Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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).
Rear axle is rusted to the point where differential fluid is leaking out of the body. There is extreme rust in general which has led to the failure of multiple components such as the oil pressure sending unit. Check engine light is on. This hasn't been verified by a shop or agency, only by me. These issues were discovered shortly after purchase this year.
My 2001 Sequoia (151,000 mi) which has been garaged and maintained meticulously is suddenly showing the vsc lights and brake lights at the same time! There is a very rough feeling when I'm driving the car like something in the undercarriage is very wrong. There is a "clunking" noise as slow as 5 MPH at all times and all speeds. At high speeds, the car will suddenly pull to the left momentarily and then release itself but the lights never go out unless car is off. I have read the 138 complaints at the dot.gov site about this exact problem and thus far, Toyota corp is ignoring the complaints.where is the recall for this problem. I know alot of owners who haven't even investigated why it's happening in thier truck too. How can they do business like this ??? This is a life threatening problem for Toyota !!! I will stop at nothing to have Toyota repair their problem on their product. …
Street driving, clear day and car dash board starts to alarm. Dashboard lights for vsc, antilock brakes goes haywire. Horrible grinding noise and vibration felt through the brake pedal, with loss of power, and pull to the right all simultaneously happening. Alarm bells all going off in the car. It is very loud noise for all occupants. Terrifying occurrence with loss of brakes and power. First event lasted approximately 20 seconds. Pulled over and the car seemed fine. This has been intermittent but occurred after car was warm and occurs more frequently when its is warmer outside as well. Now, 16 mos later, this happens all the time and Toyota dealer says there is nothing wrong with car and cannot diagnose the issue. It is a safety issue for sure. Will have to park the car now since they cannot figure out what is wrong with it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the traction warning indicator illuminated and a chime sounded as the skid control system engaged without being prompted. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate. There was also an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle as the steering wheel veered to the right. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to slow down until the vehicle's skid control system disengaged without being prompted. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
2001 Toyota Sequoia was recalled due to corrosion of the frame. All parts such as the back plates for the brakes, tie rod ends, stabilizer bars, and many more attached had rust when it went into the shop. However, Toyota did not care that the rust had spread. I could have wrecked several times due to the negligence of Toyota. It has been costly and the car is not the same since the transfer of the frame. Rust spreads as cancer and is as deadly when it is under your car. I will have to spend thousands of dollars to ensure the safety of my family.
When operating at speed, the vehicle will suddenly shutter briefly, and pull to right. Seemingly a wheel locked up. Control of steering is lost. Vsc light comes on, and cannot be rest until restating the engine.
2001 Toyota Sequoia- 48K miles..vehicles traction control and vsc lights come on shortly after driving the car. Just before the lights come on, the car shakes and makes a grinding noise, pulls to the right, and loses power. This occurs every time you drive the car. Anywhere from 1min to 15min from the start of driving. It is very dangerous once the vehicle is up to speed, we have almost gotten in to an accident because the car pulled so violently and didn't have power. The car will shake and pull and the only way we've gotten it to stop is by stepping on the brake and reducing speed (less than 30 MPH). After we reduce the speed, the trac and vsc lights come on and the car is drivable until you cycle the ignition. It's pretty scary. My father-in-law took the car to a Toyota dealership and their diagnosis is skid control ECU faulty, must replace. DTC codes c1363 and c1234. …
The vsc light came on after my 2001 Sequoia hit a pot-hole. This was back in 2004 and the light remains on. I was told it was a sensor. The vehicle is long out of warranty and I can't afford any expenses right now. That's just one of a few major components to go. In 2003 the torque converter went and the transmission had to be replaced. I had 88,000 miles on it and it was beyond the 60,000 drive train warranty. However, Toyota did pay for half of the $4000 bill with the dealership picking up a 1/4 of the bill. I paid the rest. Was paying half an admission by Toyota that they provided a faulty transmission. I do know that the dealership removed the old transmission and shipped it off to Toyota and I never heard another word about it. The brakes on these big vehicles have been a sore spot with me. I've had to change brakes and rotors numerous times over the years. …
I own a 2001 Toyota Sequoia. I got my Sequoia brand new and now has over 88,000 miles. My Sequoia began to give me trouble about three months ago everytime I tried to put it into gear. The gear felt tight almost difficult to put into gear. On a recent trip to san francisco, I began to also notice a "buzzing" sound on the gas pedal. As I was driving up the grapevine on interstate 5, my transmission "popped" and I had no power. It turns out that the drive pin broke inside the transmission and caused major damaged to the transmission. At the time this happened my wife and two young kids were with me. We were extremely lucky we did not get into an accident because of this major breakdown. I have come to rely on my vehicle and have been really good at keeping it tuned and getting the required services to keep my car in shape. …
The throttle body sensor failed numerous times causing my family to lose all acceleration on a very busy highway. I was able to get off the highway and get a tow to the Toyota dealer (david maus) and they thought initially that the whole throttle body needed to be replaced ($2000+) but after the mechanic cleaned the sensor it resolved the issue thus far, its been three months without recurrence. I want people to know this is a cheap fix as I believe others noted here that the dealership only offered replacement as a solution. I did have a second quote done elsewhere just to be sure and they were going to replace the whole throttle body as well without trying an alternative. Be careful out there and get a second opinion.
Transmission complaints in other Sequoia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2001 Toyota Sequoia?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2001 Toyota Sequoia, 7% of the model year's 531 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Toyota Sequoia transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 3% 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.