2001 Toyota Sequoia

FRAME ROT AND HOLE/PERFORATION THROUGH FRAME FOUND WHILE INSPECTING THE 2001 SEQUOIA FOR THE "LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN C0D (SPECIFIC 20 COLD CLIMATE STATES ONLY) - CORROSION-RESISTANT COMPOUND APPLICATION TO THE VEHICLE'S FRAME". DEALER INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA WOULD REPLACE THE FRAME FOR FREE BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $6,000 TO REPLACE SUSPENSION, BRAKE LINES AND EXHAUST COMPONENTS REMOVED IN THE PROCESS. DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REUSE THE COMPONENTS REMOVED AS PART OF THE FRAME REPLACEMENT. THESE COMPONENTS ARE FUNCTIONING TODAY AND DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE ONLY REASON THE DEALER GAVE FOR THE ADDITIONAL COST IS THAT THEY WOULD NOT RE-INSTALL THE EXISTING PARTS. SOUNDS LIKE A BAIT AND SWITCH SCAM. TOYOTA OFFERS TO INSPECT THE CAR AND PERFORM A NO-COST RECALL TO FIX A SERIOUS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT FOR $6,000. THERE IS NO WAY TO PERFORM THE RECALL WITHOUT INCURRING THE ADDITIONAL COSTS. *TR

VEHICLE FRAME FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. FRAME RECALLED AFTER WE RECEIVED A LETTER TO HAVE FRAME INSPECTED. LOCAL DEALER INSPECTED AND FOUND IT QUALIFIES FOR RECALL AND CAN BE REPLACED, HOWEVER, THE MANIFOLD AND CATALYST, AND TIMING BELT, ETC. LIKELY WILL BE DAMAGED IN FRAME REPLACEMENT SINCE THEY ARE RUSTED TO FRAME. THE QUOTE TO REPLACE THOSE ITEMS MORE THAN VEHICLE IS WORTH--CAR IS TOTALED DUE TO FAILING PARTS AND RUST. WE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA AND WE WERE POLITELY TOLD THAT ONLY THE FRAME IS COVERED IN RECALL. VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT GIVE US ANY COMPENSATION TOWARD ANOTHER VEHICLE SINCE THIS VEHICLE IS NOW TOTALED IN IT'S VALUE (IF EXHAUST SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN ADDITION TO FRAME). WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH REPLACEMENT AND WILL SEE WHETHER THE EXISTING EXHAUST SYSTEM CAN BE SALVAGED. IF IT IS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR, WE HAVE NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE BUT TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE AT OUR OWN EXPENSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL IN REGARD TO FRAME RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THAT THE FRAME WAS INDEED RUSTED. IN ADDITION TO THE FRAME RUST, THE SHOCKS, EXHAUST AND THE POWER STEERING LINES WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE RUSTED. THE DEALER WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO ANY COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE FRAME. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 78,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE... UPDATED 02-07-13 *BF

IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V444000, TOYOTA RECALLED MODEL YEAR 2000-2003 TUNDRA VEHICLES DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE REAR CROSS MEMBER THAT MAY CAUSE THE SEPARATION OF THE SPARE TIRE. THE 2000-2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA VEHICLES SHARE IDENTICAL FRAME CROSS MEMBER AND SPARE TIRE MOUNTING ARRANGEMENTS IN WHICH EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN THE REAR CROSS MEMBER AND SPARE TIRE MOUNTING LOCATION CAN CAUSE SEPARATION OF THE SPARE TIRE STOWED UNDER THE REAR CARGO LOAD FLOOR WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A ROAD HAZARD. THIS SEPARATION OF THE SPARE TIRE OR MOUNTING BRACKET COULD CAUSE A CRASH. ALSO, CORROSION OF THE REAR CROSS MEMBER COULD AFFECT THE REAR BRAKE LINES AND THE PROPORTIONING VALVE, RESULTING IN DIMINISHED BRAKING CAPABILITY. ANY SEPARATION OF THE SPARE TIRE AND/OR DIMINISHED BRAKING CAPABILITY COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF CRASH TO AFFECTED VEHICLE AND/OR A ROAD HAZARD TO THOSE TRAVELING NEARBY. *TR

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. FRAME RUSTED THROUGH. WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING FORUMS WHERE MANY OTHER SEQUOIA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THIS APPARENTLY DOES NOT AFFECT ALL SEQUOIAS. 3-4 YEARS AGO METAL WAS COMING OFF OF THE FRAME IN HUGE CHUNKS. I STARTED ASKING THE DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND WAS HOPING THAT THERE WOULD BE A RECALL TO CORRECT. THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE OTHERWISE. *TR

ACTUALLY, THIS WAS NOT AN "INCIDENT". RATHER IT WAS ME CRAWLING UNDER THE TRUCK TO SCRAPE SOME RUST OFF OF THE FRAME. WHAT I FOUND WAS ABOUT A ONE FOOT LONG RUSTED "SLIT" IN THE FRAME. IT DID NOT LOOK SAFE TO ME, SO I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO INSPECT. (COST ME $25.) I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS SAFE FOR NOW, BUT WOULD SOON NOT BE SAFE. THE TOYOTA FIELD SPECIALIST SAID THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO. LOOKING ONLINE, I SEE COUNTLESS CASES OF ROTTING FRAMES ON THIS YEAR SEQUOIA. THINGS I SEE ONLINE FROM OTHER OWNERS (USING MY WORDS): "THE FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT WAS MADE WITH EITHER INFERIOR MATERIAL OR BAD COATING. THE TACOMA (WITH THE SAME FRAME) HAS BEEN COVERED BY TOYOTA." LOTS OF UPSET PEOPLE OUT THERE! NOT SURE WHAT TO DO... DON'T FEEL RIGHT ABOUT SELLING IT... DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT TOO MUCH. PLEASE HELP! *TR