I do not understand how Toyota could think that anybody spending 33-43K$ on a premium SUV would not be willing to spend invest another $400 to protect their skulls from punching a hole into the side windows.
The only thing that makes halfway sense is that they didn't have enough supply capacity of the curtain airbags and so they got the most value out of the limited supply by putting them mainly in Limited. The 5% for the SR5 allowed them advertise availability across the line and to get people in the showroom floor thinking they could get the curtain bag on a cheapie SR5 but in reality that was rarely possible.
I could be wrong about this, but I think that is an EPA restricted option. There are some features that the EPA limits us on how many we can build. Believe it or not, I think this is a weight issue but I fail to see how side air bags could push the weight up enough to change things.
Let me give you a more concrete example that makes more sense. Take the Sienna. The Sienna is available with dual power sliding doors as an option. That option adds weight to the van. The EPA is responsible for the fuel economy and emissions ratings. The heavier a vehicle is, the lower the economy and emissions will be. Therefore, they limit us to 33% of production on that option. They figure the ratings based on an average weight of the product line and calculate it with 33% of the vans having the dual power doors.
Like I said, I'm not positive the side air curtains fall into this 33% limit but I think it does. If only 33% nationwide can get this, Toyota will put them on all the Limiteds and as many SR5s as they can. If the Mid west region orders all their SR5s with them, the SET region may not be able to order them at all.
Let me change my comment from "..problem" to bad design. I was just trying to give a reason for why several have mentioned bass problems.
I can adjust the stereo to a point where it sounds good, but I don't like the non-linearity of the bass in this JBL system.
If I turn the volume down, I don't want to also have to adjust the bass down at the same time because the amp has decided to boost it at low volumes. If they felt like they needed this, they should have used the LOUDNESS button or another bass control that would change the rate of response or something.
I think the speakers and the dynamic range of the stereo is great and very impressive for a factory system, but there are better factory premium systems out there.
Jeez Cliffy - GRRR? GRRR? This is a $45,000 vehicle for christs sake! GRRR?
It seems apparent to me that you have a misconception about how frequency controls work. The bass control doesn't either boost or diminish all bass frequencies at the same rate or by the same amount. Each control is tuned to the center of its effective range, with the amount of change decreasing as you leave the center frequency in either direction, up or down. The graph essentially looks like a hump/bell, or a dip/inverted bell. Attempting to adjust this type of frequency response error using this type of simple control will produce even more unnatural results. Plus, your dismissal of the problem by advising adjustment of the bass control, and the accompanying attitude is both disrespectful and contemptible to the owners of these expensive vehicles who know a helluva lot more about sound/sound systems than you do. I had a 2000 Avalon, which supposedly had the same sound system, and my Sequoia sound system sounds like excrement by comparison.
Frankly I'm shocked by this attitude you've displayed here today, and can only chalk it up to the possibility that you just had a bad day.
"The graph essentially looks like a hump/bell, or a dip/inverted bell."
In reality, the electronics COULD be designed with a shelving profile which would be a flat or sloped cut/boost. If its DSP based it could be anything the programmer desires. I don't know if it's either but I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea to ATTEMPT to find a bass/mid/treble setting that may work for you. You MIGHT find a setting that REDUCES the problem until Toyota steps up to the plate.
Of course, OTOH, screaming here may be one of the better ways to get Toyotas attention. But while you're screaming, you might as well still do some tweaking and I'd be surprised if you don't end up making it sound SOMWEWHAT better.
1) Why they didn't emphasize the safety factor in this vehicle, Side-Air Bag, otherwise, every single one of them would have been equiped with S.A.B (Limited or SR5 for that matter) leaving the factory.
But NOOOOO. I didn't see one that came with S.A.B option in my area (4 weeks ago when I was actively looking for this car), but instead it was painless to find one with options such as CC, AH, AC etc sitting on the lot. So, I got to wonder where the safety factor is on their priority list when they began churning these trucks out of the factory?
Yes, I did buy a SEQ with the S.A.B option, and didn't mind going 1200 miles for it either.
2) For a $40K vehicle, they tried to pull a fast one, by putting in low quality sounds system in this vehicle. The fact that one has to tweak the knobs, shows that what the listener hear is inherently not right, and below acceptable standard to the ears.
I think for a few dollars more, people would be happy to pay Toyota to have better sound system than what's currently installed at the factory. And in the end everyone is happy.
Instead, if we had a poll of the SEQ sound system of all owners on this board, I doubt if the approval rating breaks 55%. Which leaves lots of room for improvement.
I'm glad that I'm not the only one gripping about this, maybe something's wrong with my ears? And interestingly it was one of the first things I noticed about the car on the long drive home from the dealership. Yes, one can get to know a lot of intimate details about the new car on long long trips. And it was a fun & smooth ride home nonetheless.
What I say here may not be popular, but I'll say it all the same.
So you go out and buy a $45K vehicle and find several "problems", and then you go about "complaining" about these "problems" to no-one and everyone at the same time. If it is not the bass on the radio, it is side air bags, or ticking, or carpets, or availability of one option or the other, and, the list is endless....
Does anyone here expect perfection on a first year release vehicle ? Clearly, Toyota has a lot of things to work out on this vehicle, but these complaints of "problems" are just getting way out of hand.
For one, NO ONE forced you to buy this vehicle. For another, if you do own it, you can always put it up for sale and go find your perfect vehicle that has everything you like/want. Good luck !
So you paid $45K and find a bag of issues you'd wish don't exist in your vehicle. How much did you pay for your house ? If you buy a house that is newly built, at some ridiculous price (>200K, to find a median number for a 3Bdr+2BA), do you find everything works perfectly ? My home is only 5 years old, and I can count a number of things I have had to change, fix, repair, replace, etc. in it. You don't find me calling up the guy who sold me the house crying that I bought a lemon ?
Get over it, people.... You walked into the car dealership and placed your bet on this vehicle. If at anytime it fails to meet your needs, get rid of it and move on. Life is hard enough without complicating things more for yourselves. I bought this car with my eyes wide open, and with a lot less information about it than I now have. So I have learnt more about the vehicle. For me, it performs what it is designed for: transport me and my family in relative comfort and safety. I am thankful that I had the means to afford such a vehicle, in a society where others cannot even afford food or a roof over their heads. People just love to complain instead of counting their blessings...
Go on and complain about how your vehicle failed to meet your standards or expectations... You have no one to blame but yourself. If that don't sound right to you, find one that does....
Steve - thanks for taking the time to answer my question about interior component quality. You mentioned that all reports say that "fit and finish" are superior with the Sequoia. Could you give me a reference for those reports? Did you find any on the web? I have been searching for "Toyota Customer Satisfaction," etc., and have not come up with anything to speak of. I spoke with a parts man today who said that, while he thought Toyota quality was slipping just a bit, it was far superior to any domestic made car (Chrysler, GM, Ford). His opinion was that the domestic car manufacturers were improving, but that Toyota was not making headway.
Yes, it IS a problem. If people are complaining about it then it is a problem. I'm not an engineer, but I know that the radio has problems. I can leave my $125 Kenwood stereo on one setting and forget it in my Maxima, but I need to adjust the stereo in the Sequoia constantly. Depending on the volume I'm listening at or whether is AM or FM or CD I have to adjust the bass up or down significantly. I want to be able to set the stereo and forget it. At higher volumes I think the system sounds pretty good, but thats about 1% of the time for me (when I actually get to take the truck out without kids). The fact that there isn't an option to have the 'loudness' off (like there are on most other low end stereos) is an oversight. Sorry Cliffy, but the fact that nobody has complained to you or that some people actually like the sound doesn't negate the fact that a lot of owners don't like it. oac - is that "Sequoia - love it or leave it" I hear? This is a forum to allow people to express concerns and share experiences (good and bad).
This stuff is so ridiculus! The carpet is a little short under the dashboard? Well get your heads out from under the dash board, how do you drive like that anyway? Look I know the truck is not perfect, but I did a long and tedious search before choosing a new truck and hands down the seqouia is the best avaiable in it's class. I did own and eddie bauer expedition before this and it was great.....especially when the leather seats and steering wheel had worn through and had to be replaced in 3 months. Then the rear brakes needed work because theyu were not working properly, and speaking of electronics my radio in it burned out in 6 months and that had to be replaced. Or you could by a durango and replace the transmission and engine valve seals and head gaskets in 30,000 miles. or you could by a GM SUV with lots of ugly fit and finish problems as well as mechanical. Look for the money we paid I think the truck has the best safety features, finish, and all around quality of anything in it's class. I know that these small annoyances can be bothersome, but lets remember that cliffy, and others like him are trying to help. Lets step back and look at the big picture here. you're driving the best SUV out there for it's class, it's not a luxury liner, if perfection is what you expected you should have bought a lexus, acura, mercedes, bmw, or infinity SUV for about 20-30 thousand more.
My special ordered SR5 (with GY!) was delivered to South Florida last weekend. Can't tell you how much I love it, and my wife, of course, who gets to drive it.
Since I ordered it in Tennessee, I did not have to deal with all the port installed options in the SE Region, like a $700 Toyoguard package, etc. There was also no problem getting the side airbag curtain, which seems to be a problem on the SR5 in the south. The dealership I got it from is Neill Sandler Toyota, and the super-nice sales guy is Wendell Cothran 615-890-1500, or e-mail nstoyota@hotmail.com Totally easy deal without any surprises.
Question to all. Is there an entertainment system that fits in the already installed overhead compartment. It seems as if the last bin should be big enough to fit a screen. Any advise is greatly appreciated, since my kid's birthdays are comming up soon.
By the way, I share some of your pains regarding the bass on the JBL radio.
Yes, my ticking sound is also temperature dependent. 60 degrees seems about right. As far as having my injectors insulated, - well - I wasn't confident it would work but I was desperate and several people seemed to have success with it. I'm still waiting .......
I haven't heard anyone say that their Sequoia stinks. And the "Love it or leave it" crowd is rapidly dying off in case you haven't checked the obits page lately, even though a few still crop up on this and other car forums. Please, cars are just for transportation?? Come on, this is the 21st century, we want microwaves and toilets in these hulks now.
So, since Toyota has a staff of engineers dedicated to all parts of this and their many other vehicles, is it asking too much to assign some of these "annoyances" (is that more PC to some of you out there?) to an engineer to check out and come up with either a TSB, an upgrade option, or a change for future cars rolling off the line??? The Toyota manufacturing and service bureacracy looks far more challenging than the engineering fixes here.
Why can't somebody from Toyota just say -
"You have a point and we'll see what we can do about it - will let you know our options shortly."
By the way, I don't think Toyota has a 30 day return policy, or do they? If they don't, then I say get to work and resolve these and other issues that are bound to surface. Yer right, its a new car, and you take your chances with first year models. But I don't see any discounts for first year buyers either, so....
HOW ABOUT AN ANSWER FROM TOYOTA?????????? Got a rapid response team in place yet???
I am laughing my butt off this morning reading all the overnight posts. Thanks to all who posted. I find it humorous that even those who are complaining about the stereo admit that by turning a knob, "it sounds good". So the primary complaint boils down to knob turning. What a country!
I don't know what the delivery process was at the dealerships that many of you purchased from, but allow me to describe what I do when selling a car or SUV. After the test drive, demo, negotiations, closing, paperwork and all, I take 20 to 30 minutes going over the vehicle. I describe every aspect of the new vehicle. Included in this is how to adjust the stereo for maximum pleasure. I advise my customers how to adjust it to meet their particular needs. Some prefer more bass, some less. It is an individual thing and can be dictated by how loud they like their stereo. My customers are generally impressed by the wide range of settings available on the Sequoia.
Maybe this delivery process is why I never hear of complaints. Come to think of it, maybe that is why I don't get complaints about the climate control, cruise control, 4 wheel drive system, moonroof operation or anything else for that matter. Just a thought. I'm done with this subject now.
I sincerely appreciate all the inputs about problems with the Sequoia, including those that disagreed with me about ragged carpet. As long as there is a medium to voice one's opinion and experience about the Seq., I think everyone will benefit from it.
Further, I would strongly encourage more forum readers to join in the discussions, as it appears that there are a few Toyota die-hard fans who seem to dominate this forum.
In view of all positive and negative comments about the Seq. and despite my criticisms of its minor problems, I still am buying a Seq. The reason is, having own many Camrys in my family, I think Toyota can make dependable cars. However, having seen problems with the camrys, such as poor paint job, water leakage into trunk areas, tail light electrical problems, etc, that continued to exist from one model year to another, I think that I must be objective about Toyota quality as I try to measure it by taking all major as well as minor problems into consideration.
I think that measuring Toyota quality by comparing it with extremely poor product quality from other makers (such as the technique popularly used by some Toyata fanatics in this forum) is unsounded. I hope that those Toyota fanatics out there remember that quality cannot be maintained or improved if it is based on that kind of comparison.
Hey ThirdSUV - You're right, but I don't think that the bass control in this system is using a digital source, I'd bet it's actual control is an gated device, controlling an analog signal, and wouldn't have the 'shelving' attribute.
Adjusting the Bass level would work OK if the Bass level didn't modulate with volume. If you turn the bass down for low-level listening, it's thin for high-level listening, and vice-versa.
I've posted twice to this board and have yet to see a response to either of my questions. Is it that no body is seeing my posts or that no one cares to respond since I'm not complaining or cheer leading. : )
I love my Seq. I've had it for a week now and have yet to regret spending the money or the increased gas costs.
Pleeze let me know about all weather floor mats!!!!
Sorry, your post was probably drowned out by the others. I have not checked on all weather mats for the Sequoia yet, but most dealers (mine included) stock some really nice rubber mats for most of our trucks and SUVs. I think they are made by Cannon and I have some on my Tundra. Check with the parts department at your dealership.
rruck: I am not a "Seq - love it or hate" kinda guy. The stuff I wrote about is not necessarily confined to owing a Toyota. It is applicable to any car or item you own. I think people need to appreciate things they own more than its shortcomings. Focusing on every itsy bitsy thing on your high $$$ investment is a cynical way of looking at life. I recognize that there are people who are simly of the "complaining-type", i.e., the urge to "complain" for every itsy bitsy thing that fails to meet their standards.
tbever: yep, you're right... we gotta [non-permissible content removed] or it's not fun... But, this forum can best serve everybody if we tone down our so-called "annoyances" (dforr !), that way we can hear and respond to questions of other posters like suznjones.
dforr: I don't know what you use your vehicles for, but I believe it's major use is as a means of transportation, when last I checked.
I am NOT by any stretch of the imagination, a Toyota fanatic. I have owned (and continue to own) other cars besides Toyota. I just do not believe in looking under the hood, and every nook and cranny, to find something to [non-permissible content removed] about, just to make me feel good. I guess I am one who looks on the bright side of life, while I concede there appears to be far too many people who'd rather look on the, shall I say, not-so-bright side of things.
The cargo area is one area that Toyota has not addressed. They do have cargo trays for the Runner but not the Sequoia, Highlander, RAV4 or Land Cruiser. I don't know if they have any plans for this in the future. There are a number of companies that make these for other vehicles. One on-line source to check is www.cabelas.com. Last time I looked, they didn't list the Sequoia but a call to them might have an update.
I appreciate your optimistic viewpoint and wholeheartedly agree. Go tell some poor guy trying to feed his family on some measly salary that your carpet in your 8-seater SUV is too short; see how much sympathy you get! I don't mean to belittle valid complaints and I agree that there's always room for improvement in any product or service. However, I am thrilled with my Sequoia (even though it's not perfect). I even agree that the sound system is not the best, but it works fine for me. Sounds great with CD's and that's more important for long trips in my book. There's nothing wrong with pointing out problems, inconveniences, annoyances, whatever you want to call it, but keep things in perspective! Now if you really want to hear whining and complaining, just ask me about my Jeeps!
Are you aware that your handle is a car salesman term? When we send a deal in to a bank for approval, we get a "call back". This can be a conditional approval, a turn down or "OK As Called" or OAC. The oac abbreviation is written on the outside of the deal folder.
Okay.... I can't help it. Test drove the Sep. yesterday. Loved it! But..... the stereo is bad. Come on Cliff, you don't need to defend Toyota on everything. beck, I played bass in a band for many years and the amount of bass in the Sep. even bothered me. Maybe Toyota is catering to the 16/17 year-old! You know the sound I'm talking about. The little Japanese cars you can hear from blocks away. No, not the engine, the bass (Booooom, Booooom, Boom, Boooooom) No, this won't stop me from buying one. Heck, my Grand Caravan stereo died at the three year mark (just after warranty expired). Oh, and just replaced the front cylinder head at 52k miles ($2,000.) Oh what a feeling! By the way, in Calif., if an officer can hear your stereo from 50' away, he can cite you for a loud stereo violation (a little over $100.) So careful Sequoia owners
Ditto Boise, and I'm about ready to tag some jerks (none of whom are in Sequoias, I'm sure) :-) Steve Host Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
This is a good term. You must remember this board is about Toyotas. I almost bought my Seq without even driving it because of my experience with Toyota and quality.
I think this board is destined to be primarily about minutia. The odds of someone posting that they threw a rod or their engine blew up is just about nil.
My earlier comment about the bass sounding good at a certain adjustment was misconstrued that I was complaining about not being able to listen to the stereo at 0,0,0. I am not an idiot. I am an electrical engineer by day and a hobbyist by night. My comments on how the system performs are accurate. The only thing I don't like about the bass adjustment is that you have to keep fiddling with it depending on which song, volume, etc.
oac is actually my wife's initials. Interesting bcos she is a CPA and used to dealing with $$$, so the OAC-thingy (thingy is now in my 8-yr-old vocabulary on a daily basis - what are they teaching our kids these days ?) is actually appropriate.
If you want a good set of all weather floor mats that are custom fitted and really grap the dirt and mud try husky liners. I checked out their web site and the prices are good and have custom fit floor mats for the front and second rows and a nice custom fit cargo area/third row liner. The address is WWW.huskyliners.com. they will show you the products and give you info on retailers. I got a set for my 2001 ford F-250 super cab , and am going to get the whole set for my sequoia. they fit great and really catch the crap.
This is a good term. You must remember this board is about Toyotas. I almost bought my Seq without even driving it because of my experience with Toyota and quality.
I think this board is destined to be primarily about minutia. The odds of someone posting that they threw a rod or their engine blew up is just about nil.
My earlier comment about the bass sounding good at a certain adjustment was misconstrued that I was complaining about not being able to listen to the stereo at 0,0,0. I am not an idiot. I am an electrical engineer by day and a hobbyist by night. My comments on how the system performs are accurate. The only thing I don't like about the bass adjustment is that you have to keep fiddling with it depending on which song, volume, etc.
I read in this forum about a Seq. owner's experience of oil leak/cam shaft problem on her brand new Seq. This is the first real and bad problem that I've read. Could that person with the oil leak recount the incident and how it was fixed?
Glad you appreciated that. I have to chuckle sometimes because I have been here for so long. I know where the "booming bass" term came from and it wasn't the Sequoia. It was from the 2001 Land Cruiser. There were many participants who had problems with the 2001 (not the 2000 which also had a JBL stereo) and I even heard it myself. There was no way to adjust out the bass on the 2001 LC and Toyota has a TSB on it.
I am certain that people saw that and assumed that the Sequoia had the same problem. Some members here have used identical phrases in describing the problem. They missed the point that the Sequoia system could be adjusted to eliminate the "booming". It is the tempest in a teapot thing that can happen here. That is the humor I see.
Here's the other thing that makes me chuckle. I own a Tundra which has a 6 disc CD but not the JBL amplifier and speakers. I am constantly changing the bass adjustments. I have the treble set to 4, mid to 1 and the bass from +3 to -2 depending on my mood, volume and type of music/talk. If I am listening to Rush Limbaugh, I have to back to -2 because his voice booms a lot. If I am listening to rock, +2 works for most, but if I crank the volume and have a good drum beat, I move it up a notch to match my preferences at the time. I never considered this to be a "problem" but rather, a feature.
I commented to my wife soon after I picked my LTD up that the radio was good, but "...the bass is a little boomy for my taste." This comment was made before I had ever known the existence of any Seq website and definitely before I heard of any TSB issue on the LC. I only found the LC info after searching for booming bass threads on the Seq.
Just keep in mind you might not have everyone figured out quite as well as you think you do.
Glad to hear you got your SR5. I also live in South Florida. In Sequoia shopping, I have been quite displeased in the dearth of SR5's with airbag, as well as with the ubiquitous $600 Toyoguard on every Sequoia in my area. A few questions: 1. What are the other port-installed options that we are being unneceesarily subjected to in So. Fla?
2. What is unique about So. Fla. (or the southeast) that makes our Toyota shopping different?
3. How did the Tenn. to Fla. process work? How did the car get to So. Fla. and what did it cost you?
You do not have to have any port installed options that you do not want including Toyoguard and if your local dealer says you do you may want to consider finding another dealer. I was the one that stated that 5% of the SR5 in the southeast have GY. It will also have FE DR RL SR CC AH CQ AC DJ LA. Port installed options are optional and you do not need to pay for any equipment you do not wish to have.
I don't know which dealer sbell4 is referring to, that lets you take off Toyoguard and other port installed options. When I tried to special order an SR5 with a South FL dealer, but it would have only worked with port installed leather, plus a $500 option for captains chairs. Also, if you want alloy wheels on your Seq., most of them have these real cheapy ones (almost looks like the suzuki symbol) for $1300. Bottom line, I found it to be impossible to compare the prices of the trucks I looked at to the invoice and MSRP numbers shown on Edmunds. By going out of the S.E. Region, I could at least tell what kind of deal I was getting.
Regarding getting the Seq. from Tennessee to Florida, the dealer delivered it on a trailer to Orlando. Since we have family up there, we just combined the trip. I'm sure they could deliver it further south, if needed.
Regarding ease of deal and paperwork. I didn't have to sign anything until we picked up the car in Orlando - a $500 deposit when putting in the order, that's it.
Again, there may be some good deals out there in the S.E. Region, but I was just unable to find them. If you're interested in getting a quote from the dealer, I can only recommend him after a painless car buying experience. His e-mail is nstoyota@hotmail.com
Caution to all. We ordered ours in Desert Sand with Warm Silver trim. Warm Silver is supposed to be darker than Desert Sand, but the actual colour is Silver. We are getting used to it, but you may want to take a look at this combination first.
Just saw your old post from 12/21 regarding your Seq purchase in Raleigh. I'm looking in Raleigh, as well...could you e-mail me your dealer/salesperson info & any comments about your buying/leasing experience there? Much appreciated!
I have posted on 2 other boards about my problem, but it appears every one hangs out here. I will repeat my story with the hopes that SOMEONE will respond. BTW, thanks lcd1 for noticing.
We bought a SEQ LTD 4x4 with some extras like a moon roof, which, BTW, I only noticed the helicopter noise/vibration at about 35mph. Bought it 4/7/01 out of state (better deal, better trade in price). Drove home Sunday (awesome 5 hour ride home) pulled in the driveway and my SEQ was smoking, and leaking what turned out to be oil all over our driveway. Under the hood it was splattered too. I drove it to a dealer the next day (4/9/01). I have not seen it since. They told me, after I called them late the next day, that the factory will be involved. The next day they said it was the cam shaft. The first time the service guy picked up the phone to call me was 8 days after they had my SEQ to tell me that the part was on back order and he has no idea on a date of arrival. Needless to say I have called them every day.... I'm sure they love me. I have also been in contact with customer relations (800#)twice. I called them on Mon the 16th and was informed that a manager would be in contact with me no later than the end of the business day on Thurs the 19th. I also spoke with CR on the 18th. I am in the mid west, it is 11:17pm on Thurs and no phone call yet.
I would love to have a replacement SEQ, probably won't get one. I don't have any confidence left in the one I bought. With my luck damage to other parts will have been done that won't show up until after I get it back. I am usually very positive, but I have pretty much lost faith here. The sad thing is I don't want a different SUV, I love(d)my SEQ. My dad just bought a Tahoe, very nice, but I still prefer the Sequoia. I have a relative who works at a Toyota dealer in So.Florida and of course is shocked at my dillema.
I am kinda stuck in limbo....any advice, suggestions???
Sorry to hear of your problem. This one makes mine seem rather insignificant. Have you looked over at tundrasolutions.com for any similar incidents? Lots-o'-info on Sequoia and Tundra so you might be able to find something.
BTW, I saw your post over in Owner's Problems & Solutions but you're right, everyone hangs out here.
It's strange how toyota seems to be distributing the packages around the country. Up here in the Philadelphia area we were told there was no way to get the side curtain air bag option unless we wanted to order one and wait six months, but the south east seems flooded with them. What kind of plan is that? I actually figured that for 500 bucks the side curtain air bags was a nice safety feature to have. Other than this I absolutely love the truck. the fit and finish on mine is superb, and no engine or moon roof noises. I have a chestnut pearl SR5 with the light gold fenders, great combo, and I installed a set of factory fog lights in it myself that use the tundra dash switch and work with the parking lights. If your interested check out.
First of all, the dealer in Florida dropped the ball by not addressing the concern you had about PIO. It isn't your responsibility to have to know this but all you have to do is ask the dealer not to have whatever PIO that you do not want not to be installed on your vehicle before it gets to the dealer. This equipment is called port installed OPTIONS not port installed requirements. If you don't like a piece of equipment that can be swapped easily(wheel or tire upgrade, hitch, etc.) ask it to be swapped to another vehicle. If it has a piece that can't be taken off and you do not want it, (1) let them get you one without it (2) buy it anyway (3) maybe they would just give you the piece of equipment.
Dolphan1 and anyone else who wants to custom order a Sequoia in the S. FL area, I strongly recommend you contact Sandra Molina at Toyota of Hollywood. She will order your car exactly the way you want -- she got me mine in 6 weeks.
I hate to disagree with Cliffy on the radio, but I think it sounds pretty bad, and I listen to a lot of music. Thing is, my trips around town are so short I leave the radio off (I enjoy the break from all the music I play at home). BUT, if the radio were a big deal to me, I'd look into a fix to get some clarity in the bass. You can dial the bass up or down, but at any level it's muddy. I would think the problem's easy to fix for those so motivated, I just lack the motivation.
Maybe you can help us understand the hierarchy of the Toyota service side of the house. Who do we call when bad things happen to good cars.
Obviously, dealer service is first. But after that level - what's the pecking order and resources. Seems like the oil leak case noted above is a good example - I would have expected to hear that she immediately received a loaner at a minimum, and that someone keeps her posted on what's going on. When you lose confidence, then you start looking for a replacement, even if it's a brand new Seq. You don't need laws to provide good service.
Well in Decemeber when I was shopping, there definately were SE dealers that would refuse to remove Toyo guard or make special orders. They all at first said that it couldn't be done. When I let them know that I in fact absolutely knew it could be done, they just shrugged and said essesntially "We're not in the position to do that at this time". Oh well, I ended up emailing and working with a hungrier dealer and had to wait 3+ months for GY and PM. BTW, an SR5 with PM made matters even worse.
Comments
The only thing that makes halfway sense is that they didn't have enough supply capacity of the curtain airbags and so they got the most value out of the limited supply by putting them mainly in Limited. The 5% for the SR5 allowed them advertise availability across the line and to get people in the showroom floor thinking they could get the curtain bag on a cheapie SR5 but in reality that was rarely possible.
I'm just glad I gutted it out and waited.
Let me give you a more concrete example that makes more sense. Take the Sienna. The Sienna is available with dual power sliding doors as an option. That option adds weight to the van. The EPA is responsible for the fuel economy and emissions ratings. The heavier a vehicle is, the lower the economy and emissions will be. Therefore, they limit us to 33% of production on that option. They figure the ratings based on an average weight of the product line and calculate it with 33% of the vans having the dual power doors.
Like I said, I'm not positive the side air curtains fall into this 33% limit but I think it does. If only 33% nationwide can get this, Toyota will put them on all the Limiteds and as many SR5s as they can. If the Mid west region orders all their SR5s with them, the SET region may not be able to order them at all.
I can adjust the stereo to a point where it sounds good, but I don't like the non-linearity of the bass in this JBL system.
If I turn the volume down, I don't want to also have to adjust the bass down at the same time because the amp has decided to boost it at low volumes. If they felt like they needed this, they should have used the LOUDNESS button or another bass control that would change the rate of response or something.
I think the speakers and the dynamic range of the stereo is great and very impressive for a factory system, but there are better factory premium systems out there.
It seems apparent to me that you have a misconception about how frequency controls work. The bass control doesn't either boost or diminish all bass frequencies at the same rate or by the same amount. Each control is tuned to the center of its effective range, with the amount of change decreasing as you leave the center frequency in either direction, up or down. The graph essentially looks like a hump/bell, or a dip/inverted bell. Attempting to adjust this type of frequency response error using this type of simple control will produce even more unnatural results. Plus, your dismissal of the problem by advising adjustment of the bass control, and the accompanying attitude is both disrespectful and contemptible to the owners of these expensive vehicles who know a helluva lot more about sound/sound systems than you do. I had a 2000 Avalon, which supposedly had the same sound system, and my Sequoia sound system sounds like excrement by comparison.
Frankly I'm shocked by this attitude you've displayed here today, and can only chalk it up to the possibility that you just had a bad day.
-Steve
In reality, the electronics COULD be designed with a shelving profile which would be a flat
or sloped cut/boost. If its DSP based it could be anything the programmer desires. I don't know if it's either but I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea to ATTEMPT to find a bass/mid/treble setting that may work for you. You MIGHT find a setting that REDUCES the problem until Toyota steps up to the plate.
Of course, OTOH, screaming here may be one of the better ways to get Toyotas attention. But while you're screaming, you might as well still do some tweaking and I'd be surprised if you don't end up making it sound SOMWEWHAT better.
But NOOOOO. I didn't see one that came with S.A.B option in my area (4 weeks ago when I was actively looking for this car), but instead it was painless to find one with options such as CC, AH, AC etc sitting on the lot. So, I got to wonder where the safety factor is on their priority list when they began churning these trucks out of the factory?
Yes, I did buy a SEQ with the S.A.B option, and didn't mind going 1200 miles for it either.
2) For a $40K vehicle, they tried to pull a fast one, by putting in low quality sounds system in this vehicle. The fact that one has to tweak the knobs, shows that what the listener hear is inherently not right, and below acceptable standard to the ears.
I think for a few dollars more, people would be happy to pay Toyota to have better sound system than what's currently installed at the factory. And in the end everyone is happy.
Instead, if we had a poll of the SEQ sound system of all owners on this board, I doubt if the approval rating breaks 55%. Which leaves lots of room for improvement.
I'm glad that I'm not the only one gripping about this, maybe something's wrong with my ears? And interestingly it was one of the first things I noticed about the car on the long drive home from the dealership. Yes, one can get to know a lot of intimate details about the new car on long long trips. And it was a fun & smooth ride home nonetheless.
So you go out and buy a $45K vehicle and find several "problems", and then you go about "complaining" about these "problems" to no-one and everyone at the same time. If it is not the bass on the radio, it is side air bags, or ticking, or carpets, or availability of one option or the other, and, the list is endless....
Does anyone here expect perfection on a first year release vehicle ? Clearly, Toyota has a lot of things to work out on this vehicle, but these complaints of "problems" are just getting way out of hand.
For one, NO ONE forced you to buy this vehicle. For another, if you do own it, you can always put it up for sale and go find your perfect vehicle that has everything you like/want. Good luck !
So you paid $45K and find a bag of issues you'd wish don't exist in your vehicle. How much did you pay for your house ? If you buy a house that is newly built, at some ridiculous price (>200K, to find a median number for a 3Bdr+2BA), do you find everything works perfectly ? My home is only 5 years old, and I can count a number of things I have had to change, fix, repair, replace, etc. in it. You don't find me calling up the guy who sold me the house crying that I bought a lemon ?
Get over it, people.... You walked into the car dealership and placed your bet on this vehicle. If at anytime it fails to meet your needs, get rid of it and move on. Life is hard enough without complicating things more for yourselves. I bought this car with my eyes wide open, and with a lot less information about it than I now have. So I have learnt more about the vehicle. For me, it performs what it is designed for: transport me and my family in relative comfort and safety. I am thankful that I had the means to afford such a vehicle, in a society where others cannot even afford food or a roof over their heads. People just love to complain instead of counting their blessings...
Go on and complain about how your vehicle failed to meet your standards or expectations... You have no one to blame but yourself. If that don't sound right to you, find one that does....
peace
Thanks in advance for your reply.
At higher volumes I think the system sounds pretty good, but thats about 1% of the time for me (when I actually get to take the truck out without kids).
The fact that there isn't an option to have the 'loudness' off (like there are on most other low end stereos) is an oversight.
Sorry Cliffy, but the fact that nobody has complained to you or that some people actually like the sound doesn't negate the fact that a lot of owners don't like it.
oac - is that "Sequoia - love it or leave it" I hear? This is a forum to allow people to express concerns and share experiences (good and bad).
Since I ordered it in Tennessee, I did not have to deal with all the port installed options in the SE Region, like a $700 Toyoguard package, etc. There was also no problem getting the side airbag curtain, which seems to be a problem on the SR5 in the south. The dealership I got it from is Neill Sandler Toyota, and the super-nice sales guy is Wendell Cothran 615-890-1500, or e-mail nstoyota@hotmail.com Totally easy deal without any surprises.
Question to all. Is there an entertainment system that fits in the already installed overhead compartment. It seems as if the last bin should be big enough to fit a screen. Any advise is greatly appreciated, since my kid's birthdays are comming up soon.
By the way, I share some of your pains regarding the bass on the JBL radio.
Marc1966
So, since Toyota has a staff of engineers dedicated to all parts of this and their many other vehicles, is it asking too much to assign some of these "annoyances" (is that more PC to some of you out there?) to an engineer to check out and come up with either a TSB, an upgrade option, or a change for future cars rolling off the line??? The Toyota manufacturing and service bureacracy looks far more challenging than the engineering fixes here.
Why can't somebody from Toyota just say -
"You have a point and we'll see what we can do about it - will let you know our options shortly."
By the way, I don't think Toyota has a 30 day return policy, or do they? If they don't, then I say get to work and resolve these and other issues that are bound to surface. Yer right, its a new car, and you take your chances with first year models. But I don't see any discounts for first year buyers either, so....
HOW ABOUT AN ANSWER FROM TOYOTA?????????? Got a rapid response team in place yet???
I don't know what the delivery process was at the dealerships that many of you purchased from, but allow me to describe what I do when selling a car or SUV. After the test drive, demo, negotiations, closing, paperwork and all, I take 20 to 30 minutes going over the vehicle. I describe every aspect of the new vehicle. Included in this is how to adjust the stereo for maximum pleasure. I advise my customers how to adjust it to meet their particular needs. Some prefer more bass, some less. It is an individual thing and can be dictated by how loud they like their stereo. My customers are generally impressed by the wide range of settings available on the Sequoia.
Maybe this delivery process is why I never hear of complaints. Come to think of it, maybe that is why I don't get complaints about the climate control, cruise control, 4 wheel drive system, moonroof operation or anything else for that matter. Just a thought. I'm done with this subject now.
Further, I would strongly encourage more forum readers to join in the discussions, as it appears that there are a few Toyota die-hard fans who seem to dominate this forum.
In view of all positive and negative comments about the Seq. and despite my criticisms of its minor problems, I still am buying a Seq. The reason is, having own many Camrys in my family, I think Toyota can make dependable cars. However, having seen problems with the camrys, such as poor paint job, water leakage into trunk areas, tail light electrical problems, etc, that continued to exist from one model year to another, I think that I must be objective about Toyota quality as I try to measure it by taking all major as well as minor problems into consideration.
I think that measuring Toyota quality by comparing it with extremely poor product quality from other makers (such as the technique popularly used by some Toyata fanatics in this forum) is unsounded. I hope that those Toyota fanatics out there remember that quality cannot be maintained or improved if it is based on that kind of comparison.
Enough said.
Adjusting the Bass level would work OK if the Bass level didn't modulate with volume. If you turn the bass down for low-level listening, it's thin for high-level listening, and vice-versa.
I love my Seq. I've had it for a week now and have yet to regret spending the money or the increased gas costs.
Pleeze let me know about all weather floor mats!!!!
tbever: yep, you're right... we gotta [non-permissible content removed] or it's not fun... But, this forum can best serve everybody if we tone down our so-called "annoyances" (dforr !), that way we can hear and respond to questions of other posters like suznjones.
dforr: I don't know what you use your vehicles for, but I believe it's major use is as a means of transportation, when last I checked.
I am NOT by any stretch of the imagination, a Toyota fanatic. I have owned (and continue to own) other cars besides Toyota. I just do not believe in looking under the hood, and every nook and cranny, to find something to [non-permissible content removed] about, just to make me feel good. I guess I am one who looks on the bright side of life, while I concede there appears to be far too many people who'd rather look on the, shall I say, not-so-bright side of things.
nuff said
No, this won't stop me from buying one. Heck, my Grand Caravan stereo died at the three year mark (just after warranty expired). Oh, and just replaced the front cylinder head at 52k miles ($2,000.) Oh what a feeling! By the way, in Calif., if an officer can hear your stereo from 50' away, he can cite you for a loud stereo violation (a little over $100.) So careful Sequoia owners
Steve
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I think this board is destined to be primarily about minutia. The odds of someone posting that they threw a rod or their engine blew up is just about nil.
My earlier comment about the bass sounding good at a certain adjustment was misconstrued that I was complaining about not being able to listen to the stereo at 0,0,0. I am not an idiot. I am an electrical engineer by day and a hobbyist by night. My comments on how the system performs are accurate. The only thing I don't like about the bass adjustment is that you have to keep fiddling with it depending on which song, volume, etc.
oh-Oh, What a Forum!
Seqlady, I appreciate the support..
I checked out their web site and the prices are good and have custom fit floor mats for the front and second rows and a nice custom fit cargo area/third row liner. The address is WWW.huskyliners.com. they will show you the products and give you info on retailers. I got a set for my 2001 ford F-250 super cab , and am going to get the whole set for my sequoia. they fit great and really catch the crap.
I think this board is destined to be primarily about minutia. The odds of someone posting that they threw a rod or their engine blew up is just about nil.
My earlier comment about the bass sounding good at a certain adjustment was misconstrued that I was complaining about not being able to listen to the stereo at 0,0,0. I am not an idiot. I am an electrical engineer by day and a hobbyist by night. My comments on how the system performs are accurate. The only thing I don't like about the bass adjustment is that you have to keep fiddling with it depending on which song, volume, etc.
I am certain that people saw that and assumed that the Sequoia had the same problem. Some members here have used identical phrases in describing the problem. They missed the point that the Sequoia system could be adjusted to eliminate the "booming". It is the tempest in a teapot thing that can happen here. That is the humor I see.
Here's the other thing that makes me chuckle. I own a Tundra which has a 6 disc CD but not the JBL amplifier and speakers. I am constantly changing the bass adjustments. I have the treble set to 4, mid to 1 and the bass from +3 to -2 depending on my mood, volume and type of music/talk. If I am listening to Rush Limbaugh, I have to back to -2 because his voice booms a lot. If I am listening to rock, +2 works for most, but if I crank the volume and have a good drum beat, I move it up a notch to match my preferences at the time. I never considered this to be a "problem" but rather, a feature.
Oh well, to each his own.
I commented to my wife soon after I picked my LTD up that the radio was good, but "...the bass is a little boomy for my taste." This comment was made before I had ever known the existence of any Seq website and definitely before I heard of any TSB issue on the LC. I only found the LC info after searching for booming bass threads on the Seq.
Just keep in mind you might not have everyone figured out quite as well as you think you do.
1. What are the other port-installed options that we are being unneceesarily subjected to in So. Fla?
2. What is unique about So. Fla. (or the southeast) that makes our Toyota shopping different?
3. How did the Tenn. to Fla. process work? How did the car get to So. Fla. and what did it cost you?
Thanks and congrats.
Regarding getting the Seq. from Tennessee to Florida, the dealer delivered it on a trailer to Orlando. Since we have family up there, we just combined the trip. I'm sure they could deliver it further south, if needed.
Regarding ease of deal and paperwork. I didn't have to sign anything until we picked up the car in Orlando - a $500 deposit when putting in the order, that's it.
Again, there may be some good deals out there in the S.E. Region, but I was just unable to find them. If you're interested in getting a quote from the dealer, I can only recommend him after a painless car buying experience. His e-mail is nstoyota@hotmail.com
Caution to all. We ordered ours in Desert Sand with Warm Silver trim. Warm Silver is supposed to be darker than Desert Sand, but the actual colour is Silver. We are getting used to it, but you may want to take a look at this combination first.
We bought a SEQ LTD 4x4 with some extras like a moon roof, which, BTW, I only noticed the helicopter noise/vibration at about 35mph.
Bought it 4/7/01 out of state (better deal, better trade in price). Drove home Sunday (awesome 5 hour ride home) pulled in the driveway and my SEQ was smoking, and leaking what turned out to be oil all over our driveway. Under the hood it was splattered too. I drove it to a dealer the next day (4/9/01). I have not seen it since. They told me, after I called them late the next day, that the factory will be involved. The next day they said it was the cam shaft. The first time the service guy picked up the phone to call me was 8 days after they had my SEQ to tell me that the part was on back order and he has no idea on a date of arrival. Needless to say I have called them every day.... I'm sure they love me. I have also been in contact with customer relations (800#)twice. I called them on Mon the 16th and was informed that a manager would be in contact with me no later than the end of the business day on Thurs the 19th. I also spoke with CR on the 18th. I am in the mid west, it is 11:17pm on Thurs and no phone call yet.
I would love to have a replacement SEQ, probably won't get one. I don't have any confidence left in the one I bought. With my luck damage to other parts will have been done that won't show up until after I get it back. I am usually very positive, but I have pretty much lost faith here. The sad thing is I don't want a different SUV, I love(d)my SEQ. My dad just bought a Tahoe, very nice, but I still prefer the Sequoia. I have a relative who works at a Toyota dealer in So.Florida and of course is shocked at my dillema.
I am kinda stuck in limbo....any advice, suggestions???
BTW, I saw your post over in Owner's Problems & Solutions but you're right, everyone hangs out here.
Good luck and keep us posted.
http://www.geocities.com/shweggy/shweggys_page.html.html
I hate to disagree with Cliffy on the radio, but I think it sounds pretty bad, and I listen to a lot of music. Thing is, my trips around town are so short I leave the radio off (I enjoy the break from all the music I play at home). BUT, if the radio were a big deal to me, I'd look into a fix to get some clarity in the bass. You can dial the bass up or down, but at any level it's muddy. I would think the problem's easy to fix for those so motivated, I just lack the motivation.
Maybe you can help us understand the hierarchy of the Toyota service side of the house. Who do we call when bad things happen to good cars.
Obviously, dealer service is first. But after that level - what's the pecking order and resources. Seems like the oil leak case noted above is a good example - I would have expected to hear that she immediately received a loaner at a minimum, and that someone keeps her posted on what's going on. When you lose confidence, then you start looking for a replacement, even if it's a brand new Seq. You don't need laws to provide good service.