2003 Toyota Sequoia Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Toyota Sequoia.

20022004
Complaints
875
Crashes
27
Fires
2
Injuries
34
Fatalities
3
Recalls
5

Worst 2003 Toyota Sequoia Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1158 complaints

Electronic Stability Control

Avg mileage:92,918 mi
Crash-related:2
#286 complaints

Unintended Acceleration

Avg mileage:93,779 mi
Crash-related:4
#357 complaints

Body Structure

Avg mileage:142,505 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Toyota Sequoia.

Electronic Stability Control
158
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
92,918
Unintended Acceleration
86
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
93,779
Body Structure
57
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
142,505
Brakes
55
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
114,089
Electrical Faults
54
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
75,382
Traction Control System
51
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
92,588
Airbags
39
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
129,909
Hydraulic Brakes
38
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
95,892
Suspension Failures
28
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
135,293
Steering Defects
22
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
93,913
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
48,347
Engine Problems
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
166,943
Structure:Frame And Members
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
140,442
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
122,659
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Abs Warning Light
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
52,886
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
49,900
Service Brakes, Electric
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
83,304
Latches / Locks
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
62,442
Tire Defects
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
60,433
Instrument Cluster
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
38,955
Electronic Stability Control:Automatic (Asc)
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
39,881
Engine & Cooling
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,129
Structural Problems
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
62,750
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
27,962
Parking-Brake Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
87,333
Transmission / Drivetrain
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
101,390
Fuel System
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
149,842
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
5,050
Other Equipment
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Toyota Sequoia. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2003 Toyota Sequoia

5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~4,189,736 vehicles.

19V741000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~928,220 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

18V883000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~168,993 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

15V285000Airbags
~1,973,468 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

15V286000Airbags
~1,069,055 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.

10V176000Traction Control System · Electronic Stability Control
~50,000 affected

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.

Other Toyota Sequoia Years

2003 Toyota Sequoia — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2003 Toyota Sequoia reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 2003 Toyota Sequoia has 875 NHTSA complaints, 27 crash-related, and 5 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electronic Stability Control with 158 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
Top reported problems: Electronic Stability Control (158 complaints, avg 92,918 mi); Unintended Acceleration (86 complaints, avg 93,779 mi); Body Structure (57 complaints, avg 142,505 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 98,019 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
NHTSA complaints for the 2003 Toyota Sequoia include 27 crash-related reports, 2 fire reports, 34 injuries, and 3 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2003 Toyota Sequoia have any recalls?
Yes — 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 4,189,736 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 2003 Toyota Sequoia shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Toyota Sequoia reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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