2002 Toyota Sequoia Brakes Problems

My vehicle has randomly been flashing vbs/abs/traction control lights. Sometimes nothing happens other than the flashing lights. Other times I’ll be driving & when going around a curve my car makes a beeping noise (sounds like the abs noise activated) & I’ll feel a pulsing under the brake & hear a grinding sound. It doesn’t allow me to brake effectively. Another time I was coming to a stop behind a car at a red light. It was clear as day, roads weren’t wet & I couldn’t have been going over 10 mph. When hitting my brakes, my steering wheel kind of glided back & forth for a sec and it felt like my tires “floated”in the same motion as wheel until it stopped.

NHTSA ID

11594971

Incident

Jun 17, 2024

While driving on a curved road, the vehicle made a grinding sound with flashing VSC off and Trac off lights, as it pulled violently to the right and almost ran off the road with my two children in the back seat. This was an extremely scary incident. I 1. While driving on a curved road, the vehicle made a grinding sound with flashing VSC off and Trac off lights, as it pulled violently to the right and almost ran off the road with my two children in the back seat. This was an extremely scary incident. I do understand that many first generation Sequoia owners have reported similar incidents and that there were no recalls, however, I think this is a serious enough issue that will cost innocent people their lives. I was able to pull a reading from the OBD2 and it says there is a fault with the Yaw Rate Sensor. Please help before this causes someone's death. Thank you!do understand that many first generation Sequoia owners have reported similar incidents and that there were no recalls, however, I think this is a serious enough issue that will cost innocent people their lives. I was able to pull a reading from the OBD2 and it says there is a fault with the Yaw Rate Sensor. Please help before this causes someone's death. Thank you!

NHTSA ID

11548841

Incident

Oct 7, 2023

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound and hesitated to respond. The contact depressed the brake pedal a second time, and the vehicle stopped. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving and depressing the brake pedal. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11532939

Incident

Jun 7, 2023

Mileage

222,715 mi

While driving on a highway at about 60 mph, my vehicle made a loud grinding noise while the steering felt very difficult to control and then the VSC TRAC and TRAC OFF lights both came on. I got off the highway and pulled over to a parking lot to inspect the vehicle, but I did not see anything that would cause the vehicle to do that. After a few minutes, I restarted the vehicle and while driving on local roads to get home, the same thing happened again. I was extremely worried for the safety of my wife and children in the vehicle. After reading a few Toyota owners threads online, this seems to be a very familiar pattern with these Toyota Sequoias, and I strongly believe that this will result in very serious injuries or possible deaths if Toyota does not issue a recall to fix the problem causing such dangers for drivers. Please investigate the matter to save lives. Thank you!

NHTSA ID

11484462

Incident

Sep 14, 2022

VSC, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE WARNING INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON. ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL AND VSC ARE INOPERABLE DUE TO A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON ISSUE WITH FIRST GENERATION SEQUOIAS. MY SPECIFIC CODES ARE C1241 AND C1203. TOYOTA TOLD ME I WILL NEED A NEW COMPUTER TO CONTROLS THOSE SYSTEMS AT A 921 DOLLAR EXPENSE. THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN ONGOING SINCE 2009.

NHTSA ID

11389936

Incident

Oct 1, 2009

Mileage

123,731 mi

GRINDING NOISE, BEEPING, WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING, DIFFICULTY STEERING, DIFFICULTY BRAKING, CLUNKING WHEN BRAKING, VSC AND ABS LIGHTS ON. VERY SCARY. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. IT ALSO HAPPENED WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IT. VERY INTERMITTENT. I WAS GOING STRAIGHT, NO TURNING, NO BUMPS IN THE ROAD. SO RANDOM. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE MUCH ON YOUTUBE AND THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SCARY SITUATION. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND MUST BE FIXED! I HEARD THEY RECALLED THE 2003'S BUT NOT THE 2002'S BUT THEY HAVE THE SAME PARTS. I WILL SEND PICTURES OF OTHERS WHO HAVE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE I SENT YOU WILL FIND MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. I AM SENDING ONLY A SAMPLE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING. SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS! I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT MUCH SINCE IT HAPPENED. I HAVE BEEN VERY DISTRACTED SINCE MY BOYFRIEND PASSED AWAY. I DID CALL THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AFTER IT FIRST HAPPENED AND ALSO THE NATIONAL NUMBER FOR TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL. YET! GO TO CARPROBLEMZOO.COM AND INPUT "BRAKE GRINDING NOISE OF TOYOTA SEQUOIA ABS AND VSC. I TRIED TO UPLOAD DOCS BUT THEY WERE THE WRONG FORMAT.

NHTSA ID

11372286

Incident

Jun 12, 2020

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE WITHIN TWO MINUTES, AND CONTINUED DRIVING TO HIS DESTINATION. THE CONTACT STATED HE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000.

NHTSA ID

11354060

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT, VSC TRACK AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKES STARTED TO GRIND INDEPENDENTLY WITH AN ABNORMAL SOUND. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH AN ALARM SOUNDING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WILL LOSS POWER. THE VEHICLE ALSO JERKED AND PULLED WHILE ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMAL HOWEVER AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V176000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,860.

NHTSA ID

11353215

Incident

Jul 25, 2020

Mileage

99,860 mi

I FORGOT TO MENTION IN COMPLAINT 11282925 THAT SOME OF THE DOZEN PARTS NEEDED TO FIX THE VSC PROBLEM HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED BY TOYOTA. SO I COULD PAY THE DEALERSHIP THOUSANDS TO REPLACE SOME OF THE POSSIBLE CULPRITS BUT THE REAL PROBLEM COULD BE THE ITEMS THAT TOYOTA DISCONTINUED. TOYOTA CANNOT ISOLATE WHAT THE EXACT PROBLEM IS AND HAS TO REPLACE POSSIBLE CULPRITS TO SEE IT IT FIXES THE PROBLEM. AFTER ALL OF THIS AND A HUGE REPAIR BILL COULD STILL HAVE THE HIGHWAY SAFETY PROBLEM IF THE FAULTY PART(S) ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED. REPLACING ITEMS ONE AT A TIME AND THEN DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY TO SEE IF IT'S SAFE IS NOT A GOOD STRATEGY. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL AND FIX ALL ITEMS AT THE SAME TIME AND ALSO PRODUCE THE PARTS THEY HAVE DISCONTINUED AS A WAY TO POSSIBLY TRY TO COVER UP THEIR NEGLIGENCE.

NHTSA ID

11282926

Incident

Oct 10, 2019

Mileage

145,000 mi

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN A STRAIGHT LINE MANNER, THE REAR BRAKES EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT HAVE AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED CAUSING MY SEQUIOA TO JERK TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. MY VEHICLE JERKS VIOLENTLY, A BUZZER SOUNDS, AND THE VSC AND TRAC LIGHTS ILLUMINATE AND REMAIN ILLUMINATED. IF THOSE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED IT NO LONGER DOES THIS; HOWEVER, IF THE LIGHTS ARE NOT ILLUMINATED IT'S A COIN FLIP WHETHER BEING JERKED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON THE HIGHWAY. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHAT PROBLEM IS. APPARENTLY IT COULD BE A DOZEN DIFFERENT THINGS AND THEY HAVE TO START REPLACING EACH ONE AT A TIME TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. TO REPLACE EVERYTHING IS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, PROBABLY MORE THAN THE BOOK VALUE OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11282925

Incident

Oct 10, 2019

Mileage

145,000 mi

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE VSC TRAC LIGHTS COME ON AND THE BRAKES ACTIVE ON THEIR OWN CAUSING THE CRACKING NOISE AND A ROUGH JERK MOTION TO THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BOTH ON THE HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS EVEN WHEN DRIVING 10 MILES PER HOUR

NHTSA ID

11278838

Incident

Nov 8, 2019

Mileage

181,000 mi

DURING DRIVING ON FREEWAY WITH CLEAN DRY ROAD CAR HAS BEEPING ALARM ON, VSC TRACTION LIGHT ON AND SVC LIGHTS LIT UP WHILE THE CAR SHAKES LINE THE BRAKE IS ON BY ITSELF FOR SHORT PERIOD (3 SECONDS). THEN BOTH WARNING LIGHT VSC AND OFF AND VSC TRACK LIGHT IS ON STILL UNTIL THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AN HOUR AFTERWARD. THE NEXT DAY I DROVE THE CAR SLOWLY ON A LOCAL STREET AFTER PICKING UP MY SON AFTER SCHOOL, THE BRAKE STARTED SHAKING THE CAR AND VSC OFF AND VSC TRACK LIGHTS ARE ON AGAIN. I DRIVE THE CAR WITH CAUTION EVERYTIME AFTER THAT BUT THE OCCURANCE DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY TIME NOR BEING RECREATE. IT HAPPENED EVERY FEW THOUSAND MILES UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS . I WOULD LIKE TO FIND A FIX BY THE MANUFACTURER AND HAVE THEM PAY FOR IT. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY SAME CARS .

NHTSA ID

11270235

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE FIRST INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WAS THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 2019. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD WHEN THE LIGHTS INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE TRAC AND VSC STARTED FLASHING AND BEEPING WHEN I DROVE OVER SOME BUMPS. THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO OFF EVEN WHEN PRESSING TRAC OFF. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT AND THE LIGHTS WERE OFF BUT ONLY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE AGENT SAID HE DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE SYSTEM AND I WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT BACK FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THAT NIGHT I WAS GETTING READY TO GO OVER A RATHER LARGE BRIDGE WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR JERKED TWICE TO THE RIGHT WITH THE SECOND EVENT PULLING ME OFF THE ROAD. IT WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING AND TERRIFIED US ALL. THANK GOD IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE BRIDGE OR UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. THE VSC AND TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME AS THEY HAD BEEN OFF. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND ESSENTIALLY THEY SAID THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THANKFULLY I AM A EXPERIENCED DRIVER BUT IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF MY KIDS, I DON'T KNOW IF THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAME. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN OF NO HELP. THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVE. I IMPLORE YOU TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

NHTSA ID

11254316

Incident

Sep 6, 2019

Mileage

136,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT 70MPH OR HIGHER A LIGHT COMES ON AT THE DASH BOARD VSC TRAC OFF THE CAR LOSES SPEED AND VEERS RIGHT TO LEFT ALMOST LOOSING CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL A DIAGNOSTIC GAVE ME A CODE C1234 WICH IS RELATED WITH THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM YAW RATE SENSOR / COMPUTER RECALIBRATION. THIS SENSOR IS SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11253309

Incident

Sep 4, 2019

JUST DRIVING ALONG, AND FEELS LIKE BRAKES GRAB AND JERK THE WHEEL AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS GO ON. PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY. CAN BE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, BUT ALSO HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. VSC-TRAC AND TRAC-OFF LIGHTS RANDOMLY ILLUMINATED ON DRY, LEVEL PAVEMENT WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, CAUSING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE (MUCH LOUDER THAN NORMAL APPLICATION OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES).

NHTSA ID

11196405

Incident

Apr 15, 2019

Mileage

190,000 mi

TAMARA RECALL: I WAS GOING 60 MPH WHEN MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING. IT STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND FRONT END SHAKING AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING IT HAS 190,000 MILES ON IT

NHTSA ID

11162107

Incident

Dec 14, 2018

Mileage

190,000 mi

DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 60MPH, GRINDING SOUND, LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL, PULLS TO THE RIGHT SIDE, DECELERATION, LOUD NOISE LIKE A TIRE BLOWOUT, VSC LIGHTS ON DASH COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, NO WARNING AND YOU MUST PULL OVER AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND IT WILL RESET SO YOU ARE ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE. VERY SCARY INCIDENTS!!!

NHTSA ID

11140253

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

Mileage

259,400 mi

VEHICLE WILL ENGAGE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AT SPEED AND THEN NO BRAKING ABILITY UNTIL VSC AND TRACTION CONTROL TURN OFF. THIS CAN LAST UP TO 30 SEC AND VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

11110330

Incident

Jul 3, 2018

Mileage

278,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A WARNING INDICATOR CHIME WAS HEARD WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BRAKE WAS INADVERTENTLY APPLIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY LASTED A FEW SECONDS AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ID

11091537

Incident

May 16, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

THE VSC TRAC, VSC OFF, BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT ARE ALL ON ON THE DASH. THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 1ST GENERATION TOYOTA SEQUOIA'S. TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ON THE 03 MODELS FOR THIS ISSUE AND PROVIDED A FIX AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE SAME ISSUE OCCURS IN OTHER MODEL YEARS BUT THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL FOR IT. DEALERSHIP WANTS APPROXIMATELY $2,000 TO REPLACE THE SKID CONTROL ECU.

NHTSA ID

11088801

Incident

Apr 15, 2018

THE CAR MAKES A LOUD SOUND AS IF SOMETHING WAS STUCK UNDERNEATH. AT THE SAME TIME IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHILE SEVERELY VIBRATING. ALSO AT THE SAME TIME THE LIGHTS FOR TRACKING CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL TURN ON. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CAR SEEMS TO BE IN NORMAL DRIVING MODE AGAIN EXCEPT FOR THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR THE VSC OFF-LIGHT. THE WARNING LIGHTS RESET SOMETIMES BUT THAT ONLY LEADS TO THE SAME PROBLEM STARTING AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11036003

Incident

Oct 21, 2017

Mileage

98,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. A CRASH DID NOT OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11035116

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

MY VEHICLE'S VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL IS ENGAGING FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A CLEAR, CLEAN, DRY ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES PER MONTH. BOTH ON HIGHWAY AND CITY STREET. (25MPH-70MPH) CONTROLLING THE CAR CAN BECOME HARD TO DO. PRETTY LOUD GRINDING SOUND IS HEARD WHEN IT IS ENGAGED. FEAR AN ACCIDENT MAY HAPPEN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE MAY PULL DUE TO THE BRAKES ENGAGING UNEXPECTEDLY.

NHTSA ID

11032165

Incident

Oct 2, 2017

Mileage

190,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS 65MPH ON FREEWAY TO AROUND TOWN AT 30-40 MPH THE VSC TRAC AND ALSO VSC OFF LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND ACTS LIKE IT IS BRAKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AT ANY SPEED. WE HAVE JUST MISSED CARS FROM THE PULL TO THE RIGHT. VERY SCARY BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENS NO WARNING.

NHTSA ID

11014874

Incident

Aug 12, 2017

Mileage

169,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING ON NORMAL (SAFE AND DRY) ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VSA AND TRAC CONTROL ELEMENTS OF THE VEHICLE ENGAGED AND NEARLY CAUSED ME TO CRASH. BRAKING WAS SEVERELY INHIBITED (HAD TO PUMP BRAKES TO GET THEM TO WORK) AND STEERING WAS JOLTED TO THE RIGHT/AFFECTED NEARLY CAUSING AN INADVERTENT LANE CHANGE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65 MILES PER HOUR). WAS ASSESSED BY TOYOTA AND RULED TO BE A FAULTY STEERING COLUMN SENSOR AND YAW RATE SENSOR WHICH IS AN ASTRONOMICALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. MY FAMILY IS NOT SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE DEFECT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING! THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL!

NHTSA ID

11012244

Incident

Jul 31, 2017

Mileage

135,000 mi