2001 Toyota Sequoia

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.

MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING MY BOY TO BASKETBALL PRACTICE. MY MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION WHICH WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. HE SAID THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND PROBABLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL SEQUOIAS WITH THE SAME RUST ISSUES BUT DON'T EXPECT TOYOTA TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING TUNDRA AND TACOMA RUSTED FRAMES. AFTER VISITING CERTAIN WEBSITES LIKE EDMOND'S I'VE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEQUOIA OWNERS AND THAT TOYOTA IS NOT RESOLVING THE ISSUE. WHY HAS THE NHTSA NOT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM? IT'S TIME TO ACT ON THIS PROBLEM AND FORCE TOYOTA TO REPLACE THESE ROTTED FRAMES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACK WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS THE STEERING WHEEL HAPHAZARDLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES AND EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD RESET INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT WITHOUT THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED THEN THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

UPON HAVING VEHICLE INSPECTED BY ASE-CERT. TECH., I WAS INFORMED THAT 18"-24" OF THE VEHICLE'S LEFT MAIN FRAME RAIL WAS ROTTED/RUSTED THROUGH ALONG THE BOTTOM SURFACE. THE ROTTED SECTION IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE TRANSMISSION CROSS-MEMBER ON THE LEFT SIDE, AS WELL AS SMALLER PERFORATIONS ON THE RIGHT MAIN FRAME RAIL IN THE SAME LOCATION (TRANSMISSION CROSS MEMBER). ALSO, THE FRAME RAIL IS ROTTED THROUGH AT THE JUNCTION WHERE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER SUPPORT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME. TECHNICIANS HAVE ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE IS DEFINITELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AS FRAME IS IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING, AS WELL AS SPARE TIRE FALLING OFF VEHICLE WHILE IN OPERATION. ITS BEEN BROUGHT TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT. FACTORY "TRUCK FRAME TEAM" WAS CONTACTED TO DISCUSS REPLACEMENT OF FRAME, AS DONE IN RESPONSE TO THE RUSTED FRAME EPIDEMIC ON TUNDRAS. THIS PRODUCED NO RESULTS OTHER THAN TOYOTA STATING THAT "THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH SEQUOIA FRAMES", AND "THERE IS NO PROGRAM TO REPLACE THEM". TOYOTA WILL *NOT* REPAIR OR REPLACE THIS FRAME, NOR OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE WITH VEHICLE THAT IS IN OTHERWISE EXCELLENT CONDITION, WITH A BOOK VALUES OF $9000.00-$10,000.00, NOW MADE WORTHLESS AND UN-DRIVABLE DUE TO THE RUSTED FRAME. THERE ARE MANY DOZENS OF OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING DANGEROUSLY RUSTED/ROTTED FRAMES ON 2001-2003 SEQUOIAS WITH RUST DAMAGE ALL IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATIONS, ON THIS NHTSA WEBSITE (SEE LISTINGS), BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT ADMIT TO THIS OBVIOUS DESIGN/MATERIAL DEFECT, AS THEY HAVE WITH THE TUNDRA, WHICH USES A NEARLY IDENTICAL FRAME FROM SAME MANUFACTURER AND ASSEMBLED IN THE SAME FACTORY. NEITHER HAS THE NHTSA YET INITIATED ANY SORT OF INTERVENTION ON BEHALF OF CONSUMERS. EARLY SEQUOIA OWNERS IN NORTHERN US/CANADA WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE FRAMES INSPECTED BY QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN, AND REPORT THOSE FINDINGS IMMEDIATELY. *TR

THURSDAY MAY 20TH 2001 BALL JOINT FAILED ON LEFT FRONT, DOING 35MPH. WHEEL CAME OFF. RECALL STARTING WITH SEQUOIAS MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2001. MINE WAS MANUFACTURED MAY 2001. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL SO THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT AND THE DEALER WANTS $4800 FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY CITED ON THE ESTIMATE THAT REASON FOR FAILURE IS "UNKNOWN". THEY STATED THE RIGHT SIDE BALL JOINT IS FINE BUT THEY SUGGEST REPLACING IT FOR ANOTHER $500. I WAS COULD HAVE HAD A CAR FULL OF TEENAGERS GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT THE TIME, MY DAUGHTER WANTED ME TO DRIVE CARPOOL FOR A FIELD TRIP, LUCKILY I COULDN'T DRIVE FOR THEM. *TR

HAVING ISSUES WITH STOPPING A 2001 SEQUOIA DUE TO UNDERSIZED BRAKING EQUIPMENT. THE ISSUE IS WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED THE SEQUOIAS TIRES AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. I HAVE REPLACED THE PADS AND HAD THE ROTORS TURNED. THIS IS KNOW ISSUE WITH THE SEQUOIA FOR TOYOTA. TSB ISSUE AND BRAKING SYSTEM FIXED AS LONG AS THE CAR IS UNDER 36000 MILES THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ALL DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD A COUPLE NEAR MISSES DUE TO THE INCONSISTENT BREAKING. WHILE AT DEALERSHIP (TOYOTA OF CONCORDE IN NC THEY WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE TS"S ARE OUT THERE. IT IS AN ONGOING SAFETY ISSUE THAT WHEN COUPLED WITH ISSUES WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL THAT IS GOING TO SERIOUSLY INJURE OR KILL PEOPLE. AS STATED THE BRAKE ISSUE HAS CAUSE NEAR MISSES IN OUR SUV AND OTHER. *TR

THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 40MPH WHILE I WAS DOING 65. MECHANIC SAID THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I ESCAPED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE BRAKES HAD BECAME LOOSED, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO HANDLE. THE CAR STARTED JERKING, AND ALMOST RAN OVER. I WENT TO LLEHMAN TOYOTA ON 441 NORTH MIAMI BEACH, THEY CHARGED ME 1800 DOLLARS TO FIX THE CENSOR, AND THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY. NOW, THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATS. *TR

PROBLEMS BEGAN AT 14,647 MILES ON BRAND NEW VEHICLE. EXTREME PULL TO THE RIGHT, SHIMMIE, VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING AND BRAKING, LOSS OF VSC ABILITIES. REPEATEDLY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TIRES AND BRAKES BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTION. TIRES ARE WEARING TO THE METAL IN UNCONVENTIONAL MANNER. TOYOTA REPEATEDLY DISREGARDED AND DISMISSED MY CONCERNS, TELLING ME "THE ROADS IN AZ SLANT TO THE RIGHT, HENCE YOUR VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE RIGHT". AFTER TWO YEARS OF FIGHTING WITH THEM REGARDING THIS, THEY NOW ADMIT TO CALIPER/DRUM PROBLEM BUT MAINTAIN I HAVE TO PAY TO CORRECT IT BECAUSE NOW I AM OUT OF WARRANTY. EVEN THOUGH PROBLEMS BEGAN AT 14K MILES, THEY CONTEND THIS IS MY PROBLEM AND NOT THEIRS. THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS FORM REQUESTS A # OF FAILURES; I DO NOT HAVE A NUMBER TO GIVE YOU, AS THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT, CHRONIC PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT CEASED. I HAVE HAD 4 SETS OF TIRES AND REPLACED THE BRAKES 4 TIMES.*AK