NHTSA Complaint #10503352 — 2005 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED TO 20 MPH. AFTER EXITING, I STILL COULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 20 MPH. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH R&H TOYOTA IN OWINGS MILLS, MD FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2013. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP INFORMING ME IT WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION PUMP, BUT SINCE THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE, I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE VALVE ASSEMBLY AND THE SKID CONTROL COMPUTER, AT A TOTAL COST OF $4,845.02. MY INTERNET RESEARCH REVEALED TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM IN THEIR VEHICLES AND AS A RESULT ISSUED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT, IN RESPONSE TO REPORTS OF AIR INDUCTION PUMP ASSEMBLIES AND/OR AIR INJECTION SWITCHING VALVES ISSUES ON THEIR 2007-2010 TUNDRA AND 2008-2010 SEQUOIA MODELS, UP TO 150,000 MILES. I CALLED TOYOTA TO QUESTION WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO NOT INCLUDE ALL MODEL YEARS WITH THE DEFECTIVE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS THEIR ENGINEERS' DECISION. NO ONE AT TOYOTA COULD FURTHER EXPLAIN THIS TO ME. MY RESEARCH REVEALS THERE ARE MANY MODELS FOR 2005 - 2008 AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT. THE EXPLANATION FOR THE EXORBITANT EXPENSE WAS BECAUSE OF A DESIGN CHANGE AND THAT TOYOTA NO LONGER MANUFACTURES THE DEFECTIVE PART, OWNERS OF VEHICLES FOR MODELS 2005 - 2008 WOULD NEED TO REPLACE ENTIRE SYSTEM. SO, TOYOTA APPARENTLY ACKNOWLEDGES A DEFECT IN THEIR DESIGN AND ITS IMPACT ON VEHICLE OWNERS. I CANNOT AFFORD $5,000.00 FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY EIGHT (8) YEARS OLD. BASED ON MY RESEARCH, THERE IS A LARGE CLASS OF TOYOTA CUSTOMERS AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE. *TR