NHTSA Complaint #10704741 — 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA IN APRIL 2014. SINCE THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM VSC) ACTIVATES RANDOMLY CAUSING THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TO BE APPLIED AT RANDOM. THIS WAS A MINOR ANNOYANCE AT FIRST BUT SOON BECAME A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. WHEN INCLEMENT WEATHER HIT IN DECEMBER 2014 THIS VEHICLE WAS UNSTABLE TO DRIVE IN EVEN LIGHT SNOW; EVEN WHEN I HAD IT IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. IN JANUARY 2015, IT WAS SNOWING AND THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT SO THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SLIDE INTERMITTENTLY ON THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME. THE THING IS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS OFF-ROAD TIRES AND THIS COMBINED WITH THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM SHOULD MAKE IT EXTREMELY STABLE IN ANY WEATHER. IN FEBRUARY 2015, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR CHILDREN AND THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES LOCKED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A TWO-WAY STOP PREVENTING IT FROM MOVING FORWARD. THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES APPROACHING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND THEY HAD TO STOP TO PREVENT A COLLISION. A QUESTION: WHAT IF THERE WAS SNOW ON THE ROAD AT THAT TIME? I APRIL HAD MY SEQUOIA LOOKED AT BY VANDERSTYNE TOYOTA IN ROCHESTER NY AND THEY FOUND THAT THE YAW RATE SENOR HAD A SHORT RESULTING IN CONSTANT APPLICATION OF THE VSC SYSTEM AND QUOTED ME $660.00 TO "FIX" THE ISSUE. I PROCEEDED TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE ON THE NET AND IT APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD WITH OWNERS OF TOYOTA SEQUOIAS, SIENNAS AND SOME 4 RUNNERS. AND MANY OF THE OWNERS WHO HAD THE YAW RATE SENSOR REPLACED CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I WILL NOT HAVE THIS WORK DONE IF THERE IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL FIX IT AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THIS 100%. THIS IS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FILING A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA, BBB AND THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE. *TR