Toyota to Recall 50,000 Sequoia SUVs

Toyota Motor Corp. recalled about 50,000 Sequoia sport utility vehicles from the 2003 model year to fix an unexpected slowing of the vehicle in the latest recall issued by the Japanese automaker.

Toyota said Wednesday that the recall would address the vehicle's electronic stability control system, which helps maintain traction during turning. In some cases, the stability control could active at low speed and prevent the SUV from accelerating as quickly as a driver expects, the company said.

More info on the Toyota recall

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had been investigating the issue and Toyota said it decided to recall the vehicles to address the government's concerns. The automaker said they had no reports of accidents or injuries connected to the issue and about half of the vehicles had already been repaired under warranty.

"Toyota is committed to investigating customer complaints more aggressively and to responding quickly to issues we identify in our vehicles," said Steve St. Angelo, Toyota chief quality officer for North America.

Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide since October because of acceleration problems in multiple models and braking issues in the Prius hybrid. The company recently agreed to pay a record $16.4 million fine to the government for a slow response to problems with sticking gas pedals.

In the Sequoia case, Toyota said it issued a production change during the 2003 model year to address the stability control problem and published a technical service bulletin to dealers in fall 2003. Owners who have complained about the problem since then have had the skid control engine control unit replaced by dealers and the company said about half have been repaired under warranty.

Toyota said owners who paid to have the work done will be reimbursed.

Owners will receive letters about the recall in late May. The company said owners who paid for the fix should mail a copy of their repair order to the company's U.S. headquarters in Torrance, Calif., for reimbursement consideration.

Owners can call [phone] for more information.

[sjc_1]

This is just a version of the Lexus that got a "no buy" is based on. It weighs more than 5600 pounds! That is what TWO normal cars weigh and gets 12 mpg, if you are lucky.

[iirishamerican]

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. It was easy to fly under the radar when your in the 3,4,or 5 spot but when your #1 car manufacturer people start taking shots, just ask GM and Ford. Now its toyotas turn, they are not the flawless, perfect in everyway vehicles that most people were brainwashed to think. By the way I have worked for a toyota dealership for almost 10 years as a technician and drive my 25 year old Chevy with 200,000+ miles and love it. I drive and work on 5-10 toyotas everyday and have not seen one that I would trade my car for, unless I was to turn around and sell it for the overpriced amount that they say its worth so I could go out and buy a real car/truck.

[Zann-Zel]

Is anyone else starting to get suspicious of all this press on Toyota? I mean they've been in business forever and just now all the sudden every car they make is unsafe? If that's true, how'd they hide it for so long?

Or is this a really good smear campaign on a foreign car company?
I'm not arguing against it if it is, we need to buy American, but more and more its sounding like some mud-smearing political campaign to me!

[AmazingRuss]

Toyota doesn't make cars anymore... they make transportation robots with taste for human blood!

[bonnie1010p]

Why don't they just steamroll all of em like the fake Rolexes? After all they're fake cars.

[fer60us]

May I suggest they switch the systems between Sequoias and the rest of te recalled cars? Sequoias then will speed up and the others will slow down... case solved!! LOL

[tngreen]

My question is why CBS felt the need on the home page to talk about the recall of "Sequoia's." Really? Really? How much are your journalists (or should I say "journalist's?) getting paid not to know the difference between plural and singular possessive? Did somebody skip elementary school? These types of very simple grammatical problems are RAMPANT at this website. Is this a reflection of the general decline in education in America, or is CBS just hiring dummies?

[iirishamerican]

They otta reopen the fact that these toyota suv's have limited side impact tests and could and do roll over easily on side impact. Toyota managed to sweep that under the rug a couple years back and settled out of court on several cases of serious injury and death. Amazing what money will do.