Traction Control Light On problems of the 2001 Toyota Sequoia

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. While driving 35 mph, the traction control and vsc warning lights illuminated. Also, the front passenger side wheel seized and the vehicle started pulling to the right. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the yaw sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 188,000.

Vehicle had experienced intermittent stability/traction control trouble lights in cold weather. While driving in sub freezing weather on wet heavily salted nearly clear (possible slight slush from snow dusting) interstate along a straight smooth slight upgrade stretch, the vehicle without diver action (steering, braking, or acceleration) experienced a rear end swerve to the right and inability to control. Result was leaving the right side of the roadway down a 25-30 foot embankment (no guardrail) and a vehicle roll (one time, ending up wheels down, still running). Travel was at or below that of traffic. No other vehicles experienced difficulty on the same stretch of road. It is believed that a sudden random actuation of the stability/traction control system initiated the event. This appears to be a generic issue with the Toyota system spanning several models and years.

Wife was pulling off from a stoplight when the traction control system light (skidding car icon) and warning buzzer came on and the vehicle started making a loud grinding sound, vibrating, and pulling to the right. She pulled the vehicle over, turned it off, and called me to come swap vehicles with her. When I started the car, of course, the symptoms had gone away. Several days later on a family trip, I was driving the vehicle on the interstate at 65-70 mph when the vehicle did the same thing she had described. We pulled over, the noise stopped, and then the vsc/trac and trac off came on. This should be a recall fix. Too many vehicles have had this problem, over several production years (2003's actually have a recall for a similar issue). However, reading various forums has made me think Toyota doesn't even know the root cause of this. But it's definitely a safety issue that needs to be checked out.

Driving on dry asphalt paving at 65 to 70 mph, traction control system light flashed and the vehicle brakes were abruptly applied to the right side for a matter of 2 to 3 seconds. This occurred 3 different times (twice November 20, 2010 and once November 27, 2010). Vsc and trac off lights would come on and would not turn off until vehicle engine was restarted. Also appears that trac off button does not work effectively to turn traction control system off on demand.

My traction control lights come on, noise is sounding and the truck is shaking violently during acceleration. It occurs very often in all types of weather and roads. It's an unsettling feeling since it's my family vehicle and the lives of my loved ones are in this vehicle. I have taken it to be looked at and nothing has been found to be the problem. This is a huge safety issue and something needs to be done to resolve this issue before lives are lost!.