NHTSA Complaint #10915170 — 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA, I ENCOUNTERED TWO SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUES THAT WERE RECALLED AS PART OF A PRIOR NHSTA CAMPAIGN (10V-176). WHILE MY TOYOTA IS MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE SAME WINDOW OF A RECALL, MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. NHSTA HAS OPENED AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION (PE16006) IN RESPONSE TO OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. ISSUE #1: TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE CODE BASED ON THE VCS WARNING LIGHT INDICATED AN ISSUE WITH THE CENTER POSITION OF THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR (SAS). THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THE ECU PROGRAMMING WAS UPDATED TO RESOLVE THE SAFETY ISSUE. ISSUE #2: ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH A FAULTY YAW RATE SENSOR. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VSC AND TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. WHEN THE ISSUE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE MAKES A GRINDING SOUND AND PULLS VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE LOSES ACCELERATION AND FEELS LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING MECHANISM IS BEING ENGAGED. THE JERKING PULL RESULTED IN CROSSING MULTIPLE LANES OF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS REGAINED. THE MECHANIC EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE, AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO REGAIN COMPOSURE AFTER ALMOST GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. THE FAULTY YAW SENSOR WAS REPLACED TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. AFTER EXPERIENCING THE ISSUES WITH THE TOYOTA SENSORS THAT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, I HAD THE FAULTY SENSORS REPLACED. I HAVE REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM TOYOTA BUT WAS DENIED. THE REPAIR WAS FOR THE SAFETY ISSUES WHICH ARE UNDER RECALL FOR THE SAME MODEL YEAR (APRIL 2002 ' APRIL 2003), AS MY VEHICLE IS MANUFACTURED IN MAY 2002. THE REPAIRS INCLUDED THE DEFECTIVE STEERING SENSOR AND THE YAW STABILITY SENSOR REQUIRED TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE.