Toyota Sequoia Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Toyota Sequoia across 14 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (56). The words owners use most often: “vsc trac” (10% of reports).
- 168power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,400typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%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 16 of 168 complaints (10%)
- Rear differential: mentioned in 9 of 168 complaints (5%)
- Grinding noise: mentioned in 9 of 168 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Toyota Sequoia at $5,400, and half of them between $3,000 and $6,850.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2016), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 133 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 168 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 6 an injury.
Toyota Sequoia power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Sequoia | 1 | 25% | 33,236 |
| 2020 Sequoia | 2 | 50% | 41,000 |
| 2015 Sequoia | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2013 Sequoia | 1 | 8% | 15,000 |
| 2012 Sequoia | 1 | 5% | 600 |
| 2010 Sequoia | 2 | 6% | 48,500 |
| 2008 Sequoia | 7 | 10% | 104,000 |
| 2007 Sequoia | 5 | 4% | 106,111 |
| 2006 Sequoia | 13 | 6% | 48,777 |
| 2005 Sequoia | 14 | 4% | 65,000 |
| 2004 Sequoia | 17 | 4% | 88,000 |
| 2003 Sequoia | 13 | 2% | 87,000 |
| 2002 Sequoia | 56 | 8% | 103,014 |
| 2001 Sequoia | 35 | 7% | 89,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the Toyota Sequoia. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I own a 2004 Toyota Sequoia and have owned it since it was built by Toyota. In 2013 Toyota had a safety recall on the frame for that vehicle because in certain Northern states they are having issues with the frame rotting and braking. I brought my vehicle in May of 2013 and Carlson Toyota in…
The vehicle is a 2015 Toyota Sequoia with the 5.7L V8 engine and approximately 192,632 miles. The vehicle developed an abnormal internal engine/timing noise, especially when warm. An authorized Toyota dealer inspected the vehicle and diagnosed an internal engine/timing-related condition involving…
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that while parked and the driver door was opened, he observed a beeping noise and the vehicle began reversing inadvertently. The contact dove into the driver's seat and attempted to move the gear shift but it was already in park (P). The…
Rear axle is rusted to the point where differential fluid is leaking out of the body. There is extreme rust in general which has led to the failure of multiple components such as the oil pressure sending unit. Check engine light is on. This hasn't been verified by a shop or agency, only by me…
the transmission seems to be slipping cs when taking off rpms goes up then vehicle takes off cs when going uphill around 40 vehicle struggles and does not shifts down..need replace transmission...
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Sequoias have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 168 owner complaints about power train for the Toyota Sequoia. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Sequoia power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Toyota Sequoia?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,400 (half paid between $3,000 and $6,850), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Toyota Sequoia?
The most frequent phrase is “vsc trac”, in 16 of 168 complaints, followed by “rear differential” (9).
Other Toyota Sequoia problems
See all Toyota Sequoia problems.