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2008 Toyota Sequoia

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Comments

  • ccooke70ccooke70 Member Posts: 31
    IF anyone else is unhappy with the NAV systems, please call the following department to get the complaint logged. This is one of the ways Toyota tracks issues and works to resolve them.

    Contact Toyota's Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Anyone know where I can get 2009 model year info including prices, options and colors and/or when this info will be available?
  • dansgaragedansgarage Member Posts: 11
    Just got va 2008 Limited 2x4. Had 8.2k on it when I bought it as a Corporate Vehicle. Supposed to have been used by the Corp. Training Ctr. (about 30 miles away). Has all the options I wanted and was the only red Sequoia available on the West Coast at the time. I am hearing a loud 'clunk' from under the front of the engine or tranny when the car is cold and it shifts into 2nd (or maybe its 3rd) and I have moved just less than 300ft. Once warmed up and driven a bit no noise is hear at all when the tranny shifts...its actually very quiet then.
    Has anyone had a similar 'clunk' noise and if so, did you find out what was causing it?
    Thanks a bunch!
    Dan
  • harshvedaharshveda Member Posts: 17
    I read some where in other forums that they are going to release the 09 version in November, but not sure when. Anybody have any idea? I'm waiting to buy a 08 model once they relase the 09 models, they offer good price on 08's.
  • harshvedaharshveda Member Posts: 17
    Please let me know if anybody bought in atlanta, GA area..
  • dansgaragedansgarage Member Posts: 11
    Hasanyone found a supplier for a full front Brush Guard (not a 'Bull' Guard) for the 2008 Sequoia? I am also interested in a 'rear' bumper guard as well. Thanks for any suppliers you can tell me of.
    Dan
  • dansgaragedansgarage Member Posts: 11
    I am thinking of putting one of those wood 'Dash kits' on my '08 Sequoia. Has anyone done this themselves? and how difficult was it? also, who was the supplier? I am thinking of the 'Burl ' wood (medium-dark wood)....any comments? Thanks all!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
  • mittie1mittie1 Member Posts: 11
    When you finish putting on the "Dash Kit" let us know your experiences. I agree the Burl wood would look very good. Also, could you post pictures of the finished product.
  • saramaddiesaramaddie Member Posts: 19
    Thanks for the info. I just got my new Sequoia with the installed XM and am enjoying it so far. It took me 5 days to figure out how to retain the audio screen. Check out p.179 of the Nav system owners manual. I might figure out the rest of the system by Christmas. Granted, I don't have much time to study this but some of this is getting rather overwhelming!
  • gc1gc1 Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone have any info on the 09/10 Sequoia? One salesman told me that they're skipping the 09 and will bring the 2010 out this spring, but I haven't seen that confirmed anywhere. Specifically I'd like to know if they're planning on adding side torso airbags in the 2nd row like the LandCruiser and Lexus LX570 have. It already has 3 row head airbags. Thanks for your help.
  • 08SeqPlt08SeqPlt Member Posts: 2
    I HAVE THE SAME ANNOYING NOISE!!!!!!!!!! Any word on a fix? This noise is the same as you would have on an old car with AM Radio that picks up the engine RPM over the car stereo speakers when you drive underneath an overpass.

    Question is what is causing the engine RPM to get picked up by the speakers? The engine not grounded properly? Perhaps the antenna, speaker, amplifier, power cables not properly connected/isolated/grounded? I am not an audio expert but there is definitely a high pitch noise that is exactly as the original poster describes.
  • gcmillsgcmills Member Posts: 6
    trust me it is not the speakers or stereo as i have disconected it. your first step is to call the 800# and file a complaint, refenence mine as well.

    A long history...I eventually took toyota to arbitration and lost because the arbitrator could not hear the noise....he was a 70 year old guy with bad hearing. this was after several trips to the dealer. What it is, i have narrowed it down to 2 things, there is a large mesh screen behind the butterfly throttle valve, it was dented. i straightened it out. Maybe it had a reed effect as the air passed over it?? The other thing i did is ran some silicone sealant around the intake manifold on the top of the engine - remove the plastic engine cover. i think it is air getting in to the engine through this manifold seam but toyota wont listen. the noise has greatly diminished and only happens around 1500 rpms. bottom line, the field engineer said it was "normal operation" and that was treated as gospel. even thouh i took it to othe dealers and they all said it was not normal, his decision trumped all. i gave up.

    You can test it by doing a powerstand for a very short period, put emergency brake on, put in drive and keep push on brake pedal. bring rpms up to 2000 and you can hear it quickly. I made a dvd of it too.

    good luck, feel free to email me directly and i'll give you my documentation. :mad:
  • CanStackerCanStacker Member Posts: 13
    Hi everyone,

    My wife and I purchased a new 2008 5.7 2WD SR5 back in may. We have over 7,000 miles on it already and I think it's the best car I've ever owned.

    We drove it, in October, 2600 miles through Oregon, Idaho, Washington State and Northern California.

    The 5.7 engine with the 6 speed automatic never strained once throughout the trip. We averaged about 20 mpg, with a one of the tanks of fuel being wind aided that registered 24 mpg.

    We are currently looking at a new Venza for my wife to replace her RAV 4.

    It's a great vehicle, but for us there is no doubt the high feature V-8 and the 6 speed transmission is what sets it apart from the competition.

    Thanks for this message board
  • xierxier Member Posts: 99
    CanStacker - thanks for sharing. I feel the same way about our 08 Platinum - although we only have 700 miles on it so far the engine/transmission is superior to vehicles in its class that I tested prior to buying the Sequoia....
  • gcmillsgcmills Member Posts: 6
    Please help - the stock sr5 size is 275/65 r18. the only tire i want to put on the truck is bf goodrich all terrain t/a. so do it you say......well they dont make the BF goodrich all terrain t/a tire in that size! they do make it in 285/65/ r18.

    my question is - does anyone know if that tire will fit the truck? How can i find out?

    Thanks in advance.
  • tee gotee go Member Posts: 6
    The only difference is the width of the two tires...a 275 is slightly less wide than a 285. Just ask the installer...it shouldn't be a problem.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Not only is a 285 wider, it's a bit larger in diameter. Assuming it fits, that will make your speedometer read roughly 2 mph slower at expressway speeds, and when your truck has 100k miles on it, the odometer will read only about 96k (if you care) :) .
  • sirrafsirraf Member Posts: 55
    I am looking to purchase a set of Tire Chains for my Sequoia. Does anyone have a recommended brand/type of chains? Where is the best place to purchase and the cost?
  • saramaddiesaramaddie Member Posts: 19
    I know that all cars will idle fast when first started in cold weather, but my 2008 Seq. sounds like a jet engine when I first start it. It does return to what I feel is a reasonable idle after about 10 seconds. This can't be too great for the engine can it? Does anyone else think theirs is excessively high?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Check your owner's manual to see if there are any recommendations on the type of chain you can use (regular chains, cable chains, Z type etc.). I suspect you have plenty of clearance for regular chains.

    I got my last two sets at the thrift store for about $5. Expect to pay around $40 for a new set. Or more.
  • jbm4jbm4 Member Posts: 5
    My two cents... bought a Limited w/Nav in early November to take advantage of the deals. Never owned a supersize SUV (also have an RX and sold an 01 Tundra when I bought the Sequoia) but needed the three rows for kids, dogs, gear, etc. While I would hesitate to pay $55K+ for a Sequoia, Limiteds selling in the low 40s are a steal. Briefly looked at QX45 (ugly to me) and Suburban/Escalades (hesitated on build quality and depreciation having owned GM before).

    Pros - fit and finish, drivetrain (transmission especially), true 4WD capability (driven in deep snow up steep grades) and carrying capacity - especially the space in the second row. Smooth as butter. Touch screen navigation is great if that's what you prefer (coming out of a BMW with iDrive it's heaven).

    Cons - fuel economy. I knew it would be bad but accepted the tradeoff, and it's bad unless you spend your time on flat highways. For the first 3000 miles, average economy 14.4 mpg, high 18.8 mpg on a couple of highway tanks and low of 9.8 for mainly 4WD snow driving. Also the width of the car can be a con for some.
  • xierxier Member Posts: 99
    JBM - your 2 cents are appreciated - I concur with your overview of the vehicle. IMO its best in class and when you add in the "deals" that are available its a great buy!
  • bogartdbogartd Member Posts: 7
    Hey Folks - Just wondering if anyone elses Sequoia does this...just picked up a brand new 2008 SR5, got a great deal so I have almost no complaints...BUT, being that is brand new of course, I am hyper-sensitive to everything...

    There is a plastic sounding "rattle" inside the passenger area, driver side, just behind the back corner of the moon-roof. When on a perfectly smooth road, you hear nothing...but even the slightest bump or expansion crack causes a very noticeable "rattle". It is loud enough to hear over conversation, but not loud enough to hear over the stereo at a moderate volume. It is a bit annoying, as it is right behind the driver seat.

    If I reach back and apply very light pressure near about the area, it prevents the rattle. I haven't actually got back there yet to really isolate the area (haven't had a chance to get another driver in so I could sit back there).

    Anyone else have this? Am I being too critical? I admit it is possible, but everything I read about the Sequoia indicated that the cabin noise level was well refined, and this definitely seems strange...would love some feedback on this one.

    Thanks much...
  • sinecuresinecure Member Posts: 6
    We believe that we have isolated a similar rattle: it seems that the plastic air conditioning/heating duct occasionally makes contact with the metal roof causing a rattle. A little foam rubber ought to eliminate the rattle, but we'll ask the dealer to take care of it.
  • ratomlinsonratomlinson Member Posts: 26
    I have the exact same rattle in my Platinum.

    I would like to hear more if someone manages to have this fixed - what is it and exactly how can it be fixed.
  • bogartdbogartd Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the reply, sinecure...

    I am curious about how confident you are in your diagnosis? I still haven't had a chance to investigate yet. Also, do you have any experience at all with dealers taking care of these type of things? I have no idea how intrusive of a fix this is, or how willing dealers are to address items like this...anyone with any experience on these types of things? I wonder how easy it is to get into that space...

    Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated...
  • kiiwiikiiwii Member Posts: 318
    A dealer only has a handful of real mechanics who really know things around. They are usually assigned to work on more serious problems (ex. replace transmission). The rest are pretty much high school dropouts who do the oil changes and fixing minor stuffs. If I were you, I wouldn't let them touch my car for a minor rattle. Trust me, they will make the situation worse.
  • bogartdbogartd Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the input Kiiwii, that is exactly what I am worried about...that is what I am wondering as well, whether I am better off leaving it be or not. Again, if anyone has any experience taking care of this rattle on their own or at a shop, I would like to hear how it turned out.
  • sinecuresinecure Member Posts: 6
    bogartd:

    Sometimes rattles and squeeks can be perplexing, but I'm confident that we've isolated our rattle. Just a little pressure on the duct stops the rattle and I can easily make the duct tap the steel roof.

    Dealers will fix easy to isolate squeeks and rattles, but aren't too keen on tracking down and fixing the tougher cases. For example, I bought a 95 Avalon new - drove it 236,000 miles then gave it to my nephew - that had a wind noise problem the dealer was not able to fix. The dealer made two bona fide efforts (unfortunately, not without some firm encouragement) I just decided to accept this defect and appreciate the car as a whole.
  • ccooke70ccooke70 Member Posts: 31
    Hi,

    I have a couple of blank spots on my dash where factory switches can be mounted. I have a loaded Platinum, so I assume these must be for options in Japan or something that is not offered in the US.

    I need to mount a switch for a project I am working on and am looking for options. I would like to find something aftermarket that would mount into those panels. The toyota switches are all prelabeled and really would not do what I want. I want to put a simple toggle switch in but I would like for it to look as professional as possible. Anyone have a line on a good dealer for something like this?

    Chris
  • xierxier Member Posts: 99
    Ha - speaking about extra blank spots on the dash - I was just commenting on the ONE that I have on my dash - Same here - loaded 4X4 Plat but I have one blank spot to the right of the passenger heated seat scroll wheel. TO the left I have the AUX switch - so possible an additinal Aux Switch.

    Does anyone know what this blank is for?
  • jomer001jomer001 Member Posts: 6
    I just bought a new 08 sequoia and after a week i heard the rattle. I agree its the duct that's loose but I made an appt to the dealer to have them check it out on thur. I will keep this site posted.
  • bogartdbogartd Member Posts: 7
    Please do let us know their response, I am debating on whether to call my dealer about it or not...it is one of those things that is relatively minor, but just doesn't seem right. Especially given that the Sequoia is supposedly reknown for their quiet ride and refined interior.

    My biggest fear is having the dealer address it, and them attempting to do so (with all good intention) and either making the problem worse or introducing other problems.
  • hdfatboyhdfatboy Member Posts: 324
    I know this sounds crazy however are you alone in the car when you hear the rattle or do others also hear it? I had a rattle that I heard when I was alone in the vehicle. I thought it was coming from the dash, possibly vent area. I really couldn't clearly identify the location.

    It turned out to be the front passenger shoulder strap buckle which was flipped upside down and gently banging (rattling) against the seat. It was left rubbing against the upper side of the seat and simply needed to be flipped down flat against the strap.

    Problem solved...sound gone. May or may not be your issue however I thought it was worth sharing.
  • bogartdbogartd Member Posts: 7
    Yeah, I thought the same thing at first...I thought maybe it was a random loose item in my 4 year old's booster seat, or some other such thing!

    I honestly haven't gotten in the back seat with someone else is driving to really isolate it...but I can fairly confidently say it is coming from the ceiling, just behind the driver's seat...and I can also reach back and by applying a very small amount of pressure in the right spot on the ceiling actually eliminate/stop the noise. So I am pretty confident there is something loose up there...

    We have only had the vehicle a short period, and just haven't had a chance to get back there while someone else is driving to really search it out yet.

    I am definitely anxious to hear peoples experience getting this addressed...
  • jomer001jomer001 Member Posts: 6
    I took my sequoia to the dealer this morning and they found a loose plastic insulation inside the headliner. they took the headliner out and remounted the loose part. i didnt hear any more rattle after that. It took them half day and was all covered by warranty. My advice is take it back to the dealer for proper repair. I went to Westbury Toyota in Long Island NY. :)
  • karend1karend1 Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone know if the 40/20/40 second row bench seats are removable in the '08 Sequoia? I was told by a salesperson that the 20 portion of the bench seat can be removed and put back in when needed. I didn't get a chance to actually test it out but wondered if this is possible? Basically it would make captain chairs when needed with better access to the third row but still allow for a full bench seat later on.
  • hdfatboyhdfatboy Member Posts: 324
    Congratulations. Good to hear it was fixed and that it didn't cost anything other than your time.
  • harboharbo Member Posts: 136
    How do you open the upper console control for the sunroof / garage door opener etc., on the Sequoia? My Shop manual says nothing. Thanks. Chs
  • hdfatboyhdfatboy Member Posts: 324
    It might be tough to get an answer to your question regarding how to open the roof compartment in an 02-07 Sequoia since you posted your question in a thread for the 2008 Sequoia.
  • jerkyboyjerkyboy Member Posts: 2
    I had bought a new Sequoia less then a month ago, and noticed the same rattling that you noticed in the roof behind the drivers seat. I took it back and they diagnosed it as some of the roof liner supports having broke and were moving around. I did notice that the roof liner was drooping a little right behind my head, so that made perfect sense.

    Whatever the issue, I'm sure it would be easily diagnosed and corrected.
  • 12008431200843 Member Posts: 2
    Any luck on your question so far? I have the exact opposite question...My platinum has the captains set in the 2nd row with two bucket seats on either side. Wanted to replace the captains seat (whis is not really a seat) with an actual seat to increase seating to 8. Want to know how / where I could get that done? I have seen some options online for center console seat that could potentially replace the captains chair but don't know if that's the best way.

    http://www.discountvantruck.com/centerconsoleseats/truckconsoleseats.htm
  • AWLAWL Member Posts: 1
    I'm investigating buying a new 08 sequoia and heard from a dealer they had stopped production on these and have not announced when it will start again.

    aanyone have any info. Was this because of a mechanical issue or a more of a sign of the financial times?
  • amheck1amheck1 Member Posts: 44
    My dealer told me financial reasons. Said they make the 08 model year, skipped the 09 and will resume 10 production this summer. Sa,e dealer is saying that everything on the lot or in transit now is what we got. Nothing new until this summer.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    It's due to extremely slow sales, but your dealer does not have all his facts quite correct. Production at the Princeton plant was completely stopped from August to November last year, and now there are going to be some more temporary production stoppages. Here's an article from the Indianapolis Times dated 1/16/09:

    Posted: January 16, 2009 Toyota's two truck plants near Evansville will halt production temporarily this winter on the Sienna and Sequoia assembly lines.

    The 4,600 workers will still report for duty and continue getting paid, or they can volunteer for unpaid leave, Toyota spokesman Mike Goss said.

    Toyota is cutting output throughout North America to halve the inventory of unsold vehicles on dealer lots. At the Princeton, Ind., complex, production has been canceled for 17 days in March and early April in the Sequoia full-size sport-utility vehicle plant, and eight days in February and 13 days in March in the Sienna minivan plant.

    During the Sequoia down time, the assembly plant will be readied to also produce mid-size Highlander SUVs, a model slated to enter production late this year. Sequoia output will continue on the same line. The Sequoia plant opened in 1997 for assembly of full-size Tundra pickup trucks. Toyota last year moved pickup production to the new Tundra plant at San Antonio, Texas.
  • karend1karend1 Member Posts: 4
    The official answer from Toyota was that it can not be removed. However, several dealers told me it was possible as they have to remove it to change the carpet if necessary.

    However, I did read some where that the console in the Platinum could not be removed because it had the wiring and controls for the heated second row seats. Not sure about it though.
  • kiiwiikiiwii Member Posts: 318
    the dealer will say anything to have you buy their cars.

    I was helping family to shop for a new car 15+ years ago. I forgot if that's a V6 Camry or Cressida (spelling?). To save cost, I asked if dealer can remove the power seat and replace with manual ones. The low life sales dude said sure no problem.
  • vgermannvgermann Member Posts: 8
    I have an '08 Platinum and hear a rattling noise at back of hood at high speeds. i am pretty sure its the washer hose which is not well secured and for whatever reason there is no insulation. Anyone else have this problem? if so, how was it repaired?
  • mikey13170mikey13170 Member Posts: 26
    What color is your interior.......I have captains chairs in Sand Beige leather and would love to put the Bench in. We have three dogs and thats the only reason I fold the seats down. Would be nice to have a solid back. Hate the opening between the seats when down.

    Wanna trade?

    Mike
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