2004 Toyota Sequoia
The Verdict
The 2004 Toyota Sequoia has 377 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (204 complaints) and brakes (92 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 36/100, it earns a "Check Engine" rating. If you're shopping for a Toyota Sequoia, consider the 2022 model year which has 99% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2022 has 99% fewer complaints
View the 2022 Toyota Sequoia dashboard →
Klunk Score: Check Engine
More complaints than most vehicles. Known issues exist — budget for potential repairs.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
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Worst Problems
Complaints
Description of the Safety Crash/Informed Incident: Vehicle Information: 2004 Toyota Sequoia (VIN: [XXX]) Incident Date: [XXX] Location: [XXX] Police Agency: California Highway Patrol (Report #:[XXX]) Speed at Incident: Highway speeds (~65 MPH) Description of Defect/Failure: Structural mechanical failure leading to sudden, catastrophic wheel separation at highway speeds. Nine days prior to the incident, on [XXX], the vehicle underwent a comprehensive brake, rotor, and tire rotation service at a certified Toyota dealership (Toyota of Chula Vista, Work Order #[XXX]). While traveling on the interstate, the right rear passenger wheel assembly completely detached from the moving vehicle. As a result, the wheel flew off crossing several traffic lanes, traveling over a jersey wall on the freeway shoulder, landing into a nearby drainage ditch. The vehicle dropped onto the remaining brake/rotor assembly, generating extreme sparks, causing an immediate loss of braking pressure, and creating an imminent threat of a rollover or multi-vehicle fatal collision. Subsequent post-incident inspection on a maintenance lift revealed that all wheel studs on the right rear hub were completely sheared or stripped off. This indicates a severe technician failure to properly torque the wheel lug nuts to factory specifications during reassembly, or an un-diagnosed structural failure of the wheel mounting components following certified dealer service. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sequoia. There was an abnormal rattling sound detected in the front area. The vehicle was shaking. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the frame was completely rusty and unsafe to drive. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to have the frame checked, and it was determined there was minor rust detected. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Crestmont Toyota Parts · Crestmont Toyota Service, 730 NJ-23 N, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444, who determined there was rust detected but was not repaired. The contact wrote a letter to the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 198,000.
Rust! Frame completely rusted, even though the CRC was applied back in 2013.
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while completing an inspection and emissions test on the vehicle, the mechanic informed the contact that there was severe rust on the rear subframe of the vehicle, near the control arm, and several other areas on the subframe. The contact stated that there were several holes on the subframe caused by the extreme rust. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 203,000.
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the check brakes and a traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become a recurring failure. When Toyota issued a recall for the braking issue, the contact did not receive notices, so the contact called them and was told it was a few selected 2004 Toyota Sequoia recalled for those who had complained but, it was not broadcasted like that. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, but the vehicle was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 07E023000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
Frame is rotting out
TOYOTA frame is falling apart due to the use of faulty metal to manufacture those frames they ran a limited service campaign to replace some of the frames and they denied many other owners that right please help by telling TOYOTA North America to take care of this very hazardous issue thank you
Frame
The undercarriage is rotten you help my thanks
Frame has rust issues throughout. Frame not properly treated at the factory and now I am suffering because it has virtually rusted through in front of the drivers side rear wheel which was pointed out to me at Toyota when my car was in for service.
The frame is rusting away due to poor grade of metal that it is built from.
Rotting frame!
The tail gate will not open. I had the vehicle since 2018 and it was working and now it's not working. I taken it to toyota dealership and the cost is to much for at this point. I was wondering is there anything that can be done?
SIGNIFICANT FRAME RUST IN THE REAR LEFT AND RIGHT
I WAS SIMPLY PARKING MY 2004 TOYOTA SEQUOIA IN PARKING LOT SPACE. LEFT FRONT TIRE FELL COMPLETELY OFF THE CAR WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS WARNING OF PENDING PROBLEMS! BALL JOINT CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED! PRIOR RECENT NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT SHOWED NO PENDING PROBLEMS. DID A CHECK AND FOUND MANY PRIOR BALL JOINT ISSUES FOR THIS CAR AND A PRIOR RECALL YEARS AGO. TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN CAPITOLA CA. THEY REPLACED BALL JOINT AND RELATED PARTS. THEY CHARGED ME LOTS OF MONEY CLAIMING THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD "PREVIOUSLY BEEN RECALLED AND REPAIRED IN 2007 SO NO LIABILITY ON THEIR PART. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND COMPLAINED AND WAS BOUNCED AROUND UNTIL A FELLOW NAMED "GARRET" TOLD ME THE BALL JOINTS HAD BEEN "FIXED" IN 2007 DURING A RECALL. GREAT. THEN WHY DO THESE ISSUES CONTINUE? MY CAR IS DRIVEN ONLY ON PUBLIC STREETS AND THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THIS IMPENDING FAILURE. THE BALL JOINT AND RELATED SIMPLY FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY. I TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF THIS VEHICLE AS I INTENDED ON KEEPING IT REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. WHAT BS IS TOYOTA PULLING WHEN THEIR SEQUOIA (AND OTHER SIMILAR TOYOTA VEHICLES) CONTINUE TO CATASTROPHICALLY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING? I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED ON THE FREEWAY ETC BECAUSE OF THIS? I HAVE PERSONALLY OWNED AND/OR FAMILY, FRIENDS ETC. MANY CARS, TRUCKS ETC. BALL JOINTS LIKE BRAKES, TIRES HOSES ETC WEAR OUT SLOWLY AND GIVE AMPLE WARNING WHEN THEY NEED REPLACEMENT IE TIRE WEAR IS INCREASED, STEERING DIFFICULTY ETC. NOT IN TOYOTA'S CASE. THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL BEFORE THE WHEEL JUST FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. THESE CATASTROPHIC FAILURES OF WHEELS FALLING OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT ANY MOMENT ARE HORRIBLY DANGEROUS AND YET COMMON KNOWLEDGE INCLUDING PRIOR RECALL(S) AND YET THEY STILL ARE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!
FRAME RUSTED THROUGH
LEFT FRONT (DRIVERS SIDE) WHEEL BALL JOINT(S) FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY CAUSING WHEEL TO FALL OFF AND WEDGE UNDER CAR WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. NO PRIOR WARNING, NO PRIOR NOISE, NO PRIOR STEERING ISSUES, NO STRANGE TIRE WEAR (TIRES JUST REPLACED 6 MONTHS AGO). JUST INSTANT AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE!
REAR HATCH DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. HANDLE FAILED DEALER REPLACE LOCK SUB ASSY AND HANDLE ASSY.
REAR HATCH DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. HANDLE FAILED DEALER REPLACE LOCK SUB ASSY AND HANDLE ASSY. THIRD FAILURE IN 8 YEARS, 2010, 2014 AND 2018. PARTS ARE FAILING ABOUT EVERY 4 YEARS. OWNED CAR 6 YEARS BEFORE FIRST FAILURE.
377 total