Toyota Sequoia brakes and AC problems fixed?

We have a 2003 Sequoia Limited, purchased new, now has around 38,000 miles.

So far, for service expenses, we have: Rotated tires Filled the windshield washer fluid changed the oil Changed the front windshield wiper refills Had a piece of the driver's seat trim fixed under warranty Had it checked for a special service campaign Changed the transmission and differential fluid.

We have a cracked trim piece around the driver's door handle latch that has not been repaired, the all-weather mat for the driver has a hole worn (probably from my wife's heels), and we will probably need new tires this summer.

We have not had any problem with the brake booster, the AC works like a meat locker, and we have not had any warped rotors.

How many miles on your truck Ray O? I'm glad you haven't had any trouble. The owner reviews are quite scary. AC $2000, brake booster $1600, brakes/rotors $1200. We just couldn't afford these type of expenses on a regular basis.

Katy

Ray O wrote:

We have around 38,000 miles. We leave the AC in the auto position year round to keep things lubricated and let the auto feature do its work. Back seat passengers appreciate the ability to set the back seat temp themselves. I've driven a lot of 4 wheel drive and all wheel drive Toyotas, and in very poor road conditions, like 8 inches of snow with ice underneath, the Sequoia is probably the most sure-footed Toyota I have driven, except for the All-Trac Camry, which is no longer sold. Although ours has traction and stability control, the only way I can get either to engage is to go in a large parking lot that has not been plowed, leave it in 2 wheel drive, crank the steering wheel, and floor it - you get a couple of beeps and it starts going. The owner's manual suggests using the 4WD at least 10 miles a month to keep things lubricated so we use it on rainy days.

Depending on what is wrong with the AC, $2000 sounds a little high - you could replace a big chunk of the system for that price. $1,600 sounds high for the brake booster and $1200 sounds high for rotors. More likely, $1200 gets you pads and rotors for all 4 corners, but if you replace pads on a timely basis, the price is much lower.

My wife drives the Sequoia most of the time, I use it to go camping and climbing. There are plusses and minuses when driving such a large vehicle - probably the same plusses and minuses you get with competitor vehicles.

I get about 14 MPG city and 18 MPG highway, my wife gets 12/17 (although it is about the same as a friend's Ford Explorer, which is a smaller vehicle).

3rd row seat room is decent even for adults, 2nd row seat room is very generous.

If you are a heavy packer on trips like my wife and daughter, the cargo area is nice.

The step up into the seats is pretty high. If you're short like me, putting stuff on the roof rack requires the agility to climb on the tires or a step stool.

Parralell parking is a challenge due to the long wheelbase and it is hard to find big enough parking spaces, and rear visibility when backing is poor, partly due to the heavily tinted windows.

Driving position and forward visibility on the road are very good.

The engine is very smooth, with good power and torque. I've towed over

4,000 lbs with no problem. Even when driving with 8 people, a loaded cargo compartment, and a loaded roof top carrier, you can barely notice a difference in performance.

The 4 wheel disc brakes provide excellent stopping power, especially with the electonic brake force distribution. We've come close to being rear-ended because people don't think something so big can stop so quickly.

The 3rd row seats are removeable although they are not very light and take a bit of muscle to lift.

I always check overhead clearance in parking garages - we have always fit but it looks close. I had to re-adjust our garage door so it goes all the way up so the truck fits, and we have to lower the antenna to do so. The Limited's power retractable mirrors make tight fits easier.

The seat heaters (A.K.A. bun warmers, tooshie toasters) are a nice feature and work more quickly than our Lexus.

The cup holders will hold a 1 liter Nalgene bottle.

As for reliability, ours has been virtually problem free. A friend bought a V-8 Explorer at the same time we got the Sequoia in '03, and they had problems with brakes and the transmission and ended up trading it in for another.

If you need the ability to carry 8 people in comfort, tow 6,000 lbs, or get through bad road conditions, then the Sequoia is a nice choice. It was very handy for moving kids to and from college.

The Tundra pickup, which the Sequoia is based on, is going to be redesigned for the 2007 model year, looks quite a bit different than the current Tundra, and will have a 5.7 liter engine (the Tundra/Sequoia/Land Cruiser currently have a 4. liter engine. My guess is that the Sequoia will be redesigned shortly after to mirror the new Tundra.

"Ray O" wrote: snip

Really useful writeup Ray...Makes me want one. Too bad that I can't use one, with my physical conditions I wouldn't dare get so brave as to go off good highways, but it does sound like fun.

Incidentally I think the Toyota Co. got really lucky in picking that name for a truck...'Tundra' sounds so manly and rugged!. :)

Oops! I just caught a typo on my previous post - it should have said that the Tundra/Sequoia/Land Cruiser currently have a 4.7 liter engine, not 4 liter. Also, the V8 4Runner uses the same engine.

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

I don't drive the Sequoia very often although I enjoy driving it. A fellow Scout leader has the Tundra, from the front seat forward, it is essentially the same as the Sequoia.

I agree, Toyota did a good job naming the Tundra, sounds a lot tougher than the HiLux!

Hey Ray O, Thanks for your input. Because of it we purchased an '03 Sequoia today. Looked in great condition and got a pretty good deal. We are hoping to keep this for a long time since it is now the 'family' car. Anyhow, thanks again for your help.

Katy

You're welcome! Enjoy your new ride (we do)!