NHTSA Complaint #10885373 — 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

I AM HEARING A RATTLING SOUND THAT SOUNDS AS IF IT IS COMING FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. I HAD RECENTLY (10 DAYS) REPLACED ALL THE SHOCKS WITH BILSTEIN AND REPLACED THE TIRES WITH PIRELLI ATR P265/76R-16. THE PROBLEM APPEARS MORE PRONOUNCED IN A TURN AND OVER MORE ROUGH ROAD (NOTHING CRAZY, ASPHALT HIGHWAY). I DO NOT NOTICE THE SOUND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I SUSPECT THAT THIS CONDITION MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ATC OR VSC SYSTEM. I TRIED TO DISCONNECT THE VSC SYSTEM HOWEVER I STILL WOULD OCCASIONALLY GET THE NOISE. THIS IS SIMILAR TO A PROBLEM I HAD 6 YEARS AGO: WHILE IN MOTION, ENTERING A DOWNHILL TURN, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT THE ENTIRE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS SHEARING OFF. THE CONDITION WAS MORE COMMON IN A TURN, BUT COULD BE INDUCED IN A BUMP. I HAD RECENTLY INSTALLED NEW TIRES AND A SUSPENSION SO THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT THE SLIGHTLY OVERSIZED TIRE (P265/75R-16) WAS HE CAUSE. I REPLACED THE BRAND NEW PIRELLI TIRES WITH THE FACTORY SIZE MICHELLIN'S HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I HAD THE VEHICLE RE-INSPECTED AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A WORN RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY. I PAID TO HAVE A NEW ASSEMBLY INSTALLED; THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN TEST DRIVEN IT EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS WHEN I DROVE IT. AFTER RETURNING TO THE DEALER I HAD THE HEAD MECHANIC TEST DRIVE WITH ME; HE STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL VSC OPERATING CONDITION. I INSISTED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE HIGHER UP AND HAPPENED TO CONNECT WITH A TOYOTA FACTORY ENGINEER FROM JAPAN. AFTER A TEST DRIVE HE CONCLUDED THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING IN THE VSC SYSTEM. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION THEY DISCOVERED A SENSOR WAS BAD. I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR AS WELL. NOW, I AM BEGINNING TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, COINCIDENTALLY, AFTER A TIRE REPLACEMENT USING A PIRELLI P265-75R-16 AND NEW BILSTEIN SHOCKS.