2016 Toyota Sequoia

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

VEHICLE HAS 40K MILES TIRES ARE WORN TREAD 2/32 ALREADY, AND FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. BACK AT 25K MILES, FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACED, AND NOW AT 40K MILES, NEW ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE PLACED.

NHTSA ID

11252185

Incident

Aug 28, 2019

Mileage

40,250 mi

VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHEN I WAS GOING TO STOP

NHTSA ID

11175944

Incident

Feb 9, 2019

Mileage

77,000 mi

NEEDED ROTORS AND BRAKES REPLACED AT 15,000 MILES AND THEN AGAIN AT ALMOST 30,000. TOLD DUE TO ROTORS OVERHEATING. TOLD BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT DEALERSHIP THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, BUT DID NOT OFFER A SOLUTION, EXCEPT TO NOT TAILGATE CARS. AS ROTORS WARP THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN YOU BRAKE GOING DOWNHILL OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS- FEELS VERY UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID

11151889

Incident

Jun 15, 2017

CPSC: I PURCHASED, NEW A 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. AT 18,000 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. TOYOTA UNDER WARRANTY REPLACED THEM. AT 28,000 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN. WHEN BRAKING THE WARPED ROTORS VIOLENTLY SHAKE THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE CAR. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR THE ROTORS ANY LONGER, AND SUGGESTED THE PURCHASE OF BIGGER ROTORS. *JS *TT

NHTSA ID

11120288

Incident

Jun 8, 2018

WHEN STEERING GREATER THAN 40 MPH THEN BRAKE, STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. TOOK IT TO DEALER, AND ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE WARPED. VEHICLE HAD 24,975 MILES WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER. AS WITH SEATS, DRIVER SEAT HAD SOME SEPARATION ON STITCHING AND WAS DISCOLORED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED DRIVER SIDE SEAT BOTTOM.

NHTSA ID

11102157

Incident

Jun 4, 2018

Mileage

24,850 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED WHEN AN INCLINE WAS REACHED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (ROGERS AND ROGERS TOYOTA, 2351 US HIGHWAY 86, IMPERIAL, CA 92251) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,000.

NHTSA ID

11067281

Incident

Feb 4, 2018

Mileage

27,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK, FUEL LEAKED OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS REFUELED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND COULD NOT BE SERVICED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

10992179

Incident

May 21, 2017

Mileage

40,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL. THIS VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL / VEHICLE WHEN AT 55MPH OR HIGHER. I'VE BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THIS IS NORMAL. I SPENT ALMOST $65,000.00 ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE VIBRATIONS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND COULD ULTIMATELY POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD ON THE ROAD. SOMETHING HAS TO BE CAUSING THIS VIBRATION AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIND A FIX FOR IT. THE VEHICLE COMFORT WHILE DRIVING IS NOT A PLEASANT ONE. ALSO THE WIPERS MAKE EXCESSIVE NOISE WHILE IN USE. AGAIN THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS NORMAL. BUT THIS IS SO LOUD THAT IT IS HARD TO CONCENTRATE WHILE DRIVING WITH THIS NOISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937048

Incident

Nov 7, 2016

Mileage

13,000 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.

Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free. This is caused by the phone Hands Free volume being too low.

The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.

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.

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.

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.