Problems with 2001 Toyota Sequoia STRUCTURE

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

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a mechanic to be inspected and the contact was advised that the entire frame was rusted, but mostly at the rear axle. the contact was told that the vehicle was no longer safe to drive. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that the frame was only guaranteed for three years, and offered no assistance. the failure and the current mileage was 186,000. updated 01/10/12*lj

I have owned this 2001 toyota sequoia since 2009 with 178k and the frame had rust back then. i recently had the rear tire replace and the mechanic said i should not drive it because of the excessive rust in the rear frame and bring it to a toyota dealer for a safety check. i am calling them to have them look at the rust this friday, i did see it for myself and wont drive it anymore because of my family's safety. i also noticed there is a recall of the tundra truck frames by toyota and also noticed there are many people with the same rust problems of sequoia trucks, if they are the same frame as written online why aren't they also recalled? i cant believe this is rusting this bad, its only 10 years old but its still in such great shape. *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

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

After a routine oil change at my toyota dealer, i was informed that my 2001 toyota sequoia has a rust hole in the frame on the driver's side. the dealer informed me that this is not covered by the current tundra recall, but they are seeing it frequently with sequoia's and 4runners. the dealer is frustrated with toyota, who is replacing the frames on affected tundra's, but will not acknowledge the exact same problem in other vehicles. the sequoia is built upon the same frame platform as the tundra, it would stand to reason that the same problem affecting tundra pickups would also be present in sequoia suvs. the dealer recommended that i call toyota customer service to lodge a complaint, with a hope that with enough people speaking up the sequoia will be recalled. i did this immediately, and spoke with a very polite representative who said there was nothing toyota would do, as there was no recall in place. this is completely unacceptable. toyota is well aware of this issue from their own dealers, and are jeopardizing the safety of their customers by failing to act. please help! updated ivoq 10/18/11 *tr

The entire undercarriage of the vehicle is heavily rusted. the rust began almost immediately after purchase and has gotten progressively worse over the years. i fear the entire undercarriage or body will fail. toyota refuses to inspect the problem at their cost.

Extensive rust on entire under carriage and frame

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that while having the vehicle examined by an independent mechanic, the mechanic stated that the subframe was corroded due to defective metal. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 149,800.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the frame was completely rusted and corroded. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic shop for inspection and they confirmed the corrosion of the frame near the rear tires. the dealer was contacted and informed the contact to call the manufacturer. the manufacturer was contacted who stated there were no recalls and offered no further assistance. the failure mileage was 100,000. updated 10/13/11 *bf updated 11/02/11

I have a 2001 toyota sequoia that has excessive corrosion in the front swaybar mount and rear crossmember in the frame. this failure is identical to the failures seen in 2000-2003 toyota tundras that resulted in nhtsa campaign id number: 09v444000. as a result of this, toyota recalled model year 2000-2003 tundra vehicles due to excessive corrosion of the rear cross member that may cause the separation of the spare tire. the 2000-2003 toyota sequoia vehicles share identical frame cross member and spare tire mounting arrangements in which excessive corrosion in the rear cross member and spare tire mounting location can cause separation of the spare tire stowed under the rear cargo load floor which would result in a road hazard. this separation of the spare tire or mounting bracket could cause a crash. also, corrosion of the rear cross member could affect the rear brake lines and the proportioning valve, resulting in diminished braking capability. any separation of the spare tire and/or diminished braking capability could increase the risk of crash to affected vehicle and/or a road hazard to those traveling nearby. my vehicle has failed state inspection and is unclear whether it is repairable. *tr

Vehicle was making a noise and vibration in the undercarriage. took the car to toyota dealer in greenfield, ma. tech test drove and inspected car. excessive rust was found in the rear left suspension attachment to the frame. it was separated by 1 1/2 inches. service manager advised car is unsafe for driving. could have had a catastrophic failure while driving. excessive rust was found on the rest of the frame. vehicle is at dealer waiting for response from toyota. toyota says car is out of warranty and there is no recall for this auto. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that after taking the vehicle in for routine maintenance, the mechanic advised him that there was a large amount of rust on the sub-frame. the vehicle was then taken to the dealer for a diagnosis and they also advised him that there was rust on the sub-frame, but his vehicle was not included in any recalls. the failure mileage was approximately 131,000. updated 11/23/11 *bf the consumer was informed the corrosion was a 100% consistent with the same corrosion areas of the toyota tundra. updated 03/13/12

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the vehicle was covered with rust on the rear end of the frame and spreading to the front. the contact was informed of the rust problem when the vehicle failed inspection. the contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told that there was nothing they could do since there were no related recalls. the contact was not aware of the rust, because the vehicle did show any signs nor did it malfunction. the failure and current mileage was 167,913. updated evoq 04/12/11.

2001 toyota sequoia. attorney writes on behalf of clients in regards to frame corrosion *tgw the dealer performed a 21 point inspection and noticed two holes caused by the corrosion on the frame, one in the rear and the other in the front. also, the vehicle had been to the dealer three times to have the latch replaced in the rear of the truck. *jb

Took the sequoia to the body shop for minor repair - the body of the car looks almost new - no rust - a vehicle to be proud of... but... the repair man called me and sounded very concerned. just like tacomas and tundras, this vehicle has some of the worst frame rusting he has seen on a vehicle its age - especially for the lack of rust elsewhere. told me he hoped it was all paid for because i should junk it. 10k for a new frame and the car is worth less than 9k. i told him i still owed 8 thousand on it. he said to call toyota. said he works on 20 year old trucks all the time with nowhere near this type of frame rust. kept remarking how he couldn't believe it... said it just flakes apart when you touch it. he stressed that i should not have my children in that vehicle. my family vehicle. i called toyota complaints dept. the rep told me he was the senior rep there and that he had never heard of such a thing on a sequoia. told me that lots of trucks of all makes have frame rust problems. he explained that he doesn't know what the previous owner did to the vehicle - whether he did any underbody maintenance (he suggested that car owners generally rinse the undercarriage after driving in the snow). he even suggested that "..for all we know, this vehicle could have been in a flood." does a flood cause aggressive frame rust but leave the rest of the vehicle in mint shape? said there were no "programs" for me at this time and suggested i call nhtsa. ii had to ask - will nhtsa will help me buy a vehicle to drive my kids to their functions without risking their lives? because right now, i cant afford anything else. i have a loan on this car. calling toyota was 100 percent pointless. *tr

Had vehicle in for routine maintenance and was told the frame was rotted and had a whole the size of 2 fingers. this vehicle has the same frame as the 2001 toyota tundra which was recalled by toyota due to excessive rusting. i called toyota and was told they have no current recalls or fixes for this vehicle at this time. this is the same failure as the tundra which can cause the underneath spare tire to dislodge during operation.

I bought my toyota sequoia in 2001 when it first came out. i drive the suv in the north east (ct, ny, nj) area generally and it now has about 75,000 miles on it. after about 4 years i noticed rust under it and every time i took it for any service they reported rust. last week the differential housing leaked and i took it to toyota to get a repair estimate. they commented that the vehicle was very heavily corroded (rusted) to the point that even if the differential housing was replaced that the suv would be very unsafe to drive as the rust was everywhere underneath. therefore i decided not to have the vehicle repaired since the cost to make it safe enough to drive was significantly more than replacing the differential housing that had completely rusted out with holes in it. there was significant other damage attributed to rust. the vehicle is still drivable but it is not being driven since it would damage the differential since it has less lubrication which is continually leaking. so far nothing has been done to correct the failure and several options are being looked into. *tr

I own a '01 toy sequoia with 60,000 miles. during a routine oil change appt my mechanic discovered a massive rust problem that extended from the front to the rear of the frame of my vehicle. he has explained that it is a dangerous situation and that there is nothing he can do to repair or prevent the problem. the problem is so bad that he was able to flick off pieces of rusted frame using only his small finger. i am very worried and don't know what to do. i called toyota customer care, and they said there are not current recalls on the sequoia and there is nothing they can do about the problem. please help me. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the steering was becoming increasingly difficult to maneuver. the under carriage frame and steering rack were rusted caused the steering rack to fracture from the vehicle. the dealer replaced two front sway bar links and the power steering rack and pinion at the contacts expense. the manufacturer stated a recall did not exist for the vehicle and would not provide any assistance. the failure and current mileages were 155,000. updated 10/27/10*lj updated 01/13/11*lj updated 04/01/11

Excessive frame rust/rot this was an issue with the tundra and tacoma for the same model year. i have contacted toyota on several occasions to report this issue and have them evaluate the vehicle to determine if it is subject to the same defect as the other models to which they have refused??!! i believe certain sequoia's share the same issue however toyota is not forthcoming on admitting this nor are they even willing to evaluate the vehicle. the rest of the vehicle, body, interior etc, is in great shape and the vehicle has been meticulously maintained. i am not entering this complaint as i stumbled over several other 2001 sequoia owner who are reporting the same issue on the internet. this, in my opinion, confirms my original suspicion that it is related to the tundra/tacoma recall and toyota is not willing to take responsibility for their issue. *tr

I have a 2001 toyota sequoia (suv). i took it to a mechanic over the weekend to have the brakes fixed. the mechanic warned me that the car frame was rusted out and not structurally safe to drive. this car was built on a tundra frame which had a structural recall (nhtsa action number: pe09049) for frames built in 2000 and 2001. i have a daughter and pregnant wife and this car is no longer safe. i spoke with toyota (corporate customer service) and they told me there was nothing they could do for me. this is unacceptable and i don't want other people to be at risk of danger. my number is [xxx] if you have any questions. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

I took my 2001 toyota sequoia to be inspected today. when the mechanic looked under the truck, he saw that the frame was completely rusted and said that it was unsafe to drive. i was told it was so rusted that the tire might fall off. i called toyota and was told that there was nothing they could do about it because there had not been any complaints. clearly, others are having the same problem and i hope that toyota looks into this issue with the frame on the 2001 sequoia immediately. *tr

I own a 2001 toyota sequoia and have just been advised by my local dealer that the frame is rusted and the vehicle is unsafe to drive. the 01 sequoia is built on the same frame as the 2001 tundra yet toyota is willing to do nothing for me. they are putting tundra owners in rental cars and reimbursing them, why not the sequoia. i have no choice but to drive my car even though it has been deemed unsafe. i should think that toyota would want to take care of this before it becomes a real problem. *tr

I took my 2001 toyota sequoia for some minor service and the toyota dealer told me they checked my frame (reportedly because toyota told them to be checking tundra and sequoia frames on 2000/2001 vehicles) and they found rust through the frame and they found corrosion of the spare tire support system. they told me my vehicle would no longer pass inspection next time i needed it inspected and they said while it is not an imminent safety problem, it will become one with more corrosion. they arranged for a factory rep to inspect the vehicle and he confirmed the dealers findings. i was told by the dealer this is an emerging problem and toyota is in the process of deciding what do about it. i was given a case # and was told toyota would get back to me with their plan of action. after several weeks, i heard back form toyota today telling me that while i do have a frame corrosion problem , like was experienced on the tacoma and tundra, and while this could be a safety issue,toyota has no plans to do anything for the sequoia customers. in other words, i have a problem but it my problem alone. toyota's failure to solve this problem creates a safety issue on the highways and will render my vehicle useless. *tr

I own a 2001 toyota sequoia that i have been told is now un-drivable due to a corroded frame. i find it hard to believe that a 9 year old car would have a rotted frame. i put the car in to the dealership i bought the suv from and was told that they found rust perforation at two locations but the dealership and toyota had no recall on the vehicle and could do nothing for me at this time. *tr

Took vehicle in for state inspection, was told that frame will probably not pass next year. severe frame rust in (documented by dealer) leaves me concerned that the vehicle is no longer safe to tow with. all frame coating has failed and is keeping water against the metal. impossible to remove from inside of boxed frame. very concerned since frame was built at the same time as defective tundra and tacoma frames and it is based on the tacoma frame.

In nhtsa campaign id number: 09v444000, toyota recalled model year 2000-2003 tundra vehicles due to excessive corrosion of the rear cross member that may cause the separation of the spare tire. the 2000-2003 toyota sequoia vehicles share identical frame cross member and spare tire mounting arrangements in which excessive corrosion in the rear frame cross member and spare tire mounting location can cause separation of the spare tire stowed under the rear cargo load floor which would result in a road hazard. this separation of the spare tire or mounting bracket could cause a crash. also, corrosion of the rear cross member could affect the rear brake lines and the proportioning valve, resulting in diminished braking capability. any separation of the spare tire and/or diminished brake capacity could increase the risk of a crash to affected vehicle and/or a road hazard to those traveling nearby. *tr

The car slowed down to 40mph while i was doing 65. mechanic said the throttle body assembly is not working properly. i escaped several accidents while i was driving, the brakes had became loosed, and the steering wheel became very hard to handle. the car started jerking, and almost ran over. i went to llehman toyota on 441 north miami beach, they charged me 1800 dollars to fix the censor, and the steering wheel assembly. now, the same problem repeats. *tr

I have a 2001 toyota sequoia that has developed severe frame rust. in 2 spots the frame is thin and i am concerned that in the near future this frame will fail. i called toyota and they are not willing to do anything at this time even though they know they have issues with tacoma frames and reports of tundra's with rust. a frame should last longer than 8 years. *tr

I own a 2001 toyota sequoia. the entire undercarriage is completely rusted out. front to back, side to side. the rust has spread to the spare and i fear the spare could one day fall off and cause serious damage to vehicles and humans. our sequoia was bought new with only 14 miles on it at the time. it has been mostly garaged kept and currently has less than 60,000 miles. the exterior and interior are in excellent condition. we purchased the truck in dec 2000 and we 1st noticed the rust in 2008 when a service person brought it to our attention while he was rotating our tires. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that there was excessive rust underneath the carriage and frame of her vehicle, from front to back. the dealer stated that the rust was normal and not an issue. the toyota manufacturer also stated that it was not an issue and no repairs could be performed. the failure mileage was 89,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. the main frame under the vehicle has corrosion. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer for inspection, nor has the manufacturer been contacted. the failure mileage was 79,200. updated 01/14/10.*jb updated 01/12/10 *bf

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed rust under it towards the rear. a few years later, while having the vehicle serviced, the contact was informed that the undercarriage was severely rusted. she was also told that the parking brake lever fractured and there was an unknown pipe leaking from under the vehicle. the leaking pipe was repaired but the severe rusting and fractured hand brake were not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000 and the current mileage was approximately 75,000.

We were driving down the hill and the traction control system went crazy we skidded out and then the abs and traction control/slip lights went on. they stayed on until we took it to the dealer and they replace some brake sensors that were corroded. on the way home it happened again. the traction control computer was reporting that there were still bad sensors, but the sensors were fine, so they replaced the entire traction control computer. after a week in the shop it finally came back working. a traction control system should not throw your car out of control and run you off the road. the dealer said that they had not seen so much corrosion under a vehicle before. they said that the frame, exhaust, spare tire, and brake components as well as various other electrical components looked to have what they would call excessive corrosion. they said i should take it up with whom i bought it from. i think this is the same problem as the tundras are having with corrosion and should be looped into the same investigation. the sequoia, i was told when i bought it, was designed on the same frame, and drive train as the tundra which would explain why the corrosion is effecting similar braking systems and the spare. i would love for someone to investigate this. i would have hated for anything to happen to my family which was in the car with me. *tr

Tl*- the contact stated that when he walked around the back of the 2001 toyota sequoia with 68000 failure mileage he noticed that the latch was broken and would not open, also the rear hatchback appeared closed, but it would not fully latch. the hatchback would pop open without any warning. the vehicle has been repaired twice. *ak

Badly decomposing frame since past 5 years, can poke a finger through frame rails, compromising suspension attachment points/welds. 229,000 miles, garaged 100%, 11 years old. toyota claim filed, case 1111161824. toyota is telling different claimants different things, told me the tundra is the only vehicle effected and that frames are being replaced. on edmunds.com/sequoia forum/ i see that toyota is replacing sequoia frames or buying vehicles above kelly bb pricing. their representative who helped me file the above claim told me, and i quote "toyota has no current complains about this sequoia frame rot problem". that is an out and out lie. one toyota mechanic advised me to not drive my vehicle and especially not to tow anything with it, and that the tundra frame is the same as sequoia - same place of assembly too?. effectively, toyota has made my investment in this vehicle worthless as i cannot sell it, nor will it pass inspection, despite the interior and drive train being very serviceable. a failure at speed of this frame or suspension components by unaware owners can cause catastrophic results. toyota owns its owners 1. an alert about possible dangers 2. a consistent response, one that doesn't muddy the waters with accusations that the vehicle was subject to road salt. 3. a remedy for owners so their investment is not reduced to zero and they have alternatives for safety. i will be contacting a lawyer and the local tv station. i hope we can rely on the nhtsa to take the following action: 1. start a serious investigation about this safety defect; many effected vehicles are not nearly as old as mine, nor from northern states where road salt is used 2. add a selection for frame defects in this complaint web page - currently you have just body. thank you *tr

Unable to open rear liftgate. the latch that is used to release the locking mechanism would stick and you cannot release the liftgate. the problem turned out to be the lock mechanism was severely corroded and both the rear latch and lock assembly had to be replaced. the parts alone cost approx $140.00 my mechanic had contacted toyota for the parts and was told that there were 3 other sequoias in for the same issue. *ak

Toyota sequoia sr5 2001. rear liftgate glass is lowered by itself when the vehicle is not running and locked-up. his problem was reported to me by the original owner. i noticed it once in november 2003. suspected that the key on the remote control that lowers the liftgate window may have accidentally been depressed, causing the window to lower. then decided to have the manual lock that disables all power window and liftgate glass switches depressed to disable the power window options. verified that with this key depressed, i could not lower the lifygate window neither by depressing the remote control key, nor by the switch on the dashboard. then in december 2003, on two occasions, i noticed that on two occasions the liftgate window had lowered by itself. i ensurded that the key for disabling the power window and liftgate glass was still engaged. called the dealer. toyota dealer indicated there is a service bulletine for replacing the remote control unit (for power lock and lowering the liftgate glass). i have agreed to replacing the remote control units, but strongly disagree with toyota's position that changing the remote control unit will address this problem. the problem happens when the key to disengage the power window and rear liftgate glass keys is engage. i suspect that the problem is with a control module activating the liftgate motor rather than the remote control unit (based on the condition under with the liftgate glass in my car has been lowered on two occasions in dec 2003). *ak

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 toyota sequoia. while examining the under carriage of the vehicle the contact noticed excessive corrosion. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer but the vehicle was not serviced because it was out of warranty. the contact also stated that the latch for the lift-gate has corroded and been replaced three times. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 45,000 and the current mileage was 135,000. sm.

When having two windows or even one window open in back seats, vehicle will start to shake in a way that can cause consumer to lose control. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*akspecifically when there is a rear window open, the vehicle vibrates violently, so severe it's enough to bounce the vehicle as if loosing control. vehicle was taken to dealer who proclaims it's a design flaw. *jg

Running board has a non slip strip, consumer has slipped on it numerous times.*ak