2001 Toyota Sequoia

UPON INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC NOTIFIED ME OF EXCESSIVE RUSTHROUGH ON THE REAR FRAME OF MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQUIOA. THIS RUSTTHROUGH HAS PERFORATED THE REAR FRAME AND THE TRUCK CAN NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. THE REAREND MAY SEPARATE FROM THE BODY DUE TO THIS EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THIS EXCESSIVE CORROSION IS THE SAME AS SEEN ON TOYOTA TUNDRA AND TACOMA WHERE THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED AND OR REPAIRED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND MANY OTHER SEQUOIA OWNERS HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS HERE AT NHTSA AND HAVE POSTED ON THE INTERNET. TOYOTA IS NOT HELPFUL AND WILL NOT REPLACE THE FRAMES FOR SEQUOIA OWNERS. MY SEQUOIA'S BODY IS IN GREAT SHAPE AND RUNS GREAT. NOW I CANNOT DRIVE IT AND ITS WORTHLESS. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE, AND SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR SAFETY. I COULD HAVE LOST MY REAR AXLE AND HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY, IF I WAS TOWING MY BOAT. *KB

UPON HAVING VEHICLE INSPECTED BY ASE-CERT. TECH., I WAS INFORMED THAT 18"-24" OF THE VEHICLE'S LEFT MAIN FRAME RAIL WAS ROTTED/RUSTED THROUGH ALONG THE BOTTOM SURFACE. THE ROTTED SECTION IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE TRANSMISSION CROSS-MEMBER ON THE LEFT SIDE, AS WELL AS SMALLER PERFORATIONS ON THE RIGHT MAIN FRAME RAIL IN THE SAME LOCATION (TRANSMISSION CROSS MEMBER). ALSO, THE FRAME RAIL IS ROTTED THROUGH AT THE JUNCTION WHERE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER SUPPORT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME. TECHNICIANS HAVE ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE IS DEFINITELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AS FRAME IS IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING, AS WELL AS SPARE TIRE FALLING OFF VEHICLE WHILE IN OPERATION. ITS BEEN BROUGHT TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT. FACTORY "TRUCK FRAME TEAM" WAS CONTACTED TO DISCUSS REPLACEMENT OF FRAME, AS DONE IN RESPONSE TO THE RUSTED FRAME EPIDEMIC ON TUNDRAS. THIS PRODUCED NO RESULTS OTHER THAN TOYOTA STATING THAT "THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH SEQUOIA FRAMES", AND "THERE IS NO PROGRAM TO REPLACE THEM". TOYOTA WILL *NOT* REPAIR OR REPLACE THIS FRAME, NOR OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE WITH VEHICLE THAT IS IN OTHERWISE EXCELLENT CONDITION, WITH A BOOK VALUES OF $9000.00-$10,000.00, NOW MADE WORTHLESS AND UN-DRIVABLE DUE TO THE RUSTED FRAME. THERE ARE MANY DOZENS OF OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING DANGEROUSLY RUSTED/ROTTED FRAMES ON 2001-2003 SEQUOIAS WITH RUST DAMAGE ALL IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATIONS, ON THIS NHTSA WEBSITE (SEE LISTINGS), BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT ADMIT TO THIS OBVIOUS DESIGN/MATERIAL DEFECT, AS THEY HAVE WITH THE TUNDRA, WHICH USES A NEARLY IDENTICAL FRAME FROM SAME MANUFACTURER AND ASSEMBLED IN THE SAME FACTORY. NEITHER HAS THE NHTSA YET INITIATED ANY SORT OF INTERVENTION ON BEHALF OF CONSUMERS. EARLY SEQUOIA OWNERS IN NORTHERN US/CANADA WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE FRAMES INSPECTED BY QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN, AND REPORT THOSE FINDINGS IMMEDIATELY. *TR

2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA HAS ONLY 88,000 MILES AFTER TEN YEARS. RECENTLY FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO ROTTED, RUSTED FRAME AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL CASING. MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE FRAME FAILURE BY PRESSING FINGER THROUGH RUSTED METAL. VEHICLE NOW REQUIRES FRAME STRENGTH ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE IF IT IS SALVAGEABLE. VEHICLE HAS SAME FRAME AS RECALLED TOYOTA TUNDRA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE STOPPED THE VEHICLE, THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION SYSTEM COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000. UPDATED EVOQ 10/25/11. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED DOWN ONTO THE TIRES AS THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 273,505. UPDATED 01/03/12*LJ UPDATED 01/04/12

THURSDAY MAY 20TH 2001 BALL JOINT FAILED ON LEFT FRONT, DOING 35MPH. WHEEL CAME OFF. RECALL STARTING WITH SEQUOIAS MANUFACTURED AUGUST 2001. MINE WAS MANUFACTURED MAY 2001. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL SO THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT AND THE DEALER WANTS $4800 FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY CITED ON THE ESTIMATE THAT REASON FOR FAILURE IS "UNKNOWN". THEY STATED THE RIGHT SIDE BALL JOINT IS FINE BUT THEY SUGGEST REPLACING IT FOR ANOTHER $500. I WAS COULD HAVE HAD A CAR FULL OF TEENAGERS GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT THE TIME, MY DAUGHTER WANTED ME TO DRIVE CARPOOL FOR A FIELD TRIP, LUCKILY I COULDN'T DRIVE FOR THEM. *TR

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. ON 5/21/10, THE RIGHT FRONT BALL BEARINGS FAILED. THE BRAKE LINE SNAPPED AND THE WHEEL FELL UNDER THE CAR. LUCKILY MY WIFE HAD JUST TURNED ONTO A ROAD AND WAS GOING AT A SLOW SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE - ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE IS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT. THIS SEEMS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH PROBLEMS THAT LED TO A RECALL OF THE SAME MODEL VEHICLE FOR 2004-2007. TOYOTA SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. IT SEEMED IMPORTANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THIS AS I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT IS ESPECIALLY DISCONCERTING THAT THIS SAME ISSUE WAS FOUND IN LATER MODELS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT 35 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND IT FELT AS IF A TIRE HAD BLOWN. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND HE WAS BARELY ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY. HE NOTICED THAT THE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE MOUNTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS FAILED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 127,000.

WE HAD A 100,000 MILE SERVICE WITH A TOYOTA DEALER. SHORTLY AFTER THE VSC/ABS LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE. THEY INSIST IT IS THE SKID CONTROL AND ECU COMPUTERS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. WHEN WILL NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS AND FORCE A RECALL? *TR