Problems with 2003 Toyota Sequoia ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

Abs,vac,trac light 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. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where the dealer performed a diagnostic test and the result indicated a faulty vehicle stability control system. the dealer also stated that the vehicle stability control system needed to be replaced. the contact noticed a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 10v176000 (electronic stability control) and notified the manufacturer. the manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle was manufacturer after the dates indicated in the recall. the failure mileage was 105,000.

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

Vehicle stability control (vsc), traction control (trac), and antilock brake system (abs) dash lights continuously illuminated indicating that all systems are off or malfunctioning. can confirm that the trac, vsc, and abs are inactive all or most of the time. the abs intervenes at random under normal braking conditions without cause at low speed (less than 20mph) and makes braking difficult and inconsistent in conditions where abs is not normally needed. in that situation the brake pedal becomes hard to depress and braking force is inconsistently applied with little control given to the operator in turn extending the braking distance without due cause or warning. after much research online i have found numerous reports stating identical and/or similar observations and experiences. it is my opinion that the problem lies in the vsc control module, a known problematic component on this generation of sequoia and more specifically model year 2003 vehicles. a recall for the vsc system was issued in april/may 2010 upgrading the control logic of the vsc system in certain model year 2003 vehicles. let it be known that the vehicle in question had the recall work done in june of 2011 which did not remedy the issue as it has been either intermittent or constant since then.

Tl* the contact owns 2003 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the abs and the vsc warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v176000 (electronic stability control , traction control system ) but the failure recurred. the approximate failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 80,000. the vin was not available. *tr

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

Vehicle violently stops or decelerates without driver hitting brakes *tr

Problem one: "brake" warning light comes on at random but then doesn't come back on at next restart of car. brake fluid and all mechanics are ok. braking doesn't seem to be affected but i am worried that there will be an abs failure that i'll ignore because of this faulty warning light. sometimes the stability control activates for no reason at low speed. problem two: frame is nearly rusted out. there is a recall for the similar tundra, and supposedly a recall for these particular sequoias in some states, but nothing comes up for my vehicle in indiana. vehicle, purchased from toyota dealer oxmoor toyota a year ago, is unsafe to drive. *tr

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

Skid control activated at low speed with grinding noise, mileage 66,000; warning lights for traction control, abs,parking brake, stability control all activated. took into dealer where supposedly repaired, drove 5 miles and happened again. back at the dealer now, waiting to see who pays. this happened in 2004 at very low mileage and the faulty skid control ecu unit was replaced, not reprogrammed, at my insistence, having been aware of the factory service bulletin.

After years of intermittent problems with the abs/vsc/trac lights coming on, i brought my car in for the recall requiring a software update. the update was preformed, and then the dealer says the yaw sensor needs to be replaced or the lights will not go off. after researching this online, it appears that thousands of sequoia owners have this problem. unless i submit to the dealer's extortion of $700, i have a faulty abs system because of the yaw sensor that has a high failure rate. this should be recalled.

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

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia. while driving at an unknown speed, the warning lights for the abs, traction control, and bsc illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the skit control needed to be reprogrammed. also, the ecu and the translate computer assembly needed to be replaced. the contact was made aware of nhtsa campaign number: 10v176000 (electronic stability control, traction control system); however, the part needed was not available. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000.

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

i purchased this vehicle in 2007 with 43,000 miles. since then i have driven 30,000 miles in 4 years. when i first pick this car it looked great. the day i picked it up it had a dent in the back, and the dvd player didnt work and was replaced. there was a water leak that toyota had to repair and remove an odor associated with it. later, i brought it in to have my gas tank level indicator repaired but was told that it was time consuming and basically was advised that the dashboard had to be taken out so, i didnt get it done. i replaced my battery, constantly had my oil changed, as the paint started to peel on my left front fender. tie rods were replaced that had broken, which was covered by the platinum coverage that i purchased for 1000.00. ive had a vsc logic relay replaced and trim repaired that was lifting off. now my coverage on the platinum plan was over 4-10-2010 on the 17th of august my rear window would not go down, about three days later the brake light came on. on the 19th the 4 wheel drive control initiated and when its initiated to go off the center will continue to be engaged, blinking. even till today when the vehicle is started up you have to dis-engage the 4 wheel drive. so i took it to toyota . thats when this final horror began. i had my oil changed (sunday), and the next day (monday) i took it back for service. after they ran a diagnostic trend heres what i was told: the rear window motor was bad and needed replacing even though they know of the problems associated with the rear windows. 690.00 master cylinder assembly.1165.00 ccnter differential.2134.00 serpentine belt and tensioner.492.00

I had my brakes looked at by dealer due to pulsating and not feeling like they should. they said nothing was wrong. a few months later, the vsc, abs, trac light goes on and stays on. safety recall a0g reflects problems with the vsc/ecu which also works simultaneously with the deceleration sensor/circuit. the dealer "pederson toyota" has told me that i needed to replace the deceleration sensor costing $99.50 - diagnostic, $445 - part, and $99.50 - labor. i feel that toyota has had so many complaints regarding this exact issue, they need to do something about this. deceleration is a huge safety issue and my vehicle does not stop as it should. also, the decelerations sensor/circuit they are telling me needs to be changed is part of the vsc/ecu that is recalled. all three parts work together and not one of them can do their job without the other. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia unlimited. the contact stated the vehicle stability control, vehicle stability control trac and check engine warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel when first starting the vehicle. the warning lights remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. the brake pedal was spongy during application after the warning light illumination occurrences. the failures occurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v176000 (electronic stability control). the vin was excluded from the recall defect. the vehicle had not been inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was 48,000. updated 11/05/10. *lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia unlimited. while the contact started the ignition, the vehicle stability control, vehicle stability control trac and check engine warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the warning lights remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. the brake pedal became spongy during application after the illumination of the warning lights failure. the failure would occur whenever the vehicle was in operation. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v176000 (electronic stability control). the vin was excluded from the recall defect. the vehicle was not inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was 48,000. updated 11/05/10. *lj

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. the contact stated that nhtsa campaign id number: 10v176000 electronic stability control system was valid for one year; however, his vin was not included. the contact stated that the vsc warning light illuminated and the vehicle was repaired by the dealer. the dealer replaced the computer skid seal, part#b9541-0c062 and the computer assembly, part#b9630-0c011. the failure was corrected when the vehicle was repaired. the contact was concerned that his vin was not included in the recall. the failure and current mileages were approximately 83,000.

Vsc trac and vsc and brake lights come on and sometimes can be reset by turning the car off and then on. loss of power when this happens sometimes. lately this has been happening on a regular basis. *tr

The vsc track and engine lights came on at the same time at exactly 108,000 miles. this has been a very reliable vehicle except when it seems the computer parts are programmed to fail. i use to commute in heavy slow traffic in southern california when my brake light would come on when using the brakes in traffic. the dealer could not find a problem.. the brake light will go off after the key is turned off and back on again however the vsc/track light still on appear t be a computer defect. i see many problems with this could lead to vehicle tipping big problem maybe this issue is related to toyotas vehicles super accelerating just a thought! *tr

Vsc and trac warning lights turn on almost immediately when driving. skid control lights flash, indicating computer-controlled braking while pulling out of driveway at slow speed on normal, dry pavement. *tr

2003 toyota sequoia limited. purchased new from dealer. intermittent problems over the years with "vsc trac", "trac off" and "abs" lights going on (usually if tires were on slippery surface). lights usually went off on their own without incident. two years ago dealer under warranty replaced ecu computer and translate computer when car died after these lights went on. now lights are on again and not going off. warranty has expired. dealer charged me $160 to do a diagnostic which led them to tell me it'll cost $2,300 to do what amounts to "exploratory surgery", and by the way, my airbags are disabled and they can't reset them without me paying said $2,300 and possibly much more as they use a trial and error approach to "fixing" whatever problem there is (car seems to be driving ok at the moment with the warning lights on.) a quick search of the internet showed dozens and dozens of people with the exact same problem, some with very serious safety problems (that i have not had yet). very disconcerting, especially since i also own a 2009 toyota camry! dealership very opaque about the problem - they don't seem to have a clue what the problem really is at root. from my basic research, it seems irrefutable that this problem is a serious design problem in 2003 toyota sequoias that has been known to toyota for many years. first, are you aware of this situation, and second, is there anything i can do except pay to supposedly "fix" the car? here is just one sample of a google search for "toyota sequoia skid control computer" where you can see comments that go back to january 2004: http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic181494.htm. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia. the contact stated while driving at 15 mph, the vehicle began to independently decrease in speed. the contact depressed the accelerator pedal but the vehicle would not pick up speed. the dealer advised there were no recalls on the vehicle and any repairs would be at the contacts expense. the vehicle was neither diagnosed for the failure or repaired. the failure mileage was 82,000 and the current mileage was 90,000. updated 09/28/10 *bf the consumer stated he experienced problems with the skid control. the consumer stated the vsc, abs and traction control lights illuminated and have been on for quite some time now. on a few occasions, the vehicle lost power or braked unexpectedly while going into slow turns. the toyota recall center assured the consumer his vehicle was a part of the recall. however, when he arrived at the dealership, he was informed his vehicle was not a part of the recall, because his vehicle was produced with the updated ecu. updated 10/04/10

Abs and vsc off lights came on disabling the abs system. *tr

Vsc and vsc of lights are oncodes c1223 abs control system malfunction, c1231 steering angle sensor, and c1247 stroke sensor indicates needs the skid control ecu t 2.0 replaced skid control ecu 08/01/2010 check engine light found p0031 af sensor b1s1 t1.0 parts replaced. 6/01/2013 again vsc trac off service engine light on and dealership wants 1400.00 for new computer. *tr

Skid control system is faulty. it was engaged on a hot day while i was driving on a straight freeway. the car slowed down and i had to pull over. i almost got into an accident. the lights are now on and won't turn off. *tr

For the past 6months the emergency brake light has come on and shut off randomly for extended periods of time. the dealership has no answer for why, but they said that there is nothing wrong. now the vsc trac and vsc off lights will not turn off. the dealer says that there is no danger again but that it will cost 1600 to fix. if i do nothing then it will be fine too. none of it makes complete sense. *tr

The vehicle stability control (vsc) lights keep coming on at random and will not turn off until the engine is restarted. there was a voluntary recall from toyota for this problem but the dealer said mine is not affected but obviously it is since i received a notice and the lights do come on. i also hear grinding noise when the abs engages. toyota dealer wanted to charge me for the fix. *tr

Vehicle was purchased from toyota on11/21/2009. the next day the brake light came on. it stayed on every time i started the vehicle for 2 days then it went out. then it would intermittenly come on and reset when i shut the vehicle off. took it back to toyota and they found fault code c1310. they said i needed a new brake power booster inside of the master cylinder. after a week of arguing with them they changed it. when i picked up the vehicle the brake light came on again. i called them back and they checked again and said code c1310 had triggered but this time it was the skid control computer and it was not covered and they were not going to fix it for me. i checked the owners forums for sequoia's and this apparently is a well known issue that toyota ignores. the dealer has told me as long as the light is on i will not have abs and my anti-skid control will not function.

2003 toyota sequoia vsc/trac computer problems causing unnecessary braking. also breaking of rear door latch and inability to open rear door. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota sequoia. while driving approximately 25 mph the electronic stability control system and the traction control system warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the failure occurs intermittently and without warnings. no repairs have been made. the failure and current mileage mileages were 84,000. updated 12/9/09 *cn updated 12/10/09.*jb

The vsc trac and asb light have come on my 2003 toyota sequoia limited 4x4. the dealer wants $2000.00 to replace the computer. *tr

I've owned a 2003 toyota sequoia since it was new, and have had several problems with the anti-lock brakes and stability control. the systems have failed repeated for the past three years, the warning lights are continuously on, and on two occasions the vehicle's anti-lock brakes have gone off while driving slowly ( and not braking ). the dealership where i purchased the vehicle says i need a new $2,000 computer for the brake control. the vehicle is faulty and unsafe, and toyota needs to step up to the plate and fix this dangerous flaw in their anti-lock brake system. *tr

Sept 09 - vcs & trac lights would come on randomly for last 6 months. finally yesterday they failed completely. lights came on, brakes starting vibrating, throttle control was impaired. dealer recommended replacing vs computer. this is the second time vs system has had a problem. in 07 the dealer replaced the yaw sensor ass. when this happened vcs and trac lights came on, loss of braking and accelerating control. fortunately when they failed speed was low there fore it was easy to come to a stop. i have requested old part returned to me. *tr

Toyota sequoia 2003 vsc lights on and off for entire duration of owning the vehicle...was "fixed" at authorized toyota dealer early on in ownership and since will randomly go on and off. most recently will be off with start of vehicle and with acceleration or turning will set of abs light and beep, loose power and then the vsc lights will be on, when you let off of the accelerator. some dealerships said to ignore the problem, don't feel safe when the most recent events cause the loss of power. i don't want to be going into traffic when this happens! *tr

For the past year intermittently brake light on dash came on, if i turned off vehicle, restarted then the light stays off until the next time. now with 80,000 miles on 2003 sequoia vsc off, vsc trac & check engine lights came on going about 30 mpg. took vehicle in for service found out there is a 'service bulletin' dating back to 2003 that toyota is aware of computer failure concerning this issue. after researching on this website i've found over 200 complaints concerning this exact issue that has not been addressed by toyota or any regulatory government agency issuing a recall since this is a known issue that can cause loss of control of the vehicle. why?? what is the wait? does a tragedy need to occur? how many more complaints need to be logged? i'm waiting for an appointment with the toyota dealership to see if any 'good will' action will be taken since the reports i've read have indicated the repair/fix cost is between $1,600.00-$2,200.00 for the consumer which obviously should be covered by toyota especially since this has been a known issue since 2003. *tr

2003 toyota sequoia - has skid/traction control sensor failure (vsc trac) which effects the abs - there's none now. we went through this november 2008 and paid extensively for the repair are reliving it again now. toyota says this is common and will cost us $2k to fix. i am finding this problem with this model/year all over the internet. this is a toyota problem and needs a recall - not a consumer only problem. please help! we are afraid to drive our car on our trip to relatives at christmas. $2k eats up xmas budget! toyota admits it's common - they need to recall the vehicles and fix this problem before someone gets killed! many reporting loss of control while driving and inability to brake. *tr

2003 toyota sequoia, the vehicle stability control suddenly quit working when in motion and tried to apply brakes and shuttered. it's in the shop now and they say it's an abs skid control ecu that went out. seems to be a common problem for this year model and a recall should be done. *tr

Uncontrolled stopping of vehicle with out braking; driving on city roads car braked on its own to the point the car halted, and i had to quickly pull to the side of the road or be hit by cars behind me; happened 3 times within a 3 mile stretch while driving kids home from school.; skid control ecu was replaced, also faulty deceleration sensor, faulty steering angle sensor, old parts held by installer. *tr

While under warranty, my 2003 sequoia's electronic stability control system activated when accelerating around corners. the dealer replaced the vsc computer. yesterday, august 13, while on vacation, the vsc, trac off, and abs lights came on. the dealer stated that the vsc computer was not functional and would again have to be replaced. the cost is between 1500-2100 dollars. the dealer (west ashley toyota, charleston, sc) stated if i did not replace it, it could activate and cause me to lose control. i asked if there was a fail safe and he did not know. i have not yet replaced the computer. *tr

Stability control problems with an 2003 toyota sequoia. for several years the trac off, vsc trac and abs lights have come off and on and are now on permanently rendering the stability control system useless. *tr

My abs, vehicle skid control and trac control system has failed. trouble codes indicate system failure and will require new abs, trac and anti skid ecu. i have not had the repair done yet. i am concerned about the safety without these features. i am aware that there are several people having this same issue. *tr

In 2005 bought 2003 toyota sequoia with 20,000miles in 2007 check engine light came on the dealer codes were c1223, c1247,c1203 had to replace computer assy. replace translate control unit and reset readiness codes. this computer controls traction and loss of power. in 7/09 the "vsc trac" and "trac off" lights and abs came on. i believe these are all safety issues that plague this toyota model and recall is inorder. are we going to wait for people to die before a recall is given? *tr