NHTSA Complaint #10218883 — 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LIMITED WITH APPROXIMATELY 57, 000 MILES. I RECENTLY TOOK MY VEHICLE TO TOYOTA OF HUNTINGTON BEACH FOR SERVICE AND TO CHECK ON THE VEHICLE SKID CONTROL (VSC) LIGHT BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT BASED THE DIAGNOSTIC REPAIR CODES AND A REPAIR BULLETIN, HE RECOMMENDED A THAT THE SKID CONTROL ECU BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1667.00 THIS REPAIR RECOMMENDATION WHAT DISAPPOINTING FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS: 1.THIS IS A REPAIR THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VSC LIGHT TO A TOYOTA SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SOLUTION BY THE TOYOTA OF LONG BEACH REPAIR FACILITY WAS TO SIMPLY 'RESET' THE ECU. ATTACHED IS THE INVOICE. 2.SECONDLY, THE ECU IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO ONGOING MAINTENANCE. IT IS A COMPUTER CHIP THAT IS DESIGNED TO CONTROL THE VSC, ETC. IF THE ECU CAN NOT BE REPROGRAMMED TO FUNCTION AS INTENDED, THEN THIS DESIGN FLAW THAT AGAIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY OR AS RECALL. 3.THE DESIGN FLAW IS SERIOUS AND CRITICALLY AFFECTS THE SAFETY AND STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. 4.FINALLY, THE ECU IS ESSENTIALLY A SMALL COMPUTER AND THE $1600 PRICE TAG TO REPLACE SUCH AND INEXPENSIVE PART IS ABSURD. IN THE EVENT THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT HONOR ITS COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, TOYOTA, SHOULD REEVALUATE THE PRICING OF SUCH A SMALL BUT CRITICAL PART AND REPAIR. *TR