NHTSA Complaint #10166473 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

GOT 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA 02/2001 MANY PROBLEMS. ONE IS VSC SYSTEM WARN LIGHTS ON, TOTAL ACTIVATION OF VSC SYSTEM FOR NO REASON. 8/04 BROUGHT TO DEALER, VSC WARNING LIGHTS ON AND SOMETIMES POWER CUT,VERY DANGEROUS! DEALER FOUND "YAW RATE SENSOR MAY POSSIBLY BE MALFUNCTIONING, BUT EVERYTHING WORKING ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS NO PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. VSC SYSTEM WORKING AS DESIGNED. OK TO RETURN TO SERVICE." 7/06 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. BROUGHT TO DEALER 8/3/06, TOLD NOTHING WRONG, PROBABLY LOOSE GAS CAP. WE HAD HEARD THAT EXCUSE BEFORE. 8/18/06 ON A TRIP FROM CT TO SC, VSC OFF/ VSC TRAC OFF WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND BEEPED. ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION, PARKED CAR FOR 1 HOUR. DROVE ABOUT 1 MI VSC SYSTEM FULLY ACTIVATED BROUGHT US TO COMPLETE STOP IN TRAFFIC, ALMOST REAR ENDED! TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER (8/21). $191 LATER WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR MALFUNCTION NOT A SAFETY ISSUE WHAT SO EVER. SERVICE REP SAID "ABSOLUTELY NOT A PROBLEM TO DRIVE TO CT PERFECTLY SAFE". 3 HOURS LATER VSC OFF /VSC TRACK OFF WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. ON OUR LAST STOP WARNING LIGHTS WENT OFF AS USUAL BUT DID NOT COME BACK ON RIGHT AWAY. INSTEAD VSC SYSTEM WENT INTO TOTAL ACTIVATION ON I81 AT 70 MPH! LUCKILY WE WERE IN RIGHT LANE. MADE IT TO NARROW SHOULDER. GOT VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL, THE SHOULDER HAD RUN OUT AND WE WERE ABOUT 1 FT FROM HITTING THE GUARDRAIL. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A 40 CAR PILE UP WITH MANY DEATHS! BROUGHT VEHICLE TO OUR LOCAL DEALER. PROBLEM SO DANGEROUS THAT I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THIS CAR AGAIN! I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE OR TRUST TOYOTA SERVICE AGAIN. TOYOTA NEEDS TO EDUCATE DEALER SERVICE DEPTS AND RECALL THIS VEHICLE BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. THIS IS ONLY ONE OF MANY PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR AND TOYOTA SERVICE. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR HURT TWICE (NOT JUST THIS INCIDENT) BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTIONS AND TOYOTA SERVICE MISTAKES. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF TOYOTA'S REPUTATION FOR SAFE, QUALITY-BUILT VEHICLES. WE GOT NEITHER! *JB