2001 Toyota Sequoia

TWO DAYS AGO, I HAPPENED TO BE ON MY WAY HOME ON A BACK ROAD AND ONLY GOING AROUND 40 MPH WHEN MY STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT, VSC TRAC, AND TRAC OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR STARTED MAKING A BEEPING NOISE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL MY VEHICLE. THIS IS FOR A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS SINCE ON DIFFERENT FORUMS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA AND HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM OR THEY COULD BE FACING SOME LAWSUITS IF THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS PERSIST AND SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR EVEN KILLED BECAUSE OF NEGLIGENCE ON TOYOTA'S PART. AS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, WE HAVE OWNED TOYOTA VEHICLES FOR YEARS, MY GREAT UNCLE WAS EVEN ASKED TO BE IN A TOYOTA COMMERCIAL BECAUSE OF THE DEVOTION OUR FAMILY HAS HAD TO TOYOTA. I REALLY HOPE THEY DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES MADE AGAINST THEIR COMPANY IF NOT. *TR

RECENTLY, MY 01 SEQUOIA HAS BEEN MAKING A LOUD METAL-LIKE GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM THE ENGINE OR THE TIRES. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO BECOME UNSTABLE ON THE ROAD AND IT WAS SWERVING, THE VSC TRAC LIGHT AND VSC OFF LIGHT FLASHED AND BEEPED RAPIDLY, AND WORST THING OF ALL WAS THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK EITHER. THE MORE I PUT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES, THE MORE THE METAL GRINDING NOISE WAS INTENSIFIED. FELT LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO BE DROPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OR THE TIRES WERE SCRAPED TO THE BONE. PROBLEM FIRST HAPPENED IN APRIL, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS NOTHING BECAUSE AS FAST AS IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE, IT QUICKLY WENT AWAY ALSO. HOWEVER, 2 WEEKS AGO, MY HUSBAND AND MY SON WERE IN MY CAR AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT LASTED LONGER AND MY HUSBAND HAD TO TRY HIS BEST TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS SWERVING AND SHAKING SO BAD, AND THE LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS BACK. WE KEPT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE FOR A WEEK IN HOPES THAT IT WILL "GO AWAY." TODAY, 5/16/12, AS I'M DRIVING AT 50MPH IT HAPPENED AGAIN.THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO CARS BEHIND ME, AND JUST A TRUCK A LITTLE WAYS AHEAD OF ME. BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 55MPH, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. I PUT PRESSURE ON MY BRAKES TO NO AVAIL BECAUSE THE MORE I TRIED TO PUSH THE BRAKES, THE LOUDER THE NOISE WAS AND THE MORE THE CAR WAS SHAKING. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST TERRIFYING EVENTS IN MY LIFE BECAUSE I SAW THAT I WAS APPROACHING THE BACK OF THE TRUCK FAST AND I COULDN'T STOP, I TRIED TO PULL TO THE SIDE BUT THERE WERE NO ROOM BECAUSE THE SIDES WERE JUST GUARD RAILS. AT THAT POINT, I PUT MORE PRESSURE ON MY BRAKES BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA BE KILLED OR HURT ANYONE ELSE, SO MY CAR FINALLY STARTED TO SLOWED DOWN. THE SCARIEST PART WAS THAT I COULD NOT BRAKE. THE MORE I APPLIED MY BRAKES, THE LOUDER THE NOISE, AND THE MORE THE CAR WAS SHAKING.

RECENTLY HAD NEW TIRES INSTALLED, WHILE ACCELERATING UP FREEWAY ON RAMP I COULD FEEL POWER BEING TAKEN AWAY, LOOKED DOWN AND SKID CONTROL LIGHT WAS LIT UP. ASKED MECHANIC ABOUT IT AND RECOMMENDED ZERO POINT CALIBRATION TO REST SENSORS FOR STEERING YAW AND PITCH. AFTER ZPC VSC TRAC AND VSC OFF LIGHTS WERE ON. CODE PULLED C1231 STEERING ANGLE. ZPC AGAIN. CODE AND LIGHTS STILL, CODE WILL NOT CLEAR WITH TOYOTA INTELLIGENT 2 SCANNER. MONITORING STEERING SENSOR WITH SCANNER SHOW BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUMBERS WITH ZERO AT WHEELS STRAIGHT. MECHANIC WANT TO CHANGE OUT SPENDY VSC CPU AND TRANSLATE CPU AND SAYS THAT IS NO GUARANTEE TO FIX. I AM DRIVING IT WITH LIGHTS ONE DUE TO UNABLE TO PAY $2K FOR SOMETHING OUT OF KNOW WHERE AND NO PART PHYSICALLY BROKE TO PROMOTE. IN LOOKING AROUND I SEE THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. *TR

WAS DRIVING OUT MY DRIVEWAY, NOT GOING FAST AT ALL...TURNED ON A MAJOR STREET AND SUDDENLY, A PICTURE OF THE SKIDDING CAR APPEARED AND THEN THE TRAC/VSC LIGHTS CAME ON WITH A HORRENDOUS NOISE. TOOK CAR TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT AFTER RELINQUISHING $100.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE LIGHT AND NOISE FROM THE VSC ENGAGING OR DISENGAGING IS REALLY LOUD AND HAS HAPPENED EVERY DAY SINCE THE INITIAL ISSUE. DOES THIS PRESENT A PROBLEM? I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR BUT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED FOR WORK AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. I'VE SEARCHED ONLINE AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF BUT FAIL TO DO A RECALL. *TR

VEHICLE: TOYOTA SEQUOIA 2001 4WD LTD TEMPERATURE: 87 DEGREES F CONDITIONS: SUNNY & CLEAR - NO RAIN/WATER PRESENT - NO OBVIOUS SLIPPERY CONDITIONS SURFACE: PAVED SURFACE ROAD ACCESSORIES ACTIVE: AIR CONDITIONING WAS ON & RADIO WAS ON WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED (VEHICLE SYMBOL THAT INCLUDES 3 WAVY LINES) AND SOUNDED AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE "VSC TRAC" & "VSC OFF" LIGHTS ILLUMINATING. TO MEMORY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING PRESSED AS NORMAL. WHEN THE ABOVE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED A NEGATIVE SENSATION COULD BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT VEER OFF COURSE. NEXT, THE EMERGENCY FLASHER HAZARD LIGHT WAS TURNED ON, THE A/C & RADIO WERE TURNED OFF AND THE FOUR MAIN WINDOWS WERE LOWERED TO THEIR FULL DOWN POSITIONS BY THE DRIVER AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A SIDE STREET APPROXIMATELY 1/8 MILE AHEAD, STOPPED AND PARKED. THE DRIVER KEPT THE VEHICLE RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN INSPECTED BY THE DRIVER FOR SIGNS OF OBVIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE BRAKE, DRIVELINE AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS DID NOT SHOW ANY OBVIOUS SIGNS OF FAILURE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL WAS CHECKED AND IT DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN IN THE CURRENT STATE. THE VEHICLE'S A/C SYSTEM WAS SWITCHED BACK ON (THE RADIO WAS LEFT OFF) AND THE VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES, PARKED AND TURNED OFF. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS OF THE VEHICLE BEING PARKED & NOT RUNNING THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE PREVIOUS DASHBOARD LIGHTS AT FIRST DID NOT ILLUMINATE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE OF DRIVING THE "VSC TRAC" & "VSC OFF" LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AGAIN UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES, PARKED AND TURNED OFF. THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL MECHANICAL SENSATIONS FELT OR HEARD DURING EITHER 10 OR 50 MILE DRIVES. *TR

VSC LIGHT WAS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE(SEQUOIA) WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY SO THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SKID CONTROL ECU. THE VSC LIGHT STARTED COMING BACK ON INTERMITTENTLY APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY TOYOTA SAID IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $2400 TO FIX. SINCE THE LIGHTS ONLY CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT ANY OTHER PROBLEMS AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO SPARE I DIDN'T GET THE REPAIRS DONE. WHILE HAVING MY ROTORS TURNED AT THE DEALERSHIP THE MECHANIC SAID THEY NOTICED THE VSC LIGHT WAS ON. THEY SAID THEY WORKED ON MY VEHICLE FOR 3 HRS(AT NO CHARGE-JUST DOING ME A FAVOR)) TO TRY AND REMEDY THE VSC LIGHT PROBLEM. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE WARNING LIGHTS AND ABS LIGHTS WERE COMING ON, I STARTED HEARING WARNING BEEPS, THE CAR STARTED VIBRATING VIOLENTLY AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT. SCARED THE HECK OUT OF ME! I PULLED OVER AND HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. OF COURSE THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS SKID CONTROL ECU AND WOULD COST $2400 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN EXCELLENT CARE OF THIS CAR AND WOULD FIX IT IF I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. BECAUSE OF NECESSITY I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND DEALING WITH THE DAILY SCARE BUT LATELY IT HAS BEEN GETTING SO BAD THAT I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO TRADE IT IN BEFORE IT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. *TR

THE "VSC OFF" AND VSC SKID LIGHTS CAME ON AND HAS REMAINED ON TO THE PRESENT DATE. WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON ALL VSC FUNCTIONS STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. REPAIR WAS NOT UNDER ANY WARRANTY. AN ESTIMATE OF APPROXIMATELY $2200 WAS GIVEN TO REPLACE THE VEHICLES ECU. NO REPAIR WAS MADE. OCCASIONALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION FOR A BRIEF PERIOD (USUALLY LESS THAN 2 SECONDS) AS IF SOMETHING HAS CUT POWER 20-30%. I SUSPECT IT WAS THE VSC SYSTEM TRYING TO CUT ON OR ENGAGE. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED FOR SOME TIME. VEHICLE NOW HAS 178000 MILES. *TT

SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION ON HIGHWAY. VSC AND TRAC LIGHT CAME ON, THEN COULD NOT ACCELERATE. HAD TO PULL OVER EXTREMELY FAST BEFORE GETTING REAR ENDED BY OTHER VEHICLES. CAN WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY HURT WITH ENTIRE FAMILY IN CAR. LUCKILY THERE WAS A SHOULDER TO PULL OFF ON, OTHERWISE, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN AN TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. CAR WAS NOT SAFE AT ALL! TOYOTA NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS VSC ISSUE! *TR