NHTSA Complaint #10267180 — 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

THE VEHICLE SKID CONTROL/ TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ARE ON IN MY 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5. WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED, THESE LIGHTS ARE OFF. WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO DRIVE AND ACCELERATED, A BEEPING NOISE OCCURS AND THE POWER IS LOST AND THERE IS A HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISE AS IF SOMETHING IS STUCK IN THE TRANSMISSION OR BRAKES. WHEN THE CAR STOPS, THE VSC TRAC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR OPERATES NORMALLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO PULL FROM A PARKING SPACE INTO TRAFFIC. THE CAR PRACTICALLY DIES AND ONCOMING CARS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP IN TIME. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEAREST CAR IS QUITE FAR AWAY BEFORE PULLING OUT AND THIS CAN TAKE QUITE A WHILE AT HIGH TRAFFIC TIMES. I HAVE READ INTERNET ACCOUNTS OF OTHERS WITH THIS SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THEY WERE ALMOST IN ACCIDENTS WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. UNFORTUNATELY , THE ONLY REMEDY SEEMS TO BE TO REPLACE THE VSC COMPUTER WHICH CAN COST OVER $1500. TOYOTA HAS NOT SEEMED TO COOPERATE WITH CUSTOMERS ON THIS. *TR