NHTSA Complaint #10144705 — 2005 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

OUR 2005 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LIMITED HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS SINCE THE DAY WE BROUGHT IT HOME. HOWEVER, WE RECENTLY HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND IT WAS THE SECOND SUCH EVENT. MY WIFE, MOTHER-IN-LAW AND OUR 2 SMALL CHILDREN(AGES 3 AND 1) WERE IN THE CAR AND WHILE MOVING THE CAR JUST STOPPED. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL DID NOTHING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON ALONG WITH THE VSC LIGHTS. MY WIFE COULD ONLY LET THE CAR COAST TO A SAFE STOPPING POINT AND THERE WAS A DISTINCT BURNING SMELL AT THAT TIME. HAD THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY WHERE THEY HAD JUST BEEN MOMENTS BEFORE, I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO THEM. MY WIFE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT HAS BEEN NOW FOR 3 WEEKS. IN THAT THREE WEEKS WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT STORIES ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CALLED IN AND THAT NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE EXCEPT ON OUR VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME. WE SENT LETTERS TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR, SERVICE MANAGER, SERVICE DIRECTOR AND MANUFACTURER. WE FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND WE WANTED THEM TO TELL US IN WRITING WHAT HAPPENED, WHY IT HAPPENED, WHAT THEY DID TO FIX IT, WHY THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD SO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS ALSO, AND WHY WE SHOULD FEEL SAFE WITH OUR FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT WE WOULD HAVE ALL OF THOSE ANSWERS IN WRITING AND WE WOULD RECEIVE A PHONE CALL FROM THEIR CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER. NEITHER THING EVER HAPPENED. IN THE LAST WEEK, THE STORY HAS CHANGED EVERY 24 HOURS. AND WE WERE EVEN TOLD THAT SOMEONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER CAME TO GET THE OLD PARTS FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. THEY ARE SAYING THE CAR IS FINE AND READY TO TAKE HOME. BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED ANY ANSWERS IN WRITING, THEY WONT TELL US WHO MADE THE DECISION THAT THE CAR IS FINE NOW, THEY KEEP USING TERMS LIKE COULD NOT DUPLICATE. NOW, WE DON'T FEEL SAFE PUTTING OUR FAMILY IN THIS CAR. *JB