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 2004 Toyota Sequoia owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Sequoia vsc trac sensor lights turning on and off. This problem affects Toyota Sequoia from 2003 - 2005. There is a recall for 2003 model but not 2004. Other drivers report a loss of power (total loss of power - the vehicle shut off) while the car in driving. Here is the recall for the 2003 model: recall id # 68549 - electronic stability control plus recall date: apr 30, 2010 model affected: 2003 Toyota Sequoia summary: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003 Sequoia passenger vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2002 through April 17, 2003. The center position of the steering angle sensor (sas) May not be stored correctly due to improper logic of the skid control ECU programming. The vehicle stability control (vsc) system could activate at low speed for a few seconds during acceleration from a stopped position. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sequoia which was purchased brand new. While driving at speeds of 60 MPH there was a popping noise in the vehicle. The vehicle then made an unintended 80 degree left turn in a swift jerking motion and proceeded to hit a cement pipe in a ditch. The driver's side front tire was knocked off the vehicle. Both the driver and passenger were knocked unconscious at the time. The passenger and driver awoke and the crash was still occurring. The vehicle continued to pick up speeds; however the contact did not notice the exact speeds. The vehicle was on three wheels and continued to proceed. The passenger was knocked unconscious a second time. The passenger awoke to someone flashing light into the vehicle. The contact sustained a broken tibia, seven broken ribs, fractured sternum and a fractured vertebrae. …
Sometimes while driving on freeway my brakes light warning on the dashboard would come on and would only turn off the light if I turn off the engine. Many times on street speed (10-45 MPH) if the vsc,track off and brake light comes on at the same time,the car will loose power on the brakes and will have a grinding and vibrating noise. I went to a Toyota dealer and told me bring the car when it happen again so they could do a diagnostic test. Why wait for something serious to happened before they could check my car?
I have a '04 Sequoia 4wd ltd, my vsc trac, vsc off and ABS lights come on and stay on, they never go off. The visit to a dealer ended with them stating that they could not read any codes, so the vsc computer needs to be replaced, about $1,500.00 total. The car is not experiencing any problems, but, the lights stay on.....Sequoia has 83K miles. Anyone offer any advice or help to solve the problems?
Fuel gauge not measuring fuel properly. After a full tank, gauge indicates empty tank after few days. Speedometer not working and engine loses power for a while while the gauge goes to 100 miles on the highway and goes back to zero and restores power to the engine. The vehicle has only 145,000 miles on it. Also rust on the body frame .
Skid control ECU issues. I have read enough about this that it is unreal that a recall for the 2004 seqouia has not been issued. Why for the 2003 with same issue but not '04? Why isn't Toyota being held accountable?
*******2004 Toyota Sequoia ltd vsc computer failure, wheel lockup on left********* brake light, vsc and trac light all came on. I was driving approx. 20 MPH and the left front wheel locked up and the car pulled sharply to the left. The brake pedal went to the floor and I lost brake pedal effectiveness. I turned the car off and restarted it and all lights went out and brake feel and effectiveness appears OK. I took the car straight to the dealer for inspection. For the last 2 years the brake light would come on and stay on and when I turned off the car and restarted it the light would go off. For 2 years my local dealer in butler, pa could not get a failure code. When I took the car for diagnostics, the cause was the ECM part number 89541-oc062 at a cost of about $1377.00. They replaced it at the great dealership in langhorne,pa. I have 55,659 miles on this vehicle. …
2004 Toyota Sequoia sr5 with 4wd with about 113,000 miles. We started out on our first road trip Saturday and were having no issues until we stopped to get gas an hour and a half into the trip. After getting gas we got back on the highway. Once we sped up to about 70mph the vcs light started blinking and the vehicle started slowing down on its own from 70 to about 45. We would try to accelerate the car with the gas peddle while this was happening, but it didn't help. Once the speed dropped to about 45 the gas peddle would respond and we could speed back up to about 70 or 80. Then the cycle would start all over again. Over the course of a 13 hour road trip this happened off and on about half of the trip. While the car slows down on its own, pressing the gas peddle either doesn't do anything or at times it just revs the RPM's without increasing speed. …
Sequoia vsc trac sensor lights turning on and off and hearing grinding noise when it auto-engage and disengage. This problem affects Toyota Sequoia from 2003 - 2005. They a recall for 2003 model but not 1004 and 2005. Other driver report a loss of power (total loss of power - the vehicle shut off) while the car in driving. Here is the recall for the 2003 model: recall id # 68549 - electronic stability control plus recall date: apr 30, 2010 model affected: 2003 Toyota Sequoia summary: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003 Sequoia passenger vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2002 through April 17, 2003. The center position of the steering angle sensor (sas) May not be stored correctly due to improper logic of the skid control ECU programming. The vehicle stability control (vsc) system could activate at low speed for a few seconds during acceleration from a stopped position. …
The vsc and trac lights come on intermittently .the vehicle will also dramatically de-accelerate. There is also a smell like smoke. After shutting the vehicle off and later restarting all was OK. Toyota is very aware of this problem. Such a problem occurring especially at higher speeds could result in loss of control of vehicle leading to a serious accident with potential for numerous fatalities. Toyota had a recall for exactly the same problem on it"s 2003 model, but nothing for the 2004. Considering their most recent problems with acceleration I certainly would have expected by now that the NHTSA would have investigated and mandated that Toyota correct this problem before a serious accident...not after the fact. Again, this is a well documented fact on toyotas own website. Numerous complaints have been filed to no avail. …
Acceleration complaints in other Sequoia years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2004 Toyota Sequoia?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2004 Toyota Sequoia, 14% of the model year's 380 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Sequoia acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2004 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 2004 Toyota Sequoia acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 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.