Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Toyota Sequoia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving on a highway at about 60 mph, my vehicle made a loud grinding noise while the steering felt very difficult to control and then the VSC TRAC and TRAC OFF lights both came on. I got off the highway and pulled over to a parking lot to inspect the vehicle, but I did not see anything that would cause the vehicle to do that. After a few minutes, I restarted the vehicle and while driving on local roads to get home, the same thing happened again. I was extremely worried for the safety of my wife and children in the vehicle. After reading a few Toyota owners threads online, this seems to be a very familiar pattern with these Toyota Sequoias, and I strongly believe that this will result in very serious injuries or possible deaths if Toyota does not issue a recall to fix the problem causing such dangers for drivers. Please investigate the matter to save lives. Thank you!
Problem began in 2009 when the vsc locked up on my husband while on the freeway. This incident was reported to you and a complaint filed. When vehicle was taken to Toyota of escondido, we were told it checked out fine. The light continued to come on an off..taken in again, they pulled the computer system and found it registered the car had a total rollover..so not the case! Toyota had no answer, saying maybe computer malfunction..they did nothing! Over the year the light has come on and off randomly, when taken in for scheduled maintenance, we have been told it "checks out fine". On 12/22/2010 I was pulling out of a parking spot and noticed a feeling of total tightness over the vehicle. The vsc light was on. When put in drive (I had been in reverse) the car was fine and the feeling gone..light as well. One hour later, I was at a stoplight in heavy holiday traffic. …
The first time my ABS/vcs trac lights came on was after I had to brake hard on a downward hill. I accelerated to climb the other side of the hill and it was after doing that which the vcs trac and trac off lights first came on at around 168,000 miles. There was a fast beeping sound lasting for maybe 10 sec then it regained power. Now it will do it within just a few miles of our home. We have had several more occasions since this initial incident where there was a jerking/pulling of the right front tire. Also the air conditioning would come on and off like it was trying to surge. Also idles very low, below 500 RPM and then finally shuts off. This vehicle has become very dangerous to drive. …
My father and I were leaving frys electronics on Friday May 19, 2017. As we turned from the fry's parking lot to head on the 60 fwy all of a sudden the vsc started beeping and just as we we picking up speed(50mph) the truck started to swerve while at the same time a grinding sound went off my father pushed the vsc off switch but did not have any effect on what was happening. When the beeping had stopped both vsc off and vsc lights had stayed on and the vehicle seemed to be running OK and ever since that day whenever we use the Sequoia the lights come on and stay on during the trip on occasions it doesn't turn on after about 5 mins the beeping goes on and vehicle engine immediately slows and grinding sound goes on and causes vehicle to swerve and my father is a bit elderly so as a son I am putting in this complaint in hopes of some assistance in repairs this malfunction. …
After driving roughly 40 minutes on a straight dry highway at a constant 70 MPH, my vsc off and trac off lights suddenly came on for no reason, accompanied by a loud high-pitched alarm. The steering felt like it was dragging, was grinding, and pulled to the right. Felt like something was breaking apart. Very scary since I was in the left lane with no shoulder. I decreased my speed to about 60 and moved to the right hand lane. After several seconds, the alarm and grinding/dragging stopped just as mysteriously as it started before I'd even gotten to an exit. The lights stayed lit. Before I used the vehicle again, I inflated the tires from 32.5 to 35 psia, just in case that might have contributed. …
When I entered the freeway, my vsc trak and vsc off lights came on, and the vehicle pulled to the right suddenly. I exited the freeway, and inspected my vehicle, to find nothing visible. I re-entered the freeway, traveled approx 100 miles, with no issue. Then, the same evening, I exited the toll road near my home, when the vsc trak and vsc off lights flashed and beeped, and brakes locked up on and off violently, as if the vehicle was possessed. I managed to get it home, as I was only about a mile from there, where I parked it, and had it towed to a shop. The mechanic was able to pull a code...the yaw sensor. But, the mechanic said that he could not guarantee that this would fix the problem. This happens while driving straight, after turning left or right, at any speed, and with no warning or visible reason for doing so. …
The vsc/ABS indicator lights appear intermittently without any warning. The car beeps, makes a heavy grinding noise and the ABS brakes are automatically engaged without any action by the driver regardless of the speed, or whether driving on a highway or city street. The car will fishtail. Based on my research, I have found that this is a common problem among these vehicles and that there was a 2003 recall for this problem. This defect in the same model for the 2002 vehicles seems to be widespread. Must we first have an accident to win rights to be accommodated. Does Toyota not want to make good on its product and satisfy all owners/customers. I worry every time I drive my vehicle and thank god each time I reach my destination without incident. This is the only vehicle we have to drive our severely disabled 10 year old daughter and cannot afford a new vehicle. We are really scared! …
Driving on paved public road, dry road conditions in summertime at low speed,10-20 MPH, the vsc and trac off warning lights on instrument panel light up with and audible bell type alarm at the same time the right front wheel makes a loud thump causing the vehicle to pull hard to the right and with very hard front end vibration. At which time there is no brake control, steering control or acceleration control for approximately 20 seconds that has caused a few near miss vehicle collisions with other vehicles or off the road towards an embankment. The Sequoia was taken to a Toyota dealership service center where the technician stated they can only clear the fault code in the vehicle's computer. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving, the traction control warning light, vsc track and an unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the brakes started to grind independently with an abnormal sound. Additionally, the steering wheel became difficult to steer with an alarm sounding inside the vehicle. The vehicle will loss power. The vehicle also jerked and pulled while accelerating. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to drive normal however after driving for a while the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 10V176000 (electronic stability control, traction control system). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,860.
I didn't realize what the lights meant being on when I bought it until I was attempting to drive 4hrs away and suddenly the steering started veering off to the other lane and swerving. I could not drive past 40mph on the interstate the rest of the way and almost crashed into other vehicles and off the side of the road. When you switch lanes the vehicle pulls you too far and it is very unsafe to drive especially with kids. I had to break the ABS fuse to get back home and even then it still veers off when trying to switch lanes and I can't go past 60 or so. I don't see how there are this many complaints and many accidents and almost accidents to not have everything associated with this malfunction to be considered not dangerous enough for a recall. I'm thankful my kids were not with me during that trip.
Acceleration complaints in other Sequoia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2002 Toyota Sequoia?
NHTSA has 135 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2002 Toyota Sequoia, 20% of the model year's 666 complaints. The component named most often is cruise control (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Toyota Sequoia acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2002 Toyota Sequoia, though it has 6 recalls 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 2002 Toyota Sequoia acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 125,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.