2004 Toyota Sequoia Complaint Log

HEAVY SULPHER FUMES FROM EXHAUST. *JB

VSC TRAC LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ALL COME ON AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE SINCE 2005 AND TOYOTA HAS REPLACE EVERY PART THEY KNOW OFF. *TR

BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/T TIRE SIXE 265/65R17 BLOWOUT AND COULD NOT LOCATE A REPLACEMENT. RIGHT REAR TIRE. TOYOTA SUV HAD ONLY 6.045 MILES. DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLACE WITH SAME TYPE OF TIRE. HAD TO PAY $274.35 FOR A DIFFERENT TIRE.

WE HAVE HAD 2 REAR END COLLISIONS IN OUR 2004 TOYOTA SEQUOIA IN LESS THAN 10 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A REAR END COLLISION IN 12 YEARS OF DRIVING OTHER MODEL SUVS, AND 20+ YEARS OF DRIVING ALL TYPES OF VEHICLES. I BELIEVE THERE IS A SAFETY DESIGN FLAW IN THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS OF THE SEQUOIA. THE LARGE RED LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE TAILGATE DO NOT FUNCTION AS BRAKE LIGHTS. THEY ONLY LIGHT UP WHEN THE HEADLAMPS ARE ILLUMINATED. THEREFORE, THE LARGEST RED LIGHT SURFACE AREA ON THE BACK OF THE CAR DOES NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. I BELIEVE THIS LEADS DRIVERS TO MISS THE FACT THAT THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED. THE ONLY DRIVER EYE-LEVEL BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON THE SIDE PANELS AND THE HIGH-MOUNT LIGHT OVER THE TAILGATE, WHICH IS FAIRLY SMALL. THE PROPORTIONAL SIZE OF THE SIDE EYE-LEVEL BRAKE LIGHTS IS SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN THE RED LENSES ON THE TAILGATE. WE REQUEST THAT NHTSA LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, BECAUSE THE DESIGN DEFIES COMMON SENSE AND WE BELIEVE HAS LED TO TWO REAR-END COLLISIONS IN LESS THAN A YEAR. WE ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING SELLING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE THAT IT IS SAFE FOR MY FAMILY.

FUEL GAUGE INDICATE EMPTY, WHEN TANK IS FULL. *TR

CAR FREQUENTLY REFUSES TO START. HAD TO HAVE AAA COME OUT AND JUMP START IT. ROSEVILLE TOYOTA SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND THE TROUBLE. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN THE VERY NEXT DAY, TOOK IT TO MAITA TOYOTA. MAITA SAID THE MANUFACTURER'S BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE (HAD A HOLE IN IT) AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. WORKED FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS, NOW HAVING MORE INCIDENTS OF THE SAME "REFUSING TO START" PROBLEM. CAR IS STILL REFUSING TO START ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE NOW IS THAT THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON WHEN I TRY TO START IT, THE DOOR MAKES THE CHIMING SOUND WHEN OPENED WHEN THE KEY IS IN. (BEFORE THE BATTERY REPLACEMENT IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD -- NO LIGHTS, NO DOOR CHIME, NOTHING). MAITA HAS DILIGENTLY BEEN TRYING TO LOCATE THE TROUBLE, THEY CANNOT THUS FAR. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME NEXT TIME I NEED TO NOT HAVE IT CHARGED, BUT TO TOW IT IN DIRECTLY IN ITS STATE OF "REFUSAL TO START".

DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON IE. GAS LIGHT COMES ON AND GAS INDICATOR WENT TO EMPTY REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE TANK, BRAKE LIGHT CAM ES ON. ALL OF THIS IS SPORATIC AND HAS NO PATTERN. WE HAVE FRIENDS THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENS ON THIER 2004 SEQUOIA.*AK

MY COMPLAINT IS BASICALLY IDENTICAL TO ONE ALREADY ON FILE FOR ANOTHER SEQUOIA 2004. WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN, OUR VEHICLE HAS ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS LOST POWER. THERE IS A SECOND OR TWO WHERE THE ACCELERATOR FAILS TO PROVIDE ANY RESPONSE AND THEN IT RECOVERS. ONCE WHEN I WAS MAKING A TURN IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC I THOUGHT I THOUGHT I WOULD BE HIT BEFORE THE VEHICLE RECOVERED. I HAVE ASKED THE SERVICE PEOPLE ABOUT THIS TWICE BUT THEY SAY THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING IF THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE. HOWEVER, ONE SERVICE MAN SAID HE HAD HEARD OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS. THEY MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT A "FIREWIRE" THAT AFFECTS THE THROTTLE BUT WITH NO REMEDY IN SIGHT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS RESULTS IN AN ACCIDENT FOR SOMEONE. *NM

MY 2004 TOYOTA SEQUOIA AT VARIOUS TIMES WILL STOP ACCELERATING AWAY FROM A STOP IF THE VEHICLE IS ASKED TO GO UP OR DOWN A SLIGHT HILL. OTHER TIMES IT DOES IT WILL NO PROMPTING. YOU ARE LEFT WITHOUT POWER AND TRAFFIC IS ONCOMING AND YOU CAN'T MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, OR ACCELERATE FORWARD FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS. REALLY IS DANGEROUS. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN 4WD. MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS AND HAVE FOR YEARS, THUS, I HAVE LITTLE FAITH IN THE GOVERNMENT. THE VSC ON THE CAR SHUTS THE POWER OFF FOR REASONS OF ITS OWN. INCIDENT DATE BELOW DOES NOT MAKE SENSE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT IS ONGOING. CAN'T THE GOVERNMENT EVEN DESIGN A PROPER FORM? *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT MAKES NOISES WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE BRAKES WERE CHECKED AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING HOME THE CONTACT STILL HEARD NOISES WHILE BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE CONTACT. THEY HEARD THE NOISES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS TIME NOTHING WAS DONE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP A TOTAL OF FIVE TIMES AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE.

2004 TOYOTA SEQUOIA FAILED SKID CONTROL ECU. TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO REPAIR AS PART OF A WARRANTY AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALLED PART BY TOYOTA MOTORS. *TR

NEW 2004 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LEASED ON 8/8/04 WITH 78 ODOMETER MILES, SUSTAINED DAMAGES TO THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE STEERING ARM AT ABOUT 2,379 MILES AT 7:30 A.M. ON 11/5/04 IN PLANTATION, FLORIDA, AND IMMEDIATE/COMPLETE SEPARATION OF PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT WHEEL. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE ASPHALT-PAVED ROADWAY WAS FREE OF ANY ABNORMAL CONDITIONS, AND THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN MOTION FOR ONLY A FEW FEET AFTER A FULL STOP, SECONDS BEFORE THE BREAKDOWN. EXCEPT FOR BODY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE 5,000-LB VEHICLE FALLING ON THE ROAD AFTER THE WHEEL SEPARATION, THERE IS NO DAMAGE THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE BREAKDOWN WAS THE RESULT OF A COLLISION. POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, AND DID NOT WRITE A REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MAROONE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AT ABOUT 10:30 A.M. ON 11/5/04, WHERE IT REMAINS IN DISREPAIR. *JB

CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT TIRES MADE THE FRONT END VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. DEALER ROTATED AND BALANCED THE TIRES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

PURCHASED NEW AND VEHICLE SHOOK AT HIGH SPEED. FOUR TRIPS TO DEALER, NEW TIRES AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM. WILL INITIATE LEMON LAW. ALSO VEHICLE DOESN'T TRACK WELL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT TENDS TO DRIFT AND GET BLOWN AROUND TREMENDOUSLY.*AK

APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE TIME, WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE GAS 'EMPTY' LIGHT IS ON AND THE NEEDLE READS 'EMPTY'; ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE 1/2-3/4 TANK OF GAS. THE NEEDLES VARIES FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MINUTES UNTIL IT 'SETTLES'. THIS ELECTRICAL ERROR HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER AS THEY CLAIM THEY CANNOT VIEW AN ERROR; ALTHOUGH THE TECHNICAL PERSON WAS IN THE CAR WHEN THE NEEDLE ROSE FROM 1/4 TANK TO 1/2 TANK, THEN DROPPED BACK TO 1/4 TANK - ALL WITHIN A 10 MINUTE TEST RIDE. WITH THIS SITUATION IT IS VERY HARD TO DETERMINE THE TRUE LEVEL OF GAS IN THE VEHICLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS MAY BE THE START OF A TRUE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, WHICH MAY BECOME UNSAFE IN THE FUTURE.*AK

BRAKES .... DEALER REPLACED ONCE AND REQUIRING ME TO PAY FOR THE OTHER, BOTH BRAKE JOBS HAVE BEEN DONE WITHIN A YEAR. BOTH WERE SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER WARRANTY WAS TOLD BASICALLY I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A SUV.(EX BUS DRIVER& 18 WHEELER) *JB

THE SEQUIOA HAS BEEN PULLING AND MAKING EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. DRIFITING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND HARD TO STEER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING FRONT DRIVER/PASSENGER DOORS VIBRATED HEAVILY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

VSC TRAC, VSC OFF, ABS LIGHTS HAVE BEEN COMING ON AND OFF SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2004. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS OVER THE YEARS. LAST WEEK LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON FULL TIME. ABS SYSTEM SEVERELY SHOOK WHEN BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER SYSTEM. COST WAS $1,200. WARNING LIGHTS STILL WERE PRESENT, AND THEY WERE RELUCTANT TO LET ME LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE PROBLEM STILL PRESENT. THEY DECIDED THAT THE BOOSTER WAS AN "AFTER-MARKET" PRODUCT AND NOT PROPERLY COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMPUTER. DEALERSHIP WANTS ANOTHER $600 TO SWAP THE BRAKE BOOSTER, BUT STILL NO ASSURANCES THAT THE WARNING LIGHTS WILL NOT COME BACK ON. THIS HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE WITH THE SEQUOIAS AND TUNDRAS. *TR

WHEN I COME TO A ROLLING STOP, TURN, AND PRESS THE ACCELERATOR THERE IS NOTHING. IT DOESNT STALL AND ITS STILL RUNNING BUT THERE IS NO POWER. IT HAS TAKEN THEM A WHILE TO EVEN TRY TO FIX IT BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. TWO WEEKS IN THE SHOP AND IT STILL HAS THE PROBLEM.

VSC LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS THEY STILL COME ON PERIODICALLY. I HAVE TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT. *TR

WHEN I WAS GOING UP A HILL / DIRT ROAD IN 4WHEEL HIGH, AT THE MIDWAY POINT UP, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, I HAD THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. IT FELT LIKE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED AUTOMATICALLY. I PUT THE GEARSHIFT IN PARK AND NEUTRAL PUT GEAR IN 4 LOW AND 4 HIGH WITH AND WITHOUT CENTER DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED AND UNLOCKED WITH NO RESULTS, VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE UPHILL.*AK I THEN HAD TO REVERSE DOWN TO A LEVEL AREA, WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS AS THERE WAS NO ROOM TO TURN AROUND, AFTER REACHING A MORE LEVEL AREA, I TURN OFF ENGINE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND WHEN I RESTARTED I WAS ABLE TO GO DOWNHILL AND LEFT EARLY FROM MY TRIP AS I DONT WANT TO BE IN THIS KIND OF DANGEROUS SITUATION AGAIN. ALSO MY AIR CONDITIONER IS PUTTING OUT STRONG PUNGENT SMELLS. I TRIED TO CLEAR THE AIR BY PUTTING LEVER IN FRESH AIR MODE AS SUGGESTED BY YOUR TECH, BUT INTERMITTENTLY THE SMELL

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC TRAC AND TRAC OFF INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON WHENEVER THE VEHICLE KEY IS IN THE ON POSITION. DEALER FIRST SAY O2 SENSOR. SECOND ATTEMPT DEALER SAYS DEFECTIVE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *LA

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC TRAC AND TRAC OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN KEY IS IN THE ON POSITION. (NAR) *LA THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT DID NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK. THE TECHNICIAN DEEMED THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE THEREFORE THE VEHICLE HAD TO REMAIN AT THE DEALER UNTIL THE PART BECAME AVAILABLE. *NM

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SHOOK WHEN CONSUMER ROLLED DOWN THE REAR WINDOWS. *AK

I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LIMITED IN 2004. THE FRAME STARTED RUSTING EARLY. BY 2013 THE WERE PERFORATIONS IN THE FRAME. I TOOK IT TO LORESEN TOYOTA IN CT AND ASKED FOR A FRAME INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT BY WARRANTEE. I WAS TOLD THAT ONLY 2005 MODELS AND MORE RECENT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR FRAME REPLACEMENT. THEY SPRAYED RUST COATING ON TOP OF THE RUST AS THEIR ONLY ATTEMPT AT REMEDIATION. THIS DID NOTHING. I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A MUFFLER LAST WEEK AND WAS TOLD THE FRAME WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO BE ON THE ROAD. I CALLED TOYOTA CUATOMER SERVICE AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAD REPORTED THE PROBLEM FOUR YEARS AGO, THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE FRAME EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD REPLACED THE FRAME ON MANY SIMILAR SEQUOIAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NOW MY CAR IS WORTHLESS. TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED TO A SEVERE FRAME RUST PROBLEM ON MANY OF IT'S NEARLY IDENTICAL OTHER SUVS AND TRUCKS BUT WON'T ADMIT TO THE SAME SYSTEMIC FAULT HERE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM EFFECTING MANY TOYOTA OWNWERS. I HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT A DOZEN WARNINGS ABOUT MY VEHICLE'S AIRBAG DEFECTS BUT HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD FROM THEM ABOUT THE FAR MORE DANGEROUS FRAME DETERIORATION PROBLEM. PLEASE ADD MY CASE TO THE OTHERS WRITING OF THIS IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNSAFE POLICY OF TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA. THANK YOU.

2004 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. ATTORNEY REQUESTS INFORMATION FOR A CASE *TGW THE ATTORNEY STATED HIS CLIENT SUFFERED BACK INJURIES REQUIRING SPINAL SURGERY AS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE BALL JOINT.