This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Holes in the frame and excessive rust in the lift gate. This is a 2002 Sequoia which was in the rust belt from 2002 to 2011. In 2011 moved to Louisiana. I had rust issues since I purchased the vehicle in 2002. In 2006, the lift gate window rusted out and could no longer use the lift gate window. Since then, more rust was developing in the lift gate and elsewhere. In 2013, I received the recall for the spare tire cable. The Louisiana dealership identified that the mechanism was rusted and no longer functional. They ordered the replacement unit to install. In the meantime, I told them about the severe rust issues in the car. They did a rust inspection and said it passed. In 2014, I returned to the same Louisiana dealership for the takata recall. At that time, I told them my concern regarding the rust, especially since the vehicle was in the rust belt atm least 4 months a year. They said the frame passed the rust inspection and provided me with an "operational flowchart" for frame rust. They also said that if I find a hold in the frame larger than 10mm, it would be taken care of. In 2015, the vehicle was in the rust belt about 7 months. That year I had to install 2X4 supports to hold up my lift gate window. In 2016, the vehicle was in the rust belt about 5 months. In February 2017, I found at least 1 rust hole in the frame as per their operational flowchart. When I asked the dealership about the rust hole, their comment was the recall was completed and there is nothing you can do. I spoke to Toyota and they stated that the recall was completed. I am totally disappointed in the ability of this vehicle to withstand rust. I am also driving a 1998 Ford that was in the rust belt longer than the 2002 Sequoia with no frame rust. The frame on this vehicle should not be rusting and needs to be properly repaired. See the attached photo.
In early 2014, we noticed significant rust issues on the frame and other areas underneath such as the spare tire holder, O2 sensor area, exhaust, and trailer hitch area. After receiving the Toyota recall campaign letter for repair or replacement of the Sequoia frames, we took it to our Toyota dealer in July 2014. The dealer said the rust was so bad after spraying it once, that they had to keep my truck an extra day to spray it again with another coat (on areas other than the frame as well). I called the dealer to see if the 2nd coating was sufficient and they said it was ready to be picked up and they would not be replacing the frame. Upon pickup, the coating was so thick it was dripping off in the parking lot. The dealer said it would take 30 days to "cure". of course, after those 30 days it was beyond the Toyota service campaign and there would be nothing that could be done by the dealer. The coating continued to drip for at least a week in our driveway and remained sticky to the touch. Now 1 year later, the coating is visibly bubbling & flaking off of the frame... this was a useless application and a waste of time and money under Toyota's service campaign.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced severe corrosion on the frame. The vehicle was taken to a dealer under a manufacturer warranty, which the lower front ball joints, wheel tire carrier, and an under coating of anti corrosive adhesive was applied to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,586.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. When the vehicle was taken in for a state inspection, the technician stated that the frame was severely corroded. The contact was advised by the technician that the vehicle was unsafe to drive and the frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was previously repaired under a recall two years prior; however, the dealer coated the frame with anti-corrosive lubricant. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The NHTSA campaign number was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 129,000. MA 08/13/15 the consumer stated two independent mechanics advised that the recall was done incorrectly causing the failure. The manufacturer would not assist with repairs. Updated 12/1/2015
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that the frame on the rear of the vehicle was corroded. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. However, the contact stated that two weeks later, the tie rods fractured from the rear of the vehicle and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.
- Anitioch, TN, USA
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During 2006, the rear liftgate window frame rusted causing the rear window to fall open. The dealer stated it would cost ~$1,600 to replace the equipment and associated parts. I decided not to replace due to the infrequent usage of the rear liftgate window. Around March 15, 2015, the rear window fell open due to complete destruction of the window frame and associated hardware due to corrosion. Also, in February 2015, noticed that the frame of the vehicle was "soft" while jacking the vehicle for brake inspection. The vehicle has the same frame as the Toyota Tacoma which was recalled by Toyota many years ago due to excessive corrosion issues. My vehicle is exhibiting the same problem.
My traction lights have been on and have remained on for several years now. My husband says my panel looks like a christmas tree. I have contacted the dealership to see if there was a recall but was advised there is not. I haven't had any issues, until this past weekend, other than not realizing I had engaged my emergency brake since the light constantly stays on. I nearly wrecked this weekend. It was dark and raining. I had to apply the brakes to miss another car, the brakes locked up and started sliding out of control. Luckily I was able to get it stopped in time to avoid another accident. My traction control doesn't work either, I guess it went out when all the other control lights went out. I just wonder if the airbags work, hope I don't have to find out the hard way. I keep reading numerous complaints on the 2002 model but haven't seen a recall. Appears there was a recall on the 2003 model for the same issues. My steering column is broken. I had it checked out several years ago. Apparently the main metal component is broken and therefore my gears engagement doesn't light up when I am in drive. If someone else drives my car, they don't know what gear it's in. I ready many complaints about the same but no recall. My rear hatch handle has broken 2 times now within a year of the other which costs me $100 to repair each time. It appears to be cheaply made and plastic and it can't be repaired without a lot of labor to dismantle the rear door plate on the inside to install a new handle. My main concern is the electronic stability control system.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an unrelated repair and they noticed that the entire frame was completely covered with rust. There was a limited service campaign issued by the manufacturer related to rust corrosion to the frame. The vehicle was not repaired because additional parts were required at the owner's expense in order to perform the remedy repair. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.
I received a recall notice from Toyota claiming there was a problem with the frame rusting on my 2002 Toyota Sequoia limited. I took the vehicle in for their required inspection and they said it needs a new frame. They are in the process of placing a new frame on the vehicle. I stated to the service department that I refuse to pay for any additional add on expenses as a result of there tampering. I also stated and filed a complaint with Toyota that the vehicle will not run properly because of the its age, mileage and working with corroded parts will not fit, seal and tighten properly. Toyota also stated that after the new frame is installed they will not service any problems with the vehicle if it is not directly related to the frame. Unacceptable terms. They should fix at their expense any problems encountered now andin the future as a result of this recall. They should also offer compensation as they previously had down with other makes and models several years ago.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that the rear plastic door handle failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure and the latch was replaced each time, but the failure always recurred. The vehicle was not further repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 174,941.
This vehicle has a rusted frame which Toyota will replace. They will not replace without customer cost several parts affected by the frame replacement. This is thousands of dollars required by the customer that otherwise would not be required. I want Toyota to pay for the frame and the other required parts.
I have been a loyal Toyota owner and had 7 Toyota so far from a 1990 white corolla, 1996 white land cruiser, 2007 white rav4. I currently own a 2010 white prius, a 2006 white venza, a 2005 silver prius, and this 2002 black Sequoia limited. After spending almost $1500 to eliminate the shake @65 mph from a set of new tires, 1mags that is warped, and alignment to no avail, I research this site and found out that the extensive frame rust that I just paid my mechanic over $500 to chip and 3M rustproofed is a very common issue in this car. Initially, I found a 3"X1" hole in the front driver side frame and upon my investigation I was able to retrieve a 2"X1" rusted piece of metal inside the frame. Looks like they forgot to put a drain or Toyota used a sub-par frame. When my mechanic lifted the car, he showed me an extensive rust all over the underside of the vehicle. It really gave me chills seeing all the parts rusted and affected and felt unsafe driving the car. What I don't understand is if they recalled the similar framed Tundra NHTSA campaign id number: 09V444000, why didn't they included the Sequoia? Sequoia should have higher priority since it carries up to eight passengers and a much more expensive car. I thought Toyota cares and Sequoia is specially made to haul families...I took it to interstate Toyota where it was purchased and serviced all it's life and don the manager told me that there will be a recall coming soon. He told me that they will order the frame and to call after 2 weeks. I just called yesterday and he told me that it has not been approved yet by corporate. I'm asking everyone with similar Sequoia to check the frames and file your complaints here to speed up the process. Toyota, please restore my waning loyalty to your company and restore my trust in my Sequoia for my family's safety. I'm scared to drive it until it is fixed! help!
Over a year and a half ago my husband noticed rust developing on the frame of his vehicle. He repeatedly mentioned this to the dealership, whose response was there are no recalls so you should be ok. In December during the vehicle's maintenance the dealership informed my husband that the frame was rusting out. There was no proposed solution other than to scrap the thing. Two weeks later we received a letter from Toyota stating that they were conducting research regarding frames rusting out on like vehicle. We were instructed to take the vehicle to the dealership for inspection and possible frame patching or replacement. The dealership received the ok to replace the frame. However multiple parts around the frame are also rusted out. The cost for complete repair including the frame is 15K. We were told that we would not be responsible for the cost of the frame replacement, however we would have to pay for everything else, around 10K. It would seem if the frame has a known rust issue, other parts on the vehicle would have the same problem. Why would the company not be responsible to pay the total cost of the repair. We have contacted Toyota and are waiting to talk to a case manager.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while having the tires rotated, the mechanic stated that the frame was rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated that the vehicle was unsafe to be on the road. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and they stated that they would replace the frame free of charge. The failure mileage was 76,115.
I have had to replace the rear latch on my door 5 times. The body shop says that the rear door is so rusted out this time, that it cannot be fixed. This is a known problem to Toyota and they ignore it. I have seen many websites with the same complaint. It is a poor design and the door is rusting from the inside!
Just purchased my 2002 Sequoia with 144,000 miles on the vehicle; noticed there was a bit of rust in the rear door jams next to the portion of the wheel well, not too terribly concerned as it seems to be just under the paint and in very small amounts. I have been reading on various forums of the Tundra rust issue and how this exists on the Sequoias as well without any recourse being available, so I took a look under my fresh purchase to find that I indeed had an alarming amount of rust on the undercarriage of the truck on the rear differential, weld seams and major portions of the frame; more than I would expect even for a Toyota. I don't quite know the details of exactly how similar this frame is to Tundra's but I would certainly like to think that there would be some sort of provision in place by now to sort this out as it is very similar to what Tundra owners are experiencing and judging by the amount of complaints I've been able to dig up thus far (9 for '03 my, 6 for '02 my and 12 for '01 my Sequoia) this really cannot be a coincidence. I bought this thing because my dad has had two 4runners that ran forever (his '97 is still going strong with almost 300,000 on it) but now I worry I'll barely be able to pay it off before it rots out from under me. What gives Toyota?
The front brake rotors needed replacing the mechanic called me indicating the calipers also needed replacing due to rust. Also the entire frame of the vehicle is rusted he indicated other Toyota customers had the same problem frame corrosion. I called Toyota and filed a complaint, I found out Toyota had replaced Tundra frames (same frame as the Sequoia) but they would not take responsibility for my problem. The vehicle has only 89,000 miles and is very well maintained. The frame is in very bad shape I feel it is unsafe to drive. I understand other Toyota Sequoia owners have the same problem. I am very disappointed in a very expensive vehicle. Another reason to buy american!
Headlight relay goes out causing headlights to shutoff while driving. For the 2nd time in a year. Part was replaced with a new part. Rear door will not latch and rattles. Rear latch assembly was replaced. It does not shut or seal so carbon monoxide enters the cabin. This has happened 3 times. Brake calipers seize up front driver and passenger side, rear driver side.
Rust in the rear frame and tailgate area is rendering my vehicle unusable and unsafe to drive. The tailgate drain holes quickly clogged with environmental debris resulting in excess moisture in the tailgate and caused all internal parts to rust to the point that the tailgate latch cable/handle has broken twice and the rear window is not functional. Recently I realized that underneath the original frame paint, my frame has severe rust. Also very concerning, I recently realized that holes manufactured into the rear of the frame are allowing sand to accumulate in the frame. The sand is holding moisture and I have not found a way to get it out of the frame. My rear cross member and spare tire carrier are also seriously rusted. Most concerning is that I pull a landscape trailer and my vehicle has serious rust on the trailer hitch and the frame area where the hitch connects to the vehicle. When I took my vehicle to the local Toyota dealership years ago, they told me that there was nothing they could do as my rust issues were a result of the area in which I live. I paid nearly $40,000 for this vehicle new in 2002 and have cared for it very well. It is deplorable that the poor design of the frame and tailgate will render this vehicle to the scrap yard well before its time...if it doesn't kill someone first.
2002 Toyota Sequoia SR5 - 66,462M. Mechanic discovered that the frame of this vehicle is completely rusted. Holes in the frame and lots of rust in key joins compromising the safety of vehicle. Toyota Corp. Has acknowledged the frames of the Tacoma and Tundra had a prematurely rusting problem. The Toyota Sequoia have the same frame. Toyota issued a recall on these two vehicles but not the Sequoias. Upon contacting Toyota Corp. They asked the vehicle be taken to a Toyota dealership for frame inspection. The inspection report say: Customer req. Inspection - -> looks like hammer hole in bottom of lt rail @ trans mount cross member lots of rot/ missing metal from ft rt sway bar mount lots of rot at rr cross member (that spare hangs from) where meets rail on lt side. My mechanic said that in all his life working with vehicles has never seen a vehicle so deteriorated from rust. Advised to contact Toyota because of the Tundra's recall. Toyota Corp. Will not address my vehicle nor those of other Sequoia owners that I found on internet forums with the exactly the same problems. There have been a few instances where Toyota has replaced the frame in vehicles with higher mileage and older vehicle. Toyota Corp. Claims because the vehicle is out of the 36K mile warranty they are not responsible for the premature rotting of the frame. Vehicle has been driven an average of 7K miles a year, maintained properly and in mint condition. The Sequoias should be included in the frame recall from Toyota since it is the same frame and manufacturer of the Tacoma and Tundra models which Toyota has accepted these vehicles were manufactured with substandard frames which leads to premature rotting. I ask your Agency to further investigate this frame issue which may be a serious safety violation specially for those unaware that their vehicles are about to collapse because of frame rot.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Benton, LA, USA