Toyota Sequoia

sequoiasaurus

Well as an earlier poster in this forum before the Sequoia was even released I'm sorry to say that I haven't participated as much as I should have over the past several months. I love my Sequoia no matter what though. I bought the third one my dealer got and couldn't be happier other than paying full sticker for it. I would buy another if it wasn't so big but my wife wants an ML so I ordered her that instead, which is very nice and comfortable too.

With that being said...I can tell all that 2 months ago I started noticing unusual sounds from my brakes and more noticeable vibrations through the steering wheel which is an indication of rotor problems. This started almost a week or two after I had taken it in for oil/filter change and rotation. I immediately took it back in and thought that the tech's may have over tightened the lugs which can cause warped rotors. The tech that did the repair rode with me and completely agreed with the complaint. The dealer/Toyota replaced the rotors and did a complete brake job at no charge to me under warranty.

When I picked up the vehicle a week later (parts delay)and did a test drive I was very happy with the results and went on my way.

Now, I am starting to get that vibration again in the steering wheel but no noticeable noise from the brakes. I do drive in alot of stop and go traffic and tend to drive aggressively so now I've convinced myself to slow it down b/c I know if I take it back in they (dealer) are going to start thinking differently. But now after reading just a few posts here and there I'm beginning to wonder if there is a problem with the brakes/rotors?

Spoiler: I ordered the OEM spoiler for my Seq 4x2 Limited thinking that I could install it myself. But had it installed by the dealer instead b/c it required drilling holes that I didn't want to be responsible for. They did it for about $50 + parts of course.

Jack

cliffy1

Most of the time, if the rotors need replaced before 36K, it is done under warranty like your was. The only expect ion is if you neglected other maintenance. Since your vibration is back, you should be covered again.

drew_

FWIW, most rear disc vehicles have a drum-in-disc setup for the parking brake, so I would think that it wouldn't be an issue?


Drew
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heatwave3

The GM brakes on my two previous 3/4 ton Suburbans were terrible in terms of longevity. They worked great but needed to be replaced every 12-15,000 miles. I have 8500 miles on a 2001 Denali XL with almost no appreciable wear.

There are several posters on other forums that have still not had to replace brake pads and they are well past 30K miles on the 2000 and 2001 Yukon XLs and Suburbans. GM appears to have learned alot from the previous F/S SUV brake design resulting in substantially greater life expectancy for their current Suburban and Yukon XL brake pads.

toyotatoys

I guess I'll find out soon how I am doing on my brake pads.

Sequoiasaurus, I thought all LTDs come with the rear wind deflector or spoiler (and I hope these two terms mean the same thing). I never realized that there are still dealerships that charge $50 on any job done, especially one that involves drilling.

Thanks all.

norwesterner

Toyotatoys, the rear spoiler is an option on the LTD in the Seattle area anyway.

mechengr1

It's good to hear that Toyota buys their brake pads and rotors at the same place GM buys their's. My blazer ate pads, every 15k without fail.

I drive highway, and don't jackrabbit. GM said that life if normal. Mechanic told me that the rotors and pads were undersized for the blazer.

I hope Toyota didn't go the same route..

NL

sequoiasaurus

T-toys: No the spoiler was an option at that time unfortunately. I believe I paid $140 for it and the dealer installed it for $50. Not bad. Of course I just spent $40,000+ there just a few weeks before too.

Neil's observation about Toyota using the same vendor as GM makes me wonder if down the road we could see some type of "merger" b/w Toyota and GM. I've noticed of the past months/years how Toyota and GM have really started working more closely. Especially on this new Vibe program that comes out soon. Just an observation.

lupga

as a owner, i have been constantly reading reviews of the sequoia, one thing i don't really understand. most of the comments saying that sequoia suffer from it's size on the road, it's hard to park, take off.... a typical truck feeling. but this kind of comments have never been mentioned on the landcrusier or LX470, they are always commented as the most wonderful engineering of it's kind, as far as i know, their engine is exactly the same, i thought everything is built around the engine and the sequoia is only 10" longer than the other two and it weight more or less the same. i know sequoia is using the tundra frame work, but does it make that much difference on parking and running around the city comparing to the most amazing' landcrusier and LX470? as the matter of fact, i test drove the landcrusier once to see how smooth it's compared to my sequoia, but the only difference is, it does feel a bit better when it's making a u turn. otherwise i can't see any point paying $10000 or much more for the same engine. well, does critics has any connection to toyota or lexus to justify their price for the co-called luxury toy?

intmed99

Hey all,

TLC is built on a very sturdy frame. As i remembered, it had the strongest frame of ANY SUV when i came out in '98. I am sure that it still applies. I am not sure how it compares to the Tundra/Sequoia...but i would assume that it is stronger. TLC was made to be the best in any class with the best compromise between on-road and off-road abilities.

Sequoia has much of the same technologies, but it lacks a few of TLC's off-roading abilities, such as approach/breakover/departure angles and ground clearance.

I do like Sequoia's 4WD system which allows for 2WD operation.

Thanks.

dptbones

anyone know where I can find 2002 invoice pricing? Its not available on this site yet.

Also, does anyone know anything about the electrochromic mirror option? My dealer told me I couldn't get the electrochromic side mirrors with turn signals on the limited only on the SR5. Doesn't sound right to me.

Thanks
David

jeffbm

Hello. I just picked up my new 2002 Sequoia today and I love it! When I ordered it, I requested the 10 speaker system, but the sticker that came with the car says 8 speakers. I'm not sure how Toyota is counting the speakers, but I can only count 6 myself (1 at the bottom of each door and a tweeter at the top of the front doors). Any idea why the sticker says 8 speakers? I can only find references to 6 or 10 speakers.

I also haven't been able to verify the operation of the glass-break sensor following the owners manual instructions. I've hit the drivers side glass fairly hard with my hand (using my wedding ring) and still no warning of any kind. Any thoughts? Do I need to have the dealer adjust the sensitivity?

Thanks,

Jeff

714cut

There was a post a long time ago about the speakers. There are 2 tweeters in the A pillars and I believe 3 speakers in each front door enclosure and 1 in each rear door enclosure. It may be 2 in the front and two in the back but it has been confirmed 10 speakers.

neussl

Sequoia 2002 Invoice pricing has been available at www.autosite.com for well over a month. I don't know why this forum is so far behind in its posting. BTW, Tuscaloosa Toyota (in Alabama)is selling any new Toyota at flat invoice through the 29th of Sept. Get on their e-mail list and they'll keep you advised of their specials.

jeffbm

Thanks for the info on the speakers. This is what I assumed to be the case and looking through the speaker grills in the doors I can see there are actually 2 speakers per door and a tweeter in each A pillar in front - 10 speakers. This does not explain why the sticker for the vehicle says 8 speakers. Maybe it was just a typo? Seems unlikely that this would be the case. Anyway, can't complain, the car is great!

Thanks,

Jeff

dptbones

Has anyone actually seen the dealer invoice? What does it look like? Does it breakdown the options one by one and list the invoice price of each? My dealer would only give me something called the Southeast toyota vehicle display and it only lists the invoice price. The problem is that what I calculated as the invoice price is not matching the invoice price on the vehicle display so the dealer and I are having a disagreement as to the exact invoice price. I think in the future I will just make an offer and agree to a hard number. I feel like the way I did the deal (invoice plus $250) I am at the mercy of whatever figure the dealer wants to call the invoice.

David

mechengr1

As sequoiasaurus notes, I was being very sarcastic, I hope Toyota did their brakes better than the Blazer I used to own. They had 2 recalls on the brakes in the 6 yrs I owned it. I certainly believe the Disk Disk layout is far better than the Disk Drum.

Granted the fronts have more abuse than the rears, but the brakes themselves seem pretty beefy and about the right size for this truck…

hitex

The Sequoia has been positioned as qualifying as an ULEV, but none of the dealers with whom I have spoken will confirm this or comment on it one way or the other. Even Toyota customer service directed me to review the options, where I found nothing specifically addressing the question. Was this claim an early advertising flub that has been quietly retracted or is it true? Is there some hidden option that I have missed?

cliffy1

There is a web site that lists this. I'll see if I can track it down and post it. I'm 99% sure the Sequoia is a ULEV truck.

714cut

Yes it is an ULEV. It's right in the brochure- both 2001 and 2002 brochures. If I'm not mistaken, it's the only full size SUV to be certified ULEV.

mmcgregor

Just a side note - my dealer mentioned that the undersized wheels on this truck are required to meet ULEV standards. I think the original design had 17" wheels.

714cut

I'm not a technical guy but I believe the ULEV rating has little to do with the wheel size. I believe the engine itself dictates the rating. Because the Sequoia has 32 valves and double overhead cams it is a "free breathing" engine compared to competitors. This contributes to the efficiency of the engine.

sequoiajd

I have a 2001 SR5 with 6500 miles and have had it back to the dealer 3 times due to a strange burning smell upon acceleration. They can not find any leaks and said it could be the undercoating and/or the Autobutler(an anti corrosion-acid rain deterrent) that was applied on the verhicle. I just joined this forum, so forgive me if this was discussed previously, but has anyone had a similar experience? Love the vehicle beyond that annoying smell.

thanks.

dptbones

I heard a rumor that Tuscaloosa is selling Sequoia's at inventory prices. I live in Tampa Florida and just bought a Black 2wd Limited from Sun toyota for $250 over invoice and I think I got a great deal. Although I can't be sure about the inventory pricing at Tuscaloosa I've heard they have done it in the past and with the current economic environment it makes sense. If you're interested I can tell you that Scott Bell at Tuscaloosa was VERY helpful to me in verifying facts about the vehicle. He was very upfront in telling me that he didn't want to take business away from local dealers unless they were unwilling to provide good deals. I'd drop him an email if you want any further info. His phone number is (205)553-3325 ext. 111. His email is scottbell@setdlr.com

I am not Scott Bell. My name is David Thompson and I am an Orthopaedic surgeon in the Tampa area. As I mentioned I bought my Sequoia last weekend from Sun Toyota in New Port Richey from Sean for $250 over invoice.

David

drumbold

I have a 2001 Land Cruiser with 3000 miles on it. During the past 3 weeks I have also noticed a burning smell on about 4 occasions. I have yet to have it looked at. If I find anything out I will let you know.

jmaitland1

Has anyone has a problem with volume balance problems between the front and rear speakers? If the front speakers are set to a comfortable volume there is hardly any volume in the rear speakers withe balance set at "0." If the balance is faded all the way to the rear, the volume has to turned to the maximum in order to hear the rear speakers. The dealer acknowledges the problem, but has not come up with a repair. Also, the bass seems way over-responsive to me. Overall, I'm pretty unhappy with the quality and sound of the "premium" stereo. Anybody having similar problems?

redwood2002

Someone earlier posted a complaint about the rear speakers. This in my opinion is a design flaw in the comfort of this vehicle. There are NO speakers to service the third row of passengers. The sound experience is optimized for when all the speakers are on, but fails miserably when you want to fade to the rear. (With Children, the fade function is used often!) I want to take the car to a car audio specialist and see what can be done inexpensively. I wouldn't mind putting in another pair of speakers on the rear pillar, but I do not want to have to upgrade my entire system (I have the JBL system already!). If and when I figure this out I will post my experience. I hope anyone who has done this already will do the same.

pbhorto

I am the one who posted earlier. Still looking for a good solution. Thanks for the help on this. Please post any suggestions you get from your audio specialist, even if you decide not to follow them.

baseballmom94

I know this varies according to vehicle and region, but does anyone have some examples of monthly lease payments between Sequoia and Tahoe/Yukon? We will be leasing a vehicle next
April and have not yet visited dealers to obtain hard numbers. We'll look at a loaded Tahoe or a SR5 2WD Sequoia. Also interested in comparisons between these two vehicles. In my area, I'm seeing tons of Tahoes/Suburbans on the road and not as many Sequoias......must be a reason.

fishcar

baseballmom wrote I'm seeing tons of tahoes/suburbans on the road and not as many sequoias.... must be a reason."

I believe the reason is that sequoia production is limited...

Some time ago, there was a link posted that listed/compared the number of several different vehicles manufactured/sold for the past few years. As I recall, the number of SUVs sold by the major American corps (Ford/GMC) numbered in the several 100s of thousands... (I think the years production of explorers was ~300,000... but I may not remember correctly... does anyone remember the link?). For comparison, only ~60,000 sequoias are being produced each year. So, it is not surprising that you will see more of everything else. I am always on the lookout for other seq... on a 2000 mi roadtrip to Oregon this summer, I saw 1. On a 1000 mi road trip to Yellowstone this week, I saw 1. I enjoy the uniqueness of my sequoia...

It should not be taken as a sign of quality that Ford or GMC sells more large SUVs (the sales number have been used in this manner in this forum before!)... Ford and GMC make more SUVs to sell. I would bet that Toyota could sell as many Seq as they could make!

Just my two cents...

ibmindless

For what it's worth, I agree that the "premium" JBL system leave something to be desires. When I attempt to move the sound towards the 2nd row of seats (for the kids, you know), all it really seems to do is dim the sound of the front speakers. The 2nd row speakers are barely audible compared to the fronts - no matter how the fader is configured. And I love bass, but this is WAAAY too bassy.

rozubo

Anyone with an opinion or experience with after market leather seating in the SR5? My local dealer has indicated that it's much nicer than the factory leather seating and it would be less expensive than the PM package.

stever

You may want to browse or ask over in the Aftermarket leather upholstery discussion too.

Steve
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oac3

I did put AM leather seating and trim in my SR5. This was performed via the dealer at a ridiculous cost of $1,300. You should get it done for $200 less than this. In fact Ultra Trim, an AM outfitter in Gardenia, CA, has a price of $1000 for AM leather seat + trim installed, plus 7.75% CA tax, of course

cliffy1

$1000 for leather on a vehicle with a third seat is VERY cheap. As a dealer, my cost is close to $1600 for the Sequoia. We pay a bit less than $1000 for most other vehicles. Maybe California has cheaper cows.

oac3

This is the 10th largest world economy afterall. We grow our own cows here and they are "bigger than yours" out there

Seriously, Dianne would tell you, the installation cost to the consumer is more like $1,000 + tax out here for the Sequoia with 3rd row seats. This includes leather in the door trims as well. Maybe $1100 with a stretch.... but certainly NOT $1600 !!!

mulligan2

AM leather may be economical and you may get leather door inserts but your side air bags may not work correctly. Why take a chance?

stever

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Review

Steve
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oac3

please note: you cannot put AM leather replacement if your Seq comes with side and curtain airbags....

mulligan2

Has anyone found accessories like ski carriers, canoe mounts or bike racks that fit the factory crossbars?

rozubo

Thanks for all of your helpful replies. In fact, I think I'm going to pass on leather all together. Cloth is much more comfortable and durable here in the Arizona heat. I do, as opposed to the many opinions I've seen here, like the Hammertone dash/accents. Does anyone know if I can order an SR5 with it or if there is a quality AM kit available for it? The parts dept. didn't have one listed in their system and says I would probably need to purchase a LTD. to get it. Anyone with a pleasant experience and/or a good deal in the Phoenix metro area that you'd like to share?? I actually saw a sticker this afternoon that clearly listed a $5,000 upcharge for the Phoenix market area. The dealer was quick to dismiss it.

lutz572

I have a yakima system. There is a cross bar configuration that connects directly to the roof rack. I bought the 5' rails. Connected to this I put a canoe in the middle and two bikes on either side. I also bought the wind ferring as it was quite noisy without it.

cubalibre

I currently have just over 7,000 miles on my SR5 Sequoia and while traveling up steep hills a strong amonia-like odor is emitted in the inside of the vehicle. I took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Has anyone experienced this before? If so, please let me know what was done to correct this problem. E-mail: cuba213310@aol.com

slackers

Here's a good one. After backing my Limited into my long driveway, I've noticed, on several occassions, what sounds like a frog croaking. At first I thought it was coming from a nearby creek....but realized it was coming from the Sequoia ! I haven't gotten down underneath but it's coming from the rear end (not mine). This is after the Toy is shut off and I've locked it up. Anyone have a clue or similar experience ? Also.......that wireless rear window button only works to lower the window, not raise it....at least I hope that's correct. If not, mine is not working right. Comments ?

aix91

slackers,
Your are right. The remote only lowers the rear window. I thought I was doing something wrong myself when I first tried this function. Best guess is it's probably a safety feature, especially for kids that might get caught with the window going up.

crapgame

I have heard the croaking frog on a number of occasions. Kind of a pulsing sound. I assumed it was the fuel pump. Is this the case?

toyotatoys

I think sometime ago somebody posted something about a "grille guard" or "brush guard" for a Sequoia. Has anyone installed one of these or can point to me where to look? Thanks.

petro33

my seq did the same thing and someone on this site told me it was the gas tank. When you hear it croaking all you do is unscrew the gas cap. It has something to do with pressure in the gas tank and a valve slowly releasing the pressure. If that is the issue this should solve the croaking, however there is no solution as the release valve is doing its job...

thirdsuv

There was a discussion a couple months ago about how little of the "leather" package is real leather.
My estimate is that approx 2/3rds of the leather is artificial.

thirdsuv

And it was also generally agreed upon that this trickery is the norm across most makers.