general problems of the 2002 Toyota Sequoia - part 1

66 problems related to service brakes have been reported for the 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2002 Toyota Sequoia based on all problems reported for the 2002 Sequoia.

1 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 06/17/2024

My vehicle has randomly been flashing vbs/abs/traction control lights. Sometimes nothing happens other than the flashing lights. Other times I’ll be driving & when going around a curve my car makes a beeping noise (sounds like the abs noise activated) & I’ll feel a pulsing under the brake & hear a grinding sound. It doesn’t allow me to brake effectively. Another time I was coming to a stop behind a car at a red light. It was clear as day, roads weren’t wet & I couldn’t have been going over 10 mph. When hitting my brakes, my steering wheel kind of glided back & forth for a sec and it felt like my tires “floated”in the same motion as wheel until it stopped.

2 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/07/2023

While driving on a curved road, the vehicle made a grinding sound with flashing vsc off and trac off lights, as it pulled violently to the right and almost ran off the road with my two children in the back seat. This was an extremely scary incident. I 1. While driving on a curved road, the vehicle made a grinding sound with flashing vsc off and trac off lights, as it pulled violently to the right and almost ran off the road with my two children in the back seat. This was an extremely scary incident. I do understand that many first generation Sequoia owners have reported similar incidents and that there were no recalls, however, I think this is a serious enough issue that will cost innocent people their lives. I was able to pull a reading from the obd2 and it says there is a fault with the yaw rate sensor. Please help before this causes someone's death. Thank you!do understand that many first generation Sequoia owners have reported similar incidents and that there were no recalls, however, I think this is a serious enough issue that will cost innocent people their lives. I was able to pull a reading from the obd2 and it says there is a fault with the yaw rate sensor. Please help before this causes someone's death. Thank you!.

3 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 06/07/2023

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound and hesitated to respond. The contact depressed the brake pedal a second time, and the vehicle stopped. The abs warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving and depressing the brake pedal. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

4 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 09/14/2022

While driving on a highway at about 60 mph, my vehicle made a loud grinding noise while the steering felt very difficult to control and then the vsc trac and trac off lights both came on. I got off the highway and pulled over to a parking lot to inspect the vehicle, but I did not see anything that would cause the vehicle to do that. After a few minutes, I restarted the vehicle and while driving on local roads to get home, the same thing happened again. I was extremely worried for the safety of my wife and children in the vehicle. After reading a few Toyota owners threads online, this seems to be a very familiar pattern with these Toyota Sequoias, and I strongly believe that this will result in very serious injuries or possible deaths if Toyota does not issue a recall to fix the problem causing such dangers for drivers. Please investigate the matter to save lives. Thank you!.

5 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 07/25/2020

Tl- the contact owns 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving, the traction control, vsc track and another unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the brake would start to grind independently with noised and that the steering wheel become difficult to steer, an alarm noised would sound, the vehicle will loss control, the vehicle would accelerated jerk and pulled. The contact stated that he power off the engine, restarted the vehicle and was able to drive normal, however after driving, the failure recurred again. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for a diagnostic testing. The contact reference NHTSA campaign number: 10v176000 (electronic stability control, traction control system). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99860. Aw.

6 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 11/08/2019

When the vehicle is in motion the vsc trac lights come on and the brakes active on their own causing the cracking noise and a rough jerk motion to the car. This has happened several times both on the highway and city streets even when driving 10 miles per hour.

7 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/10/2019

On multiple occasions recently while driving on the highway in a straight line manner, the rear brakes either the left or right have automatically engaged causing my sequioa to jerk to the left or right while at highway speed. My vehicle jerks violently, a buzzer sounds, and the vsc and trac lights illuminate and remain illuminated. If those lights are illuminated it no longer does this; however, if the lights are not illuminated it's a coin flip whether being jerked to the left or right while driving in a straight line on the highway. Toyota dealership doesn't know what problem is. Apparently it could be a dozen different things and they have to start replacing each one at a time to see if the problem goes away. To replace everything is several thousand dollars, probably more than the book value of the vehicle.

8 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/10/2019

I forgot to mention in complaint 11282925 that some of the dozen parts needed to fix the vsc problem have been discontinued by Toyota. So I could pay the dealership thousands to replace some of the possible culprits but the real problem could be the items that Toyota discontinued. Toyota cannot isolate what the exact problem is and has to replace possible culprits to see it it fixes the problem. After all of this and a huge repair bill could still have the highway safety problem if the faulty part(s) are the ones that have been discontinued. Replacing items one at a time and then driving it on the highway to see if it's safe is not a good strategy. Toyota should recall and fix all items at the same time and also produce the parts they have discontinued as a way to possibly try to cover up their negligence.

9 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/01/2019

During driving on freeway with clean dry road car has beeping alarm on, vsc traction light on and svc lights lit up while the car shakes line the brake is on by itself for short period (3 seconds). Then both warning light vsc and off and vsc track light is on still until the engine is turned off an hour afterward. The next day I drove the car slowly on a local street after picking up my son after school, the brake started shaking the car and vsc off and vsc track lights are on again. I drive the car with caution everytime after that but the occurance doesn't happen every time nor being recreate. It happened every few thousand miles unexpectedly. This is very dangerous . I would like to find a fix by the manufacturer and have them pay for it. It seems like this is a problem for many same cars .

10 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 09/06/2019

The first indication that something was wrong was the first week of September 2019. I was driving down a county road when the lights indicator lights for the trac and vsc started flashing and beeping when I drove over some bumps. The lights would not go off even when pressing trac off. I turned off the car and restarted it and the lights were off but only for about 15 minutes into my drive. I took it to the Toyota dealership and the agent said he did not know anything about the system and I would have to bring it back for diagnostics. That night I was getting ready to go over a rather large bridge when all of the sudden the car jerked twice to the right with the second event pulling me off the road. It was extremely frightening and terrified us all. Thank god it did not happen on the bridge or under other circumstances. The vsc and trac lights came on at approximately the same time as they had been off. I contacted Toyota corporate and essentially they said that the vehicle was not under warranty. This is an extremely dangerous situation. Thankfully I am a experienced driver but if it would have been one of my kids, I don't know if the outcome would have been the same. The local Toyota dealership has been of no help. The car is sitting in my drive. I implore you to further investigate this failure of the system before someone gets killed.

11 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 07/03/2018

Vehicle will engage anti lock braking system at speed and then no braking ability until vsc and traction control turn off. This can last up to 30 sec and vehicle becomes difficult to control.

12 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/21/2017

The car makes a loud sound as if something was stuck underneath. At the same time it pulls to the right while severely vibrating. Also at the same time the lights for tracking control and stability control turn on. After a few seconds the car seems to be in normal driving mode again except for the warning lights for the vsc off-light. The warning lights reset sometimes but that only leads to the same problem starting again.

13 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/02/2017

My vehicle's vehicle stability control is engaging for no apparent reason while driving straight on a clear, clean, dry road. This has happened multiple times per month. Both on highway and city street. (25mph-70mph) controlling the car can become hard to do. Pretty loud grinding sound is heard when it is engaged. Fear an accident may happen because the vehicle may pull due to the brakes engaging unexpectedly.

14 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 08/12/2017

While driving at any speeds 65mph on freeway to around town at 30-40 mph the vsc trac and also vsc off light comes on and the car pulls to the right and acts like it is braking. This has happened multiple times at any speed. We have just missed cars from the pull to the right. Very scary because it just happens no warning.

15 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 07/01/2017

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. While driving various speeds, the brake system engaged independently. A crash did not occur. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic control unit module failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

16 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 07/01/2017

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle stability control and traction control warning indicators illuminated. In addition, the vehicle decelerated and braked independently. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 239,000.

17 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 02/20/2017

2002 Toyota Sequoial has the vsc and vsc trac lights are on. When I started my vehicle they were off, then they just stay on steady.

18 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 11/15/2016

Abs engages, hesitation from dead stop, stability control lights flicker.

19 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 11/14/2016

I purchased my Sequoia in 2003 and the trac off/vsc trac lights started turning on a few months after purchase. I have told the dealer every time I bring the car for service and have always been told that they cannot find a problem. Once I turn off car the lights go off. Well, on July 2015 while traveling on a windy road at 35 mph, we heard an warning alarm sound for the first time and the steering locked for about two seconds and the car felt like we had a flat tire or dragging something underneath. After about 10 seconds the car resumed back to normal as if nothing had happened. About two weeks later, I was backing out of a parking stall and it did the exact thing, including steering wheel locking. I thought I had raned over something, but the car went back to normal. Now every two weeks after I get on the freeway this seems to happen, one time it sounded like my engine fell off. Sometimes is worse than others and it doesn't matter if I'm going 25 or 65 mph. A few months ago I was traveling at 65 and the alarm came on, the grinding and dragging noise and my car started slowing down and swirved to the right. I just barely missed a motorcyclist. Lucky no one was behind me or I would have been rear ended. I purchased Toyota for their safety and quality reputation. I take good care of my car and safety of my family is my priority. As I stated before, I have been complaining about this issue to my Toyota dealer for years and they tell me there is no problem with my car. Now my problem is much bigger than just a light turning on. This should be a major concern and we should not wait for a loss of life to happen. Any car that loses power in the middle of a freeway without warning should be of grave concern to all. I love my car but cannot afford to trade it in.

20 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/27/2016

Complaint - electronic stability control, steering, vehicle speed control while driving my 2002 Toyota Sequoia while turning on city street & highway I encountered two significant safety issues the traction control system comes on while driving at various speeds, the vsc and traction warning lights abs & engine lights are illuminated as the vehicle pulled to the left/right. When the issue occurred, the vehicle makes a grinding sound and pulls very hard to the left/right. The vehicle loses acceleration and feels like the anti-lock braking mechanism is being engaged. The jerking pull resulted in crossing multiple lanes of the highway before control of the vehicle was regained. This is going to cause deaths known issues with other Sequoias.

21 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 09/17/2016

When I entered the freeway, my vsc trak and vsc off lights came on, and the vehicle pulled to the right suddenly. I exited the freeway, and inspected my vehicle, to find nothing visible. I re-entered the freeway, traveled approx 100 miles, with no issue. Then, the same evening, I exited the toll road near my home, when the vsc trak and vsc off lights flashed and beeped, and brakes locked up on and off violently, as if the vehicle was possessed. I managed to get it home, as I was only about a mile from there, where I parked it, and had it towed to a shop. The mechanic was able to pull a code. . . The yaw sensor. But, the mechanic said that he could not guarantee that this would fix the problem. This happens while driving straight, after turning left or right, at any speed, and with no warning or visible reason for doing so. This poses a huge safety issue, especially while driving on the freeways at higher speeds. This issue could cause a deadly disaster at high speeds, and with many other vehicles on the road. This is definitely not an issue to ignore or take lightly.

22 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 05/21/2016

Vsc trac and vsc off lights illuminated on dash while vehicle was in motion at 70 mph. Lf wheel briefly pulsed brakes for no reason. Lights stayed on after turning car off and re-starting. There are numerous online complaints about problems in Toyota tundra/sequoia vsc computers causing this issue. 126k miles on vehicle.

23 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 05/16/2016

Tl-the contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a warning indicator chime started. The driver side front wheel brake was applied innervertly. Only on that wheel. After a few seconds the failure went away and the vehicle acted normally. The contact also stated that the failure happen four times. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic for a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000. Bp.

24 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 01/28/2016

Vsc trac/ vsc off, abs, brake lighs come on the vsc trac and the vsc off light come on and off due to a faulty abs sensor. Toyota dealer can not figure out why or how this faulty light comes on. Did a research online and hundreds of thousand of other Toyota Sequoia owner had the same issues.

25 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 12/15/2015

I have a problem with my trac and vsc light coming on while driving. The stability light would blink and beep and both the trac off and vsc light would come on. The brakes would also seem like it's grinding when the stability light is blinking and beeping. I have the exact same problem as this guy on this video https://youtu. Be/vgearn4nito.

26 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 11/06/2015

The brakes of the car ,and we I drive I can't drive more than 80 miles pr hour because it checks. I fixed the brakes and the light stay on for ever now every time I have to remember to take the foot brake.

27 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 08/11/2015

This has happened about 10 times when the skid light will come on and the vehicle will go left to right and the brakes do not stop the vehicle. Then the vsc off & vsc trac off lights will come on. This has happened at speeds from 15 - 60 mph at times you loose control of the vehicle at the higher speeds for a few seconds. If this ever happens in heavy traffic it will cause an accident. Vehicle has been taken to a Toyota specialist mechanic and they are still replacing parts. I understand that Toyota recalled all 2003 Sequoia's for this problem. My wife now refuses to drive the vehicle until it is fixed properly.

28 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 04/16/2015

After driving 45 miles then driving in a busy town then back 45 miles to home town I was going 55 mph and all the sudden I lost power, a dinging noise happened and I lost brakage, the vcs off and vcs track light came on, the vehicle start driving rough. I then went home. Then after a few hour I had to go get my son I started the vehicle and noticed the lights were off, after only going 3 miles and with my son in the vehicle it made the ding noise lost power lights vcs off vcs trak lights came back on, very scary, hope they recall it soon, my Sequoia was made August 2002.

29 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 10/01/2014

At stop and starting to accelerate vehicle hesitates while trying to go into intersection. Stalls for a few seconds vsc light comes on and once system gains control it lets me actually accelerate and proceed. Dangerous due to oncoming traffic and the hesitation time of not knowing how long until I regain control.

30 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 09/28/2014

While driving on fwy, vsc light comes on, the brakes are being applied by the system, causing pulling of the steering into other lanes. Was able to pull over, and it stopped at 10 mph, turned off car and it re-set system, it happened 6 times on the way home, almost causing accidents as it jerks the steering immediately as it applies the brakes to gain stability again. It has happened intermittently ever since, even at slow speeds. It is in shop now, $3500 to fix it, it is a well documented problem on the net, this should be a recall. Someone will get killed, a cyclist in a shoulder, or car hitting another or losing control and rolling over. With all the complaints regarding the vsc system, how can you ignore it?.

31 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 05/31/2014

First incident: on the freeway car all of a sudden made a beeping sound (similar to no seat belt sound) vehicle lost power almost like it downshifted. Vsc, trac off lights all came on and the car wouldn't brake! I had to consistantly pump on the break and pull the emergency brake to slow it down. Brakes were grinding and and it felt as if it was trying to lock but yet skipping (clunk, clunk, cluck). Pulled off to the side, turned off engine, and then resumed. I had to pull over 5 seperate times due to the same issue. Luckily I allowed myself a huge space in between myself and other cars. If not, there would had been a for sure accident. Car continues with the same problems. I've done a whole lot of researching in regards to this vehicle and it seems that it's a ecu issue. I am aware that Toyota has recalled all 2003 model Sequoia's on up but not 2002 on under. This is a huge safety cocern of mine and even if I purchased a new ecu there is not guarantee that it's been addressed or fixed for this model. According to the Toyota rep. I just got off the phone with 30 minutes ago. Please help! and thank you in advance.

32 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 09/29/2013

Vehicle had violent grinding and braking of the right front wheel causing a hard pull to the right. Vsc and trac lights and warning buzzers came on. Turned vehicle off and restarted five minutes later. Same thing has happened three times since within 6 months. The last time was on the interstate and caused hard pull to the right. Dealer cannot identify problem and claim they have never heard of this before.

33 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2013

The skid control light and warning alarm comes on while driving for no reason, car pulls to the right, unable to come to a stop with brake, car shakes, very unsafe!!! once the warning alarm goes off the vsc and trac control lights come on. From what I have been able to locate on the internet this is a common problem that was recalled for the 2003 model. Toyota needs to recall for the 2002 model also.

34 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 07/09/2013

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the vcs system warning light illuminated as the steering, brakes and acceleration failed. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 151,000.

35 Service Brakes problem

Failure Date: 06/10/2013

Driving on dry, straight highway when vsc light and trac light come on and beeping started. Vehicle starting trying to engage 4wd I think. . . Lots of grinding in the front end and steering shaking. Went on for about 2 minutes then stopped. Vehicle not easy to control when this happened. Has happened multiple times since. Taking to mechanic this week. Not safe for wife and kids to be driving.



Safety Ratings of Sequoia Cars
Fuel Economy of Sequoia Vehicles
Sequoia Service Bulletins
Sequoia Safety Recalls
Sequoia Defect Investigations