Table 1 shows two common forward collision avoidance related problems of the 2023 Toyota Sequoia.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Warnings problems | |
| Automatic Emergency Braking problems |
A water leak was identified in the front left pillar from the support handle. It was sent in to olympia Toyota who believed that body work was needed. The vehicle was then transferred to titus Toyota in tacoma. The assessment in tacoma was very different than that in olympia, and the vehicle was sent in to repair without first making contact with the owner. The assumption is that water is leaking in through a defect in the roof railing system. Multiple alerts have deployed: air bag warning, pre-collision system warning, lighting warning. The extent of the water leak has not been identified, and has likely compromised these systems including the electrical system. Toyota USA also has a class action law-suit regarding their rav-4's, where there are consistent leaks due to the roof-rails, and this vehicle has a similar (but as yet unproven) design. I have attempted to contact Toyota USA and they have not replied.
Electronic control module failed due to the cup holder failing. It is available for inspection. Safety was put at risk because the vehicle randomly slammed itself on the brakes, when in drive the vehicle was moving backwards then abruptly braking and moving forward. The problem was confirmed by the dealer. There were warning lamps for the following: drive start control malfunction, parking brake unable to disengage, hybrid system failure, check engine, parking support brake malfunction. The vehicle was showing as being in both park and drive at the same time. The dealer determined the cupholder allows water condensation to leak into the center console compartment where exposed high and low voltage wiring is contained as part of electronic modules causing the vehicle to malfunction. The vehicle was put in gear while throwing the malfunctions, however, the electronic components should not be exposed and stored within a compartment where liquids are known to be stored (cup holder) in a way that allows water to leak into them. This could happen while the vehicle is being driven and cause serious issues. This same issue happened once before several months back before the cup holder started to fail, so regardless if the cupholder is working properly, it seems water can penetrate this area of the vehicle and cause issues because there is no barrier between the electronic modules/wiring and the cup holder drip tray. The service department actually stated to me that they see this issue all the time on the Sequoias and tundras.