2001 Toyota Sequoia

AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING MECHANIC DETERMINED THE CODE TO WAS B0132 SHORT IN PT SQUIB RIGHT CIRCUIT GROUND. TOYOTA DEALER DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE RIGHT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY IN THE PASSENGER SIDE. ONCE THAT WAS REPLACED, THE ERROR PERSISTED AND DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SENSOR ALSO HAS TO BE REPLACED. AIRBAG SENSOR FAILURE IS COMMON IN MANY TOYOTA MODELS. HOWEVER, TOYOTA SAID THAT THE 2001 SEQUOIA IS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO AN ENBANKMENT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MOUTH AND HEAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER, NOT DURING, A VERY MILD AUTO ACCIDENT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT CAUSE. THEY SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED MILD BURNS TO MY HANDS AND FOREARMS. FROM A COMPLETE STOP, I PULLED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 2 CAR LENGTHS AND THE AUTOMOBILE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED WITHOUT WARMING OR BREAK LIGHTS. I HAD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE MY FRONT BUMPER TAPPED HER REAR BUMPER. MY BODY DID NOT EVEN MOVE WHEN THE TWO BUMPERS TAPPED EACH OTHER. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTICED ON EITHER BUMPER, NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. MY WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED THAT DAY IN ORDER FOR ME TO DRIVE HOME. I WAITED 5 HOURS FOR THE REPAIR MAN TO COME. I FILLED THIS ON MY AUTO INSURANCE WINDSHIELD POLICY AND PAID MY $50 DEDUCTIBLE. ALFA INSURANCE PROMPTLY RAISED MY COLLISION DEDUCTIBLE FROM $250 TO $500 AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD NEVER REPLACE ANOTHER WINDSHIELD. IF THE AIR BAGS HAD NOT SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I AM SO ANGRY AT TOYOTA. NO INSURANCE CLAIM WAS FILLED BY THE OTHER DRIVER SINCE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. NO TICKET WAS GIVEN BY THE OFFICER THAT CAME TO THE SCENE. THE OFFICER TOLD ME THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED AND THAT HE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED ME TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND THE AIR BAG RECALL ON THE SEQUOIA STARTING IN 2002, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE 2001. I FILLED A MALFUNCTION REPORT WITH TOYOTA AND THEY SENT OUT AN INVESTIGATOR. AFTER 45 DAYS I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SENSORS AND DENIED THE CLAIM. I HAVE NOT HAD THE USE OF MY SEAT BELTS, HORN OR AIR BAGS TO PROVIDE A SAFE RIDE SINCE JANUARY. I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE THROUGH ICE AND SNOW WITH NO PROTECTION FOR MY FOUR CHILDREN OR I. IT IS OBVIOUS TOYOTA DOES NOT CARE ABOUT SAFETY. *TR

I BARELY TAPPED THR BACK OF AN OLD TOYOTA COROLLA AND AT A LOW SPEED WHERE NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO EITHER VEHICLE BESIDE MINE WHEN THE AIRBAGS UNNECESSARILY DEPLOYED AND SHATTERED MY WINDSHIELD. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY BODY SHOP GUY HE SAID THERE WAS NO WAY THE AIRBAGS SHOULD'VE DEPLOYED HE HAD CHECKED MY SENSORS AND THEY HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I TOOK MY CAR TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR SOMEONE TO COME UP FROM I BELIEVE ATLANTA AND INSPECT MY CAR. I NEVER COULD GET A RESPONSE FROM HIM. TESTERDAY I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA INQUIRING ABOUT MY AIRBAGS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID YOURS WERE RECALLED NEW ONES ARE HERE BRING YOUR CAR HERE IN THE MORNING AND IT'LL TAKE ABOUT THREE HOURS TO FIX. I WAS EXCITED TO FINALLY GET SOMEWHERE WITH THIS ISSUE... THIS MORNING I TAKE MY CAR UP THERE AND THEY TELL ME THAT IT WASNT RECALLED AND TO CALL THE GUY WHO CANE DOWN AND INSPECTED IT. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY THIS IS BEING HANDLED AND HOW NO ONE WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT AND FIX IT. *TR

CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 440 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELLING 60 MPH RAN A RED LIGHT AND TURNED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, HITTING IT HEAD-ON. FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, PUSHING RADIATOR THROUGH THE ENGINE. AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. MANUFACTURER HAS APOLOGIZED, AND WILL SEND SOMEONE OUT TO INSPECT VEHICLE. AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WAS $23629. VEHICLE WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS TO BE TOTALLY REPAIRED. *AK TOYOTA ISSUED A LETTER TO CONSUMER STATING THAT THE SRS OPERATED AS DESIGNED. *SLC