NHTSA Complaint #10649475 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE HAS EXHIBITED RANDOM ACTIVATION OF THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON DRY, SMOOTH PAVEMENT. EACH INCIDENT IS CHARACTERIZED BY: THE ACTIVATION OF A BRIEF AUDIBLE WARNING BEEP, THE VSC INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHES ALONG WITH THE SLIPPERY SURFACE LIGHT (TWO SQUIGGLY LINES) AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGINS RANDOMLY APPLYING HARD ABS BRAKING TO THE WHEELS INTERMITTENTLY SHIFTING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, BACK TO FRONT, ACCOMPANIED WITH A LOUD GRINDING NOISE THAT APPEARS TO EMANATE FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM. DURING THESE INCIDENTS, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS IT JERKS FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THE ONLY VIABLE RESPONSE IS TO REDUCE SPEED AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. TO RECOVER CONTROL, THE VEHICLE IGNITION MUST BE TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. OVER THE PAST YEAR, THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE IS NOT PREDICTABLE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT SEEMS TO INITIATE AN OCCURRENCE. MY WIFE NOW REFUSES TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED THE USAGE THIS SUV FOR FEAR THAT ANOTHER INCIDENT MAY RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT! *TR