Problems with 2004 Toyota Sequoia ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

Vsc and trac light and check engine light on. these lights are always on. occasionally brake will make a grinding noise and pedal will go to floor. this happens while trying to stop.

At on or about 7:30 pm on may13th 2018 our son was driving the families 2004 toyota sequoia northbound in 2 lane divided highway and no other traffic present. weather was inclement, visibility clear but nothing out of the ordinary for florida. he was traveling 41 mph in a 45 in the left lane. no sooner than he went through the intersection traffic light controlled, (he had the right of way) did he go through what the deputy said was a slippery section of the road way covered with standing water. he released pressure on the accelerator to diminish hydroplaning and no sooner than that instant the vsc lights (variable speed control) lights illuminated in the dash. he reported that the right front wheel locked up and created a pivot point for the car to spin around 180 degrees clockwise, now facing oncoming traffic as he was now in the right lane. he was frantically attempting to regain control over the vehicle by constantly depressing the brakes in order to stop the vehicles motion however unsuccessful as he was pressing on the braking pedal with no response, the car now still in motion, hit the curb, and left the roadway by going now backwards down a steep embankment of over 12 feet and came to a halt. luckily, a sheriffs deputy was traveling in the opposite direction and had witnessed this and was able to save my sons life by his quick response. the car had to be extracted out of the culvert with recovery cranes. our family is so grateful to the deputy and that we have our son alive and without a scratch. he is a bit worn for wear being shook up like that. the sequoia has always been serviced by toyota and we enjoyed years of trouble-free ownership until this incident.

I was driving my 2004 toyota sequoia, and it began to vibrate and shake left to right while braking. it also started making a loud grinding noise, and felt as if the truck was loosing acceleration. the skid control light appears on the dashboard sometimes when this is happening. this happens intermittently, and it is a bad unsafe feeling while driving. i drive the city streets daily and occasionally use the freeways. i was told that my truck has a defective skid control ecu. this should be a safety recall for consumers seeing that this can cause hazardous conditions on the road. i have researched and found that many other consumers have complained about this very issue. i also see that 2003 toyota sequoias have been involved in a recall for this same issue. this should have extended to later models of sequoias as well. i definitely think a recall should occur, and customers who have had this issue taken care of in a dealership should be reimbursed for this defect. this is a very dangerous defect.

Front suspension making humming noise all the time while in motion, and vibrstion is felt throughout vehicle, passenger side rear axle seal is leaking causing rotor to smoke. front driver side caliper piston is jammed.

The vsc trac vsc off sensor and brake light coming on, while driving on the freeway highway us26. *tr

I have to add my voice to the crowd. the vsc trac, vsc off, and abs brake warning lights come on intermittently. loses power. toyota wants $1500+ to replace a computer and they don't guarantee a fix. this problem occurs while on the road and sometimes after just starting it up in the driveway. it's a known issue that toyota should fix..

Vsc trac, vsc off and check engine lights come on and will not go off. have had this happen before years ago. searched and this is a common problem that needs to be addressed. lights came as vehicle was in motion.

Abs and trac lights came on while driving approx. 65 mph. alarm tone started, and car slowed with a pulsating braking action. after a short time alarm stopped and braking action stopped. very scary...afraid to drive now.

Vsc track sensor and engine check lights came on while driving at 40 mph in the city. i have noticed in the past two months that when i slow to make a turn the breaks lock up and grind, but not always. the safety break is also on. i have read that when the vsc lights do come on that you cannot go over 50 miles an hour or when on the highway the car will slow down to 50 and cannot go any faster. i'm afraid of this happening when traveling on the highway.

I am the original owner of this vehicle, it currently has 155,600 miles on it. i have been very happy with toyota and this vehicle until my recent incidents involving inability to stop while at slow speeds, followed by a loud noise and shaking and three lights illuminate when this occurs: brake, vsc, and trac control. after reading the many reports, i realize that this is quite common and am upset that toyota has done nothing about it! i had my car towed to the dealer after the first incident as it was so frightening that i would not drive it. the sensors were no longer on and toyota told me there was nothing wrong (my front brakes and rotors were replaced by them a few months prior). it happened again a few weeks later, this time i turned the car off and back on and got the lights to go off, then i drove it directly to my mechanic. he found three error codes associated with the abs system. he said it's expensive to replace so he reset the system and we decided to see if that works. now, a week or so after the reset, it happened to me again in traffic. after reading all of the other very similar reports, i no longer feel safe to drive my car! please make toyota be responsible for their negligence to their customer's safety! i found reports on this dating back to 2004 and i know there was a recall done on the 2003 models.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the abs, vsc, four wheel drive, and other brake system warning indicators illuminated. the contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who contacted the dealer regarding the codes that appeared during the diagnostic test. the dealer was unsure of what the codes indicated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 155,400. updated 12/21/16*lj updated 06/25/18*jb

Abs/ trac/skid light come on at different speeds and brakes jerk you back and forth on road. if someone were next to you, you would hit them. suv make abs grinding sound when this happens. the truck acts like it is in nutural, wont move. if you turn suv on off a few times,its start acting normal again. my teen age daughter was jurked of road into grass 2times this mth. bought suv new.

Was told by a repair shop that my esc abs and break computer are malfunctioning causing my my brake pedal to be hard when applied also abs system operates while braking while in traffic at highway speeds and at normal speeds and city traffic during normal braking

I bought my car used two weeks ago from an individual. i noticed on my way home that the seatbelt light would come on and then go back off while i was driving, even though i was wearing my seatbelt. a few days later, as i was pulling into my daughter's driveway, the brake light came on. i turned the car off, and the next time i started up, the light didn't come on. it came on again several days later while my husband was driving the car. the next light to come on was my fuel light. the gauge said my car was on empty, and i knew i had at least half a tank of gas. i began to grow concerned with the vehicle, so i took it to my toyota dealer yesterday. they told me i needed a new seatbelt clip and a fuel sensor, which are "minor", but that i also needed a new master cylinder, brake pads and rotors, and several other brake-related issues, plus there is a problem with the skid control - all to the tune of $5,900. i decided to get a second opinion, but in the meantime, in researching this particular vehicle, i saw many people have posted comments regarding the skid control/brake system on 2002-2004 sequoias. apparently a recall was issued for the model year 2003, but nothing has been done to help owners of 2004 models, and i am wondering why.

I have a '04 sequoia 4wd ltd, my vsc trac, vsc off and abs lights come on and stay on, they never go off. the visit to a dealer ended with them stating that they could not read any codes, so the vsc computer needs to be replaced, about $1,500.00 total. the car is not experiencing any problems, but, the lights stay on.....sequoia has 83k miles. anyone offer any advice or help to solve the problems? *js

Sequoia vsc trac sensor lights turning on and off. this problem affects toyota sequoia from 2003 - 2005. there is a recall for 2003 model but not 2004. other drivers report a loss of power (total loss of power - the vehicle shut off) while the car in driving. here is the recall for the 2003 model: recall id # 68549 - electronic stability control plus recall date: apr 30, 2010 model affected: 2003 toyota sequoia summary: toyota is recalling certain model year 2003 sequoia passenger vehicles manufactured from april 1, 2002 through april 17, 2003. the center position of the steering angle sensor (sas) may not be stored correctly due to improper logic of the skid control ecu programming. the vehicle stability control (vsc) system could activate at low speed for a few seconds during acceleration from a stopped position. consequences: should this occur, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects, increasing the risk of a crash. remedy: toyota will notify owners and dealers will re-flash the ecu. if the re-flash cannot be completed on a particular vehicle, the ecu will be replaced with a new one. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall began on june 11, 2010. owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331. potential units affected: 50000. *tr

At apparently random times the ((!)) light indicating a problem with the brakes will turn on. sometimes without warning the brakes will lock up at low speeds for a split second locking up the wheels. a little research showed that the 2003 of the same make and model had a recall (10v176000) that describes my problem in detail. i think this recall should be extended to 2004 model. i post on a forum got a lot of action with people having the same issue. this is very dangerous and since i regularly tow 5000lbs i would hate for this to occur then. the replacement part is available only from toyota and at a serious price tag. *tr

sequoia vsc trac sensor lights turning on and off and hearing grinding noise when it auto-engage and disengage. this problem affects toyota sequoia from 2003 - 2005. they a recall for 2003 model but not 1004 and 2005. other driver report a loss of power (total loss of power - the vehicle shut off) while the car in driving. here is the recall for the 2003 model: recall id # 68549 - electronic stability control plus recall date: apr 30, 2010 model affected: 2003 toyota sequoia summary: toyota is recalling certain model year 2003 sequoia passenger vehicles manufactured from april 1, 2002 through april 17, 2003. the center position of the steering angle sensor (sas) may not be stored correctly due to improper logic of the skid control ecu programming. the vehicle stability control (vsc) system could activate at low speed for a few seconds during acceleration from a stopped position. consequences: should this occur, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects, increasing the risk of a crash. remedy: toyota will notify owners and dealers will re-flash the ecu. if the re-flash cannot be completed on a particular vehicle, the ecu will be replaced with a new one. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall began on june 11, 2010. owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331. potential units affected: 50000. *tr

Vsc trac light and trac off lights on. also service engine light on. won't shut off. brake light also comes on and then off for no reason. i see on complaint list this is issue for many years but toyota refuses to recall vehicles. maybe not enough injuries or deaths or law suits yet. not a good way toyota treats customers. toyota should recall and fix vehicles that have built in - designed in defects. very disappointing. also a couple years ago the front ball joint broke...luckily driving slowly and not on the highway. *js

Recently the traction control lights have come on and i am told the ecu needs replacing. also at the same time the check engine light came on. i am being told by dealer that ecu will need to be replaced that it is a common problem with the vehicle and he repaired many. *tr

Vsc, traction control light, and check engine light activated and is now staying illuminated. slight loss of power and hesitation during acceleration. *tr

This appears to be exceptionally common. the vsc trac, vsc off and abs and parking brake lights come on, the brakes are degraded and the front end vibrates as the brakes appear to be pulsing. this has happened at least 10 times over the years. at first we thought it was the emergency brake and we had the tightened, since it seemed that there might be something loose and it was engaging as we drove. that wasn't it, obviously and it continues to occur. with such a heavy, large car, we have nearly rear-ended others, but got lucky. each time the car pulls to one side sharply and you have to stop and restart the car to get all the lights to turn off and come back to normal. i have had the brakes done and redone several times and this still occurs.. on each occasion we could get out of it, but its only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. toyota has obviously ignored this..i have download the complaints and there are >500 on this very topic. as i read through all these, the similarity between them is beyond coincidence and it appears that nothing actually fixes this. as of right now, i cannot let my family drive this car. i am bringing it into to the dealer (with copies of all these complaints) and see what comes of it. my hopes are not high. the recall in 2003 seems like they tried to address this (not clear if it was same issue). my concern really is that someone has to get killed. the issue with that logic is that dead people don't fill out complaints and if there was a death, it appears that the error/diagnostic codes do not register and get saved for retrieval (from reading all these complaints). serious crashes would be investigated, codes would be looked at and nothing would come up. case closed. what would happen, toyota, if all accidents got re-investigated? how much would that cost? ask the gm ceo how much their investigation is costing. *tr

The skid control light flashes at randomly at low speeds causing the vehicle not to accelerate; and at times during a left turn;took vehicle to toyota dealer i was informed that skid computer was identifying a skidding condition during wet conditions, but the surface was dry. this defect can cause an accident from the rear or oncoming traffic. other 2004 models have reported similar problems with esc, trac control and abs.

2004 toyota sequoia sr5 with 4wd with about 113,000 miles. we started out on our first road trip saturday and were having no issues until we stopped to get gas an hour and a half into the trip. after getting gas we got back on the highway. once we sped up to about 70mph the vcs light started blinking and the vehicle started slowing down on its own from 70 to about 45. we would try to accelerate the car with the gas peddle while this was happening, but it didn't help. once the speed dropped to about 45 the gas peddle would respond and we could speed back up to about 70 or 80. then the cycle would start all over again. over the course of a 13 hour road trip this happened off and on about half of the trip. while the car slows down on its own, pressing the gas peddle either doesn't do anything or at times it just revs the rpm's without increasing speed. we tried several different things to get this problem to stop. we disconnected the battery to try to reset the computer but that did not work. we also tried to put it into 4wd and take it out and it seemed that sometimes helped and at other times it didn't. sometimes the light will flicker and doesn't seem to really affect the acceleration as much. other times it will really act up and we have to put on the hazard lights and finally get off the highway to try something out of desperation. all of this happens on dry, smooth highways. it has happened multiple days in a row. it only seems to act up when we are going above 55 or 60 mph. *tr

Date and mileage above are approximate. while accelerating on an up inclined entrance ramp to the ben franklin bridge in philadelphia, the engine lost speed and the vehicle quickly slowed. no one was behind me so there was minimal danger. the behavior was similar to snow/ice skid control whereby the engine decouples and the accelerator pedal becomes useless. after about 5 seconds power returned. on 6/24/2014 (mileage 165,400) my brake light came on. i coincidentally had an 5,000 mile service appointment today (6/24/2014) and the diagnosis was a code c1247 - abs ecu (computer) is failing. the mechanic explained that the ecu had failing circuits, or failing solder connections. a little internet research suggested that the unit might simply have logic problems. the mechanic advised that when the brake light is on, all skid control and abs functionality is gone. as the light was on for a short period of time, and is now off i am going to see how the vehicle performs and if safety is effected. *tr

Vsc, vsc trac off, and brake light indicators come on and off at will. toyota service center said that there is a skid control ecu malfunction. fixing costs~$1100. just noticed that this issue has been reported a lot on online forums and on this website. *tr

While decelerating towards an intersection that i had to stop at vsc dash indicator light, brake light, & trac light all came on. then, as i pressed the brake pedal i heard deep crunching noises from the braking system (sounded like front end). there was also loud "clanking" noises, as if something was banging around the inside of the rim or brake rotor. all the noises were also physically felt on my braking foot at the same time they sounded. my foot was being dropped and pushed noticeably by the brake pedal. i almost rear-ended the car in front of me because the braking power from fluctuating independently from strong to almost none within a matter of a few seconds. the same dash warning lights have been continuing to turn on for the last 5 or 6 weeks (sometimes all of them, sometimes one at a time), but the physical braking issue happened to me again today 9-11-13. i was on a back street so i tried to video it with my phone but couldn't get the camera set to video in time; and it stopped after occurring at three different braking attempts. the car fluctuated its way to a stop with the same crunching noises (no clanking) this time. the pressure fully changed on the brake pedal as the issue took place and i had little control of exactly when braking would happen. have you seen the amount of times this is happening? are you reading these threads? i'm concerned to take my kids in the car. i'm concerned in letting my less experienced 18 year old drive it as usual. i went to the dealer and they were clueless and said that was part if the way the car kept me safe on wet roads. neither incident occur on wet roads. i've been driving for 25 years; i did not have control of the braking in my vehicle two times in last 6 weeks due to a vehicle system going haywire! driving this vehicle is a hazard! please do something before someone gets hurt or killed because of this! *tr

My vsc, vsc trac off, and brake light indicators are staying on and won't turn off.

Cornering at about 65 or so on highway. sensors went off, terrible grinding noise, shaky steering. *tr

Driving to a stop when vsc lights, abs, check engine light,trac off dashboard indicator lights turned on. when brakes were applied, experienced a jumping. already had brakes replaced, tires rotated and alignment done. contacted auto service technician and was told after a diagnostic was performed that issue is due to a faulty computer system with the abs system how the computer reads the car performance. was told that only a toyota dealer would have to replace the entire computer system which is costly. the warning lights go on and off randomly as if the computer system is malfunctioning. *tr

After making a left turn the vsc trac, slip indicator skid, and malfunction indicator lamp lights came on and have remained on. today the brake warning light has come on and remained on. concerned with the large number of complaints from other 2004 owners and toyota lack of interest to resolve the problem in timely and fair manner. it appears this problem has been known for many years, changing owners many expensive repair bills and vehicles remain unfixed. toyota owners relying on toyota to provide a quality product and stand behind the that product when a problem like this occurs. *tr

Upon exiting the freeway i was on a right-turning off-ramp when i heard beeping and a crunching noise coming from the front end. it sounded as if something was seriously wrong with the vehicle. once i was off the freeway, i pulled over and the warning lights had gone off. it has happened a few times since then, however it's only been the beeping, not the loud crunching noise. in searching online, it appears this is the same issue that the 2003's were recalled for. there have been so many complaints that toyota should do the right thing and recall the 2004's as well. *tr

Vehicle had been driven approx 30 miles when brake,vsc off,vsc trac warning lights came on will not go off...just purchased this vehicle on 7/28/2012 from berglund,chrysler,jeep,dodge ram in roanoke, va. *tr

The vsc, trac and brake warning lights will all come on at the same time for undetermined reasons. when this occurs the anti-lock brakes shudder and can experience a loss in power. this issue raises many safety concerns. based on my research this is chronic issue for this model vehicle, but yet no recall from toyota. *tr

1.when slowly turning out of the driveway the vsc light came on and there was a grinding noise from front wheel 2. at highway speed the vsc light came on & the vehicle lost power. *tr

As i was driving my vehicle, the warning lights came on for the brakes, vsc and skid control. i have been told that the repair will be $1900 to replace the ecu. *tr

While driving down the road my vsc trac, vsc off, and brake lights all came on causing the abs and traction systems to become non responsive. i was told by the mechanic it was a faulty ecu. this is a known problem for toyota since 2002 but they have only been willing to fix 2003 models. *js

2004 toyota sequoia occasionally the brake light and vsc (vehicle stability control) lights come on. when this happens the abs system physically malfunctions and the vehicle becomes a uncontrollable hazard. the toyota dealer said the issue is a internal malfunction in the brake booster/master cylinder assembly as well as the skid control ecu. (the total cost of repair is $2657.00). i have read numerous complaints about this issue and the dealer admitted knowledge of this hazard and said it was a common problem but toyota is not correcting the issue or offering any assistance in correcting this hazard. these vehicles are unsafe to be on the road. i have no choice but to have the recommended repairs done, but this is a major issue/defect for toyota and the responsibility of this safety issue should fall to the manufacturer. *tr

The vehicle skid control light would flash and the vehicle would not accelerate sometimes during left turns and in slow traffic, pausing a few seconds before accelerating again. this action seems to be hazardous possibly causing an accident. reported this problem to toyota dealer. their response was the vehicle skid control computer sensed wet conditions therefore adjusting for skidding. as i told the dealer, this problem happen mostly on dry pavement and at slow speeds. *tr

my toyota sequoia sr5 is showing some lights in dashboard. first it was the vsc solid light coming on then off on it own, after some months, the airbag light came on then off then solid on, i went to the toyota dealer to get it check out, and they couldn`t find what is making the airbags light to come on. more recently, i started having a cruise control problem as well. the cruise control will sometimes work and also some other time refuse to work unless you turn the steering wheel over and over again and then it will sometimes kick -in. i have also noticed that the car will loose power while simply driving it, when it does so, the system will still be running but simply will get weak no matter how much gas you`re giving to the pedal. i hope to have this issues investigated since toyota doesn't really address them when i call them. warm regards, *tr

I have a 2004 sequoia at about 62000 miles and have been having problems with the abs lights. it comes on and off within the last 15000 miles. it would turned off when i restart the engine. recently i took it to the dealer and they told me that i need to replace the brake booster and skid control ecu. total estimated cost was about $2500. since i have low mileage the dealer checked with toyota to see if this would covered and they said no. just today the vsc trac, trac off came on while i was driving at about 45mph. this is the first time this happened and i am a little worry about safety. i am going to autozone tonight and get a reading to see what this problem is. very disappointed with this vehicle especially a toyota. *tr

Vsc off, vsc trac lights go on and off all the time. along with the check engine lights. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota sequoia. the contact stated that the brake warning light illuminated and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer advised the contact that nothing was wrong with the vehicle and turned the brake light off. the contact stated that after 1,900 miles, the brake warning light and the stability control warning light was illuminated. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer where the dealer advised that the stability control sensor caused the brake light to illuminate, which needed to be replaced. the contact did not have the stability control sensor replaced. the failure mileage was 25,000.

Vehicle will suddenly lose power at speed. vsc light is on at this time. grinding noise audible. *tr

2004 toyota sequoia - loss of power while turning vehicle 10-15 times last two years. just now the vsc on/off light, the vsc traction light and the check engine light has come on. two very close calls in past month turning in front of oncoming traffic due to a loss of power. contacting dealer for solution. *kb

After the last brake job the brake light would come on while driving on dry pavement. if you shut the vehicle off it would reset. have taken it to the dealer several times but nothing could be determined because it could not be replicated. had it happen once when close to the dealer and they said there was a bulletin out on it. dealer is trying to charge me to replace and doing research on-line this a very prevalent problem for model years 2002 - 2004. *tr

File a complaint to nhtsa regarding vsc/traction/abs skid control ecu failure -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i have a '04 sequoia. my vsc on off/vsc traction light and engine check came on as per many of the reports you find posted. after taking it to the dealer they found 4 codes coming up specific to the problem and advised that bank 2 sensor 1 and the skid control computer and the engine control computer (ecc) required replacing. still there is vibration in the steering and unsafe to drive, and similar problems have been seen in other sequoia also. i was on a trip to new york and on the way back this problem was seen. then contacted toyota customer service and complained about the issue. i need your help to resolve the issue. *tr

My wife was driving vehicle and she had noticed a bang or thump coming from the car. she had noticed prior that the brake warning light had come sporadically. the trac, vsc, and abs lights came on and have stayed on since. the front brake rotors have been turned twice since then because for whatever reason the rotors are warping. the front brakes grind now and the only way to stop it, is to turn the rotors. checked into the repair, but unable to afford $2,000 to fix a known problem with this vehicle. we love the vehicle but hate the problem that we are having and disappointed with toyota. *tr

While driving the vsc trac, vsc off and abs light came on. when i tried to make a turn after the stop sign i realized the skid light was on for few seconds and i felt if i lost the vehicle control.

Problem with ecu unit, vsc trac and trac off light coming on in vehicle. the brakes were recently changed and it is now making a screeching noise. something is not right. when i purchased this vehicle and took it to toyota for some other recall they told me that my ecu unit needed to be changed. the ecu unit is now on recall but they are restricting it to only 2003 model. i have a 2004 & it has the same problem the 2003 has. i feel sorry for all the money they had to pay out with other defects but i feel if there is a problem then they should own up to it and fix it. my vehicle is also losing power on turns and i think it is from this same issue based on the forums i have read. this can be dangerous especially when making turns in oncoming traffic. i would feel really bad for toyota if i were to get in an accident for something they can own up to and just repair in good faith. very frustrated consumer. *tr