Most common 2006 Toyota Sequoia problems
Share of the 202 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Sequoia complaints by model year
Best Sequoia years: 2009, 2015, 2017. Years to avoid: 2004, 2005, 2007, 2006, 2008. Compare all years →
2006 Toyota Sequoia recalls (8)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator.
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010…
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.
Air bags › Side/window
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016.
Air bags
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004.
Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory.
Air bags
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii,…
Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory.
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge.
Show 2 more recalls
Equipment › Other › Labels
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
On certain trucks and Mini vans, due to possible improper finishing of the front suspension lower ball joint, some ball joints May experience an incidental deterioration of the internal lubrication.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints. The recall began on February 28, 2007. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2006 Toyota Sequoia:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Lower ball joint failure
In a letter dated January 18, 2007, Toyota notified NHTSA of a safety defect in model year (my) 2004 through 2006 Toyota tundra and my 2004 through 2007 Toyota sequoia vehicles produced between September 15, 2003 and November 17, 2006 (NHTSA recall no. 07v-013).
What 2006 Toyota Sequoia owners say
Air bags all 46 →
Tl* the consumer owns a 2006 Toyota Sequoia. While driving 15 MPH, the consumer slid on black ice, lost control of the vehicle, and crashed into a metal barrier dividing the road. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The consumer sustained neck and left arm injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the consumer's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 250,000. Police report case number: [redacted] 'parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 U.S.c. 552(b)(6).'
"Takata recall" while entering the ramp to get on the eastex fwy. (ih 59) north bound, I observed that up ahead of me a vehicle was in a complete stop while on the freeway. I tried to switch lanes but I had another vehicle to my left which made it impossible for me to switch lanes. I then ran into the back of the other car which caused the accident. After colliding with the stopped vehicle, I was thrust forward into the steering wheel of my car. The driver's side airbag did not deploy and there was nothing to prevent my face, head, and upper body from crashing into the steering wheel and front windshield of my car.
Body & structure all 45 →
I was on the freeway driving and out of nowhere the body started swaying and bobbing with no control. Was informed by the tow truck driver that i could have rolled the vehicle easily and the consequences would have been serious. The frame is so rusted out that the tie rod and sway bar assembly are completely detached from the frame and hanging loose. Upon further inspection at the auto repair garage there are rusting issues throughout the frame. The frame needs complete replacement.
The driver side, rear, trailing arm broke away from the vehicles frame due to "frame rot" while driving. The vehicle became extremely dangerous to drive. Toyota has since declined to help. They said they notified us via mail of a customer service campaign addressing the premature rust issue, but we never learned of the program and lawsuit until after the frame broke and I almost crashed. Later I saw the broken arm/frame under the vehicle. This frame failure can potentially be a catastrophic and deadly event. I opened an insurance claim and it was denied and I was referred back to Toyota. Our vehicle has been factory maintained it's entire life. No service advisors ever mentioned a possible problem to my family and I. I recently spoke to the Toyota service manager at Parker Toyota in Couer d Alene Idaho and his master technicians have seen the same failure that occurred on our vehicle. …
Stability & traction control all 42 →
While driving at 35 MPH, the check engine light, vsc off light, and vsc trac light all came on at once, and the vehicle stopped accelerating, and I experienced a dramatic decrease in vehicle power. I drove the vehicle home noticing a drastic change in acceleration as the Sequoia would not accelerate normally; it would accelerate at a significantly reduced rate, topping out at 35mph on the flats and 16 MPH on an incline, in addition, during start up, the engine makes a high-pitch vacuum noise, which drops off and normal engine sound returns. I have had the car diagnosed; error codes p2440, p441 and p444 are all present indicating a failure of the air injection pump. This is a known problem on Toyota sequoias and tundras; however, Toyota has only acknowledged it on the 07-10 Sequoia by extending the warranty to 10 years and 150,000K miles for this part. …
When taking turns at mild acceleration the slip indicator light will flash and the vehicle loses acceleration. This generally happens when taking a left turn from stop while entering traffic from a side street onto a main road. Generally at the intersections there are a small grade change for water drainage, this will cause uneven surface when driving across and cause a minor rocking of the vehicle. This is has produced dangerous situations on multiple occasions where the loss of acceleration leaves the vehicle in the oncoming lane longer than desired and could easily result in a serious collision. I have found similar complaints on multiple forums that have references the cause being associated with ABS sensor or yaw sensors. Would love for this to be investigated and a solution provided.
2006 Toyota Sequoia engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Toyota Sequoia a good car?
Based on 202 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Sequoia rates avoid: 4.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sequoia at the same age. It is one of the Sequoia years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Toyota Sequoia?
The air bags — 46 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (45) and stability & traction control (42).
How many recalls does the 2006 Toyota Sequoia have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2006 Toyota Sequoia, the most recent from October 17, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Sequoia?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2015 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2005, 2007, 2006 and 2008. See the full Toyota Sequoia years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Toyota Sequoia problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 91,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.