Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Toyota Sequoia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle control, ABS, vcs, traction control, and stability warning indicators illuminated. The failures caused the vehicle to brake intermittently. The contact had to turn the vehicle off and on in order to resume normal operation. The vehicle was taken to groove Toyota (5460 s broadway, englewood, co 80113, [phone]) to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failures was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired and the failures recurred multiple times. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 100,056.
Warning lights on the dash board come on periodically for no apparent reason. I maintain the car properly with regular oil changes and manufacturer recommended service. They go off on their own. My mechanic has no idea what causes this. It happens standing still, in motion or just by starting the vehicle.
No accident. Just frame issues. If you can. Can I please get a voucher for frame repair. I really like this SUV. Thank you!
We were driving down the hill and the traction control system went crazy we skidded out and then the ABS and traction control/slip lights went on. They stayed on until we took it to the dealer and they replace some brake sensors that were corroded. On the way home it happened again. The traction control computer was reporting that there were still bad sensors, but the sensors were fine, so they replaced the entire traction control computer. After a week in the shop it finally came back working. A traction control system should not throw your car out of control and run you off the road. The dealer said that they had not seen so much corrosion under a vehicle before. They said that the frame, exhaust, spare tire, and brake components as well as various other electrical components looked to have what they would call excessive corrosion. …
Wife was pulling off from a stoplight when the traction control system light (skidding car icon) and warning buzzer came on and the vehicle started making a loud grinding sound, vibrating, and pulling to the right. She pulled the vehicle over, turned it off, and called me to come swap vehicles with her. When I started the car, of course, the symptoms had gone away. Several days later on a family trip, I was driving the vehicle on the interstate at 65-70 MPH when the vehicle did the same thing she had described. We pulled over, the noise stopped, and then the vsc/trac and trac off came on. This should be a recall fix. Too many vehicles have had this problem, over several production years (2003's actually have a recall for a similar issue). However, reading various forums has made me think Toyota doesn't even know the root cause of this. …
Brake, ABS, skid control warning lights on , dealer service checked and recommended replacing battery which was done by them. Following day warning lights still on intermittently , returned to dealer for service but the warning lights would not come on while the dealer had it. Was advised it was not a safety issue, just malfunctioning warning lights. Now( October 2007) the lights are always on and when returned to dealer for service again was told this time it was the skid control ECU, and recommend replacing skid control ECU. Was also told it that the ABS and skid control were not functioning when lights were on so handling would be affected (safety issue ). At this time I am gathering information on whether it should be replaced or not.
I lease a used 2001 Toyota Sequoia sr5 4wd SUV in November of 2001. The skid control ECU had failed in 2003 and a Toyota dealership did not want to replace it for reasons that the warranty no longer covers it. To replace the ECU computer, I will have to pay over $2000.00. This problem prevents the anti-skid control and anti-lock brakes (ABS) to function. I have found out that this problem with the ECU has been very common for the Toyota Sequoia's made between 2000 and 2003. There are several occasions where I almost had an accident because of failure of the ABS and anti-skid control. Toyota has clearly ignored and avoided to fix this problem. I hope you can help me.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that the vehicle stability control and track warning lights illuminated. The contact lost control of the vehicle as the steering wheel haphazardly pulled to the right. The failure was experienced several times and even when the vehicle engine was turned off. The vehicle would reset independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was advised that without the lights illuminated when the diagnostic was performed then the vehicle could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 125,000 and the current mileage was 126,000.
With no prior warning symptoms, the "vsc trac" "vsc off" brake" and ABS" light come on in my 2001 Toyota Sequoia. It started about 2 weeks ago just once in a while, but now it happens almost every time I put the car in motion. It seemed to me at first that it happened most frequently when the weather is cold (the high 30s is about as cold as it ever gets here, though.) this is a problem that has been reported by many others. See here: http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/1gen-Sequoia/62954-vsc-trac-vsc-off-brake-ABS-2/.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the traction light illuminated as the front passenger tire seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was stated that the ABS, logic, and control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 177,000.
Electrical complaints in other Sequoia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2001 Toyota Sequoia?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Toyota Sequoia, 6% of the model year's 531 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Toyota Sequoia electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2001 Toyota Sequoia, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Toyota Sequoia electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 110,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.