NHTSA Complaint #10783037 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

WHILE TRAVELING 74-75MPH IN MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA ON A DRY HIGHWAY PASSING A SLOWER SEMI-TRUCK ON A STRAIGHTAWAY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOUD GRINDING NOISE, THE VSC AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS FLASHED FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF HIGH-PITCHED BEEPS. THE SUV LOST PARTIAL CONTROL, AUTOMATICALLY SLOWING A LITTLE AS IT PULLED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, SCARILY CLOSE TO THE BIG RIG. HOWEVER, THE SCARIEST PART WAS THAT DRIVER INPUT CONTROLLED NOTHING FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE DRIVERS MANUAL SAID IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED 3 OTHER TIMES ON THE REMAINING 700 MILES OF MY TRIP. EACH TIME AFTER AN INCIDENT THE SUV DID FINE AS LONG AS THE "VSC AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF" LIGHTS WERE ON. BUT AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED, THEY WOULD RESET AND TURN OFF. THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR AGAIN AND THE LIGHTS WOULD TURN BACK ON. TOYOTA CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY. THEY REPLACED THE SKID CONTROL COMPUTER AT A COST TO ME OF $1123.36. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN ENOUGH MILES TO SEE IF THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH SHOWED 23 PAGES OF 2001 SEQUOIA OWNERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND EVEN A RECALL FOR 2003 MODELS WITH THE SAME SAFETY DEFECT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES OR FATALITIES.