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U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Toyota SEQUOIA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

66 owner complaints analyzed

8 distinct recall campaigns

62,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 46 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Body is the most frequently named component, appearing in 14 of 66 complaints (21.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1624.2%
Electrical and battery issues57.6%
Steering behavior34.5%
Transmission and shifting11.5%
Engine operation11.5%

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.

Structure:Body
14
Unknown Or Other
12
Vehicle Speed Control
8
Power Train
6
Suspension
5
Engine And Engine Cooling
4
Seat Belts
4
Electrical System
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Structure:Body14
Unknown Or Other12
Vehicle Speed Control8
Power Train6
Suspension5
Engine And Engine Cooling4
Seat Belts4
Electrical System3

Structure:Body: 14; Unknown Or Other: 12; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Power Train: 6; Suspension: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Seat Belts: 4; Electrical System: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
13
25,000 to 49,999
8
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
8
100,000 to 149,999
10
150,000 and above
4
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00013
25,000 to 49,9998
50,000 to 74,9993
75,000 to 99,9998
100,000 to 149,99910
150,000 and above4

Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 4

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 20 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.

2008
2
2009
7
2010
9
2011
4
2012
3
2013
2
2014
5
2015
3
2016
2
2017
6
2018
6
2019
3
2020
3
2021
2
2022
3
2023
2
2024
2
2026
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20082
20097
20109
20114
20123
20132
20145
20153
20162
20176
20186
20193
20203
20212
20223
20232
20242
20262

2008: 2; 2009: 7; 2010: 9; 2011: 4; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 5; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 6; 2018: 6; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2021: 2; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Structure:Body leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 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 10283757 · 2009-09-12 (September 12, 2009)

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARPED THE ROTORS ON THE TRD BRAKE KIT TWICE IN 27000 MI. THESE BRAKES WERE OFFERED AS A MANUFACTURER OPTION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AND THE CALIPERS AT 7000 MI. NOW AT 27000 MI THE ROTORS ARE WARPED AGAIN. THE DEALER SAYS IT WILL TAKE APROX 30 DAYS TO GET THE PARTS AS THEY ARE BACK ORDERED. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS AN EXCESSIVE HEAT PROBLEM. DEALER STATES THAT THERE IS 20% REMAINING ON FRONT BRAKE PADS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10283757 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10283758 · 2009-09-12 (September 12, 2009)

FULL SIZE SPARE TIRE DOES NOT FIT OVER FRONT WHEELS IF VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL TRD BRAKE PACKAGE BECAUSE THE CALIPERS ARE LARGER. TOYOTA STATES THAT IN THE EVENT OF A FRONT FLAT, THE SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE A REAR TIRE, PLACE THE SPARE ON THE REAR THEN REMOVE THE FLAT FRONT TIRE AND REPLACE IT WITH THE REAR TIRE. TOYOTA REFUSED TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SPARE WITH ONE THAT FITS ON THE FRONT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10283758 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10317539 · 2010-03-07 (March 7, 2010)

2008 TOYOTA SEQUOIA, PRIOR TO NATIONWIDE RECALL I HAVE COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA CONCERNING UNRESPONSIVENESS OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AS WELL AS OTHER DEFECTS IN VEHICLE AND I CONTINUE TO BE IGNORED BY BOTH MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP, WITH DEALERSHIP MAKING EXCUSES BY SAYING THINGS LIKE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY WHERE MADE IN DIFFERENT FACTORIES CAUSING THERE TO BE VARIANTS IN THE COLOR OF THE VEHICLE BUMPER FROM THE REST OF THE BODY, AND THAT THEY ARE NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW MODEL SEQUOIA SINCE THEY HAVEN'T HAD THEM IN THE SHOP YET (EXCU…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10317539 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10331896 · 2010-05-24 (May 24, 2010)

2008 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER ON THE FREEWAY THEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER, EVEN TO STEERING. TECH SAID IT IS NOT BATTERY, STARTER, ETC... *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 29,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10331896 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10262384 · 2009-03-18 (March 18, 2009)

WHILE TRYING TO ADJUST MY STEERING WHEEL, I PULLED THE LEVER AND A PIECE FELL ON TO THE FLOOR THE SIZE OF A HALF DOLLAR. NOW MY STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT LOCK WHILE I DRIVE. THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT I NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, WHICH NONE ARE AVAILABLE FOR 2-3 WEEKS. THEY SUGGESTED I GO BACK HOME AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND WAIT. I WAS ONLY 2 MILES FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN, AND TOLD THEM THEY ARE KEEPING THE CAR UNTIL IT IS FIXED. I AM GLAD I WAS ALONE, AND NOT DRIVING AT 55MP…

Owner-reported narrative. 763 miles reported. Look up ODI 10262384 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11439219 · 2021-11-03 (November 3, 2021)

Tony Divino Toyota, a Toyota Motor Company dealership, sold me this vehicle sight unseen knowing I would immediately be towing a boat trailer 350 miles at highway speeds through construction zones on I-80 with children and our dog onboard. I was told it had passed a "160 point inspection" and was "in great condition". However, when delivered to me the dealership knew it was not road worthy and in fact illegal to drive on public roads due to missing a third brake light, bad rear brakes were bad, the transmission had failed, the battery had fai…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11439219 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10394350 · 2011-04-05 (April 5, 2011)

ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE DUE TO FAILED RIGHT REAR ABS WHEEL SENSOR AND WIRING HARNESS. ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WOULD INITIATE AT RANDOM TO INCLUDE WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC WITHOUT ANY WHEEL SLIP. THE INITIATION OF TRACTION CONTROL WHILE ACCELERATING AND MERGING WITH TRAFFIC CAUSED SOME CLOSE CALLS WITH THE LOSS OF POWER AND DECELERATION OF MY CAR. AFTER RANDOM INITIATED THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE NO ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, OR 4 WHEEL DRIVE. TOYOTA SERVICE WRITER STATED THAT THIS IS BECOMING A COM…

Owner-reported narrative. 42,136 miles reported. Look up ODI 10394350 at NHTSA ↗