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 2003 Toyota Sequoia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
"VSC OFF, VSC TRAC, and ABS" indicators on the dash. YAW sensor failure which controls wheel speed which will cause vehicle to decelerate and possibly cause an accident. Toyota should issue a nationwide recall. Toyota is aware of the issue but has failed to issue a nationwide recall.
While I was driving at an approximate speed of 40 MPH, I noticed my brake, trac off, vsc trac, engine light all came on at once. I noticed that braking was not as responsive (increased braking distance; ABS doesn't seem to be engaging) and when speeding to over 50 MPH, the vehicle feels as if it is slowing itself down. It is currently an expected heavy rainfall season where I am and having the vehicle in this state is very dangerous especially when the brakes are not working effectively or when it starts to slow itself down suddenly. After shutting the vehicle down and restarting it after about 2 hours, the lights mentioned are still illuminated except the brake light. After reading all the other similar complaints, I am surprised Toyota is not paying for all aspects of this defect associated with the vehicle and not driver misuse.
Hello, I have a 2003 Toyota sequioa where the engine light and the vcs lights are both on. I saw on your page some really helpful information on this make/model recall. I've reached out to Toyota customer service because there was a recall on this make/model but they said that my VIN number was not part of that recall, even though it's having the same issues?? The recall was that Toyota had to replace the skid control engine control unit (ECU) and upgrade program logic in its vehicle stability control (vcs) system. I took my vehicle in to get it inspected and they provided me with 3 codes: c1203 - engine control system communication circuit malfunction c1360 - vehicle skid control master pressure sensor malfunction p0420 - catalyst system efficiency below threshold these are all system issues. Can you help me?
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Sequoia. While driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate when depressing the accelerator pedal. The speed control, vcs, traction control, and sas warning indicators remained illuminated. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to several dealers, but no failure could be found. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a malfunction of the ECU tracking device failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10V176000 (electronic stability control, traction control system). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 224,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Toyota Sequoia. While driving at 5 MPH, the vehicle suddenly jerked forward and accelerated when the contact depressed the accelerator pedal. He depressed the brake pedal with extreme force and the vehicle stopped after crashing into the garage door and hitting a wall. There was front end damages to the vehicle. The contact suffered minor neck injuries. The contact called an authorized dealership but was told that there were no recalls for the vehicle. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 60,000. Updated 7/20/10 updated 07/23/10
When accelerating the slip control light comes on and the vehicle does not allow the driver to accelerate. The vehicle slows down to 35 miles per hour. This almost caused me to be hit by a driver approaching at a speed of 70 MPH. The dealership says the the slip control module need to be replaced at $1,200 and the part is not covered under the vsc trac control recall. This is a problem with the 2003 model as the dealership says it has had to replace many of the skid conteol ECU. This will cause death and crashed as the driver can not speed up when there is oncoming traffic.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while driving in snowy weather at 28 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, skidded to the left and crashed into a field. There were no injuries but a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where the body was repaired. The acceleration problem had not been addressed at the time of the complaint. The contact believed the failure occurred because of the electrical system. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. The current mileage was approximately 139,000.
Front end in rolled shacking. Tires wearing extremely fast and uneven image. Unable to drive
Toyota Sequoia 2003 - within months of taking new car delivery, vsc ABS and trac lights would blink intermittently and on occasion the auto would decelerate. As the issue was intermittent, dealership was unwilling/unable to diagnose. Trouble would continue with less frequent deceleration but more frequent warning light illumination until, after a few years, the warning lights stayed on and involuntary deceleration seemed to cease. Two different factory dealerships provided two different diagnoses. One said yaw sensor and other sensors need replacement (out of warranty); the other, more recently said that brake booster and actuator need replacement (out of warranty). Vehicle continues to brake normally and ABS does function keeping the SUV steerable during panic stops. Traction and stability control issues were not tested by this driver. …
I purchased a used 2003 Toyota Sequoia in April 2014. Since that time, the vehicle stability control system vsc) activates randomly causing the anti-lock brakes to be applied at random. This was a minor annoyance at first but soon became a regular occurrence. When inclement weather hit in December 2014 this vehicle was unstable to drive in even light snow; even when I had it in 4 wheel drive. In January 2015, it was snowing and there was approximately 2 inches of snow on the road and the vehicle spun out of control into the opposite lane. It was late at night so there were no other cars on the road. The vehicle continued to slide intermittently on the rest of the drive home. The thing is that this vehicle has off-road tires and this combined with the 4 wheel drive system should make it extremely stable in any weather. …
Acceleration complaints in other Sequoia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
NHTSA has 91 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2003 Toyota Sequoia, 16% of the model year's 565 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Toyota Sequoia acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2003 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 2003 Toyota Sequoia acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury 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.