NHTSA Complaint #10367931 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5 LIMITED 4X4. SINCE NEW THIS SEQUOIAS VSC TRAC LIGHT WOULD SOMETIMES COME ON THEN RESET ITSELF WHEN I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. LAST WEEK WITH 62,000+ MILES ON THE ODOMETER I EXPERIENCED A FRIGHTENING EVENT. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH ON A DRY CLEAR ROADWAY WHEN ALL OFF A SUDDEN THE "VSC TRAC" LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AN ICON OF A VEHICLE SKIDDING STARTED FLASHING ACCOMPANIED BY A LOUD BEEPING NOISE. THE SCARY PART WAS THAT THE SEQUOIA STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT ACCOMPANIED BY A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHICH COULD BE HEARD AND FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE BRAKES ALSO HAD LOST SOME OF ITS STOPPING POWER WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO PULL OVER. I INITIALLY THOUGHT I HAD A RIGHT FRONT FLAT TIRE OR I RAN OVER SOMETHING THAT WAS CAUGHT IN MY UNDERCARRIAGE OR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. AFTER WHAT SEEMED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS THE BEEPING NOISE STOPPED AND THE VEHICLES "VSC TRAC" AND "VSC OFF" LIGHTS STAYED ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND I REGAINED CONTROL OF THE SEQUOIA. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE OUTSIDE OF THE SEQUOIA AND FOUND NO DAMAGE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH THE VSC LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF EVERYTHING RESET AND THE LIGHTS WERE OFF UNTIL THE SAME EXACT INCIDENT OCCURRED THE FOLLOWING DAY. IT WAS GOOD THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES ON MY RIGHT SIDE BECAUSE THERE MAY OF BEEN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE VIOLENT PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE ABOVE CONDITION OCCURS. SINCE THE LAST INCIDENT I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VSC, BUT I AM TAKING MY SEQUOIA TO AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER ON MONDAY BECAUSE I FEAR THIS INCIDENT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND I MAY LOSE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. AFTER READING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET THIS APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH A VAST MAJORITY OF 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIAS! *TR