2003 Toyota Sequoia Engine Problems

Can not get BSC, TRC engine lights off traction control kicks in and locks steering and brakes . Unsafe can not smog after spending thousands replacing parts

NHTSA ID

11576521

Incident

Dec 12, 2012

ON 12/21/2020, AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS, I PUT MY VEHICLE INSIDE MY LOCKED GARAGE AT 10:30 A.M. AND ALL WAS FINE. AT AROUND 9:00 P.M. THAT SAME NIGHT, I OPENED MY GARAGE TO FIND IT FULL OF SMOKE. AFTER INSPECTING EVERYTHING, I SAW NOTHING WAS STILL ON FIRE AND WAITED UNTIL THE MORNING TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. I FIRST TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT HAD BATTERY POWER BUT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I THEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND BACKED THE VEHICLE AWAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE TO OPEN THE HOOD. I SAW THE ENGINE HAD BURNED UP FROM SOMEWHERE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BUT HAD PUT ITSELF OUT. THE FIRE CRACKED THE EXTERIOR HOOD, BURNED HOSES, ELECTRICAL AND OTHER AREAS OF THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. BLACK SOOT HAD ALSO DROPPED ON THE FLOOR OF THE GARAGE UNDERNEATH WHERE THE FIRE WAS. THE WOOD BEAMS INSIDE MY GARAGED WERE ALSO SCORCHED BLACK FROM THE INTENSE HEAT FROM THE FIRE/SMOKE BUT LUCKILY HAD NOT CAUGHT FIRE. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHO SAID I SHOULD HAVE MY CAR INSURANCE TAKE OVER. MERCURY HAS NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE BUT I AM PUSHING FOR THE EXACT CAUSE SINCE IF IT'S RELATED TO A RECALL ISSUE, THEN TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED. MY VEHICLE HAS 37,200 MILES LESS THAN THE AVERAGE AND I HAVE A SPREADSHEET OF ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, SMOG CHECKS AND RECALLS COMPLETED. THERE WAS NO REASON THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED INSIDE MY GARAGE. LUCKILY, I WASN'T DRIVING, WASN'T HURT, AND NO OTHER PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11386700

Incident

Dec 21, 2020

Mileage

137,200 mi

VSC, CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON. NO TRACTION CONTROL WHEN BUTTON PUSHED. DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED TRACTION CONTROL BEEPS WHEN NOT EVEN APPROPRIATE. HAVE HAD SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO BRAKE, NO BRAKES LIGHT COMES ON ALMOST CRASHED DUE TO NO BRAKES! I HAVE RESEARCHED RECALL MY VIN# NOT LISTED. THIS IS RIDICULOUS! UNSAFE! TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL MORE VEHICLES. NOT A HAPPY TOYOTA CONSUMER!

NHTSA ID

11121297

Incident

Aug 4, 2018

Mileage

215,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SERPENTINE BELT SNAPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT SNAPPED DUE TO THE FRAME AND BOTH PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

10947084

Incident

Jan 4, 2017

Mileage

173,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 SEQUOIA WITH 253,000 MILES ON IT. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WHILE DRIVING ON A FLAT, DRY ROAD AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUR AND SLOWING FOR AN UPCOMING STOPLIGHT, MY VSC OFF, VSC TRAC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ALL SUDDENLY CAME ON. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR VEHICLE. I AM STRUGGLING NOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW L WILL AFFORD TO TAKE THIS CAR IN FOR REPAIR AND L AM ANGERED AT BEING PUT IN THIS POSITION. THIS WAS AN EXPENSIVE, LUXURY SUV WHEN WE BOUGHT IT AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD OWN UP TO THIS BAD PART. IF I'D WANTED A CRAPPY MADE CAR, L WOULDN'T HAVE WASTED $40K ON THIS ONE.

NHTSA ID

10914104

Incident

Aug 23, 2016

Mileage

252,500 mi

HELLO, I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUIOA WHERE THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE VCS LIGHTS ARE BOTH ON. I SAW ON YOUR PAGE SOME REALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION ON THIS MAKE/MODEL RECALL. I'VE REACHED OUT TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS MAKE/MODEL BUT THEY SAID THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HAVING THE SAME ISSUES?? THE RECALL WAS THAT TOYOTA HAD TO REPLACE THE SKID CONTROL ENGINE CONTROL UNIT (ECU) AND UPGRADE PROGRAM LOGIC IN ITS VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VCS) SYSTEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO GET IT INSPECTED AND THEY PROVIDED ME WITH 3 CODES: C1203 - ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM COMMUNICATION CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION C1360 - VEHICLE SKID CONTROL MASTER PRESSURE SENSOR MALFUNCTION P0420 - CATALYST SYSTEM EFFICIENCY BELOW THRESHOLD THESE ARE ALL SYSTEM ISSUES. CAN YOU HELP ME?

NHTSA ID

10863990

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

167,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET AT SPEED LIMIT THE CAR SHUTS OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. YOU HAVE NO WAY TO BREAK BUT TO PLACE YOUR CAR IN PARK. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TWICE NOT SURE WHY IT KEEPS HAPPENING. THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

10785119

Incident

Oct 21, 2015

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE ON ITS OWN. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SAME ABNORMAL NOISE OCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THIS WAS A RECURRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT MORE INFORMATION WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10761005

Incident

Jun 17, 2015

Mileage

130,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICE MY TRAC OFF, VSC TRAC, ENGINE LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT ONCE , ALSO NOTICE LOSS OF POWER TO MY VEHICLE . *TR

NHTSA ID

10663735

Incident

Dec 6, 2014

Mileage

180,800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS SUDDENLY REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ID

10617893

Incident

Jul 22, 2014

Mileage

69,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY VSC TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH MY ENGINE LIGHT. WHEN I GOT HOME, I LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE MANUAL TO DETERMINE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AS SUGGESTED BY TOYOTA, UNFORTUNATELY, NOTHING CHANGED. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS LATER MY BRAKE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY TURNED ON & OFF. LESS THAN 5 MONTHS EARLIER, I HAD MY ALL OF MY BRAKES REPLACED, SO I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT MY BRAKES ARE FAULTY. I BECAME ALARMED BY THESE ELECTRONIC MISCUES - SO I WENT ONLINE TO EXPLORE WHETHER THIS WAS A COMMON THREAD WITH OTHER SEQUOIA OWNERS. I DISCOVERED VERY QUICKLY THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VSC / ENGINE / AND BRAKE LIGHTS BECOMING ACTIVATED. I WAS HOPING THIS PROBLEM MIGHT BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL, BUT IT APPEARS THAT IT IS NOT. I AM HOPING FOR A REMEDY THAT WON'T HAVE EXTENSIVE COSTS TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523028

Incident

Apr 20, 2013

Mileage

101,000 mi

STARTED CAR UP AND PUT IT IN REVERSE ALL THE SUDDEN THESE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE BAKES NOW FILL FUNNY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504236

Incident

Mar 17, 2013

Mileage

124,813 mi

VSC, TRAC, BRAKE LIGHTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10500080

Incident

Nov 1, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM DISENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 253,00 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 257,000.

NHTSA ID

10491466

Incident

Oct 16, 2012

Mileage

253,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. OCCASIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RESET WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

NHTSA ID

10450632

Incident

Feb 22, 2012

Mileage

84,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STABILIZER CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN. THE REAR TIRES BEGAN TO SPIN AND THE VEHICLE WOUKLD NOT RESPOND OR ACCELERATE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

NHTSA ID

10424135

Incident

Sep 7, 2010

Mileage

122,000 mi

ON SEPT 6,2006. THE TRAC OFF, VSC TRAC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE COMING. MY 2003 SEQUOIA ONLY HAS 31,786 MILES AND PAID $2891.48 FOR THE SERVICE. TODAY 8-26-09 MY CAR ONLY HAS 58,000 MILES AND THE TRAC OFF, VSC TRAC AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE COMING BACK, THEY WANT TO CHARGE TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM NOT SURE THEY FIXED THE PREVIOUS PROBLEM IN 2006? BECAUSE I ASKED THEM TO SAVE THE PARTS AND GIVE IT TO ME WHEN I PICK UP THE CAR, BUT THEY DID HAVE IT, SOMETHING IS FISHY? IF THEY REPLACE NOW THE PROBLEM IS BACK, MY CAR HAVE LOW MILES. I DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, COULD BE THE PROBLEM FROM THE TOYOTA, THEY NEED TO "RECALL" ALL SEQUOIA TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT PAY $3,000 EVERY 2 YEARS OR EVERY 30,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10281910

Incident

Aug 26, 2009

MY ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT I HAVE BEEN TAKING IT TO KEEPS TELLING ME THAT THEY CAN NOT FINE ANYTHING. THE WARRANTY RUN OUT AT 60,000 MILES AND I'M AT 59260. I HAVE TAKING THE VEHICLE 3 TIME. I BELIEVE THEY ARE TRYING TO WAIT FOR MY WARRANTY TO RUN OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243976

Incident

Jul 10, 2008

9/07 - A LOAD NOISE SOUNDED AND THE VEHICLES BRAKES AND STEERING LOCKED UP ON ME WHILE I WAS ACCELERATING AND APPROACHING A 4 WAY STOP LIGHT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO FOLSOM LAKE TOYOTA FOR SERVICE THAT DAY. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, MAYBE IT WAS DO TO A LOW CHARGE FROM THE BATTERY. SO I HAD THEM REPLACE THE BATTERY. 10/1/07 A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS ACCELERATING AND GOING ON TO THE FREEWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKE NOISE SOUNDED THE STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP AND ALL MY ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON THEN I COMPLETELY LOST POWER. I COASTED TO THE SIDE TURNED OFF THE KEY AND TURNED IT BACK ON AGAIN NOTHING HAPPENED SO I TURNED IT OFF AND ON AGAIN AND IT WAS WORKING AGAIN. I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO FOLSOM LAKE TOYOTA AND 3 WEEKS LATER THEY STILL CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10206587

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

71,000 mi

2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA WITH VSC WARNING AND ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CUSTOMER STATES THEY CAME ON AFTER HE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. DEALER SAID IT WAS FINE AND IF THEY DIDN'T GO OFF CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT. MECHANIC DETERMINED IT WAS THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FROZEN IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER BEGAN HITTING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LEVER WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. UPON REMOVING THE PLASTIC COVERING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE SHAFT LEVER AND ASSEMBLY WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN ON ONE SIDE AND HANGING BY A THREAD ON THE OTHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10206039

Incident

Aug 18, 2007

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA THAT JUST HAD A MAJOR COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILURE WITH THE SKID CONTROL SYSTEMS. THERE WAS NO WARNING, THE VSC LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD AND A LOUD SOUND CAME FROM THE ENGINE, LIKE BENDING METAL. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 28K IN 3 1/2 YEARS, AND THAT MEANS I'M 6 MONTHS PAST BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. I HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITHIN MONTHS OF BUYING THE CAR, BUT THAT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AS I RESEARCH ON-LINE AT WWW.TUNDRASOLUTIONS.COM/FORUMS/SEQUOIA, I DISCOVERED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND TOYOTA WAS NOT WILLING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA AND THEY REPLACED 2 COMPUTERS RELATED TO THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS AT A COST OF $2,300. THEY REPLACED: TRANSLATE COMPUTER ASSEMBLY & SKID CONTROL COMPUTER ASSEMBLY. I'M UPSET BECAUSE TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM, AND OBVIOUS EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AND WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. MOREOVER, MY CASE IS ONLY ONE OF MANY OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I ASK YOU TO REVIEW THIS EVER GROWING ISSUE WITH SEQUOIA'S AND TUNDRAS AND PERSUADE TOYOTA TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE DEFECTIVE COMPUTER SYSTEMS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10180667

Incident

Jan 19, 2007

Mileage

28,900 mi

VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT AND VSC OFF AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AND VEHICLE LOST POWER, STALLING COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. OCCURRED REPEATEDLY. UNDRIVEABLE AND UNSAFE. TOWED TO DEALER. NO SPECIFIC DIAGNOSTIC CODE EMERGED. MULTIPLE POSTS REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE DATING BACK TO 2003 ON MYCARSTATS.COM AND EDMUNDS WEBSITE TOYOTA FORUM. MY DEALER STATED THIS PROBLEM WAS "UNSAFE" INDEED. MY 4 CHILDREN AND HUSBAND WERE WITH ME WHEN IT OCCURRED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155539

Incident

Apr 16, 2006

Mileage

46,000 mi

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/TRAC LIGHT, AND ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM RECURRED AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091818

Incident

Sep 10, 2004

FIRST OIL GAUGE. WHEN I DRIVE THE SUV BETWEEN 60 TO 75 MPH, THE OIL GAUGE POINT TO ZERO. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX IT. SECOND. THERE ARE COOLANT PIPE ROUTED UNDER VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY PROTECTION. IT IS A GREAT CHANGE BROKEN BY MINOR ROAD HAZARD. MY 2003 4WD SR5 SEQUOIA WAS BROKEN AT 12/19/2003. IT TOOK DEALER 3 DAYS TO REPLACE THE 1 METER LENGTH PIPE, BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR DEALER TO PLACE THE PIPE AT ORIGINAL POSITION. THIS IS BAD DESIGN. NO PROTECTION AND NOT EASY REPLACE. I CHECK OTHER BIG SUV AT MARKET. THEY ALL USE PLASTIC SHIELD TO PROTECT SIMILAR PIPE UNDER THEIR SUV. I CONSIDER THIS IS SAFETY DEFECT. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL IT. *LA

NHTSA ID

10051092

Incident

Dec 19, 2003

Mileage

5,700 mi

INADEQUATE BRAKING, INTERIOR NOISES, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10050937

Incident

Dec 22, 2003

Mileage

17,643 mi