NHTSA Complaint #10680083 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA HAS SHOWN RANDOM ACTIVATION OF THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON DRY, SMOOTH PAVEMENT. EACH INCIDENT THE SAME THING HAPPENS: 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 RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, ACCOMPANIED WITH A LOUD GRINDING NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT COMING FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BRAKES FEEL AS IF THEY ARE PULSATING DURING EACH OF THESE INCIDENTS, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IT JERKS AND SWERVES FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THE ONLY WAY TO REGAIN CONTROL IS TO REDUCE THE SPEED AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. THE LIGHTS STAY ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS CUT OFF. ONCE THE CAR IS TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS WILL GO OUT. AFTER THE CAR SITS FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR MORE OR OVER NIGHT THE LIGHTS WILL NO LONGER BE LGO OUT. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK DIAGNOSED WITH THE YAW RATE CENSOR CODE BY ONE REPAIR SHOP AND ONE AUTOPARTS STORE. OVER THE PAST YEAR, THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE IS NOT A PREDICTABLE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT SEEMS TO CAUSE 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!!! IT IS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. I HAVE 98,200 MILE ON THE VEHICLE. *TR