2003 Toyota Sequoia Electronic Stability Control (esc) Problems
Owners have filed 158 complaints with NHTSA about electronic stability control (esc) problems on the 2003 Toyota Sequoia, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 89,625 miles. The words owners use most often: “vsc trac” (33% of reports).
- 158electronic stability control (esc) complaints
- 89,625median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Vsc trac: mentioned in 52 of 158 complaints (33%)
- Skid control: mentioned in 37 of 158 complaints (23%)
- Off ABS: mentioned in 9 of 158 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electronic stability control (esc) repair on the 2003 Toyota Sequoia at $3,200, and half of them between $2,200 and $3,450.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2018), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electronic stability control (esc) problems happen?
Based on 142 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 158 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Toyota Sequoia electronic stability control (esc) complaints by model year
| Model year | Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Sequoia | 4 | 20% | 1,725 |
| 2015 Sequoia | 1 | 11% | 4,400 |
| 2012 Sequoia | 4 | 20% | 34,000 |
| 2010 Sequoia | 1 | 3% | 52,000 |
| 2009 Sequoia | 1 | 17% | 72,000 |
| 2008 Sequoia | 2 | 3% | 118,000 |
| 2007 Sequoia | 12 | 9% | 94,638 |
| 2006 Sequoia | 36 | 18% | 91,000 |
| 2005 Sequoia | 93 | 26% | 92,736 |
| 2004 Sequoia | 98 | 26% | 87,600 |
| 2003 Sequoia | 158 | 28% | 89,625 |
| 2002 Sequoia | 196 | 29% | 128,000 |
| 2001 Sequoia | 124 | 23% | 135,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Traction control system; electronic stability control (esc)
Problem: 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.
Risk: Should this occur, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will reflash the ecu. If the reflash cannot be completed on a particular vehicle, the ecu will be replaced with a new one. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on june 11, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I took my sequoia to have an airbag recall fixed and a recall that has something to do with the skid control module before i took it to have these recalls done my 2 vsc lights (vsc off light and vsc trac light) on the dash were on and so was the engine light i thought maybe the skid control recall…
Trac off vsc trac off lights illuminate. Seems to be faulty sensor. Brake light periodically comes on with no issue with brakes. Brakes have been replaced and everything checked. On 2 occasions when the brake light is on, the antiskid control activates when the car is going less than 30 mph slowing…
My vsc/vtc lights have been on since i have owned my vehicle. I also have a brake light that comes on constantly. I am only able to reset the brake light by turning off my vehicle and restarting. I have replaced all 4 rotors, calipers and fuel lines more than 3 times since buying the truck new…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Toyota Sequoias have electronic stability control (esc) problems?
No. NHTSA has 158 owner complaints about electronic stability control (esc) for the 2003 Toyota Sequoia (28% of the 565 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Toyota Sequoia electronic stability control (esc)?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electronic stability control (esc). Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electronic stability control (esc) problems start?
The median reported mileage is 89,625 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electronic stability control (esc) problems on the 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,200 (half paid between $2,200 and $3,450), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electronic stability control (esc) problems on the 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
The most frequent phrase is “vsc trac”, in 52 of 158 complaints, followed by “skid control” (37).
Other 2003 Toyota Sequoia problems
See all 2003 Toyota Sequoia problems or electronic stability control (esc) problems across all Sequoia years.