THE TRACTION CONTROL PULLS THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AT ANY SPEED. I ALMOST CRASHED TODAY.
2001 Toyota Sequoia
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sequoia years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
424 reports with mileage · 107 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 124 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 102 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 101 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Unknown Or Other complaints
30 reportsFAILED INSPECTION MISSOURI RUSTED FAME REAR AXLE FALLING OUT . VERY DANGEROUS
FRAME RUSTED OUT WITH HOLES THROUGHOUT THE FRAME.
I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND LEFT IT RUNNING EXITED THE CAR OPEN THE BACK DOOR AND WALKED BEHIND THE CAR AND THEN THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS UNTIL IT RAN INTO A WALL AFTER I HAD ALREADY REMOVED ITEMS FROM THE BACK DOOR AND WALKED BEHIND THE CAR
WHEN DRIVING AT A SPEED ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 60 MPH, THE SKID CONTROL LIGHT AND VSC TRAC CAN GO OFF; ALARM SOUNDS...VEHICLE SHAKE AND GRINDING COMING FROM BRAKES. BRAKES AND DO NOT WORK WELL WHEN THIS OCCURS. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. IT IS NOW OCCURRING VERY FREQUENTLY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO SHUT THE CAR OFF....…
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WHEN DRIVING AT A SPEED ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 60 MPH, THE SKID CONTROL LIGHT AND VSC TRAC CAN GO OFF; ALARM SOUNDS...VEHICLE SHAKE AND GRINDING COMING FROM BRAKES. BRAKES AND DO NOT WORK WELL WHEN THIS OCCURS. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. IT IS NOW OCCURRING VERY FREQUENTLY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO SHUT THE CAR OFF.... AND RESTART THE VEHICLE.
THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. I HAVE IT REPAIRED AND A FEW MONTHS LATER IT COMES BACK ON. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED 10 YEAR AGO.
JUST DRIVING ALONG, AND FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES GRAB - - JERK THE WHEEL TRUCK ROCKS AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS GO ON. PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY FOR MONTHS. CAN BE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, BUT ALSO HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. I RECALLED HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY PISTONS IN MY CALIPERS SEEZING UP SO I REPLACED …
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JUST DRIVING ALONG, AND FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES GRAB - - JERK THE WHEEL TRUCK ROCKS AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS GO ON. PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY FOR MONTHS. CAN BE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, BUT ALSO HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. I RECALLED HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY PISTONS IN MY CALIPERS SEEZING UP SO I REPLACED THEM. BUT SHORTLY AFTER ON THE HIGHWAY I HAD TO COME TO A IMMEDIATE STOP NOT SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES BUT JUST PRESSING THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE VSC TRACK OFF LIGHT COMES ON. IF I SHUT THE TRUCK OFF THE LIGHT GOES OFF BUT EVEN IF NOT MOVING NOW IF I PRESS THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LIGHT WILL COME ON. DOING MY RESEARCH ONLINE I NOTICE THE 2003 VERSION HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUE BUT THIS YEAR HAS YET TO BE ON THAT LIST.
THE FRAME OF THE TOYOTA SEQUOIA IS ROTTED OUT. MY MECHANIC WAS DOING A SAFETY AFTER I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. HE DISCOVERED THE FRAME WAS ROTTED OUT. (HIS WORDS) HE SAID THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015, I WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 37 TOWARD CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, AND OUT OF THE BLUE MY WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE HAD A HARD SHAKE/SHIMMY IN THE REAR END. IT ROCKED MY REAREND LEFT TO RIGHT. VERY SCARY. LUCKILY I HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL. THE TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR WENT OFF. I BRAKED, THINKING MAYBE…
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015, I WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 37 TOWARD CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, AND OUT OF THE BLUE MY WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE HAD A HARD SHAKE/SHIMMY IN THE REAR END. IT ROCKED MY REAREND LEFT TO RIGHT. VERY SCARY. LUCKILY I HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL. THE TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR WENT OFF. I BRAKED, THINKING MAYBE I HAD HAD A TIRE GO FLAT QUICKLY. VERY SCARY AT 75 MPH. ALSO VERY LUCKY THAT NOT SEMI'S OR VEHICLES WERE NEAR ME. I TURNED THE SEQUOIA OFF AND GOT OUT TO CHECK THE TIRES. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I GOT BACK IN AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS HAD GONE OFF, SO I STARTED TO ACCELERATE BACK INTO TRAFFIC...AND THE SEQUOIA WENT CRAZY AGAIN, REAR END SHAKING, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS GOING OFF. IT WAS 8 PM, DARK. I WAS TOO SCARED TO TRY DRIVING AGAIN, SO I CALLED FOR A TOW. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND THERE WERE MANY. SOME PEOPLE SAY IT IS AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL SENSOR. EACH WHEEL HAS ONE AND MAYBE ONE WENT OUT CAUSING THAT WHEEL TO ROTATE DIFFERENTLY FROM THE OTHERS, JERKING THE CAR AROUND. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! I HAD BEEN IN SAN ANTONIO, TX RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC JUST 3 HOURS BEFORE AND HAD THIS JERKING THAT CAUSED SWERVING HAPPENED ON THE DOWNTOWN HIGHWAYS, SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. PEOPLE SHOULD BE WARNED AND TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL VEHICLES AFFECTED, BECAUSE FROM MY RESEARCH, THERE ARE A LOT OF AFFECTED SEQUOIAS.
WAS DRIVING THROUGH TOWN AT ABOUT 50MPH WHEN THE WHOLE CAR STARTED TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY MAINTENANCE GUY AT MIDAS AND DROVE IT OVER. TURNS OUT THE ENTIRE FRAME RUSTED AND ROTTED THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WE HAD IT THOROUGHLY CHECKED OUT BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE LAST YEAR BEFORE PUTTING MONEY INTO FI…
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WAS DRIVING THROUGH TOWN AT ABOUT 50MPH WHEN THE WHOLE CAR STARTED TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY MAINTENANCE GUY AT MIDAS AND DROVE IT OVER. TURNS OUT THE ENTIRE FRAME RUSTED AND ROTTED THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WE HAD IT THOROUGHLY CHECKED OUT BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE LAST YEAR BEFORE PUTTING MONEY INTO FIXING IT UP AND KEEPING IT FOR MY SON TO DRIVE. IT CHECKED OUT FINE. NOBODY COULD TELL IT WAS ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IF THE FRAME HAD FALLEN APART 4 DAYS EARLIER, MY SON AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED, AS HE DROVE IT FOR 2 HRS AROUND THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE TOLD THAT IF IT HAD FALLEN APART AROUND A TURN ON THE INTERSTATE OR ON AN OFF RAMP, IT WOULD HAVE FLIPPED OVER. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN, BUT AM GRATEFUL IT DIDN'T WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MIDAS HAS SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN ALL HIS YEARS WORKING ON CARS. WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND KNOWING THAT ONLINE WE HAVE READ MANY STORIES OF THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY STONEWALLED ME AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I AM TRULY CONCERNED FOR ANYONE ELSE DRIVING ONE OF THESE SEQUOIAS AND NOT KNOWING THAT IT COULD FALL APART AT ANY TIME. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN AMAZING SHAPE, AND IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT TOYOTA HAD NOT RECALLED THESE, AS THEY DID THE TACOMAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION!
Official recalls
102V129000 · Wheels
May 1, 2002
ON CERTAIN 4X2 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ALLOY WHEEL TIRE UPGRADE (OPTIONS WM4, WM8, ZL1-ZL4, DH4, OR DH5) INSTALLED BY THE PROCESSING CENTERS IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA OR COMMERCE, GEORGIA, A LABEL IDENTIFYING THE SPARE TIRE AS A TEMPORARY USE SPARE TIRE WAS NOT INSTALLED. THE UPGRADE INCLUDES 4 LARGER SIZE TIRES WITH ALLOY WHEELS. THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE/STEEL WHEEL IS NOT PART OF THE UPGRADE AND WAS NOT CHANGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DIFFERENT OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS CAN BE EXPERIENCED WHEN THE SPARE TIRE IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CAUTION LABEL AND AN INSERT FOR THEIR OWNER'S MANUAL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE16006 · Yaw Rate Sensor Malfunction
Opened Jun 14, 2016 · Closed Dec 20, 2016
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electronic Stability Control
On June 14, 2016, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-006 to investigate 135 complaints alleging incidents of yaw rate sensor malfunctions resulting in unexpected Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) activations and steering pull while driving in model year (MY) 2001-2002 Toyota Sequoia vehicles.ODI identified a total of 958 incidents in complaints provided by Toyota or submitted to ODI by consumers.ODI conducted the following work to assess the alleged defect in the subject vehicles: 1) evaluated the design of the subject yaw rate sensor; 2) initiated vehicle testing and instrumentation; 3) performed failure analysis on subject components collected from the field; 4) analyzed field data for evidence of system faults; and 5) reviewed the performance of the subject system in fault simulations testing conducted by Toyota.ODI review indicated that an overwhelming majority of incidents are related to flashing VSC slip indicators on the instrument panel accompanied by warning buzzers and grinding noise or vibration caused by pulsed brake application to one of the front wheels.Yaw rate sensor malfunctions resulting in VSC brake applications is accompanied by a brief duration of longitudinal deceleration with minimal changes in vehicle speed and will not result in abrupt lane change or loss of vehicle control due to steering controllability.This preliminary evaluation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist.For additional information, see the closing resume appendix and the investigation file for PE16-006.
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