NHTSA Complaint #10252796 — 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

MY 2002 SEQUOIA NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION DECEMBER 13, 2008. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER , IT HAD ONLY 81,000 MILES, HAD EVERY RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE DONE. I WENT IN FOR A MINOR SERVICE OCTOBER 30 AND THEY REPLACED A PULLEY AND BELT ALSO (ABOUT $500) BECAUSE OF SAN ENGINE HISSING WHEN THE CAR WAS IDLE. THE CAR NEVER WAS THE SAME AFTER I PICKED IT UP. WHEN I WOULD BE DRIVING I WOULD FEEL SOMETHING "SLIP" OCCASIONALLY WHEN IT WAS CHANGING GEARS. THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD ALSO RANDOMLY BE VERY HARD TO MOVE FROM PARK TO DRIVE, OR FROM PARK TO REVERSE, ETC. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO TOYOTA SERVICE THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING OUT OF FEAR OF DRIVING THE FAMILY AND BREAKING DOWN. THEY HAD ME DRIVE A MECHANIC WITH ME AND OF COURSE IT DID NOT DO THE "SLIPPING ENGINE NOISE AND THE CAR SHIFTER WENT EASILY INTO PARK AND DRIVE FOR THE SHORT TIME HE WAS WITH ME. HE REASSURED ME IT WAS NOTHING. SO THANKSGIVING DAY I LOADED MY FAMILY INTO MY HUSBANDS MERCEDES BECAUSE I KNEW MY SEQUOIA , AND I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. THIS CONTINUED ON WITH ME HAVING TO ALTER MY PLANS BECAUSE I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. THEN DEC. 13TH I WAS THANKFULLY BY MYSELF, ON THE 91 FWY JUST EXITED THE FAST TRACK AND WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE ON A BUSY SAT AFTERNOON WHEN THE ACCELERATOR JUST STOPPED MAKING THE ENGINE GO. I WAS GOING UPHILL AND LUCKILY I THOUGHT QUICKLY TO GET OVER 5 LANES OF BUSY TRAFFIC TO THE SHOULDER WITH NO ENGINE SPEED EXCEPT WHAT WAS LEFT BEFORE IT !!!. I SAW MY LIFE PASS BEFORE ME BUT WAS LUCKY!SO AFTER A $300.00 TOW BACK TO MY DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. $4000.00 LATER WITH ONLY 81,000 MILES . THAT JUST IS WRONG. FOR A COMPANY THAT LIKES TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH QUALITY AND GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE, I FIND THIS DISGUSTING! *TR