Problems with 2003 Toyota Sequoia VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

When accelerating the slip control light comes on and the vehicle does not allow the driver to accelerate. the vehicle slows down to 35 miles per hour. this almost caused me to be hit by a driver approaching at a speed of 70 mph. the dealership says the the slip control module need to be replaced at $1,200 and the part is not covered under the vsc trac control recall. this is a problem with the 2003 model as the dealership says it has had to replace many of the skid conteol ecu. this will cause death and crashed as the driver can not speed up when there is oncoming traffic.

Hello, i have a 2003 toyota sequioa where the engine light and the vcs lights are both on. i saw on your page some really helpful information on this make/model recall. i've reached out to toyota customer service because there was a recall on this make/model but they said that my vin number was not part of that recall, even though it's having the same issues?? the recall was that toyota had to replace the skid control engine control unit (ecu) and upgrade program logic in its vehicle stability control (vcs) system. i took my vehicle in to get it inspected and they provided me with 3 codes: c1203 - engine control system communication circuit malfunction c1360 - vehicle skid control master pressure sensor malfunction p0420 - catalyst system efficiency below threshold these are all system issues. can you help me?

While i was driving at an approximate speed of 40 mph, i noticed my brake, trac off, vsc trac, engine light all came on at once. i noticed that braking was not as responsive (increased braking distance; abs doesn't seem to be engaging) and when speeding to over 50 mph, the vehicle feels as if it is slowing itself down. it is currently an expected heavy rainfall season where i am and having the vehicle in this state is very dangerous especially when the brakes are not working effectively or when it starts to slow itself down suddenly. after shutting the vehicle down and restarting it after about 2 hours, the lights mentioned are still illuminated except the brake light. after reading all the other similar complaints, i am surprised toyota is not paying for all aspects of this defect associated with the vehicle and not driver misuse.

I purchased a used 2003 toyota sequoia in april 2014. since that time, the vehicle stability control system vsc) activates randomly causing the anti-lock brakes to be applied at random. this was a minor annoyance at first but soon became a regular occurrence. when inclement weather hit in december 2014 this vehicle was unstable to drive in even light snow; even when i had it in 4 wheel drive. in january 2015, it was snowing and there was approximately 2 inches of snow on the road and the vehicle spun out of control into the opposite lane. it was late at night so there were no other cars on the road. the vehicle continued to slide intermittently on the rest of the drive home. the thing is that this vehicle has off-road tires and this combined with the 4 wheel drive system should make it extremely stable in any weather. in february 2015, my wife was driving with our children and the vehicle's brakes locked up in the middle of a two-way stop preventing it from moving forward. there were other vehicles approaching at a high rate of speed and they had to stop to prevent a collision. a question: what if there was snow on the road at that time? i april had my sequoia looked at by vanderstyne toyota in rochester ny and they found that the yaw rate senor had a short resulting in constant application of the vsc system and quoted me $660.00 to "fix" the issue. i proceeded to research this issue on the net and it appears to be widespread with owners of toyota sequoias, siennas and some 4 runners. and many of the owners who had the yaw rate sensor replaced continued to have the same issue. i will not have this work done if there is not a guarantee that it will fix it and the dealership would not guarantee this 100%. this is serious safety issue and i am in the process of filing a complaint with toyota, bbb and the new york state attorney general office. *tr

As i was driving i notice my trac off, vsc trac, engine light all came on at once , also notice loss of power to my vehicle . *tr

Abs, vsc trac, and engine check lights on. brought to the shop . mechanic stated it's the computer need to be replaced for more than $1000 and up. search internet and lots of owners have the same problems, can somebody do something about it please. *tr

I am experiencing the same vsc problems as i read in the other complaints, along with other electrical issues. randomly (or so it seems) the vsc, brake lights, drive light and others will go on and off. it has been doing this for about a month now and every time i go to take it in for service, they aren't on and they "can't find anything wrong." *tr

First the check engine light came on, then the vsc off light followed immediately by the vsc trac light. the problem is intermittent, as the lights only stay on for a day or two then don't come back on until a few days later. i have checked the recall database for my vehicle and it is not included, although this problem has been recalled on other vehicles matching my vehicle's general description. i live in a very wet area of the country and rely on this system to work properly. from what i can read through online forums, toyota needs to take a look at every vehicle that is experiencing this issue, as it appears to be significantly more widespread than first thought. *tr

Going around a turn in the mountains at a slow speed, my traction control kicks in and there is a grinding noise, i loose the use of the brakes completely until the traction control turns off. i took it to the dealer and they told me my springs and shocks were bad. i replaced all 4 of the springs and shocks and the problem persists. this is very dangerous and scary. *tr

The vsc trak light comes on for no apparent reason and will remain on until i take the vehicle in to my mechanic. it worries me that there may be something more serious wrong with the vehicle. this has occurred for a number of years, over an over again. can this be fixed permanently? *tr

The vsc, and trac, and brake lights all lit up while coming into an intersection, where i heard a grinding clunking noise in the drive train, as i tried to stop the vehicle, coasted through the intersection, made others braking to avoid me as i steered away from them. this has happened intermittently over the years but this was the scariest, as it happened going into an intersection. it has happened backing out of our driveway several times, on the highway several times. toyota doesn't want to tie this issue to the recall regarding the vsc ecu trac light recall from several years ago. i've tried unsuccessfully to escalate this issue with toyota motor co. *tr

We bought this 2003 sequoia limited 2 wheel drive new, and it has been a good car over all. but the vsc tracs, brake lights have flashed on and off sporadically at different speeds, when driving and or when braking. they usually don't effect the car, but recently we have experienced them all coming on when braking, and we seem to loose power and the power steering is lost momentarily until we come to a stop, and shut it off for a few minutes. this happened most recently last week when coming into an intersection driving about 30mph, and all of the vsc, trac, and brake lights abruptly came on, there was a grinding noise, and it seemed to have lost electrical power, trying to come to a stop, i could not stop in time for the intersection, but was lucky enough to avoid being hit by cross traffic, it could have been a lot worse. it sounded like something fell apart underneath. i inspected it and saw nothing, but know that this is a major safety issue that toyota should address and pay for being a recall item. i called the toyota hotline and was given a case number for this issue, which was a recall in 2010. took it to the dealer, and they weren't able to replicate the issue. stated it was a bad computer, and some vsc module sensor? didn't state toyota would cover the cost or help with the cost. even though this has been a known issue with toyota sequoia's for years, and was a recall item. this is a safety issue that could result in a major accident. why would toyota not cover the cost to fix this if it is a recall item? i want it fixed but with the miles i have on it, don't want to spend much money on it, especially an item that is a recall problem with many like mine. what should i do? wait to have an accident, hire a lawyer, and sue? frustrated toyota owner in texas. *tr

The vsc off/ trac off and check engine and brake light all came on. the brake started to jump and the car pulled hare to the left. i turn the car off and back on the problem went a way but the lights all came back on. however there are a lot of people having this problem with their sequoia and i have seen no safety recall for this. *tr

At random times, the vsc and brake lights will come on. when this happens, the brakes do not work properly. they severely grind and stopping is nearly impossible. the only solution is to completely turn the car off and restart. i have taken my vehicle to toyota many time over the course of several years. this is very dangerous as i have children riding in the vehicle!! toyota either said there is nothing wrong or that a sensor will need to be replaced which costs approximately $1600.00. this is a common issue with older sequoias and should be a recall. it should be free of charge to the owner! i should not have to pay for something toyota did not do right! *tr

Vehicle almost lost control during a 25mph turn in light rain condition. the vehicle has brand new tires as well. this is a known issue with many toyota sequoia vehicles and toyota refuses to acknowledge fault. the failure to announce a recall on the vsc pressure sensor unit will cause the vehicle to lose control, skid, loss of abs and subsequently lead to crash. *tr

While accelerating on an on ramp along interstate highway, vsc vehicle stability control light came on, engine went to idle, lost speed. after about 10 seconds, vsc light went out, engine able to accelerate. considering heavy traffic on interstate 495, this is very dangerous. no ice, no snow, no rain, road was dry and level. this is the third time it has occurred. *tr

Upon normal driving the vehicle would not accelerate accurately and quickly enough after making a left turn. the vehicle would also randomly illuminate 3 indicator lights when the brake pedal is depressed. the 3 indicators are brake, trac off, vsc off. before these lights illuminate the vehicle's brake pedal would become very hard to press causing the brake pedal to require much more force applied to it thus causing a decrease in stopping distance which is a very serious safety issue. *tr

Vsc/abs and trac lights came on. took in to dealer replaced skid control computer and still lights stayed on. now i must replace yaw sensor for more money. this is an issue with most sequoias of the 2003 year model. *tr

toyota sequoia 2003 - within months of taking new car delivery, vsc abs and trac lights would blink intermittently and on occasion the auto would decelerate. as the issue was intermittent, dealership was unwilling/unable to diagnose. trouble would continue with less frequent deceleration but more frequent warning light illumination until, after a few years, the warning lights stayed on and involuntary deceleration seemed to cease. two different factory dealerships provided two different diagnoses. one said yaw sensor and other sensors need replacement (out of warranty); the other, more recently said that brake booster and actuator need replacement (out of warranty). vehicle continues to brake normally and abs does function keeping the suv steerable during panic stops. traction and stability control issues were not tested by this driver. search of internet based user groups shows this problem common in earlier year sequoia/tundra models. costs of repairs range from $1600 for yaw sensors to $3700 for brake booster and actuators. toyota usa is unresponsive unless repairs are undertaken and makes no warranty of cooperation should repairs prove ineffective or unnecessary. this appears to be an ongoing issue with this and other 2003 toyota sequoia sr5 and limited models. *tr

I was driving down the highway and my vsc trac lights came on along with my engine light. when i got home, i looked at my vehicle manual to determine what had happened. i attempted to remedy the problem as suggested by toyota, unfortunately, nothing changed. approximately 2 weeks later my brake light intermittently turned on & off. less than 5 months earlier, i had my all of my brakes replaced, so i can't imagine that my brakes are faulty. i became alarmed by these electronic miscues - so i went online to explore whether this was a common thread with other sequoia owners. i discovered very quickly that there are many people who have had problems with their vsc / engine / and brake lights becoming activated. i was hoping this problem might be covered under a recall, but it appears that it is not. i am hoping for a remedy that won't have extensive costs to me. *tr

The toyota sequoia went nose down and started to make a grinding noise pulling hard to the right. loss of power happened and i had no control. i tried to accelerate but it seemed like there was no response. it has done this three times. i feel like i will hit someone or someone will hit me! *tr

My wife was on freeway, driving our 2003 toyota sequoia limited 2wd, when vsc light lit up and a buzzer sounded. at the same time, her vehicle started to decelerate on its own, causing vehicles behind her to have to brake to keep from rear-ending her vehicle. this was accompanied by a horrific grinding and banging sound. my wife found a safer place to pull to the side of the freeway and stop the vehicle. a tow truck was called and vehicle was "flat-bed" towed to repair garage. *tr

Hi i have a 2003 toyota sequoia sr5, and the vsc trac, vsc off and check engine came on all at once, took it to auto parts store and they ran the scanner it said to change the o2 sensor, which i did and nothing changed, i have read about this problem that has been coming up quiet a lot in this model, can you tell me if there is a recall for this problem, i went to the dealer and they told me that there was not any recall related to this issue. *tr

Vsc, trac, brake lights. *tr

The vsc trac light has been on (showing it is off), along with the check engine light. occasionally the brake light comes on too while driving. today the abs light came on. the only code that is coming up is for a weak o2 sensor. *tr

Vsc trac, vsc off, brake, abs lights... all on, all at once. there is obviously a quality control issue with these that toyota does not want to be on the hook for. many others went to the national highway safety program and filed a complaint. if they get enough of these they will go to the manufacturer and issue a recall. *tr

My vsc off and vsc trac lights says on and my abs light is also on as well. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia. while parked, the contact noticed that the vsc warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph the when the vehicle began decelerate and shake abnormally. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing and was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 197,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia. while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate when depressing the accelerator pedal. the speed control, vcs, traction control, and sas warning indicators remained illuminated. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to several dealers, but no failure could be found. in addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a malfunction of the ecu tracking device failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 10v176000 (electronic stability control, traction control system). the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 224,000.

When have the car on and running the traction light brake light and vsc light come on at the same time. *tr

The vehicle abs, trac and vsc trac sensors are on and will not go away unless computers and sensors are replaced. dealers have indicated the replacement of sensors and computers may not resolve the problem. *tr

My 2003 toyota sequoia's abs/vsc/trac lights are on. now the brake light is coming on intermittently. we've had the rear and front brake pads changed recently. recently while we were coming to a slow stop at a gas station, i was pressing the brake and it made a loud grinding noise. it felt like the brakes were going to give out. immediately after, the brake light went on. i turned the engine off and the brake light was gone. a few times while at a stop light, the car will give a little jerk as if being hit from the back. called toyota customer care center to file a complaint with them regarding the issue with the lights and brakes issue. did internet research and this is a very common complaint among sequoia owners...yet they still don't have a safely recall on this vehicle. the toyota representative said there was a recall for the ecu skid control system - but that my vin number didn't fall under the recall. we have taken it to an independent mechanic and they pulled the following codes: c1223, c1244, c1247 and c1310. it seems that if this is a problem that many sequoia owners are experiencing, toyota should fix it. please help! *tr

I was driving the truck when i heard a noise in the tires like they were falling down i had encounter this when i had the truck new . but it is stop and 10 years later it is doing it again i believe the dealer should fix it because i read a lot of people have this problem it can cause a accident .so i'm concern and would like to get it fix thanks . *tr

During my work commute this morning the "vsc trac" and "vsc off" lights came on at the same time and stayed on. *tr

One day the vsc trac, vsc off, brake, abs lights all came on the dash, shortly after this happened we received a recall notice in the mail stating this exact problem. so i made an appointment at our local toyota dealership for them to look at it and fix. the first time i dropped it off for the day they called after and said the machine to test the vehicle was down, and that it would be a day or two before it was repaired, well i needed my vehicle so i went a picked it up. about a month later i made another appointment and returned to the dealership where they finally tested my vehicle and proceeded to tell me that my vehicle did not fit the criteria for vin identification. i really do not know how this is possible considering all the information stated on the recall is exactly what is wrong with my vehicle. after days of research i have learned that multiple sensors and ecu needs to be replaced costing in the range of $2000.00 plus dollars. also i have read multiple consumer complaints just like this one. these lights are on the vehicle for a reason and toyota put the recall out for a reason so fix the problems!!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia. while driving approximately 40 mph the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the steering wheel locked causing the vehicle to crash into a wall at his residence. the vehicle was towed to an auto body repair shop. a police report was filed. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the contact previously experienced a failure with the rear axle detaching from the vehicle. the rear axle was replaced and the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was unknown.

It was raining, i was going around a turn ,10 - 15 mph the back tire started to spin, the vsc trac,vsc off,and abs lights came on, this is after the trk. went to the dealer to check out a recall on the vsc. they said it wasn't under a recall, we parked the sequoia and wont drive it until it's repaired, safety reasons, i moved it , tried to go over a curb on an angle and the right rear tire just was spinning on the asphalt road. this cant be good for the sequoia ,its 4 wheel drive, and its making a noise, in the drive train ,clunking?? it slides in the rain (bad ) and wont stop on wet roads very well , it slides to a stop. i don't have alot of time to research the vsc problem ,but it sounds like all the sequoia's 03-05 have the same problem, for the cost of this trk. i hope toyota will fix this problem. *tr

Vsc traction control & antilock brake light on. vehicle skid on wet surface while making turns at normal speed. *tr

Abs, vcs trac light, brake light on/off. *tr

This 2003 toyota sequoia has performed quite well. the other day, the vsc and vsc trac lights came on along with the check engine light. i did not detect any change in the way the car performed or handled when this occurred. a trip to the dealer, (along with the mandatory $105 diagnostic charge), resulted in the claim that the oxygen sensor and yaw rate sensor need to be replaced for about $1200. in my opinion, it is highly unlikely for two unrelated problems such as the oxygen sensor and yaw rate sensor to fail at the exact same time. toyota service departments have a long, slimy record of incorrectly diagnosing problems and unnecessary replacing expensive parts in order to increase the size of the repair bill. i believe that this may be one of those occasions. a quick internet search shows that there are many thousands of toyota owners who have reported this problem. most have also given the toyota service centers failing marks for how the problem was evaluated and repaired. it may be possible that the oxygen sensor needs to be replaced. this is a common failure as a vehicle ages. the yaw rate sensor is a critical vehicle handling component that should be engineered to last for the life of the vehicle. if this component has failed, (which i doubt), it should be repaired by the manufacturer at no cost to the vehicle owner. the alleged yaw rate sensor failure is suspicious for another reason. several months ago i received a recall notice relating to this exact problem. the car had not shown any problems up to the time of the recall repair. a couple months after the so-called repair, this problem pops up. hmmm. i don't think toyota is telling the whole truth about this problem and obviously the recall did not solve the problem. *tr

My wife and i own a 2003 toyota sequoia, which we purchased new in 2003. we use it sparingly, so it only had 18,743 original miles on it as of december 23, 2010 (a date referred to again below). the vehicle has been regularly maintained by copeland toyota, brockton, ma, and was trouble-free until recently. on november 23, 2010, i was pulling into a parking space with my wife in the vehicle. i had come to almost a complete stop in the parking space with my foot on the brake pedal, when the engine revved and the vehicle lurched forward into the next parking space in front of me (fortunately unoccupied). on december 17, 2010, again with my wife in the vehicle, i had backed out of my driveway onto the street and had the vehicle at almost a complete stop with my foot on the brake pedal when the engine revved and the vehicle lurched backwards up a hill behind me. on both occasions i was able to apply pressure on the brake pedal to finally stop the vehicle. i checked the floor mat, as did the toyota dealer, and found no problem with it. i took the vehicle to the toyota dealer on december 20, 2010. the service advisor professed to not knowing what caused the lurching, said there was no related recall on this particular vehicle, and told me that their diagnostic computer showed codes in the system indicating a faulty vehicle stability control engine control unit (vsc ecu). it took the dealer four days to get toyota to "release" a replacement ecu, which was installed on december 23, 2010 at a cost (materials and labor) of $650.00. this was clearly a dangerous situation; we were fortunate that it occurred where it did. *tr

Brought my 2003 toyota sequoia into the dealership to address a safety recall to upgrade program logic in its vehicle stability control (vsc) system. after the work was completed, the car was returned to me with both my vsc lights and the abs light permanently illuminated. the dealer put it back on the testing station and determined that now my deceleration sensor (yaw rate sensor) is faulty and needs to be replaced. this component is an integral part of the entire vsc system, and is a very expensive repair. i am now facing a huge bill which amounted from bringing in the car to address a safety recall. dealer is not willing to assume any responsibility. toyota customer service says there is nothing they will do about the situation, and i need to resolve it with the dealer. the vehicle skid control system helps provide integrated control of the systems such as anti-lock brake system, traction control, engine control, etc. this system automatically controls the brakes and engine to help prevent the vehicle from skidding when cornering on a slippery road or surface or operating steering wheel abruptly. mine is faulty, and neither toyota nor the dealership care. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota sequoia. recently, the abs, vsc and vsc trak lights have come on the dash and stay on. these systems are safety-related in that they control the braking and vehicle control when in an emergency situation. in the event of slippery conditions, the failure of this system would make a bad situation worse, by not allowing the driver to maintain control of the vehicle. *tr

Vsc track for 2003 made somewhere not included on voluntary recall while problem fits the same description as those being recalled. *ln

2003 sequoia. vsc/trac lights come on just driving down the road. plus parking brake light. have to shut car off to reset. the dealer said my computer is not part of the recall so i must pay out of pocket. looked on-line and found dozens of sites and thousands of people with the same problem. *ln

2003 toyota sequoia vsc lights and traction lights came on, replaced the computer for approx $1500 on 09/07. now 08/10 vsc warning lights and the engine lights are coming on. these warning lights seem to come on about 3-6 times per month especially when i ride over a small bump or turn a corner. usually the lights don't come on again once the truck is restarted. this time the lights are remaining on for 3 days and i will be once again taking this truck in. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota sequoia. currently, the vsc trac, vsc, abs and emergency handbrake lights are on. after many visits to the dealer and repair shops, the problem cannot be resolved. everyone seems to think this issue is not related to a mechanical issue, but to an electronic sensor. unfortunately, only the manufacturer/dealership can remedy this problem. because this is a toyota-fix-only, we cannot simply afford to get this fix. we have been quoted almost $700 to fix this issue. this is a difficult amount to digest, especially with a family with multiple kids. *tr

2003 toyota sequoia, vsc and abs lights came on and off several times @ 20k miles and now @ 80k miles. first time @ 20 k miles, dealer didn't find any problem so they said i might forget to tighten the gas cap...but now after 5 years, the vsc and abs light started popping up again when i was driving 60 mile/hour, i have brought the ca to dealer and this time they have charged me almost $ 500 to get these lights came off including a series of unnecessary parts replacing and tune up. less than one month, these lights - vsc and abs came on again, brought back to dealer, they said it failed for another code which require another $ 500 to get it fixed. i was frustrated so i took the car back home, but i still feel unsafe when driving it. i think toyota should consider this issue and recall since so many customers have reported a similar issue - vsc and abs light intermittent issue. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota sequoia that has a faulty skid control unit and needs the ecu replaced. although toyota has issued a recall notice for 2003 sequoias for this problem, i was told that my car is not included on that list since they are only targeting certain cars from that year, not all cars with this problem. i was told by the dealership that it will cost me close to $3,000 to fix my car, which i cannot afford. i have only 35,000 miles on this vehicle. i have two young children that i drive in this car and have had some very close calls due to the car not functioning properly due to the faulty vsc. i feel that our safety is in jeopardy due to toyota's refusal to fix a problem that they know about and are indeed recalling for. my 2003 toyota sequoia should be included in the recall list and fixed like all of the other 2003 sequoias with this problem. thank you for your help. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia. while driving at 5 mph, the vehicle suddenly jerked forward and accelerated when the contact depressed the accelerator pedal. he depressed the brake pedal with extreme force and the vehicle stopped after crashing into the garage door and hitting a wall. there was front end damages to the vehicle. the contact suffered minor neck injuries. the contact called an authorized dealership but was told that there were no recalls for the vehicle. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were approximately 60,000. updated 7/20/10 *cn updated 07/23/10*jb