Body problems of the 2001 Toyota Sequoia

I own a 2001 Toyota Sequoia sr5, which I purchased new in colorado and moved to virginia in 2004. I received a Toyota limited service campaign program notice in 2013 about excessive corrosion on the frame. Alexandria Toyota inspected the vehicle and applied a corrosion-resistant compound to the frame. They also replaced the spare tire carrier assembly due to rusting. Over the years, I've had mechanics mention the rust on the frame but Toyota never issued a recall on the 2001 Sequoia. In November 2024, the following dashboard lights remained on while driving: vehicle skid control (vsc) off, vsc trac and brake lights. I took it to steven’s auto clinic in alexandria. They found low brake fluid levels were causing the brake system failure. The brake pipes are leaking due to heavy rust. In addition, rust was destroying the under carriage. The brake system and frame would require extensive maintenance. They warned me not to drive the car. They refilled the brake fluid to allow me to take the car home. Reading the complaints under structure on the NHTSA website, dozens of customers over the years mention serious rusting on the frame of their 2001 Sequoias. I believe Toyota had a recall to replace the frame on the tundra but never included the 2001 Sequoia even though it was built on the tundra frame. I now have a vehicle I can’t drive, due to safety concerns, and I can’t sell, except for parts. The Sequoia should have been included in the tundra recall. Toyota needs to be held accountable. I can provide any paperwork for my 2001 Sequoia including the limited service campaign program notice and the repair order from stephen’s auto clinic if necessary. I can also provide the vehicle for inspection.

Rear axle is rusted to the point where differential fluid is leaking out of the body. There is extreme rust in general which has led to the failure of multiple components such as the oil pressure sending unit. Check engine light is on. This hasn't been verified by a shop or agency, only by me. These issues were discovered shortly after purchase this year.

Frame replacement needed: I took my 2001 Toyota Sequoia (45,515 miles; always garaged) in for an emissions & safety inspection. I was notified the excessive rust on the frame has cause damage to the lines for the brakes/bubbling on the lines, fuel line, power steering fluid lines and, eventually, other undercar items may soon fail. It is recommended that due to the excessive rusting/premature frame rotting, the SUV should be decommissioned and off the road. Toyota dealership actually suggested that it might be necessary for me to sign a waiver in order to take the vehicle out of the dealership. The waiver was to hold Toyota harmless should something result as a result of the defect. I was shocked at the request/I declined. Stated the severe rusting is from the front to the rear of the frame. Research shows the Toyota corporation is fully aware of the excessive rusting on the Toyota Sequoia suvs however no remedy has been in place to resolve the issue for current owners. I am advised to replace the fuel lines (approximately $1700 for parts and labor), however, upon replacement the excessive rusting to the frame may damage the other lines in the vehicle and the frame will need to be replaced as well (about $10,000). The 2nd technician stated he has done work on 20+ year old suvs a lot, none with anywhere near this type of premature rusted frame. Stated he couldn't believe how bad it is. Said it flakes apart when you touch it anywhere. He stressed that I should not have my octogenarian mom, and 1st grader in the vehicle. This is our family vehicle. The 2001 Sequoia SUV was built on a tundra frame which had a structural recall (NHTSA action number: pe09049) for frames built in 2000 and 2001. The Sequoia was left out of this recall; a 2012 spray option was offered for the frame (I was told by "israel" today / brand ambassador department). I never received the notification. No dupport from Toyota. The frame, fuel lines need replacement. Pls help!.

My truck would be perfect aside from the major corrosion located on the entire frame. I'm on borrowed time with my vehicle. Toyota should replace the frame before the bottom drops out. The cause of this would probably be cheap parts from the factory.

Very bad resty frame and keep fixing shocks because the frame is bad on my Toyota Sequoia 2001 cause problem with brakes and shocks.

Corrosion on chassis ## #vpic# 1 - check digit (9th position) does not calculate properly; 2 - VIN corrected, error in one position; 14 - unable to provide information for all the characters in the VIN. #vpic#.

Tl the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that there was extensive rust, corrosion, large spots, and holes on the frame. The vehicle was taken to a certified independent mechanic for inspection, but the contact was uncertain if the vehicle would pass. The vehicle was not included in a manufacturer recall for the frame. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was not available.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle independently swerved without warning. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the frame of the vehicle was corroded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lower control bracket was corroded and fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact lost control of the vehicle and nearly got into an accident. The contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was completely rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was brought to the dealer in 2000 for frame inspection, and it was diagnosed that the frame was intact and did not require repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 250,000. The VIN was not available.

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving, there was abnormal noise coming from underneath of the vehicle. The contact discovered very severe rust and deteriorating with holes as big as baseball underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. When the contact attempted to change one of the tires, he was unable to remove the faulty tire. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who was unable to mount the vehicle for diagnostic testing because the entire frame was rotted out. There were no warning indicators. The dealer stated that it was dangerous to drive the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but did not respond. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 171,289.

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, the contact had driven over a bump on the road and suddenly loss control of the vehicle,which shifted to the right independently. The contact attempted to maintain control of the vehicle, decreased the speed and coasted to the emergency lane. The contact and passengers had exited the vehicle to perform a brief inspection and noticed that that stabilizer bar from the rear axle was corroded and was detached. The entire sub frame was fractured. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact had contacted the dealer to explain the failure and the dealer informed the contact that there was a voluntary recall for the sub frame, however, there was nothing they could do because the recall had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and they informed the contact that the voluntary recall was expired and no one was injured and no actions could be taken to accomodate him. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000. Gb.

2001 Toyota Sequoia was recalled due to corrosion of the frame. All parts such as the back plates for the brakes, tie rod ends, stabilizer bars, and many more attached had rust when it went into the shop. However, Toyota did not care that the rust had spread. I could have wrecked several times due to the negligence of Toyota. It has been costly and the car is not the same since the transfer of the frame. Rust spreads as cancer and is as deadly when it is under your car. I will have to spend thousands of dolars to ensure the safety of my family.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the replacement of the subframe due to corrosion however, the failure was not corrected. The vehicle failed to disengage from four-wheel drive and the braking system would feel as if it was constantly and independently engaging. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who advised the contact that the transfer case needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware. The approximate failure and current mileage was 184,286.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that the exterior rear lift gate latch became fractured and detached from the vehicle. There was not an interior latch to open the lift gate. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 71,380.

I took my truck to the nearest dealer located near my home and I took my recall letter I must of sat there for 2 hours waiting for someone to speak to me about this recall issue but got the run around for 2 more hours finally a rep approached me and asked if I could come back another day. I requested a letter or some kind of document to verify my compliance with the letter I received but was denied. My spare tire fell off during this accident thank god no one was hurt.

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact noticed severe rust corrosion within the main frame. There was a limited service campaign issued by the manufacturer however, the vehicle was ineligible for repairs under the service campaign as a result of not being registered in the particular states that the manufacturer was servicing. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000. Updated 5/22/13.

Premature rusting of undercarriage frame that fails state inspection. Poses safety issues and a hazard to other drivers as catastrophic failure may occur if this is not addressed. Appears to be endemic especially in rust belt states.

I took my vehicle in for an oil change and tire rotation and then received a call from the olathe Toyota dealership indicating my vehicle was unfit to drive due to rust damage on the under-carriage. They indicated the transmission crossmembers has a 12-inch long section of rust and there are som small holes on the passenger side. The frame is weak and potentially unsafe. I understand Toyota has recalled the 2000-2003 tundras and possibly tacomas for this rust damage. If I understand correctly, the Sequoia is built on the same framework as the tundra so I would assume a recall on the Sequoia's would be necessary as well. I would normally not consider buying a 10-year old vehicle but due to the fact it was a Toyota and they are known for long-lasting vehicle lives, I had no concerns. Now it seems I may have a $13k investment that is a danger to my family and worth next to nothing based upon the rust damage and serious implications it could cause.

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.

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 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.

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.