Is there any such thing as an American Corporation anymore? It is a World Economy whether we like it or not. All auto manufacturers use parts made all over the world don't they? Is there a sovereign auto maker anymore? It would appear that more than one national economy benefits from any auto maker and that buying from one helps the economy of the world in general. I'm sure the United Nations loves this as they are World Government proponents. No sovereign corporations, no sovereign governments.
Thank you for your forbearance...and I promise no more chest thumping, flag waving, or off-topic pontificating until next year.
To the post about the part number for the updated Sequoia amplifier -- I don't have that but I saw it in the Toyota parts computer, and think the changeover date was 07/01. Check with your dealer to get the facts on that one.
Basically, I got so frustrated with the @#$% thing I said I wanted to order one with my own nickel. That's when the Service Dept. became responsive. It hasn't been shipped yet, so will post my experiences when this is settled.
My next project is getting an updated VSC chip, although that is not as big an annoyance.
I have a 01 Sequioa SR5 and had a video system installed by a local installer of car Audio systems. He had to cut out the heating duct under the passenger seat to place the VCR there. The video unit replaces the overhead light behind Sunroof. The one I purchased had the largest screen but it folds down towards the backseat instead of towards the front seat. That type makes a differences because the screen is now closer to the back seats and limits the angle of viewing for those in the second row of seats. The installer pointed that little oversight out to me, which turns out to be quite true. It's not a problem for those in the third row. This can work to your advantage, because the kids want to sit in the third row, that much further away from me. :-)
He also wired in to my stereo system so they can hear through the stereo, when I'm in a rather generous mood, otherwise they wear the wireless headsets. Came with an antenna for regular TV reception, installs on the inside of the windshield runs against the inside side upward and also across the bottom, non obtrusive. Works well when in a reception area or outside of hilly terrain.
Plug: The system works great, we went round trip PA to Arizona this year pulling a 3K lbs camper, Sequioa pulls like a champ, hit 85mph on I 40 without even realizing it.
The only problem I have encountered with the Video system is every time the kids get in the car they say the following "Can we watch a Movie." Try looking out the Windows and enjoying the beauty of America, that's your movie!!! Yes, I'm a Dad. :-)
when i read your piece especially the Plug part, i felt a pinge of guilt bcos all my kids wanted for xmas was a tv/vcr combo in the Seq so they get to watch their favorite movies while on the road. instead, we (mum and dad) figured a bigger house is better and we invested in real estate (in escrow to move this month) and we cannot be more happier (the kids got their second choices...) anyways, i will definitely try to get this video in the car for my kids no later than this summer. can you shed more light on your system ? what size of screen, what did it cost installed ? will appreciate hearing back on this. i don't have the sunroof, but would want the screen to be viewable for both middle and third seat. both my kids love the third seat while grandma is forced to seat in middle row.
Just got back from south of Buffalo (7' in one day, three inches an hour). I was out in the deep stuff, places where the plow shows up every day whether you need it or not. Need to guess where the road is by the phone poles, if you can see them in the white outs. The Sequoia worked perfectly- never got stuck, not even when I backed down a steep, unplowed driveway via the yard and bushes. Did slide around on the ice, and got beeping noises from something like the braking system - but overall was quite satisfied with the snow handling. If I am in four wheel, the power drop cannot occur, right? The thing was beeping at me so much in the skid that I wasn't sure whether I cut the power or the truck did? Happy New Year. Hockey Mom
Does anyone know if Toyota plans to make a DVD Navigation system similar to the one installed in the Land Cruiser and Camry available on the Sequoia in the near future. I plan to purchase an SR5 as soon as the 2003 models are available and would love to have this option.
Hi fellow Sequoia owners! I have read several posts about the rear speakers not really working (when fading from front to rear), but have not seen a solution (although it has been mentioned about taking it to a car audio specialist). Can this problem be resolved? I own a 2001 Sequoia Limited, and it is driving me crazy when I can't hear the music from the rear seats. I took the SUV to the dealership and they said that there is nothing wrong with it and this is the way it is supposed to work. I find that hard to believe! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!
The power cut "feature" will not engage in 4WD as a result of the traction control system. It will engage in a lateral skid as part of the VSC system, but if that kicks in, you really need it. That can be disabled by hitting the "VSC OFF" button on the dash.
I am trying to disable the auto locking feature for the doors. After several attempts of following the manual..close door, parking brake on, shifter in P, turn switch to ON, and within 10 seconds - press and hold the lock switch for 5 seconds... Can't seem to make it happen. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Like Ducatista could not re program the auto lock feature even I though followed the Manual instructions countless times. Amazing enough I could not find anyone at the Toyota dealership that knew how to do it either. Tired of finding the rear doors locked each time I have to let my kids out. Would also appreciate any advice.
I know what you mean. I nearly went mad trying to program the locks. I finally broke down and made a trip to the dealer service dept. One of the Service Managers was fresh from the same episode with an '02 Camry and tackled the Sequoia with aplomb. The Sequoia and Camry door lock programming share nothing in common. After many attempts and 15 minutes of frustration, he finally hit on the right combination for my mode 2 request. The manual is at worst wrong and at best confusing on this subject. The way the service guy reset to mode 2 was to first set mode 4, and then (with the doors unlocked) went through the procedure listed in the manual to set mode 2. It seems that the doors have to be unlocked and then locked to make the program work. This was not possible from mode 1 (the factory default) because the doors automatically lock when you take it out of Park making it impossible to start from an unlocked position; kind of a 'catch 22'. The manual, of course, made no mention of this so I guess it's considered to be an undocumented feature!
Note that this applies to '02 models only. '01 models have to be re-programmed with the dealer's computer.
Given that I'm one to run my vehicle into the ground, (currently drive an '88 Pathfinder with 172,000 mi.) I'm considering an extended warranty on a new Sequoia. Anyone have the lowdown on what's available and what's a fair price to pay for one?
Ah. Thanks, Cliffy. It was a bad lateral skid on sheet ice, so that makes sense that the VSC kicked in and reduced the power. I could have done without the beeping noise, as I was trying to steer out of it, and the loud racket was distracting to me. I knew that I was in a bad skid without the noise, after all. It was a perfect set up for a skid with six foot snowbanks on either side, so I wasn't too worried, so it was a good way to get the hang of working with the vehicle. Next time, I will know what to expect. Good snow vehicle, truly.
Are the rollover ratings out yet for the Sequoia? I did wonder as I drove around in the lovely Buffalo whiteout, but was pleased that I have side air bags and side air curtains. The numbers on the width vs. height seemed to be more friendly than those for other large SUVs, and I was guessing that the Seq. will come in with a solid three star as compared to the 4Runner's two star. The true clearance for the Sequoia is lower than that which is stated in the literature, from what I can gather, and it is two inches shorter than the Yukon, plus wider. These figures would tend to point to less of a rollover problem, although one always needs to watch. I have a soon-to-be-driving teenage son, so I do worry about these things. I suppose the boy should drive it without four wheel drive engaged if on dry pavement so that the VSC feature cuts the power for him if he gets too speedy behind the wheel? What do you think?
Along those same lines, I suspect that the crash tests for the Tundra were encouraging if they are relevant to the Sequoia, especially since the Sequoia got a beefed up cabin frame and I think they boxed in the rails when they did the conversion to the new design? I was told that beams went into the doors as well, but could not find any documentation of that.
I would keep it in 4WD, especially with novice drivers. I keep it in 4WD all the time for stability and safety. A new driver could spin out the back end on a slippery road in 2WD even with the power reduction feature.
hockeymom: While there is no rollover data for the Sequoia, it has in fact a 2" longer wheelbase and in overall length is 5" longer than a Yukon, not shorter. It is also 1" narrower than a Yukon, not wider.
Given that it weighs about 150lbs more than a Yukon with similar height but a 2" higher clearance it should theoretically have lower resistance to rollover than a Yukon, however I suspect that it will be similar enough to a Yukon a earn a similar rating.
Had a deal on Saturday to wait for delivery of new Sequoia this week. Dealer gave me a brand new Camry for the time being. Well, I called my dealer today. They said the remote dealer sold the new SUV and they just found out. I wasn't too happy at first. But, they called me back 20 minutes later. Said I could drive a demo vehicle every week for 3 more weeks (translated: new vehicle every week) until my Sequoia came in with exactly what I wanted. And no miles on it. It is an SR5, not a Limited, and $1150 over invoice.
Began what seems like it's going to be a very pleasurable purchasing experience with a local internet/fleet mgr. Put in a request via email to him 2 days ago and he's located the exact Sequoia I want: SR5 2WD/Desert Sand/Oak Leather, AH, CQ, PM, AC, KE, DF, LF....jury's still out on the "gold package" and daytime running lamps (easy to add later). Says it's in Michigan but we'll find out tomorrow if we can have it diverted here. $34,672. (about $850. over invoice) includes all charges/fees except a $275. doc. fee and tax, title, license. I'm usually an optomist but almost thinking this is too easy and too good to be true.
You forgot to mention to beep your horn 3 times while pointing South in Neutral with Traction turned off...... Now I know why the dealer people had no clue. Thanks for the procedure. I'll let you know tomorrow if it works out.
The clearance of the Sequoia is not the stated amount, but is lower in actual measurement from the literature. The Sequoia is two inches shorter in height off the ground, which is a heavily weighted contributing variable in the algorithmic computations of rollover propensity because of its contribution to reducing the center of gravity. It indeed has a longer wheelbase, which is a strong and significant factor contributing to less of a probability for rollover, with a demonstrated and significant correlation between shorter wheelbases and the computed rollover statistics for other rated vehicles. Thus, I believe when the Sequoia is tested, I suspect that it will show a lower rollover computation, and that this will yield a three star rating with the numbers higher into the ratings category than the comparable figures for the Yukon. Further, the vehicle's stability control mechanisms will add to this reduced rollover propensity, which is not available on the Yukon at present, but only available on the Mercedes, the X5 and the Sequoia. The stability mechanisms are not computed or weighed into the equasion for rollover propensities, but are critical in real world rollover situations. As I recall, the X5 has some surprising issues with stability that might be attributed to the shorter wheelbase, according to a test done by Motor Trend or Car and Driver, but I do not have that link any more. As you may know, any SUV with a wheelbase of 111 inches or more carries a real stability concern, as do all SUV's by their very nature. All in all, I considered each vehicle, and decided that the Sequoia will be among the best in this category, once rated. We will have to wait and see when the data are posted.
baseballmom: please note that the Cadillac Escalade also has one of the most sophisticated stability tracking systems on the market in addition to the BMW, MB and the Sequoia as you noted. Secondly where are you taking the measurement for determining the clearance of your vehicle? The manufacturers are very precise in determing these measurements particularly in suvs as these numbers will be used in calculating the rollover risk by the government.
I find it hard to believe that Toyota would be off by 2 inches in determining the clearance of the Sequoia. I do agree with your assessment on longer wheelbases contributing to a reduction in rollover risk, which is why the Suburban and Yukon XL have one of the lowest risks of rollovers and in fact have some of the lowest rates of death and injury on an annual basis for any vehicle on the road.
Hi, heatwave. I quote this guy's review, taken directly from the following web site, http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/45402/article.html, to show the reason for the difference in clearance data: "Toyota again uses somewhat questionable measurement techniques when it comes to ground clearance, listing the Sequoia's lowest point at a lofty 10.6 inches. The problem stems from where they take that measurement. Unlike most manufacturers that measure from the bottom of the rear differential (typically the lowest hanging point on a vehicle), Toyota measured from the lowest hanging point supported by the suspension, in this instance, the transfer case located roughly in the middle of the vehicle. While this may satisfy official measurement guidelines, in the real world, having 10.6 inches of transfer case clearance isn't going to mean much when your rear differential (actual clearance equals 9 inches) gets hung up on a 10-inch-thick log. The strangest aspect of this whole situation is that even when measured from the rear differential, the Sequoia still beats its Ford (7.5 inches) and GM (8.4 inches) competitors when it comes to ground clearance."
To me, that indicates that there is a difference of only .6 inches in clearance between the Yukon and the Sequoia in reality- which is relevant as regards the true stability issue. The two inches I am referencing, however, is that the Sequoia is shorter from the ground to the top of the vehicle. I do readily agree with your point that the XL and Suburban vehicles will have a greater stability if the underlying safety contributions from the vehicle stability control feature is not considered due to their longer wheelbases, also the Ford Excursion. The Escalades that I saw were all stickered at the 50K mark, so I didn't consider those very much, even though it has stability in it. Did it have side air bags and side air curtains? X5, Mercedes and Sequoia did, and that was important to me, too. I'm not sure my teenage son should start out learning to drive in this big vehicle, to be truthful, and that was the reason why I had picked the earlier Volvo XC. I'm not sure what I will do when the time comes for him to get behind the wheel!
Hi everyone. This is my first post although I have been a reader of this board for a long time. I own a 2001 Sequoia 2wd with about 12000 miles. Vehicle has been problem free until recently. My job took me out of the country for about 5 months and my Sequoia stayed parked in the garage untouched the whole time. When I returned and drove the vehicle I noticed a very bad vibration when driving. I noticed the tires needed some air so went straight to the gas station. After adding air vibration improved but is still present at higher speeds. Does anyone know what this could be from? Vehicle drove perfect before I stored it. I live in Phoenix and temperatures must have gotten very hot in garage being that it was summer. Don't know if this is a factor or not. Any knowledge on this situation and how to remedy the problem would be greatly appreciated.
You've probably got flat spots in the tires. It isn't good to let a vehcile sit for so long without moving it every now and then. The "fix" will probably be to buy new tires.
hockeymom5: thanks for the report on clearance. It very much helped explain the difference in the clearance dimensions although it still leaves me abit baffled why Toyota would measure from a different location than the rest of the industry.
On the subject of teenage sons learning to drive, I also have a 16 1/2 year son with a driving permit. He drives the Denali XL quite frequently although he prefers driving our Avalon as a new driver. Not sure what we'll get him as a first car, although I doubt it'll be an suv.
BTW, The GM F/S SUVs including the Denali and Escalade have side air bags installed in the front seats as well as the typical front air bags.
Well I've been away for months but it all seems so familiar....
1)No search engine 2)Message numbers that don't match 3)people who don't realize that the wind resonance is the sign of a tight car 4)GM trolls throwing turds from the corner of the room
Oh well... is there a dealer fix for the bass problem? I'd imagine that the 02 don't have this issue. So what got changed and who do I have to yell at to get it fixed?
You might be interested in my post 4306. I'm kind of surprised that it hasn't garnered any interest, other than one "aside". Looks like Toyota is probably going to buy it back from me. Then I have to figure out whether to get another one, and try again. Any thoughts?
Escalade has side air bags but side air curtains are not available. The Ltd. Sequoia has side air bags and side air curtains in the front, option on the SR5. X5 and Audi's have them as an option in front and back. Mercedes, Volvo, Volkswagen and the Saturn have SAB and SAC as a standard feature. Ford Explorer has an entire air cage device, but are not strong on the structural crash data. The Volvo XC '01 had a slight edge over the Sequoia due to a lower rollover SSF, better crash avoidance and SAC and SAB in the front and rear, but it was sooooo tiny, weighed far less, and was lower to the ground. The X5 and Mercedes have a very short wheelbase when compared to Seq., and thus may be easier to tip. SAC are viewed as a big, new improvement in side collisions. Hockeymom
OK, let me get this straight. The Sequoia is a great vehicle with a few quirks, such as:
> the bass on the stereo sounds like you're sitting in a bass drum in a 4th of July parade;
> the stereo's fader control does just that - the sound fades away out the back window;
> if you open the back window, or ANY back window without using the proper combination of equal window-cracking compensation, the deep resonating buffeting will cause your head to implode;
> when you turn off the vehicle, everyone is imprisoned unless you consult the manual for the deprogramming of the auto-lock feature. That would be the cure except, a few key syllables got dropped in the translation from Japanese to English;
> If you're cold, you shiver until your bones rattle. Same thing with the Sequoia - the valves tick until warm. OK, maybe it's the injectors instead - just wrap little sound-deadening coats around them and all will be better;
> If you go into a skid, you'll die. First you'll be frightened by the skid itself, then your heart will stop when the VSC starts beeping loudly. If that doesn't get you, you'll die from reaching down to turn the VSC off and slide into some permanent, immovable object;
> the dash rattles, the tires wander, the brakes fade faster than my favorite jeans, and that creaking noise up front means I have a lousy weld-job.
Yes, Sequoia fans, THIS is QUALITY! After all, Toyota has a reputation for quality, so we should equate all of these little quirks to "character." As for me, I'm afraid I must admit that I'm becoming a bit disillusioned as these discoveries continue. In the meantime, I'll seek some solace in that smooth silky ride and sweet purring engine (once it's all snuggly & warm).
Front and side air bags and side air curtains with a beefed up chassis frame and electronic vehicle stability control, a sophisticated 4 wheel drive system, steel beams in the doors, and pretensioners in the front seats as well as a longer wheelbase, making it potentially safer than any of the SUV competitors with the same equipment. The front offset 40 mph crash test for the Tundra, on which frame the Sequoia design is based, ranked it as the best buy last year for safety among large pick up trucks. The only other SUVs with side air bags and air curtains are of short wheelbases, higher roof clearances and lighter weight. Seq. may be one of the safest SUVs on the market. Brakes stop faster than any other SUV of its size and weight.
iForce engine, smooth and elegant acceleration, well proven in the award winning Tundra with highest reliability documented in the Consumer Reports data for several years. Very nice comments on the Tundra engine anywhere you choose to look- magazines, owners boards, consumer data.
Pretty inside and out. Enormous and has three rows of adult sized seats, all in elegant grey leather.
Safe, large, reliable to 200,000 miles and pretty and pleasing to drive. Sequoia sure beats the competition, Yukon, X5, Escalade, Mercedes, Suburban, Jeep, Jimmy, Explorer, Isuzu, Honda, and whatever else that you might wish to look at. Works for me. I have owned a Yukon, a Mercedes, a Ford Bronco and a Jeep Cherokee- each one of which disintegrated in expensive ways somewhere between 75K and 100K miles. I bet on the Tundra engine and the Toyota reliability reputation. The dealer was a dream to deal with, too, took me far less than 3 hours to purchase and drive away, including test drive and loan and emptying my car out. I was at the GM, Volvo, Mercedes and Jeep dealerships for hours and hours and hours while they screwed around with the paperwork. Then back later to get the things repaired (except the Volvo) over and over and over again at my expense. Hope that straightens out exactly why the Sequoia is a very good choice when the data are compared. Hockeymom
Hockeymom: to me, it all came down to safety. All the other things you eloquently describe are bonuses. I've had Fords quit cold in high speed traffic (see California class-action suit) and GMs digest engine parts. No more, thank you.
Thirdsuv: the amplifier changed part numbers around last July. I listened to an 02 in the dealership and the problem seems to be gone. What I told the service person was that I wanted to order the new amp. That's when he said he could probably get it replaced gratis.
Cliffy Thanks --- I think. Minuteman HA! THAT was pretty funny. You've been watching me drive? pschreck Actually, I drive a 2002 Sequoia SR5, 2WD. I thought about the MDX, but fell for the SEQ. Thirdsuv my 2002 has the BOOMING bass. Hockeymom Yes, all of those attributes are wonderful, BUT... shouldn't we have a quality product for our $$$??? The brakes stop quicker than others, but shouldn't they last awhile? I have 3,700 miles and I can feel that the rotors are warped already. And I BABY this beauty. Gee, how convenient... whenever I drop in for a 3K-mile oil change, I'll just have them throw in a new set of brakes!
And back to minuteman for a second: I bought my SEQ mostly for safety features too, but don't the brakes figure rather prominently in that equation?
My point is... I shopped for quality, I paid for quality, and I want quality. I love the Seq, but I'm very dissatisfied with many of its quirks (shortcomings/defects). Why do we allow ourselves to settle for less than satisfactory?
If you look at the Edmund's Sequoia new car price info you might think these things are a kinda reasonable. At my local dealer (in a smallish city and only one dealer) there are 3 SR5's and 2 Limited. All the SR5's have a sticker at or above $39k and the 2 Limiteds are $42k and $44k respectively. I live in the Gulf States dist. region and all the adds to the base sticker are port added options which are mostly high profit adds that mean nothing at trade-in time (you know the stuff......paint shield, etched glass, and road side assist). I suppose the free market-place is a wonderful thing, but I've never seen anything like a Sequoia in the low or even mid $30's. We seem to be 5-6k higher here than anything Edmunds suggest. Is this true everywhere? I'm probably gonna buy a Yukon....same stuff and more for $10k less.
ubmindful! You wouldn't want to feel the wrath of this forum
Seriously, did you not do your research before buying your Sequoia? You sound disappointed with your choice.
You could visit a forum on any vehicle and find individual or even small group problems. Many of them have much more serious problems than the Sequoia.
Haven't heard of warped rotors from anyone yet. Doesn't sound normal for Sequoias.
I had an 01 and now an 02. The stereo sounds exactly the same to me.
The VSC is definitely calibrated differently though (better).
It amazes me that so many folks buy a heavy duty SUV which has more in common with a truck and are disappointed with it because it isn't just like a car. So why didn't they just buy a car?
The Sequoia is the nicest truck I have ever owned. Your complaints are nits, and very subjective. The 6 disk JBL stereo in my '02 is the best sounding stereo I have ever enjoyed in any car, try tweaking the controls a bit. This wind noise thing with the windows down is ridiculous. Who the heck drives around with their windows down? And if they do, why? the HVAC is flawless, and if I need more air, I just open the sunroof. If you want windows down without problems buy a convertible. Are power door locks new to you? Did you notice that front doors will open by pulling on the door handle even if locked? Brakes wearing out? I doubt it. It's a heavy vehicle, don't treat it like a car and the brakes will do fine. Congratulations if you have warped your rotors in 3700 miles. You are the first and I hope you won the road race you were competing in.
Since you have cleverly compiled complaints and issues from many different posters on this board, I think that you are just a ringer and don't really own a Sequoia.
I think 2heeldrive may be on to something here. Your profile and other posts only mention Acura not Sequoia. What is on page 26 of the owner's manual? Some "proof" would give you some credibility.
It's rather entertaining to watch how quickly Sequoia owner's turn on one another. ibmindless, you'll soon learn that if you're not going to "gush" all weepy eyed about your Sequoia on this forum, you'll need to prepare yourself for a "burning at the stake" as a faithless 16th century "witch".
Goodness gracious, even the GM owners don't eat their own young!
ibmindless: You're not alone in some of your quality and rattle concerns you expressed on a "fabled" Toyota. Here's a recent post on one of the GM forums by a current Toyota owner "I've had a Tahoe (96), a Ford Expedition (98) and a I currently own an 01 Toyota Sienna XLE (their high priced minivan that prices out every bit as much as a mid-line Tahoe or Yukon). I bought it for one reason....all the BS hype about what fabulous, state-of-the-art vehicles Toyota makes. If you wanna hear squeaks, rattles, buzzes, and whines, get yourself a Toyota. My 01 Sienna has a rattle in the dash, the sun visors make noise, the rear drums whine, the driver's side window pops when partially lowered, the center chairs hollar when I hit a rough patch of road, the rear seats sound like a box of loose tools, and I've got under 11k miles on it. I only say this because you need not kick yourself for buying a Chevy. At least you have a gutsy workhorse that's a little bit sexy. Both my old Tahoe and Expedition seemed like limos compared to my Toyota. I'm going to loose this thing soon and will probably get a Yukon or Tahoe."
minuteman Seriously, I baby this thing. I can't believe the brakes are shuddering when applied. And tell 2heeldrive that I only use the parking brake when I need to blast through that hairpin turn --- it gets the SUV turned around on a dime.
714cut Yup, I did lots of research, and I duly noted some of the glitches - like brakes. I read a couple of complaints that they go out @ 15K. I figured the driver must have thought they were driving a car rather than a 2 1/2 ton truck. But here I am - worried that the brakes are going out.
As for that reverberating wind-thing, tell it to my kid. He opens the 2nd-row window a few inches and the pulsating noise is torturous. I experienced a similar buffeting long ago in a VW bug, and old Ford station wagon, but I figured the industry had streamlined that away. And YES, I know I could find worse problems elsewhere; in fact, I've been there and done that. That's the whole point of my dissatisfaction at the moment. This is a wonderful truck, but these nits are more than nits & quirks --- they're quality issues.
2heeled You're right - I'm busted. I'm so ashamed. I really drive a Kia Sportage. But I put a lift-kit in it, so now I can be at eye-level with Sequoias. And everyone knows the Kia manual doesn't go up to page 26! In fact, I voided the warranty on my little Kia by inserting the ignition key and activating the starter (Paragraph 2, page 1 "Do Not Attempt to Start the Vehicle or the Warranty is Null and Void").
heatwave Since I voided the Kia's warranty, I figured I could hop-up the little beast, so I added a Sienna's fuel injectors (much quieter than a Sequoia's). Now the Tahoe owners cringe when I pass them by, towing my '98 Expedition over hill and dale (I'd be happy to drive the old Ford, but it gave up the ghost even after I bought it new brake shoes & socks).
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P.S. We're waiving the usual "off topic" clauses of TOU for just a little while! :-)
Happy New Year!?!
To the post about the part number for the updated Sequoia amplifier -- I don't have that but I saw it in the Toyota parts computer, and think the changeover date was 07/01. Check with your dealer to get the facts on that one.
Basically, I got so frustrated with the @#$% thing I said I wanted to order one with my own nickel. That's when the Service Dept. became responsive. It hasn't been shipped yet, so will post my experiences when this is settled.
My next project is getting an updated VSC chip, although that is not as big an annoyance.
He also wired in to my stereo system so they can hear through the stereo, when I'm in a rather generous mood, otherwise they wear the wireless headsets. Came with an antenna for regular TV reception, installs on the inside of the windshield runs against the inside side upward and also across the bottom, non obtrusive. Works well when in a reception area or outside of hilly terrain.
Plug:
The system works great, we went round trip PA to Arizona this year pulling a 3K lbs camper, Sequioa pulls like a champ, hit 85mph on I 40 without even realizing it.
The only problem I have encountered with the Video system is every time the kids get in the car they say the following "Can we watch a Movie." Try looking out the Windows and enjoying the beauty of America, that's your movie!!! Yes, I'm a Dad. :-)
thanx
and happy new year to everyone
Note that this applies to '02 models only. '01 models have to be re-programmed with the dealer's computer.
Hope this helps.
Are the rollover ratings out yet for the Sequoia? I did wonder as I drove around in the lovely Buffalo whiteout, but was pleased that I have side air bags and side air curtains. The numbers on the width vs. height seemed to be more friendly than those for other large SUVs, and I was guessing that the Seq. will come in with a solid three star as compared to the 4Runner's two star. The true clearance for the Sequoia is lower than that which is stated in the literature, from what I can gather, and it is two inches shorter than the Yukon, plus wider. These figures would tend to point to less of a rollover problem, although one always needs to watch. I have a soon-to-be-driving teenage son, so I do worry about these things. I suppose the boy should drive it without four wheel drive engaged if on dry pavement so that the VSC feature cuts the power for him if he gets too speedy behind the wheel? What do you think?
Along those same lines, I suspect that the crash tests for the Tundra were encouraging if they are relevant to the Sequoia, especially since the Sequoia got a beefed up cabin frame and I think they boxed in the rails when they did the conversion to the new design? I was told that beams went into the doors as well, but could not find any documentation of that.
Thank you. Hockey Mom
Given that it weighs about 150lbs more than a Yukon with similar height but a 2" higher clearance it should theoretically have lower resistance to rollover than a Yukon, however I suspect that it will be similar enough to a Yukon a earn a similar rating.
I find it hard to believe that Toyota would be off by 2 inches in determining the clearance of the Sequoia. I do agree with your assessment on longer wheelbases contributing to a reduction in rollover risk, which is why the Suburban and Yukon XL have one of the lowest risks of rollovers and in fact have some of the lowest rates of death and injury on an annual basis for any vehicle on the road.
To me, that indicates that there is a difference of only .6 inches in clearance between the Yukon and the Sequoia in reality- which is relevant as regards the true stability issue. The two inches I am referencing, however, is that the Sequoia is shorter from the ground to the top of the vehicle. I do readily agree with your point that the XL and Suburban vehicles will have a greater stability if the underlying safety contributions from the vehicle stability control feature is not considered due to their longer wheelbases, also the Ford Excursion. The Escalades that I saw were all stickered at the 50K mark, so I didn't consider those very much, even though it has stability in it. Did it have side air bags and side air curtains? X5, Mercedes and Sequoia did, and that was important to me, too. I'm not sure my teenage son should start out learning to drive in this big vehicle, to be truthful, and that was the reason why I had picked the earlier Volvo XC. I'm not sure what I will do when the time comes for him to get behind the wheel!
tidester
Host
SUVs
On the subject of teenage sons learning to drive, I also have a 16 1/2 year son with a driving permit. He drives the Denali XL quite frequently although he prefers driving our Avalon as a new driver. Not sure what we'll get him as a first car, although I doubt it'll be an suv.
BTW, The GM F/S SUVs including the Denali and Escalade have side air bags installed in the front seats as well as the typical front air bags.
seems so familiar....
1)No search engine
2)Message numbers that don't match
3)people who don't realize that the wind resonance
is the sign of a tight car
4)GM trolls throwing turds from the corner
of the room
Oh well... is there a dealer fix for the bass problem? I'd imagine that the 02 don't have this issue. So what got changed and who do I have to yell at to get it fixed?
Jim
> the bass on the stereo sounds like you're sitting in a bass drum in a 4th of July parade;
> the stereo's fader control does just that - the sound fades away out the back window;
> if you open the back window, or ANY back window without using the proper combination of equal window-cracking compensation, the deep resonating buffeting will cause your head to implode;
> when you turn off the vehicle, everyone is imprisoned unless you consult the manual for the deprogramming of the auto-lock feature. That would be the cure except, a few key syllables got dropped in the translation from Japanese to English;
> If you're cold, you shiver until your bones rattle. Same thing with the Sequoia - the valves tick until warm. OK, maybe it's the injectors instead - just wrap little sound-deadening coats around them and all will be better;
> If you go into a skid, you'll die. First you'll be frightened by the skid itself, then your heart will stop when the VSC starts beeping loudly. If that doesn't get you, you'll die from reaching down to turn the VSC off and slide into some permanent, immovable object;
> the dash rattles, the tires wander, the brakes fade faster than my favorite jeans, and that creaking noise up front means I have a lousy weld-job.
Yes, Sequoia fans, THIS is QUALITY! After all, Toyota has a reputation for quality, so we should equate all of these little quirks to "character." As for me, I'm afraid I must admit that I'm becoming a bit disillusioned as these discoveries continue. In the meantime, I'll seek some solace in that smooth silky ride and sweet purring engine (once it's all snuggly & warm).
So, is that all?
iForce engine, smooth and elegant acceleration, well proven in the award winning Tundra with highest reliability documented in the Consumer Reports data for several years. Very nice comments on the Tundra engine anywhere you choose to look- magazines, owners boards, consumer data.
Pretty inside and out. Enormous and has three rows of adult sized seats, all in elegant grey leather.
Safe, large, reliable to 200,000 miles and pretty and pleasing to drive. Sequoia sure beats the competition, Yukon, X5, Escalade, Mercedes, Suburban, Jeep, Jimmy, Explorer, Isuzu, Honda, and whatever else that you might wish to look at. Works for me. I have owned a Yukon, a Mercedes, a Ford Bronco and a Jeep Cherokee- each one of which disintegrated in expensive ways somewhere between 75K and 100K miles. I bet on the Tundra engine and the Toyota reliability reputation. The dealer was a dream to deal with, too, took me far less than 3 hours to purchase and drive away, including test drive and loan and emptying my car out. I was at the GM, Volvo, Mercedes and Jeep dealerships for hours and hours and hours while they screwed around with the paperwork. Then back later to get the things repaired (except the Volvo) over and over and over again at my expense. Hope that straightens out exactly why the Sequoia is a very good choice when the data are compared. Hockeymom
VBG is what comes from reading some of these rather colorful posts...
Thirdsuv: the amplifier changed part numbers around last July. I listened to an 02 in the dealership and the problem seems to be gone. What I told the service person was that I wanted to order the new amp. That's when he said he could probably get it replaced gratis.
Minuteman HA! THAT was pretty funny. You've been watching me drive?
pschreck Actually, I drive a 2002 Sequoia SR5, 2WD. I thought about the MDX, but fell for the SEQ.
Thirdsuv my 2002 has the BOOMING bass.
Hockeymom Yes, all of those attributes are wonderful, BUT... shouldn't we have a quality product for our $$$??? The brakes stop quicker than others, but shouldn't they last awhile? I have 3,700 miles and I can feel that the rotors are warped already. And I BABY this beauty. Gee, how convenient... whenever I drop in for a 3K-mile oil change, I'll just have them throw in a new set of brakes!
And back to minuteman for a second: I bought my SEQ mostly for safety features too, but don't the brakes figure rather prominently in that equation?
My point is... I shopped for quality, I paid for quality, and I want quality. I love the Seq, but I'm very dissatisfied with many of its quirks (shortcomings/defects). Why do we allow ourselves to settle for less than satisfactory?
Seriously, did you not do your research before buying your Sequoia? You sound disappointed with your choice.
You could visit a forum on any vehicle and find individual or even small group problems. Many of them have much more serious problems than the Sequoia.
Haven't heard of warped rotors from anyone yet. Doesn't sound normal for Sequoias.
I had an 01 and now an 02. The stereo sounds exactly the same to me.
The VSC is definitely calibrated differently though (better).
It amazes me that so many folks buy a heavy duty SUV which has more in common with a truck and are disappointed with it because it isn't just like a car. So why didn't they just buy a car?
The Sequoia is the nicest truck I have ever owned. Your complaints are nits, and very subjective. The 6 disk JBL stereo in my '02 is the best sounding stereo I have ever enjoyed in any car, try tweaking the controls a bit. This wind noise thing with the windows down is ridiculous. Who the heck drives around with their windows down? And if they do, why? the HVAC is flawless, and if I need more air, I just open the sunroof. If you want windows down without problems buy a convertible. Are power door locks new to you? Did you notice that front doors will open by pulling on the door handle even if locked? Brakes wearing out? I doubt it. It's a heavy vehicle, don't treat it like a car and the brakes will do fine. Congratulations if you have warped your rotors in 3700 miles. You are the first and I hope you won the road race you were competing in.
Since you have cleverly compiled complaints and issues from many different posters on this board, I think that you are just a ringer and don't really own a Sequoia.
Goodness gracious, even the GM owners don't eat their own young!
ibmindless: You're not alone in some of your quality and rattle concerns you expressed on a "fabled" Toyota. Here's a recent post on one of the GM forums by a current Toyota owner "I've had a Tahoe (96), a Ford Expedition (98) and a I currently own an 01 Toyota Sienna XLE (their high priced minivan that prices out every bit as much as a mid-line Tahoe or Yukon). I bought it for one reason....all the BS hype about what fabulous, state-of-the-art vehicles Toyota makes. If you wanna hear squeaks, rattles, buzzes, and whines, get yourself a Toyota. My 01 Sienna has a rattle in the dash, the sun visors make noise, the rear drums whine, the driver's side window pops when partially lowered, the center chairs hollar when I hit a rough patch of road, the rear seats sound like a box of loose tools, and I've got under 11k miles on it. I only say this because you need not kick yourself for buying a Chevy. At least you have a gutsy workhorse that's a little bit sexy. Both my old Tahoe and Expedition seemed like limos compared to my Toyota. I'm going to loose this thing soon and will probably get a Yukon or Tahoe."
714cut Yup, I did lots of research, and I duly noted some of the glitches - like brakes. I read a couple of complaints that they go out @ 15K. I figured the driver must have thought they were driving a car rather than a 2 1/2 ton truck. But here I am - worried that the brakes are going out.
As for that reverberating wind-thing, tell it to my kid. He opens the 2nd-row window a few inches and the pulsating noise is torturous. I experienced a similar buffeting long ago in a VW bug, and old Ford station wagon, but I figured the industry had streamlined that away. And YES, I know I could find worse problems elsewhere; in fact, I've been there and done that. That's the whole point of my dissatisfaction at the moment. This is a wonderful truck, but these nits are more than nits & quirks --- they're quality issues.
2heeled You're right - I'm busted. I'm so ashamed. I really drive a Kia Sportage. But I put a lift-kit in it, so now I can be at eye-level with Sequoias. And everyone knows the Kia manual doesn't go up to page 26! In fact, I voided the warranty on my little Kia by inserting the ignition key and activating the starter (Paragraph 2, page 1 "Do Not Attempt to Start the Vehicle or the Warranty is Null and Void").
heatwave Since I voided the Kia's warranty, I figured I could hop-up the little beast, so I added a Sienna's fuel injectors (much quieter than a Sequoia's). Now the Tahoe owners cringe when I pass them by, towing my '98 Expedition over hill and dale (I'd be happy to drive the old Ford, but it gave up the ghost even after I bought it new brake shoes & socks).
The Mindless Home & Car
We haven't seen this much action since Heatwave started his musings.
Heatwave: We knew it wouldn't take much to get you out of lurking in the weeds!