NHTSA Complaint #10233745 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD THUMP IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AREA, AUTOMATICALLY THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE WAS APPLIED . THE VSC OFF AND TRACTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RELEASED IT, WHICH ALLOWED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE TO RELEASE AND THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY AGAIN. FOUR DAYS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VSC OFF AND TRACTION LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE WHILE DRIVING, BUT THEN DIM AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISABLED THE VSC SENSOR TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,700. UPDATED 09/10/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/12/08. *JB JUN 10, 2008, WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD "THUMP" IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AREA, AUTOMATICALLY THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT, THE VSC OFF AND THE VSC TRACTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS WELL AS A MOMENTARY INDICATION OF THE VEHICLE SWERVE INDICATOR CAME ON, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SLOWED AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. A VISUAL INSPECTION INDICATED NO APPARENT PROBLEM. I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE VSC. OFF AND THE VSC TRACTION INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO HANDLE NORMALLY AT SPEED SO I CONTINUED ON MY TRIP FROM VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. TO DENVER, CO. I COULD NOT TURN THE ILLUMINATED LIGHTS OFF WITH THE MANUAL SWITCH. ONCE I ARRIVED IN DENVER, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MOUNTAIN STATES TOYOTA WHERE THE YAW RATE SENSOR WAS UNPLUGGED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE SENSOR REMAINS UNPLUGGED