2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Steering Problems

Front end in rolled shacking. Tires wearing extremely fast and uneven image. Unable to drive

Traction control warning lights, VSC warning lights. These lights have been on for 2 years, resulting in check engine light on. I have replaced every sensor possible, fuses, gas cap, and reset the system multiple times but can not get these lights to stay off. Since lights have been on, when driving on a muddy, wet, icy or slippery road way, my steering locks up, the brakes stop working and there is complete loss of vehicle control. All without warning. This is an extreme hazard and very dangerous. This has been on going since 2017 and is still a major problem . It started at around 200,000 miles.

Abnormal rust all over underside of vehicle including frame, structural components, brake lines, steering components … etc. FRAME and steering/suspension components rusting out. Rear differential rusting out. Cab mounts rusting out. Spare tire hardware rusting out. Transmission cooler lines about to burst from corrosion. Rear tow assembly rusting out. Entire underside is rotting out. Known issue which has plagued hundreds of owners, but Toyota has not recalled this model year. Extremely dangerous; one brake line has already gone out resulting in a loss of braking. Toyota applied an undercoating circa 2013 but they just sprayed over an already rusted frame and other components without proper preparation which actually accelerated the corrosion and rot. Deceptive and unethical business practices. Vehicle cost over $50,000 new in 2003 and only has just over 120,000 miles on it. This should NOT be happening. Please help. Please investigate.

Unknown

AS I CAME RO STOP AUTO THEN PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE AUTO ACTED AS IF IT DIDNT WANT TO MOVE BUT STARTED OUT SLOW . THIS OCCURED EVERYTIME I STOPPED AND PRESSED TO ACCELL THE AUTO. THE AUTO WAS IN MOTION , DURING TURNING.

I HAVE HAD MY ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS CHANGED A FEW TIMES DUE TO A CONSPICUOUS ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE. AT BRAKING TIMES DURING ANY SLIGHT "HARD" STOP, COMING FROM EITHER HIGHWAY OR STREET SPEEDS THE VEHICLE STARTS TO VIBRATE ON THE FRONT END. TIRES SEEM TO BE WOBBLY AND SHAKE QUITE A BIT. NEARLY HAD A FEW ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PHENOMENA. HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING AT REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOPS AND HAVE HAD ROTORS "CUT" AND NEW BRAKE PADS INSTALLED FREQUENTLY. HAVE EVEN HAD TO BUY NEW TIRES, EVEN THOUGH NOT NEEDED, BASED ON DEALER RECOMMENDATION. SEEMS THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THESE TOYOTA VEHICLES AFTER HAVING DONE SOME RESEARCH AND SPOKEN TO A FEW OTHER SEQUOIA OWNERS. CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE IS A POSSIBILITY ON THESE VEHICLES. WILL IT TAKE AN INJURY OR EVEN A DEATH TO FINALLY HAVE SOMEONE DELVE INTO THIS ISSUE?

I NOTICE ON JUNE 2, 2015 WHEN I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT THAT ITS HARD AND I TOOK IT INTO TOYOTA ON JUNE 20, 2015 AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE STEERING EXTENSION SHAFT. I ALSO TOOK THE SEQUOIA IN BECAUSE EVEN THOU MY GAS TANK WAS FULL THE GAUGE SAID IT WAS EMPTY, AND WHEN I TOOK IT INTO TOYOTA THEY SAID IT WAS FINE . BUT IT KEEPS DOING IT AND NOW I PUT GAS IN IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT ON THE FWY. IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

WE HAD A STEERING LEAK, SO WE BROUGHT OUR VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS. THE MECHANICS DISCOVERED THAT OUR FRAME HAD ADVANCED AND UNSAFE LEVELS OF EROSION AND BREAKDOWN, FAR BEYOND THE AGE AND CONSIDERED CARE OF THE VEHICLE. WE FOUND THERE WAS A FRAME RECALL ON OUR MAKE AND MODEL, BUT TOYOTA IS SAYING IT EXPIRED TWO WEEKS BEFORE (JULY 31ST). WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED ONCE ABOUT THIS OR ANY OTHER RECALL FOR THE SEQUOIA, BUT RECEIVE OTHER NOTICES FOR OUR OTHER TOYOTA REGULARLY. TOYOTA IS DOING NOTHING TO ASSIST IN REPAIR OR TRADE IN (WE PURCHASED AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED TOYOTA FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, MCGEE IN HANOVER MA THREE YEARS AGO) AND WE ARE LEFT WITH A FAMILY VEHICLE THAT WE OWE $6K ON, YET HAS NO SALE OR TRADE IN VALUE DUE TO IT'S COMPROMISED STATE, AND ONE WE CAN'T DRIVE OUR CHILDREN IN. WE INVESTED NUMEROUS REPAIRS...

THE VSC, AND TRAC, AND BRAKE LIGHTS ALL LIT UP WHILE COMING INTO AN INTERSECTION, WHERE I HEARD A GRINDING CLUNKING NOISE IN THE DRIVE TRAIN, AS I TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, COASTED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, MADE OTHERS BRAKING TO AVOID ME AS I STEERED AWAY FROM THEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE YEARS BUT THIS WAS THE SCARIEST, AS IT HAPPENED GOING INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT HAS HAPPENED BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY SEVERAL TIMES, ON THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES. TOYOTA DOESN'T WANT TO TIE THIS ISSUE TO THE RECALL REGARDING THE VSC ECU TRAC LIGHT RECALL FROM SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I'VE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO ESCALATE THIS ISSUE WITH TOYOTA MOTOR CO. *TR

WE BOUGHT THIS 2003 SEQUOIA LIMITED 2 WHEEL DRIVE NEW, AND IT HAS BEEN A GOOD CAR OVER ALL. BUT THE VSC TRACS, BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FLASHED ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, WHEN DRIVING AND OR WHEN BRAKING. THEY USUALLY DON'T EFFECT THE CAR, BUT RECENTLY WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THEM ALL COMING ON WHEN BRAKING, AND WE SEEM TO LOOSE POWER AND THE POWER STEERING IS LOST MOMENTARILY UNTIL WE COME TO A STOP, AND SHUT IT OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS HAPPENED MOST RECENTLY LAST WEEK WHEN COMING INTO AN INTERSECTION DRIVING ABOUT 30MPH, AND ALL OF THE VSC, TRAC, AND BRAKE LIGHTS ABRUPTLY CAME ON, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE, AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE LOST ELECTRICAL POWER, TRYING TO COME TO A STOP, I COULD NOT STOP IN TIME FOR THE INTERSECTION, BUT WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO AVOID BEING HIT BY CROSS TRAFFIC, IT...

RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA FOR A LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN, FOR RUSTING OF THE FRAME. I TOOK MY TOYOTA TO KOONS TOYOTA IN ANNAPOLIS, MD. THEY CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY AND SAID IT FAILED FOR RUST. THERE WAS A HOLE IN MY FRAME AND TOYOTA WOULD REPLACE THE FRAME AT NO COST TO ME. THEN THEY CALLED ME TO TELL ME IT WOULD COST $6,400.00 TO REPLACE EVERYTHING UNDER THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE IT WAS SO RUSTED OUT THAT WHEN THEY TOOK THE PARTS OFF THEY WOULD CRUMBLE. TWO DAYS LATER THEY CALLED AND TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $6,900.00 TO REPLACE PARTS. THEY CALLED LAST NIGHT AND SAID IT WOULD COST ME $7,845.00 AND THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE PRICE WOULD NOT BE HIGHER.THEY SENT ME PICTURES OF MY FRAME AND THERE IS A LARGE HOLE IN THE FRAME. MY QUESTION IS SHOULDN'T I GET MY TRUCK BACK IN...

FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND CRACKED IN VARIOUS AREAS. *TR

I TOOK THE SEQUOIA TO A MECHANIC TO REPAIR A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE BACK. UPON EXAMINATION, THE MECHANIC NOTICED UNUSUALLY ADVANCED RUST AND CORROSION FOR A VEHICLE OF ITS AGE. FOR SAFETY REASONS, THE MECHANIC WARNED AGAINST DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL REPAIRS WERE MADE. MECHANIC HAD TO CUT OUT FRONT PASSENGER CONTROL ARM BOLTS, REAR SHOCK MOUNTS, AND OTHER HARDWARE DUE TO THE CORROSION. MECHANIC NOTED THAT FUTURE REPAIRS WILL REQUIRE THE SAME CUTTING AND REPLACEMENT OF NEW HARDWARE. THIS CORROSION ISSUE MAY BE RELATED TO THE 2000-2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA RECALL OF 2009, SINCE THE SEQUOIA SHARES THE CHASSIS AND MANUFACTURING FACILITY WITH THE TUNDRA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A WALL AT HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE REAR AXLE DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE REAR AXLE WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA WITH A SEVERLY RUSTED FRAME. IT HAS APROX. 16" LONG RUST HOLE IN IT APROX 1-2" WIDE,JUST UNDER DRIVERS FLOOR AT BOTTOM OF FRAME,RIGHT WHERE THE REAR TRANSMISSION CROSSMEMBER ATTACHES TO FRAME. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE BRAND NEW (PURCHASED IN SEPT. OF 2002) AND VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 63,000 MILES. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND SERVICED AND THE TOYOTA "FTS" INSPECTED IT AND TOOK SEVERAL PICTURES AND DOCUMENTED IT ON 5/5/2011 AND REPORTED FINDINGS TO FACTORY AND DEEMED MY VEHICLE "UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO PERFORATION IN FRAME". I WAS INSTRUCTED BY TOYOTA FTS TO CONTACT TOYOTA CORPORATE HEADQUATERS AND SEE WHAT CAN/WILL BE DONE BY TOYOTA. AFTER 3 CALLS OVER A 2 WEEK PERIOD TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS...

THE TRAC/VSC LIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE ILLUMINATED AND MY CAR'S BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS, AT THIS TIME MY VEHICLE SKIDDED A FEW FEET TO THE RIGHT AND I HIT THE CURB. THIS WAS IS A SCHOOL ZONE AND LUCKILY NO CHILDREN WERE HIT. INTERNET SEARCHES SAY THAT IT IS A FAULTY SKID CONTROL ECU THAT WILL COST $1500 TO $2000 TO REPLACE. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THIS AND WILL BE FORCED TO UNSAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *TR

VSC/TRAC OFF & ABS FAILURE REQUIRING COMPUTER AND YAW SENSOR REPLACEMENT. I TOOK MY 2003 SEQUOIA TO THE LOCAL DEALERS SERVICE DEPT. IN 2006 BECAUSE THE LIGHTS MENTIONED ABOVE WERE ON. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I TOLD THEM THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PULLING TO THE SIDE - VERY HARD TO CONTROL. THEY COULD NOT MIMIC THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I ARGUED WITH THEM, BUT LOST THAT ARGUMENT. LUCKILY FOR ME THE BATTERY NEEDED REPLACING IN A FEW MONTHS, AND WHEN REPLACED PROBLEM WENT AWAY. NOW THAT MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED (LAST MONTH) THE VSC/TRAC OFF AND ABS LIGHTS ARE ON AGAIN. I DIDN'T RUSH IT IN BECAUSE OF MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE OR I WOULD HAVE HAD IT IN WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THEY WANT $2200 TO REPLACE COMPUTER AND YAW RATE SENSOR. I...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS/DSC WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER ASSURED THE CONTACT THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT AND WAS NOT A BIG DEAL. THE ISSUE WAS LATER DISCOVERED TO BE A COMMUNICATION ERROR BETWEEN THE SKID CONTROL AND THE ECM. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE ECM SHOULD BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE STEERING ANGLE ON THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO OFF AND A RE-CALIBRATION WAS PERFORMED. AFTERWARDS, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE. SHE FELT VIBRATIONS COMING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND SWITCHING FROM BRAKING TO ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE AND COASTED MOMENTARILY UNTIL REACHING FULL ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,106 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

'2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA VSC/TRAC/ABS INDICATORS BASED ON EDMUNDS.COM FORUMS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PROBLEMS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO UNCONTROLABLE ACCIDENTS IF THIS ELECTRONIC COMPUTER IS NOT FIXED. TOYOTA DEALERS INIDICATE IF AN ISSUE, CAR WILL RESORT BACK TO CONVENTIONAL BRAKES & STEERING BUT EXAMPLES ON THIS WERE SHOWING FALSELY. THIS APPEARED TO NEED A FIX IMMEDIATELY AS THE ITEM WAS. BALL JOINT) RECALLED ABOUT 1-2 YRS AGO, AND NOW THE PROBLEM WAS SURFACING AGAIN.*AK

2003 TOYOTYA SEQUOIA, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, PART OF THE VEHICLE TRACTION CONTROL. SYSTEM ACTIVATED UNEXPECTEDLY AT VERY LOW SPEED AFTER WHICH SYSTEM TURNED ITSELF OFF. LOW SPEED PREVENTED INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. CAR IS CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR REPLACEMENT OF STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. *NM

DT: BRAKE SYSTEM WILL GRAB AND THROW CAR INTO SKID, BUT PARTS ARE FAILING INTERMITTENTLY. THE SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD DOES NOT SHUT IT OFF. CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP, AND FOUND OUT STEERING ANGLE SENSOR WAS BAD, AND REPLACED IT. ALSO, COMPUTER WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER WAS REPLACED ALSO. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT CONFIRM WHAT FAILED FIRST, WHY EITHER FAILED, OR WHY HE COULD NOT FIND ANY TROUBLE OVER ONE YEAR AGO, WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED BLINDING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE DRIVERS DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER THIS ACTIVE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. ALSO THE DASH CONTROL WILL NOT SHUT OFF VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL), NOR ANY OTHER FUSE, SWITCH, WIRE, OR OTHER VSC'S.*SB

OUR 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA HAS THE VSC, TRACTION LIGHT, EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT, AND TRAC OFF LIGHT ARE ALL COMING ON. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT WE NEED A BRAKE JOB AND THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS THAT THIS WILL BE THE THIRD SET OF BRAKES IN 25,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN READING QUITE A BIT ON THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER SEQUOIA OWNERS ON THE EDMUNTON'S WEBSITE FORUM AND IT IS CONCERNING TO ME FOR THE SAFTEY OF MY FAMILY AND MY SELF NOT TOO MENTION THE BRAKE JOBS AT EVERY 7,000 MILES. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR BRAKES WITH HEAVIER VEHICLES BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE WITH SUV'S IN THE PAST.*AK