NHTSA Complaint #10377881 — 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

THIS 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA HAS PERFORMED QUITE WELL. THE OTHER DAY, THE VSC AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I DID NOT DETECT ANY CHANGE IN THE WAY THE CAR PERFORMED OR HANDLED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. A TRIP TO THE DEALER, (ALONG WITH THE MANDATORY $105 DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE), RESULTED IN THE CLAIM THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND YAW RATE SENSOR NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR ABOUT $1200. IN MY OPINION, IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY FOR TWO UNRELATED PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND YAW RATE SENSOR TO FAIL AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE A LONG, SLIMY RECORD OF INCORRECTLY DIAGNOSING PROBLEMS AND UNNECESSARY REPLACING EXPENSIVE PARTS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE REPAIR BILL. I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY BE ONE OF THOSE OCCASIONS. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS THAT THERE ARE MANY THOUSANDS OF TOYOTA OWNERS WHO HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM. MOST HAVE ALSO GIVEN THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTERS FAILING MARKS FOR HOW THE PROBLEM WAS EVALUATED AND REPAIRED. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AS A VEHICLE AGES. THE YAW RATE SENSOR IS A CRITICAL VEHICLE HANDLING COMPONENT THAT SHOULD BE ENGINEERED TO LAST FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IF THIS COMPONENT HAS FAILED, (WHICH I DOUBT), IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER AT NO COST TO THE VEHICLE OWNER. THE ALLEGED YAW RATE SENSOR FAILURE IS SUSPICIOUS FOR ANOTHER REASON. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE RELATING TO THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE CAR HAD NOT SHOWN ANY PROBLEMS UP TO THE TIME OF THE RECALL REPAIR. A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER THE SO-CALLED REPAIR, THIS PROBLEM POPS UP. HMMM. I DON'T THINK TOYOTA IS TELLING THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND OBVIOUSLY THE RECALL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR