U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Toyota SEQUOIA SR5 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

107 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

95,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 89 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Traction Control System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 37 of 107 complaints (34.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	54	50.5%
Engine operation	5	4.7%
Steering behavior	4	3.7%
Transmission and shifting	2	1.9%
Electrical and battery issues	1	0.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Traction Control System

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Vehicle Speed Control

Service Brakes

Electrical System

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Suspension

Air Bags

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Traction Control System	37
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)	34
Vehicle Speed Control	29
Service Brakes	14
Electrical System	9
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	9
Suspension	5
Air Bags	4

Traction Control System: 37; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 34; Vehicle Speed Control: 29; Service Brakes: 14; Electrical System: 9; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 9; Suspension: 5; Air Bags: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 22; 100,000 to 149,999: 31; 150,000 and above: 12

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 18 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2009: 11; 2010: 39; 2011: 15; 2012: 7; 2013: 8; 2014: 8; 2015: 4; 2016: 2; 2017: 9; 2018: 1; 2019: 3

Pattern summary

Traction Control System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 54 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10285530 · 2009-09-28 (September 28, 2009)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5. WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VSC/ABS/BRAKE CONTROLLER WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES IN WHICH THE TECHNICIANS CONCLUDED THAT THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM SENSOR FAILED. THE TECHNICIANS REPLACED THE TRANSLATE COMPUTER, THE ECU, THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE SENSOR, AND THE BRAKE POWER BOOSTER. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. T…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,322 miles reported. Look up ODI 10285530 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10287010 · 2009-10-11 (October 11, 2009)

TOYOTA SEQUOIA 2003 85,000 MILES. SKID CONTROL UNIT IS BAD. MY ABS, TRAC LIGHTS ARE ON. EVERY SO OFTEN MY BRAKE LIGHT WILL GO ON TOO. THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL RESOLVE BY TURNING OFF ENGINE AND START AGAIN. OTHER LIGHTS STAY ON. ASKED TOYOTA DEALER. THEY GAVE ME A PRICE OF $2600 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID I NEED A NEW SKID CONTROL AND DECAL SENSOR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 85,366 miles reported. Look up ODI 10287010 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10297933 · 2010-01-03 (January 3, 2010)

VSC OFF/VSC TRAC LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. AT INITIAL START OF TOYOTA SEQUOIA AFTER PUTTING IT IN DRIVE, VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER AND CUT OFF IGNITION. THIS WOULD CAUSE A BRIEF STALL, AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THIS OCCURS EVERYTIME VEHICLE IS USED. FAULT IS DTC C1231. VEHICLE SKID CONTROL SENSOR IS FAULTY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 58,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297933 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10311861 · 2010-02-18 (February 18, 2010)

VSC REPLACEMENT THIS IS MY 3RD INCIDENT WITH THE TOYOTA SEQUOIAS. I WAS IN SNOW AND ICE AND PUT THE CAR IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I STARTED TO BACK OUT AND A BUZZING SOUND AND THE VSC AND THE VSC TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON. NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED FOR A WHILE AND WHEN I PUT IT BACK INTO 2 WHEEL DRIVE IT DROVE FINE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP ABOUT 200 MILES. I STOPPED AND FUELED UP AND WHEN DRIVING OFF THE CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD VIBRATING/GRINDING NOISE THEN STALLED AND THE BRAKES SUDDENLY PULLED THE CAR TO THE RIGHT.. I TURNED IT OFF AND TRIED AGAIN AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311861 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10292322 · 2009-11-16 (November 16, 2009)

I WAS DRIVING TO INTERSTATE 10 GOING TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS AND MAKE AN EXIT AND THEN TURN LEFT AND TURN LEFT GOING BACK TO INTERSTATE 10 EAST BOUND. MY TIRES SKID AT THE ROUGH ROAD (LITTLE STONES) AND MY TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5 2003 LOST CONTROL AND VERY HARD TO STABILIZE FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 SECONDS. I JUST HOLD THE STEERING AND DID NOT PULL RIGHT OR LEFT, AND DID NOT STEP ON THE BRAKE UNTIL IT WAS STABILIZED. I DID NOT REPORT IT TO THE DEALER, THINKING THE TRACK OFF SYSTEM WAS OFF. WE WERE LUCKY THAT NO OTHER VEHICLES ON MY SIDE AND AT THE REAR. PROB…

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10292322 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10294053 · 2009-11-30 (November 30, 2009)

VSC/TRAC LIGHT WARNING & SENSOR IS ON....PARKING BRAKE GOES OFF & ON. VEHICLE STOP SUDDENLY. I TOOK TO DEALER & DIAGNOSED IT AS "STEERING ANGLE SENSOR" FOR ABS HARD CODE C1231....TOTAL REPAIR QUOTE $743. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 55,004 miles reported. Look up ODI 10294053 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10314113 · 2010-02-25 (February 25, 2010)

TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY $1,500 REPAIR PER DEALER. THE TRANSMISSION DIFFERENTIAL LIGHT FLASHES ON THE DASH, WE FOUND OUT THE SEAL, RELAY AND ACTUATOR ARE ALL BAD $1,500 REPAIR I FOUND NUMEROUS CASES OF THIS ON THE INTERNET. TOYOTA REFUSES TO HELP STATING THE MILEAGE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314113 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10392851 · 2011-03-25 (March 25, 2011)

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5, WHICH HAD 45K. THE AWD AND BOTH VSC TRACTION LIGHT INDICATOR LIGHTS TURNED ON. I TRIED DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE BATTERY. THE INDICATOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON. I READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THE EARLIER MODELS OF THE SEQUOIA. I CALLED TOYOTA SERVICE AND WAS SURPRISED THAT IT WAS NOT RECALLED TO FIX THIS HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10392851 at NHTSA ↗