2011 Toyota Sequoia

The vehicle fuel tank was punctured and then patched with JB Weld Epoxy. This vehicle was sold to me by a private owner that did not disclose this information to me. The safety of my family as well as thousands of others were at risk as the vehicle was parked in several parking garages of large buildings. The fuel tank and fuel pump has been replaced by Lewis Toyota of Topeka, KS. Several occurrences of a strong fuel smell had taken place for the two week time frame from the previous owner selling it to me. A fuel smell was present at inspection before purchase, however the owner stated that he had spilled fuel.

NHTSA ID

11710632

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

On [XXX] while driving our 2011 Toyota Sequoia 4x4 Limited (5.7 iforce non flex fuel) my wife was preparing to stop at a traffic light. Completely unexpected and with no warning, the vehicle started bucking, the engine began making a knocking noise and numerous dashboard lights started flashing. It immediately stalled while attempting to stop, thus, causing a very dangerous situation, losing total control of the brakes and steering, nearly causing a collision with the vehicle in front of her. The vehicle had to be towed from the middle of the road, while in heavy traffic. Eventually it was diagnosed (at my mechanics shop) and determined to be a broken valve spring in cylinder #7. This caused the valve to drop into the cylinder bore, making contact with the piston, known as "catastrophic failure on an 'interference' engine"..I later learned that these DEFECTIVE ($5) valve springs, are used in my meticulously maintained 5.7 Toyota motor,...THE SAME PART NUMBER UNDER RECALL IN SEVERAL LEXUS VEHICLES!! Being that I constantly maintained this vehicle and it being in overall excellent condition, I determined it was less expensive to have the engine replaced over repaired. I spent over $4600 in a used motor with 88k miles, and $5400 in labor for the replacement.. total cost of over $10,000 for a $5 defective part that was only recalled on the Lexus vehicles. I kept the original engine in case I can (eventually) have Toyota Corp do an inspection on it and get some kind of compensation on this dangerous, avoidable, selective vehicle recall. No luck thus far but have pictures, invoices and all documents on this situation that I can provide when requested. I am having difficulty downloading these documents to this site. Thank you very much. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11578821

Incident

Sep 20, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the rear liftgate opened unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the liftgate latch assembly was rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 178,000.

NHTSA ID

11520056

Incident

Apr 30, 2023

Mileage

178,000 mi

While returning home from a vacation, the glass over our sunroof suddenly exploded. We were traveling about 50 MPH and just heard a sudden bang. We pulled over to investigate and it looked like it had exploded outward. We had a luggage carrier on top of the car that covered most of the sunroof, so I am confident that it was not struck by any objects.

NHTSA ID

11449231

Incident

Jan 27, 2022

THE REAR HATCH HAS A RUST SPOT NEXT TO THE LATCH THAT IS RUSTED THRU AND BREAKING CHUNKS OF METAL FROM AROUND IT. THE LATCH MECHANISM MAY SPLIT FROM THE REAR DOOR ASEEMBLY AND FAIL TO REMAIN CLOSED AND OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY ON THE HIGHWAY ALLOWING ALL CONTENTS TO FLY OUT OF THE VEHICLE. SOURCE OF PROBLEM MAY BE IMPROPER WELDS ALLOWING WATER TO GET INSIDE THE TAILGATE FRAME.

NHTSA ID

11360226

Incident

Aug 30, 2018

Mileage

97,000 mi

TOYOTA HAS A FAULTY DESIGN ON 5.7 LITER SEQUOIAS AND TUNDRAS WHERE THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT TOWER SEALANT LEAKS OIL TOWARDS THE CABIN. SINCE THE ENGINE IS TILTED BACK, THE ENGINE OIL IS DIRECTED TO A HEAT SHIELD AND THEN DIRECTLY TO THE EXHAUST PIPE. UPON REACHING THE EXHAUST IT CAUSES SMOKE. THE SMOKE WILL ENTER INTO THE CABIN CAUSING ENGINE FUMES WHICH OCCUR WHEN DRIVING OR PARKED UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLS. THE ENGINE COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE THAT CAME OUT. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED FIRES. EVIDENCE OF THIS PROBLEM IS READILY AVAILABLE SEARCHING "TOYOTA TUNDRA CAM LEAK FIRE", FURTHERMORE, CHANGE.ORG PETITION HAS OVER 5,178 SIGNATURES REQUESTING THE RECALL. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES FROM 1,000 MILES AND UP. TOYOTA NOW USES A DIFFERENT SEALANT TO PREVENT THIS LEAKING, SO THEY MUST HAVE RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE BUT HAVE REMAINED SILENT. UPON CONTACTING TOYOTA, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT HE "HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM". THE DEALERSHIP THAT IS FIXING THIS HAS A NUMBER OF EXPERIENCED MECHANICS THAT DO SEE THIS OFTEN. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH THIS CONDITION AND THE COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $3,000!

NHTSA ID

11319081

Incident

Mar 19, 2020

Mileage

137,000 mi

THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR ON EACH OF THE DOORS ON THE SUV HAVE FAILED. THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK WITHOUT USING THE KEY, AND THE ONLY DOOR WITH KEY ACCESS IS THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE DOORS CAN BE LOCKED/UNLOCKED FROM INSIDE. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS SEEM EXCESSIVELY HIGH, AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON TOYOTA VEHICLES. SINCE THE ACTUATOR IS PART OF THE DOOR LATCH, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ACTUATOR FAILURE MAY LEAD TO A LATCH PROBLEM. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT REST.

NHTSA ID

11160786

Incident

Dec 11, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

REAR WINDOW RANDOMLY SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN- 10 MPH. NO CHIPS, NO ISSUES WITH WINDOW PRIOR, JUST BLEW. IT WAS WINTER HERE, AND THE REAR DEFROST WAS ON. MY FRIEND RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR HIS RAV 4, FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. I'VE SEEN OTHERS COMPLAINING ONLINE ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING AS WELL

NHTSA ID

10979884

Incident

Mar 17, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manual and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines.

Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, normal buffing or polishing repair procedures should not be attempted. This can cause further damage and result in visible depressions in the paint surface. The following are the three major categories of acid rain damage: •Minor damage: requires only buffing to repair. •Moderate damage: usually requires neutralizing, color sanding, and buffing. •Severe damage: extending beyond 1/2 mil of clearcoat on a pearl, metallic, or solid color, requires neutralization, sanding, and repainting. In cases where acid rain damage is minor, neutralization and buffing with a liquid-type paint finessing product may provide an adequate repair. Only specially formulated products outlined in this bulletin should be used for that purpose. Unfortunately, other than minor damage, there is no simple method of determining the actual extent (depth) of acid penetration other than color sanding a representative affected area until there is no visible etching or depressions, followed by measuring the amount of paint removed with either a magnetic or digital-type film thickness gauge. The procedures in this bulletin are intended for use by qualified body/paint technicians and should not be attempted by inexperienced personnel. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. Perform frequent vehicle washing, as often as daily, during high heat and humidity periods to minimize the potential for paint damage due to acid rain exposure. This is especially important in geographical areas known for high frequency and concentration of acid rain and industrial fallout.

The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation and corrosive action also occur more rapidly on dark colored cars as direct sun heat increases. It is the dealer’s responsibility to protect and maintain the quality of the vehicle’s paint finish after receipt at the dealership prior to the first sale. In areas known for high frequency and/or concentration of acid rain, frequent vehicle washing during high heat or humidity periods will minimize the potential for paint damage caused by acid rain. It is further recommended that either reverse osmosis or deionized water be used to prevent water spotting.

To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.

Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application.

Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles such as rail dust during rail transportation or extended storage near industrial areas.