NHTSA Complaint #10250448 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA- 48K MILES..VEHICLES TRACTION CONTROL AND VSC LIGHTS COME ON SHORTLY AFTER DRIVING THE CAR. JUST BEFORE THE LIGHTS COME ON, THE CAR SHAKES AND MAKES A GRINDING NOISE, PULLS TO THE RIGHT, AND LOSES POWER. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE THE CAR. ANYWHERE FROM 1MIN TO 15MIN FROM THE START OF DRIVING. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS ONCE THE VEHICLE IS UP TO SPEED, WE HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN IN TO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR PULLED SO VIOLENTLY AND DIDN'T HAVE POWER. THE CAR WILL SHAKE AND PULL AND THE ONLY WAY WE'VE GOTTEN IT TO STOP IS BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE AND REDUCING SPEED (LESS THAN 30 MPH). AFTER WE REDUCE THE SPEED, THE TRAC AND VSC LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR IS DRIVABLE UNTIL YOU CYCLE THE IGNITION. IT'S PRETTY SCARY. MY FATHER-IN-LAW TOOK THE CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS SKID CONTROL ECU FAULTY, MUST REPLACE. DTC CODES C1363 AND C1234. THE COST THEY QUOTED HIM WAS $2415.99 + $200 LABOR. WE HAVEN'T DECIDED TO PURCHASE THE NEW ECU BECAUSE WE FEEL ITS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY OR SHOULD BE A TSB. I'VE SINCE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT OTHER SEQUOIA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND TOYOTA'S RESPONSE IS TO JUST REPLACE THE ECU. SOME OF THEM EVEN GOT INTO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND SHAKING. *TR