not trust them and to take our truck where we bought it for future work. They did not want our truck back on their property. The nearest three dealers are over 60 miles away, where this dealer is just 10 miles and 15 minutes away. I am surprisingly glad, because we are nice people and I was tired of being badgered by the service person for every warranty item from day one. This is not the only dealership they have. My family has bought three cars over the last 4 years. My wife called the owner and he said he was not going to get into it and the conversation was terminated, in a real cold and a matter of fact tone of voice I called Toyota to complain about the dealership. They said they cannot do anything and will not allow me to take to their outside service rep. I just wondered, can any one help me better report the dealer to Toyota. I have spent to much to be treated like this.
:lemon: :mad:

tidester · June 2006

That sounds like a nightmare! Have you tried the Better Business Bureau?

You may also be interested in Dealer Dis-Service Horror Stories or Any Questions for a Car Dealer?. You may get some helpful tips.

Good luck!

tidester, host

slider8 · June 2006

Thanks for the suggestions. Sorry about the type-o's on the last post, I was at work. In addition, I cannot tell this story without my blood pressure hitting nuclear proportions. I will try to get back with any information. So if anyone else has a similar problem, the may know what recourse they have if any. Of course, I am probably just shafted. Funny, my wife and I love the truck. Was considering looking to get a FJ Cruiser, but stopped for now.

dwoofie · June 2006

This story suprised me. I had trouble w/a Toyota dealer once (which happened to be the one I bought the car from, although that shouldn't make any difference to the service you receive in the service dept as they make lots of $$$ off you in the svc dept). I wrote a letter to Toyota (this was before the internet was widely used). Toyota never responded directly to me, but the dealership contacted me and corrected all wrongs. I live in the Wash DC area and they are all about customer service and getting all 'excellents' on their surveys. You might try contacting Toyota direct again. Sometimes it all depends on the person you reach... Good Luck.

lubes4u2 · June 2006

My VSC & Trac Control Lights came on and stay on but no problem with the brakes. 2001 Limited. Is there a great danger in the brakes locking up unexpectedly ? What is the likely culprit ? Computer ? I want to keep this vehicle even if gas prices hit $5/gallon so I'm curious to know what it's gonna cost me to get this fixed and if it's a simple fix or not. Thanks.

First time poster here.

petro33 · June 2006

the first check is brake fluid level, if its low these things happen.....

lubes4u2 · June 2006

"the first check is brake fluid level, if its low these things happen..... "

So, is this a standard thing ? I realize brake fluid that is low on other vehicles will cause spongy brakes or sometimes little to no peddle are you saying on the Sequoia the fluid can cause the Trac Lights to eluminate ? Thanks.

lubes4u2 · June 2006

I didn't realize how serious of a problem this could be; Toyota better address this soon. I cannot believe they are allowing this to go without addressing it for this length of time. I just hope no one has to lose their lives due to negligence on Toyota's part. This one could get very expensive for Toyota; one way or another.

harbo · June 2006

Have you found a cure for the somewhat spongy Sequoia brakes? I have had the factory updates on my 2002 Lmt 2WD.
Still spongy and you really can't lock them up if needed.
Dealer say's it normal.
THX ... slvrfx

tidester · June 2006

Dealer say's it normal.

I don't know whether it's normal but there is a relatively simple procedure for fixing it. Spongy brakes are often caused by air in the hydraulic system. Have your dealer bleed the brakes to remove the air.

tidester, host

loom1967 · June 2006

Follow up:

Our toyota dealer says they contacted the factory rep and he wont authorize the repair. I called Toyota direct and they say the VSC does not have a history of the problem that I described and they will not fix it. $2300 repair. I elected not to fix it. The lights have gone off. The problem has not reoccured since.

arslan · June 2006

The VSC and brake lights on my 03 SR5 have turned on periodically since I purchased the Sequoia in July 03. The problem is more common during the winter season. The dealership has not been able to duplicate the problem. At least, the problems are on record, while my Sequoia was under warranty, should the lights turn on during a service call.

tonim · June 2006

I had an 2002 Sequoia and the VSC, TRAC, brakes lights,
and engine lights would come on randomly. I took it to the dealer within 6 months after it was purchased complaining of this problem. They could see that the lights were on. They tried repairing it 8 times but the lights continued to come on. I did not feel I could safely carry my family in an SUV that had electrical problems. I contacted a lawyer. When my husband and I arranged a time to go in for a deposition, my attorney said a settlement had been offered and we accepted it.
My concern was when I tried privately to sell the Sequoia I had to reveal that it had the above problems. Potential buyers had no interest when I told them about those problems.
I had no other choice but to take legal action. Sequoias are great SUVs, however, I believe I had a lemon.

Toyota Sequoia Maintenance and Repair

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles