NHTSA Complaint #10970333 — 2006 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

TOYOTA SEQUOIA (BALL JOINTS RECALL) WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY I-5 NORTHBOUND JUST AFTER THE BRIDGE THAT GOES OVER THE SACRAMENTO RIVER I WAS ON THE BYPASS/COSWAY BRIDGE DRIVING IN THE #1 (OF 2) LANE GOING 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY FRONT END DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY VEHICLE DROPPED COMPLETELY AND I WAS SKIDDING ON COMPLETE METAL, I HAD NO BREAKS AND CONTINUED TO SKID FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE FOREVER, AND STEERED TO MY TO MY RIGHT PASSING THE #2 LANE GOING UP AGAINST THE EDGE OF THE RIGHT SIDE ON THE BRIDGE. I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED. I COULDN'T OPEN MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DUE THE TRAFFIC RIGHT UP AGAINST ME. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY INSURANCE ROAD-SIDE ASSISTANCE WHO DISPATCHED A TOW TRUCK. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE LOCATION, THE TOW TRUCK REQUIRED THE ASSISTANCE OF HIGHWAY PATROL. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER IMMEDIATELY KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND SAID TOYOTAS WERE KNOWN FROM THE UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS BREAKING ON THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALLEY TIRE SERVICE SHOP. THE SERVICE GUY THERE ALSO KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS IN FACT A RECALL. HOWEVER, THE PART HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED IN 2009. AFTER HAVING REVIEWED MANY BLOGS ON LINE ABOUT THIS BEING A COMMON ISSUE WITH TOYOTA SEQUOIAS (SOME MORE THAN ONCE), I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED AND FEAR DRIVING THIS VEHICLE KNOWING THAT THE DEFECTIVE PART HAVING ALREADY BEEN REPLACED IS STILL DEFECTIVE. I WILL NOT TRUST ANOTHER PART BEING REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/04/2017*JS