There are 50 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2003 Toyota Sequoiain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
"VSC OFF, VSC TRAC, and ABS" indicators on the dash. YAW sensor failure which controls wheel speed which will cause vehicle to decelerate and possibly cause an accident. Toyota should issue a nationwide recall. Toyota is aware of the issue but has failed to issue a nationwide recall.
WHEN DRIVING THE BACK LIGHT AN TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COME IN BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON AN IT SAYS CODES C1203 C1223 C1247 ALSO SAYING THE ABS SENSOR ON MASTER CYLINDER OPEN CIRCUIT ALSO HAS A CODE FRO 0DTC HAD IT CHECKED OUT ON 7/1/2019
WHEN ACCELERATING THE SLIP CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN TO 35 MILES PER HOUR. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE HIT BY A DRIVER APPROACHING AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE THE SLIP CONTROL MODULE NEED TO BE REPLACED AT $1,200 AND THE PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE VSC TRAC CONTROL RECALL. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 MODEL AS THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT HAS HAD TO REPLACE MANY OF THE SKID CONTEOL ECU. THIS WILL CAUSE DEATH AND CRASHED AS THE DRIVER CAN NOT SPEED UP WHEN THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
HELLO, I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUIOA WHERE THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE VCS LIGHTS ARE BOTH ON. I SAW ON YOUR PAGE SOME REALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION ON THIS MAKE/MODEL RECALL. I'VE REACHED OUT TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS MAKE/MODEL BUT THEY SAID THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HAVING THE SAME ISSUES?? THE RECALL WAS THAT TOYOTA HAD TO REPLACE THE SKID CONTROL ENGINE CONTROL UNIT (ECU) AND UPGRADE PROGRAM LOGIC IN ITS VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VCS) SYSTEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO GET IT INSPECTED AND THEY PROVIDED ME WITH 3 CODES: C1203 - ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM COMMUNICATION CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION C1360 - VEHICLE SKID CONTROL MASTER PRESSURE SENSOR MALFUNCTION P0420 - CATALYST SYSTEM EFFICIENCY BELOW THRESHOLD THESE ARE ALL SYSTEM ISSUES. CAN YOU HELP ME?
WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40 MPH, I NOTICED MY BRAKE, TRAC OFF, VSC TRAC, ENGINE LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT ONCE. I NOTICED THAT BRAKING WAS NOT AS RESPONSIVE (INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCE; ABS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ENGAGING) AND WHEN SPEEDING TO OVER 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE FEELS AS IF IT IS SLOWING ITSELF DOWN. IT IS CURRENTLY AN EXPECTED HEAVY RAINFALL SEASON WHERE I AM AND HAVING THE VEHICLE IN THIS STATE IS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING EFFECTIVELY OR WHEN IT STARTS TO SLOW ITSELF DOWN SUDDENLY. AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE DOWN AND RESTARTING IT AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS, THE LIGHTS MENTIONED ARE STILL ILLUMINATED EXCEPT THE BRAKE LIGHT. AFTER READING ALL THE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, I AM SURPRISED TOYOTA IS NOT PAYING FOR ALL ASPECTS OF THIS DEFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE AND NOT DRIVER MISUSE.
I PURCHASED A USED 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA IN APRIL 2014. SINCE THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM VSC) ACTIVATES RANDOMLY CAUSING THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TO BE APPLIED AT RANDOM. THIS WAS A MINOR ANNOYANCE AT FIRST BUT SOON BECAME A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. WHEN INCLEMENT WEATHER HIT IN DECEMBER 2014 THIS VEHICLE WAS UNSTABLE TO DRIVE IN EVEN LIGHT SNOW; EVEN WHEN I HAD IT IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. IN JANUARY 2015, IT WAS SNOWING AND THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT SO THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SLIDE INTERMITTENTLY ON THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME. THE THING IS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS OFF-ROAD TIRES AND THIS COMBINED WITH THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM SHOULD MAKE IT EXTREMELY STABLE IN ANY WEATHER. IN FEBRUARY 2015, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR CHILDREN AND THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES LOCKED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A TWO-WAY STOP PREVENTING IT FROM MOVING FORWARD. THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES APPROACHING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND THEY HAD TO STOP TO PREVENT A COLLISION. A QUESTION: WHAT IF THERE WAS SNOW ON THE ROAD AT THAT TIME? I APRIL HAD MY SEQUOIA LOOKED AT BY VANDERSTYNE TOYOTA IN ROCHESTER NY AND THEY FOUND THAT THE YAW RATE SENOR HAD A SHORT RESULTING IN CONSTANT APPLICATION OF THE VSC SYSTEM AND QUOTED ME $660.00 TO "FIX" THE ISSUE. I PROCEEDED TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE ON THE NET AND IT APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD WITH OWNERS OF TOYOTA SEQUOIAS, SIENNAS AND SOME 4 RUNNERS. AND MANY OF THE OWNERS WHO HAD THE YAW RATE SENSOR REPLACED CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I WILL NOT HAVE THIS WORK DONE IF THERE IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL FIX IT AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THIS 100%. THIS IS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FILING A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA, BBB AND THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICE MY TRAC OFF, VSC TRAC, ENGINE LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT ONCE , ALSO NOTICE LOSS OF POWER TO MY VEHICLE . *TR
I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND STARTED TO CHANGE LANES, WHEN I SAW A DAMAGED AREA ON THE FREEWAY DROVE OVER IT AND THE LIGHT FOR TRAC CONTROL LIGHT, VSC LIGHT, AND ABS LIGHT WERE ALL ON. THEN I EXITED TO CHECK FOR ANY VISIBLE PROBLEMS NOTHING THAT I COULD NOTICE. SO I STATED TO RESEARCH ABOUT THIS AND FOUND FORUMS TO SEE WHAT I CAN FIND OUT. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM FROM WHAT I SEE. DO YOUR PART TO GET THINGS DONE WITH THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEMS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING I CAME TO A STOP AND WHEN PUT MY FOOT BACK ON THE GAS THE VSC TRAC LIGHT CAME ON AND ALSO THE SKID LIGHT. IT MADE A GRINDING NOISE, THEN WHEN I HIT THE GAS IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THIS IS A SCARY FEELING!!! WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS?!! SEEMS TO ME IT'S MORE THEN JUST ME EXPRENCING THIS!!! *TR
I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CHECK ENGINE, VSC OFF, AND THE VSC TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON AND THEY WON'T TURN OFF. TOOK IT IN TO TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE THE FOLLOWING DATE AND THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE ECU AND SKID ECU COMPUTER BOARD AND THAT IT MAY FIX IT? IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. *TR
VCS OFF LIGHT, VCS TRAC LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND WILL NOT GO OFF. . *TR
FIRST THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE VSC OFF LIGHT FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE VSC TRAC LIGHT. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AS THE LIGHTS ONLY STAY ON FOR A DAY OR TWO THEN DON'T COME BACK ON UNTIL A FEW DAYS LATER. I HAVE CHECKED THE RECALL DATABASE FOR MY VEHICLE AND IT IS NOT INCLUDED, ALTHOUGH THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECALLED ON OTHER VEHICLES MATCHING MY VEHICLE'S GENERAL DESCRIPTION. I LIVE IN A VERY WET AREA OF THE COUNTRY AND RELY ON THIS SYSTEM TO WORK PROPERLY. FROM WHAT I CAN READ THROUGH ONLINE FORUMS, TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT EVERY VEHICLE THAT IS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, AS IT APPEARS TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE WIDESPREAD THAN FIRST THOUGHT. *TR
THE VSC TRAK LIGHT COMES ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WILL REMAIN ON UNTIL I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO MY MECHANIC. IT WORRIES ME THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS OCCURRED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, OVER AN OVER AGAIN. CAN THIS BE FIXED PERMANENTLY? *TR
THE VSC OFF/ TRAC OFF AND CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE LIGHT ALL CAME ON. THE BRAKE STARTED TO JUMP AND THE CAR PULLED HARE TO THE LEFT. I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON THE PROBLEM WENT A WAY BUT THE LIGHTS ALL CAME BACK ON. HOWEVER THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR SEQUOIA AND I HAVE SEEN NO SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS. *TR
AT RANDOM TIMES, THE VSC AND BRAKE LIGHTS WILL COME ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THEY SEVERELY GRIND AND STOPPING IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO COMPLETELY TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO TOYOTA MANY TIME OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS I HAVE CHILDREN RIDING IN THE VEHICLE!! TOYOTA EITHER SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG OR THAT A SENSOR WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED WHICH COSTS APPROXIMATELY $1600.00. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH OLDER SEQUOIAS AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. IT SHOULD BE FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER! I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING TOYOTA DID NOT DO RIGHT! *TR
AS I DRIVE,WHEN I COME TO A STOP SIGN ARE RED LIGHT AN D PUT MY FEET BACK ON THE GAS THE VSCTRAC LIGHT COMES ON AND ALSO THE SKID LIGHT,IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHEN U HIT THE GAS. IT'S A SCARY FEELING!!! WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THAT?!! SEEMS TO ME IT'S MORE THEN JUST ME EXPERIENCE THIS!!! *TR
VEHICLE ALMOST LOST CONTROL DURING A 25MPH TURN IN LIGHT RAIN CONDITION. THE VEHICLE HAS BRAND NEW TIRES AS WELL. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MANY TOYOTA SEQUOIA VEHICLES AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE FAULT. THE FAILURE TO ANNOUNCE A RECALL ON THE VSC PRESSURE SENSOR UNIT WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, SKID, LOSS OF ABS AND SUBSEQUENTLY LEAD TO CRASH. *TR
WHILE ACCELERATING ON AN ON RAMP ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, VSC VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE WENT TO IDLE, LOST SPEED. AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS, VSC LIGHT WENT OUT, ENGINE ABLE TO ACCELERATE. CONSIDERING HEAVY TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 495, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. NO ICE, NO SNOW, NO RAIN, ROAD WAS DRY AND LEVEL. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT HAS OCCURRED. *TR
VSC/ABS AND TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON. TOOK IN TO DEALER REPLACED SKID CONTROL COMPUTER AND STILL LIGHTS STAYED ON. NOW I MUST REPLACE YAW SENSOR FOR MORE MONEY. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH MOST SEQUOIAS OF THE 2003 YEAR MODEL. *TR
TOYOTA SEQUOIA 2003 - WITHIN MONTHS OF TAKING NEW CAR DELIVERY, VSC ABS AND TRAC LIGHTS WOULD BLINK INTERMITTENTLY AND ON OCCASION THE AUTO WOULD DECELERATE. AS THE ISSUE WAS INTERMITTENT, DEALERSHIP WAS UNWILLING/UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. TROUBLE WOULD CONTINUE WITH LESS FREQUENT DECELERATION BUT MORE FREQUENT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION UNTIL, AFTER A FEW YEARS, THE WARNING LIGHTS STAYED ON AND INVOLUNTARY DECELERATION SEEMED TO CEASE. TWO DIFFERENT FACTORY DEALERSHIPS PROVIDED TWO DIFFERENT DIAGNOSES. ONE SAID YAW SENSOR AND OTHER SENSORS NEED REPLACEMENT (OUT OF WARRANTY); THE OTHER, MORE RECENTLY SAID THAT BRAKE BOOSTER AND ACTUATOR NEED REPLACEMENT (OUT OF WARRANTY). VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BRAKE NORMALLY AND ABS DOES FUNCTION KEEPING THE SUV STEERABLE DURING PANIC STOPS. TRACTION AND STABILITY CONTROL ISSUES WERE NOT TESTED BY THIS DRIVER. SEARCH OF INTERNET BASED USER GROUPS SHOWS THIS PROBLEM COMMON IN EARLIER YEAR SEQUOIA/TUNDRA MODELS. COSTS OF REPAIRS RANGE FROM $1600 FOR YAW SENSORS TO $3700 FOR BRAKE BOOSTER AND ACTUATORS. TOYOTA USA IS UNRESPONSIVE UNLESS REPAIRS ARE UNDERTAKEN AND MAKES NO WARRANTY OF COOPERATION SHOULD REPAIRS PROVE INEFFECTIVE OR UNNECESSARY. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS AND OTHER 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5 AND LIMITED MODELS. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026