Problems with 2004 Toyota Sequoia ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

2004 toyota sequoia anti skid electronic component sensor light comes on then engine shuts down in turns when not needed and on dry roads. extremely dangerous! *tr

The vsc and trac lights come on intermittently .the vehicle will also dramatically de-accelerate. there is also a smell like smoke. after shutting the vehicle off and later restarting all was ok. toyota is very aware of this problem. such a problem occurring especially at higher speeds could result in loss of control of vehicle leading to a serious accident with potential for numerous fatalities. toyota had a recall for exactly the same problem on it"s 2003 model, but nothing for the 2004. considering their most recent problems with acceleration i certainly would have expected by now that the nhtsa would have investigated and mandated that toyota correct this problem before a serious accident...not after the fact. again, this is a well documented fact on toyotas own website. numerous complaints have been filed to no avail. their refusal to recall and rectify the situation should be a wake up call to the nhtsa. if i hear nothing more on this matter, i will assume neither toyota nor the nhtsa is concerned about this potentially disastrous defect. *tr

The vsc warning light and sometimes brake warning light will come one in 2004 toyota sequoia. there appears to be nothing wrong with the vehicle but it looses power when this happens and hesitates when you are making a turn. toyota has come out with a recall for sequoia 2003 and have a technical bulletin discussing 2003 - 2005, however toyota refuses to do anything since my vehicle is not included in the current recall. *tr

Vsc control light is on and vehicle has less traction control, causing me to drive it slow and very careful to avoid loss of control. the sequoia model one year previous had an issue, i believe the 2004 model does as well. also brake replacement occurs to frequently. i replace my brakes make repairs 2-3 yr. the same occured with my toyota forerunner. toyota needs to beef up their braking systems. it is a well documented problem for years and years. *tr

Noticed trac defect light on,vsc light on,engine light on. the toyota service people stated it needed a vsc control ecm that will cost over $1600 and so we are waiting to hear if there will be a recall as there are many,may complaints listed with you and on other websites. *tr

On friday, july 30, 2010, my 2004 toyota sequoia sr5 suddenly disengaged in the middle of oncoming traffic with loss of power; dashboard lights vsc, brake, and trac lights, illuminating, loud metal skidding noise coming from underneath, and subtle burning smell all happening simultaneously as it cruised in fatigue-mode the rest of the way. scared the life out of me as all i could do was pray that a tractor trailer was not behind me in full speed as they so often do on major roadways. as the truck continued to glide and drivers honking for me to clear the way, i proceeded to nearest toyota dealership. i reached closest toyota dealership service dept. for them to examine root cause of issue. rather than them explaining to me why issue occurred, they quickly concluded need for abs skid control computer, part# 89541-0c062, with diagnostic test results dtc1223 abs control, c1247 stroke sensor, and c1310 active booster solenoid and wanted to charge $$$$ number of thousand dollars. i called toyota corporate not satisfied with results and corp suggested i get data from dealership's diagnostic for further analysis by my selling/home dealership. i asked servicing dealership for data and they admitted they had erased it and it was no longer available; and said they cannot look into black-box unless mandated by law or by corporate tech support. i then wrote toyota president mr. steve st. angelo and he forwarded it to exec. customer relations. customer rel vowed to pay repairs on reimbursement terms if i find toyota dealer who is willing to repair the truck. i called servicing dealer and they refuse to fix without same-day payment by toyota corporate. i asked my selling/ dealership who at first agreed to repair the truck then rengaged stating that since former dealership "erased the code" they have no way of confirming issue and if changed abs box and truck's further issues later, they would be held liable. in meantime, i am urgent need of my truck; please help. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that while driving the vsc service light illuminated on the dashboard and the vehicle began to decelerate. the vehicle lost power and would not begin to accelerate again until the vehicle slowed down to a lower unknown speed. the failure recurred intermittently and was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that there was a failure within the computer that controls the vehicle stabilization control system. the vehicle was in the process of having the ecu replaced. the failure and current mileages were 70,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the vehicle stablility control (vsc) lights would turn on and off. the vehicle stability control (vsc) system would activate at low speeds for a few seconds during acceleration from a stopped position. the contact called the local dealership was informed that he would have to pay for a diagnostic test or $2000 in repair costs. the contact called the manufacturer who also stated that there were no recalls or warranties and that he had to pay for the repairs. the failure and current mileages were approximately 53,000.

2004 toyota sequoia. emergency brake, traction control system, and traction control system off dashboard lights come on randomly during vehicle operation leading the operator to believe the emergency brake is activated and/or the traction control system is malfunctioning. problem occurs randomly (every few minutes) during vehicle operation. no repair completed. numerous reports of same failure are cited on several internet websites. *tr

Brake light had been coming on when starting the car and while driving for at least the last 6 months. this last week the check engine light along with vsc trac and trac off lights came on. i had the dealership check the suv and was told there was failure in the skid control computer which needed to be replaced. also told the dealership that 4 wheel drive was hard to engage, but they were not able to duplicate the problem. *tr

Battery in 2004 toyota sequoia went dead. put the battery on charge. after charging was complete i put the key in the ignition to start the car. i started the car and smoke poured out from under the hood. i immediately turned the ignition off and opened the hood to find the abs computer smoking with flames. i quickly put out the flame with a thick blanket and noticed smoke shooting through a hole burned in the computer. i am still researching this issue...thank god my family was not in this car when this happened. *tr

Stability controls. *tr

My wife was exiting the highway in our 2004 toyota sequoia when she heard beeping coming from the instrument panel and noticed the vsc/stability light on. she applied the vehicle brakes on the exit ramp and heard a grinding noise coming from the front of the vehicle. the weather conditions at the time of this event were dry and sunny. she was far enough away from other vehicles that it is undetermined if any increased braking distance happened as a result of this. right after the braking/grinding, the vsc light went out and normal operation resumed.

I have a 2004 toyota sequoia, the vsc off, vsc on, brake light goes on time after time. the brakes sometimes feel like they will not work. there are so many complaints on this issue, hopefully toyota will do something about this. this problem can cause life injuries and even death. i have stayed dedicated to toyota and hoping for there honest mistake. *tr

Regarding a '04 honda sequoia, the vehicle stability control system -- which is a traction control that interrupts engine ignition to slow wheel spin -- has frequently been activating when unnecessary. the result is that the vehicle slows dramatically when surrounding traffic is moving at a much higher speed. this occurs frequently. the vehicle is owned by my 36-yr.-old son, and i've been in the vehicle, with my 1-yr.-old grandson, when it malfunctions. it is unnerving and unsafe to be on an interstate highway -- i-196, michigan -- and to suddenly slow to a crawl with surrounding traffic -- including semis -- zooming by at high speed blowing horns and gesturing(i couldn't agree with them more). i retired from gm world hq in detroit as a senior executive with nearly 30 years experience in manufacturing, public affairs and media relations. my plant and divisional experience includes fisher body, buick and detroit diesel allison. at the corporate level i've worked in our washington, d.c., office, and, of course, detroit. in fact, i was at buick when traction control first started being explored. what we lacked back then was computer horsepower necessary to deal with wheel speed input and proper ignition interrupt. in any event, i know an unsafe condition when i see it...such as going slow when everything else is going fast. i have a feeling, too, that my son's vehicle is not a one-of-a-kind situation. p.s. your listing of models didn't include the sequoia suv, so i checked "pilot". *tr

I was traversing a driveway covered with about 6 inches of snow. the drive slopped slightly to the right. my speed was less than 10mph. suddenly the sequoia started to slide sideways to the right. i stepped on the accelerator to regain control. the stability control activated and prevented any acceleration. i slid sideways down the hill and was stopped when i slid into a pine tree. *tr

Same problem as everyone else...vsc, abs, trac and check engine lights come on. need to pull over to the side of the highway, turn off my vehicle and restart it to turn off the lights...i manage an independent repair shop and have seen several more sequoias come in with the same problem. the before mentioned lights have come on a handful of times in my personal vehicle. when is this issue going to be taken seriously??? hello toyota? unfortunately it will take several deaths to get this issue taken care of....shame on toyota. do the right thing! chalk up another dissatisfied "vsc victim." *tr

2004 sequoia 77k miles / vsc off / vsc trac / abs lights on all at once. issue has been associated with a check engine light since new purchase in aug 2004, most of the time the issue was resolved after loosen the gas cap and filling up the gas tank which usually cured my issue. each time i had the vsc off and vsc trac / abs issue i had taken it to the dealer which after the vehicle was restarted the errors were not present,,? it has returned occasional over the years and dealt with it due to it resets itself - presently it is solid after a few weeks of rain here in south florida took it to the dealer today which they quoted me 1340.24 plus 185.76 in labor..? i refused the repair until i could further research this issue by searching for 4 hours i have found that this issue is a trend for tundras, sequoias, land cruisers from 2003 to 2005 which this stated to be a default in the skid control unit as a factory defect - by this apparent trouble this should be a recall of the skid control unit ( ecu ) to current toyota owners that is affected. i have placed my complaint with toyota hq of this issue awaiting call back from the dealer. *tr updated 03/18/10 *bf the consumer has decided to trade the vehicle. updated 05/05/10.*jb

2004 sequoia with 75,000 miles. driving down road in the middle of the summer and abs light comes on and the brakes went into anti skid mode. very scary and had the kids in the car. had to pull over and turn off the car. the vsc and abs lights are staying on. took car to dealership and they know it is a known problem. they want to charge us $1400.00 to get it fixed. *tr

I have a 2004 2wd toyota sequoia. the vsc light keeps coming on. reading on edmunds.com and tundrasolutions.com i have found that this is a common problem and should be grounds for a recall. one of the suvs even caught fire. *tr

2004 toyota sequoia front wheel and rear differential bearing failure at 29,606 miles while on vacation from northern to southern california. dealership and toyota would not cover under warranty even with such low miles. i had to pay $1,342.59 plus 3 nights of hotel bills before returning to northern california. refer to complaint confirmation number (odi) 10285663. old parts were not returned to me as requested upon paying for repairs as calif. bar requirement. also have the problem with cornering/accelerating, which original dealership said was "no"t a problem, as described on 4/28/10 recall. this vehicle was built in 2003. waiting for toyota's may letter of recall for action. *tr

My 2003 toyota sequoia has 2 lights that come on when i drive (the vsc and trac off). sometimes it comes on immediately after i start the car, other times it comes on after driving for about a minute. the toyota dealership diagnosed it as needing a new skid control ecu. they told me that this computer controls the abs of the vehicle and that it is unsafe to drive. however, the price tag is too steep to have repaired today. *tr

We were experiencing occassional dash brake light illumination about every two weeks or so. when i had the vehicle in for another issue, i mentioned the brake light. toyota told me that they needed to replace the skid control computer and the vehicle was unsafe to drive while the light was on. after having the computer replaced, the brake light came on two more times while we were out of town. the next day as i was starting to slow approaching a turn the truck suddenly braked very hard and it felt like we were going to start skidding. this was an unexpected automatic application of the brakes and proved to be extremely dangerous. luckily for us there were no cars following at the time. this episode illuminated the brake light along with the vsc and trac lights. whatever toyota replaced not only didn't solve the problem, but apparently made the vehicle more dangerous to drive. it is now at toyota for further diagnosis. i see that this is not an uncommon issue, as there are numerous complaints about this system on the sequoias. there should be a developed repair plan to remedy this situation and to keep their customers safe. *tr

I have a 2004 toyota sequoia with 60k miles and the electronic vehicle stability control computer needs to be replaced. toyota has dismissed this as an issue for the past year i have complained to them. after doing research on the internet, seems like it's a known issue to many owners of this car. more lies and deception from toyota. seems to be a common practice. they should recall the truck, i'm not paying $2,000 to fix the problem. i've spent a fortune repairing this truck!

I was driving my 2004 toyota sequoia suv and had to proceed with a sudden stop and the braking system suffered a malfunction which resulted in last of braking preassure and some kind of strange sound. this was almost an accident, i was lucky not to hit the car in front. i changed the brakes, and had my suv inspected in the toyota dealer just to find out that there is a big problem with tundra, sequoias , and land cruisers from 2003 to 2005 with the electronic stability control module which affect the brake system and the traction control system, aprox when car reach 45,000 miles and no recall have been made. the repair part cost 1,500 up to 2,300 dollars. i found hundred of customer complains with brake and control system in http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint//2004. *tr

I have a 2004 toyota sequoia. the vsc, trac and emergency brake lights come on. if i turn the car off and then turn it back on then the lights will go off. this has been going on for one week now. i took it to the dealer and they want $2100 to fix the computer. apparently, this is a widespread problem with the toyota sequoia. *tr

Upon leaving my driveway multiple times car starts beeping and lights flashing and finally corrects itself. in 2010 i had "yaw rate sensor" replaced at a cost of $511.00. then the brake light on the dash continued to come on. i finally took it in to the toyota dealer and they told me i needed the "skid control ecu" replaced at a cost of $907.00 plus tax. i refused this because they assured me the brakes are still working fine. there have been numerous complaints to toyota on this model and similar model sequoias. tsb's have been issued but no recalls. please help us get this problem addressed with toyota. *tr

Vehicle has faulty vsc computer. after researching this problem, i noticed several identical complaints. as a result of the extent of the complaints, i feel there should have been a recall from toyota to address this problem. i do not have $1615.00 to fix it. *tr

I bought a new 2004 toyota sequoia limited in may '05. roughly 6 months into ownership - my brake light, vsc (traction control) and track off lights came on intermittently. i had my brakes replaced in dec '07 and this seemed to clear up the issue. in sept '08, my brake light started lighting up again intermittently and on 12/1/08, my vsc and track off lights came on and stayed on. i brought it to my toyota dealer for service and they are telling me that my skid control computer needs to replaced to the tune of $1800. after doing some research, it appears that this is a very common issue and has been going on since 2002. the failure of these systems leaves me without abs and without vsc (two of the reasons i bought the car i did) and at an increased risk of having an accident. i would like an investigation done on this component to determine if a recall is warranted. *tr

2004 toyota sequoia vsc computer and bank sensor failure dashboard lights came on dealer examined - says skid control ecu and bank sensor need to be replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that when braking to make a turn, the abs brakes would fail and the vehicle would not decelerate, causing the vehicle to skid while turning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that the skid control was defective and needed to be replaced. there were no recalls for the failure. the manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 38,000. updated 11/18/11*lj the consumer stated the vsc light illuminated and there was a loss of control. the dealer informed the consumer the vsc was defective. the consumer stated a recall was issued for the 2003 model, but there was not enough to open a recall for the 2004 model. updated 12/02/11

Vsc, abs and brake lights in dash come on and do not go off. after dealer inspection it was determined that the traction control module needed replacing. this is a very expensive part that is critical to the safety of the braking system and should be reviewed as a recall item on this model. *tr

I own a 2004 toyota sequoia with 35,500 miles. i recently took my vehicle to toyota to check on the vehicle skid control (vsc) light, vsc track light and the check engine light because they would not turn off. the service advisor stated that based the diagnostic repair codes and a repair bulletin, the skid control ecu must be replaced at a cost of $1668.90 this is very disappointing and toyota's are looking less than good at the moment. the ecu is not a wear and tear item and is not subject to ongoing maintenance, it's a computer chip that is designed to control the vsc. if the ecu can not be reprogrammed to function as intended, then this design flaw that again should have been replaced under warranty or as a recall. the design flaw is serious and affects the safety and stability of the vehicle. finally, the ecu is essentially a small computer and at a high price tag to replace such and inexpensive part is absurd. i own 3 toyota suv's and if toyota does not honor its commitment to quality, then i will not keep, purchase, nor recommended a toyota again. i hope toyota does the right thing and issue a recall for this problem. thanks *tr

*******2004 toyota sequoia ltd vsc computer failure, wheel lockup on left********* brake light, vsc and trac light all came on. i was driving approx. 20 mph and the left front wheel locked up and the car pulled sharply to the left. the brake pedal went to the floor and i lost brake pedal effectiveness. i turned the car off and restarted it and all lights went out and brake feel and effectiveness appears ok. i took the car straight to the dealer for inspection. for the last 2 years the brake light would come on and stay on and when i turned off the car and restarted it the light would go off. for 2 years my local dealer in butler, pa could not get a failure code. when i took the car for diagnostics, the cause was the ecm part number 89541-oc062 at a cost of about $1377.00. they replaced it at the great dealership in langhorne,pa. i have 55,659 miles on this vehicle. since the repair the brake warning light has come on one time and stayed on, when we restarted the car it went away. i will return to dealer to have this checked again next time it comes on. it seems to me that this lockup of the wheel and loss of braking effectiveness is a real big safety issue on these vehicles. please get back to me to tell me if nhtsa is looking into this situation. thank you! *tr

2004 toyota sequoia skid control ecu had to be replaced by the dealer as the abs light continually light ups on my vehicle. *tr

For the past 4 years, our sequoia has had problems with the brake warning light coming on as well as the traction control warning light. the only way to turn off the light is to turn off the car. once every 3 months or so, it sounds as if the traction control/abs is turning on and a loud grinding is heard and it feels like there is a temporary loss in braking power. toyota has charged me thousands of dollars to replace bearings, brake cylinders, etc. none of these repairs have worked. they told me the last time that the next fix is a replacement of the esc computer. searching online and through nhtsa complaints, this is a common problem and clearly a design flaw in the computer and it should be a part of a recall. *js

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the two vehicle stability control warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the dealer stated that the yaw rate sensor needed to be replaced. the current mileage was 78,000 and failure mileage was 73,000.

The problem with my suv, is the vsc trac and brake light come on and goes away and i can smell something on the two back brakes burning. i lost a previous truck before. it flipped over can't say if this caused it to flip. i hope toyota can recall these suv's and fix it. my local shop can't get a code on this fault.

I have a 2004 toyota sequoia. with just over 52,000 miles, the emergency brake light would come on for no apparent reason. the only way to get it to go off would be to stop and restart the vehicle. the local toyota dealership advised us to check the brake fluid. it was fine. when i took my vehicle in for routine maintenance, they informed me that the anti-skid ecu computer component was going out. they said it wasn't a safety issue; however, we feel like it most definitely is a safety issue. sequoia's are prone to roll over in accidents, and the anti-skid function is critical. we have done research, and it is obvious that toyota is aware that it is a problem. despite their knowledge of the problem, a recall has not been issued. is it going to take major accidents or deaths of innocent passengers to get toyota to issue a recall? because of the safety factor, we ended up spending $1,507.48 in order to have this replaced. with less than 53,000 miles on a sequoia, it is ridiculous to have to spend that amount of money. the original anti-skid ecu is obviously defective; toyota needs to do the right thing and issue a recall. *jb

I own a 2004 toyota sequoia and the vsc light recently came on. the dealer is stating that the vsc computer needs to be replaced at my cost. they explained that it is common on the sequoia, but a recall has not been issued. the cost is 1500 + the danger is losing control of the vehicle during brake malfunction. i have read of several others having the same problem. the dealer stats that i should be able to continue to drive, but 2 times i have lost ability to use brakes. its not until i restart the car that the brakes work again. dangerous, very dangerous. this problem appears all over the internet with this truck, its time for a recall. *jb

I own a 2004 toyota sequoia. i took it in for new tires,with balancing and an alignment. they also did brake work on the front. it needed caliper pins and the rotors were turned. it had 47,481 miles on it. when my wife left the dealership there was a failure of the vsc (vehicle stability control) system. the system never once before malfunctioned until after the service at the toyota dealership. it is clear that the dealer messed something up. they claim they did nothing to cause it. we talked the head manager of the dealership. the manager denied that it could be in any way their fault. is it possible that the service caused the failure? i don't know what toyota has their mechanics do but someone needs to do a full investigation. the vehicle now is a hazard to drive. i currently can't afford the $1500 dollars to replace the computer. could it be related to the kind of tires put on or dust or metal in the sensors? failure codes are c0210 (right rear wheel speed sensor signal malfunction, c1223 (abs control system malfunction) , and c1310 (active booster solenoid). the sequoia's vsc light comes on often and the vehicle will not accelerate even when the pedal is pressed all the way to the floor. it has almost caused about 2 bad accidents. we currently drive it but don't rely on it for passing. if the system fails we just have to drive slow and stay in our lane. i do know that toyota knows that this is a huge problem. they also use a different skid control computer in newer models. we need a recall. i have seen many references to this same exact problem. for the safety of our drivers please issue a recall. the manufacturer obviously didn't test the system before it was allowed on the market. *tr

I have a 2004 toyota sequoia vin number [xxx]. on 6/15/10 i experienced loss of vehicle control related to the vehicle stabilization and braking system computer. three lights lit up on the dash (vsc, trac, and brake) and then upon braking there was a grab release sensation that i was unable to control. i was driving approximately 30 mph when this occurred. i was forced to pull over and shut the vehicle down to reset the computer. this has happened 5 times in the last year, but none as severe as on 6/15/10. other experiences were at lower speeds. i have reported the incident to toyota ( conf# [xxx]) but am dissatisfied that this is not a recall. this is a true safety concern for me as i have a newborn child that rides in this car often. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Traction control computer failure. anti - skid computer failure. vehicle stability control computer failure on 2004 toyota sequoia. vehicle is just over three years old and has 41,800 miles. *tr

We purchased our sequoia in july of 2004. on dec. 20, 2006 the vsc off and vsc trac lights came on. we took the car in to our toyota dealer on jan. 3, 2007 (48,127 mi) to have them take a look at it. we were told the lights were on because of a charcoal canister that needed replacing. we replaced the canister on aug. 8, 2007 (58,184 mi.) at a cost of approx. $425. we believe this cost should have been covered under the emission system's warranty but the dealer said 'no' and we reluctantly paid it. on a trip to ca, the oil pressure gauge quit working. we went to a toyota dealer in victorville, ca on dec.3, 2007 (66,587 mi.) we were told the oil pressure was fine but the 'combo meter' needed replacing at an estimated cost of $900. we declined the service. at some point after that, the vsc off and vsc trac lights came back on. on april 1, 2009 (87,456 mi.) we took the car in to the toyota dealer to have them check on the lights. we were told the 'skid control ecu' needed replacing at an estimated cost of $1400. we declined the service. the lights are still on to this day at 165,977 miles. in dec. 2011, after a snowy day, we were traveling about 25 mph when the car broke traction and sent us spinning 180* out-of-control. if it wasn't for a snow berm we would have rolled down a hill into a pond. this vehicle is unsafe!! i'm sure we have paid dearly for the stability control feature in this car but it has been inoperable for most of time we've owned it. this is definitely a manufacturer's defect that should be recalled and made right. we don't believe we should have to bear the cost of fixing this problem ourselves. *tr

Vsc trac lights and brake lights all come on at the same time. i have had this issue since 2005 and toyota has replace every part they know off. *tr

My 2004 toyota sequoia at various times will stop accelerating away from a stop if the vehicle is asked to go up or down a slight hill. other times it does it will no prompting. you are left without power and traffic is oncoming and you can't move out of the way, or accelerate forward for 2 to 3 seconds. really is dangerous. it does not happen in 4wd. many people complain about this and have for years, thus, i have little faith in the government. the vsc on the car shuts the power off for reasons of its own. incident date below does not make sense for something like this that is ongoing. can't the government even design a proper form? *tr

2004 toyota sequoia failed skid control ecu. toyota is not willing to repair as part of a warranty and it should be a recalled part by toyota motors. *tr

Vsc trac, vsc off, abs lights have been coming on and off since i purchased the vehicle new in 2004. dealer could not find any problems over the years. last week lights came on and stayed on full time. abs system severely shook when brakes were depressed. dealership replaced master cylinder and brake booster system. cost was $1,200. warning lights still were present, and they were reluctant to let me leave the dealership with the problem still present. they decided that the booster was an "after-market" product and not properly communicating with the computer. dealership wants another $600 to swap the brake booster, but still no assurances that the warning lights will not come back on. this has been problematic since the day i purchased the vehicle. it appears that this is not an isolated issue with the sequoias and tundras. *tr

Vsc lights come on intermittently, took to dealership and they said no problems were found. over the next few years they still come on periodically. i have to shut the vehicle off and then the light goes out. *tr