2001 Toyota Sequoia

AFTER MEETING WITH DISTRICT PARTS AND SERVICE OPERATIONS MANAGER STEVE CARLSON ON 9/23/02. I''VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE SMELL COMING FROM MY 2001 SEQUOIA. FIRST OF ALL, I HAD TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP AT 10:30 IN MORNING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MANAGER WAS GOING TO BE THERE. SECOND IS THAT I GOT THE RUN AROUND ABOUT I SHOULD TRY A ''FOR FUN AND GIGGLES'' BY NOT RUNNING MY RECYCLING MODE WHEN DRIVING WITH THE A/C ON. THIRD IS THAT WHEN THE FRONT WINDOWS ARE OPEN I''M STILL GETTING THE WORST SMELL OF EXHAUST COMING FROM THE REAR. I UNDERSTAND HIS POINT ABOUT THE BALANCE OF AIR WITH OPENING AND CLOSING OF BAFFLES IN THE REAR AND FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I WANT TO MAKE A NOTE THAT THE VENTING OF THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT THE RECYCLING ON IS THE WORST I''VE HAD IN ALL THE VEHICLES I''VE OWNED. THE IDEA OF ASKING ME TO USE THE FRONT VENTS INSTEAD OF RECYCLING IS A CATCH 22. WHERE IF I KEEP THE RECYCLING ON AND SMELL THE EXHAUST SMELL WITH IT''S 0% EMISSIONS IN MY VEHICLE COMPARED TO OPENING THE FRONT VENT AND SMELLING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WITH WHO KNOWS WHAT. FOURTH, I HAVE TO GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE TOYOTA WILL DO ANYTHING TO FIX THIS DESIGN FAULT

WE HAVE A TOYOTA SEQUOIA, THE PROBLEMS ARE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT OPERATING ALL THE TIME. IT DOES NOT ENGAGE, WHEN IT DOES SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT STAY IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. ONE EXAMPLE IS WHEN MY WIFE HAD SIX FRIENDS IN THE VEHICLE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE DID NOT STAY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE SKID CONTROL MADE THE ENGINE LOOSE POWER SO SHE SLID BACKWARDS DOWN A HILL. NO ONE WOULD RIDE IN OUR 4 WHEEL DRIVE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE SKID CONTROL ACTIVATES AT RADOM ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE SKID CONTROL MAKES THE ENGINE LOOSE POWER WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THERE IS ALSO A HESITATION IN THE ENGINE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS ANOT ADEQUATE FOR THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE FRONT BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR THE SAME REAIRS AT LEAST FIVE TIMES AND IS STILL NOT WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD. WE HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION FOR SERVICE ON OUR SEQUOIA. WE HAVE DONE INTERNET RESEARCH THROUGH THE NHTSA AND HAVE FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER TOYOTA SEQUOIA'S.

I NEED TO REPORT MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQUIOA AFTER AN INCIDENT THAT NEARLY BECAME A DEADLY ACCIDENT THAT NO ONE COULD HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURER'S TRANSMISSION DEFAULT HAD I NOT SURVIVED THAT INCIDENT.ON DEC. 24, 2002, I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQIOUA IN FWY 5 WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FWY 5.I WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE, BUT IT DIED DOWN AFTER I CHANGED THE (AUTOMATIC) GEAR TO DRIVE.I, TOGETHER WITH TWO PASSENGERS: ONE ADULT AND A 4-YR OLD TODDLER,WAS STUCK IN THE VEHICLE WAITING FOR THE INEVITABLE.TO CUT THE STORY SHORT,I GOT MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, FRONTIER TOYOTA IN VALENCIA.AFTER THEY CHECKED THE CAR ON 12/26, THE SERVICE REP INFORMED ME THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.I BOUGHT MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQUIOA IN NOV OF 2000 WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT IN THE MARKET.I'VE MAINTAINED MY SUV WITH TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS (MCPHERSON IN TUSTIN, AND SUNNYVALE TOYOTA). I HAD IT SERVICED FOR ITS 30,000 MILE MAINTENANCE. ON MAY 2002 WHICH IS JUST 7 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT ON DEC 24, 2002. I TRIED CONTACTING TOYOTA'S CORPORATE OFFICE, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO COVER THE SERVICE UNDER THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT IS 3,000 OVER.IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME THAT AN AUTOMATIC VEHICLE I BOUGHT BRAND NEW, WHICH I HAVE MAINTAINED AT THEIR DEALERSHIP ALL THROUGH OUT INCLUDING THE REQUIRED 30,000 MILE SERVICE, WILL JUST BREAK DOWN AND NEEDS ITS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 63,000 MILEAGE THAT NEARLY CAUSED MY LIFE AND TWO OTHER PASSENGERS. I AM CONCERNED THAT I MAY HAVE GOTTEN THE DEFAULT VEHICLE FROM THE FIRST BATCH OF THIS SUV THAT CAME OUT IN THE MARKET IN NOV OF 2000.AND I AM CONCERNED THAT A MANUFACTURER'S DEFAULT CAN BE OVERLOOKED AND COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF MY LOSS AND OTHERS.I FEEL RESPONSIBLE TO INFORM TO PREVENT ANY POSSIBLE LOSS/ES.I NEED TO BE HEARD BECAUSE I NEARLY LOST MY LIFE, INCLUDING TWO MORE, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

I BOUGHT A NEW 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 5,000. I NOW HAVE 15,000 MI AND BOTH AGAIN HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE CAR SHIVERS WHEN BRAKING ON A HILL OR SUDDENLY. I HAVE THE EXTRA CARE WARRANTY (6 YEARS, 100,000 MILES), BUT THE TOYOTA DEALER IS SAYING IT WILL OCCUR AGAIN AND THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, NOR COVER IT AGAIN UNDER WARRANTY. I DRIVE THIS CAR VERY CAREFULLY. I HAVE KIDS AND CANNOT AFFORD TO BE BRAKING HARD ALL THE TIME. BRAKE PROBLEMS IN A BUSY, TRAFFICKY CITY LIKE L.A. CAN BE DANGEROOUS. THIS IS ALSO A NEW CAR AND SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IN CASE OTHER SEQUOIA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.*AK

BRAKE PROBLEM PRESENTED ITSELF BY THE VEHICLE VIBRATING WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGH SPEED. ALL BRAKES REQUIRED SERVICING AND THEN REPLACEMENT. EMERGENCY BRAKE REQUIRED ADJUSTING THREE TIMES WITHIN 20,000 MILES. WHEN ONLY ONE WINDOW IS OPEN AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH, CAUSES SEVERE PRESSURE VIBRATIONS INSIDE THE VEHICLE INTERIOR. PRESSURE VIBRATIONS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND ANNOYING.*AK