Frame And Members problems of the 2002 Toyota Sequoia

Tl the contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. While the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for routine service, the technician noticed that the sides and rear of the frame were corroded. The independent mechanic temporary welded the frame. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 178,000.

I am the owner of a 2002 Toyota Sequoia with 186,000 miles. On July 19th I picked up the vehicle from some my repair shop after some routine maintenance (timing belt replacement). The mechanic noted that “… when checking the vehicle on lift, found front frame arches near feet rusted through and cracked almost a foot long on both sides. €� I made an appointment with grappone Toyota in concord, new hampshire and on July 21st they confirmed the damage and reported that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The damage is caused by a defective frame design that allows water to collect and not drain. My research shows this is a known problem with this frame as used on the Sequoia and tundra. It also apparently was a problem on the tacoma which has a similar defective design. I contacted the Toyota us corporate officeby phone on the 21st and was informed that Toyota does not recognize the problem on the Sequoia as requiring any program to rectify such as Toyota has reportedly done for the tundra and tacoma. Given the unsafe nature of the defective design, and the implications should it fail on the road, I find this unacceptable. I subsequently took the vehicle to a reputable welding shop who found the damage was more extensive and welded 21 inch long plates on both frame arches. He confirmed that the damage was caused by a frame design that allowed water to accumulate in the frame and corrode the metal.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that he noticed that the bottom of vehicle was severely rusted. In addition, the inner line of the doors was beginning to exhibit rust. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor was it repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that his warranty was expired and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact was informed by a mechanic that there were 3 holes in the frame of the crossmember that held the transmission. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia sr5. During routine maintenance at 60,000 miles, he was advised that the entire rear left and right axle assembly was corroded. The left and right rear axle assembly, and the oxygen sensor were replaced under the warranty. In 2004 the failure resurfaced. The cost for the repair was $3,000. 00. However at 90,000 miles the garage discovered that the under frame carriage was severely corroded. A sand blast might correct the failure, but it was not guaranteed. He contacted the manufacturer. The manufacturer stated they were aware of premature corrosion, but they would not provide assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000. The current mileage was 90,000.