2005 Toyota Sequoia Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia.

20042006
Complaints
558
per 10K Sold
121.6
US Sales
45,904
Crashes
9
Fires
5
Injuries
21
Fatalities
2
Recalls
8

Worst 2005 Toyota Sequoia Problems

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

#193 complaints

Electronic Stability Control

Avg mileage:98,361 mi
#285 complaints

Unintended Acceleration

Avg mileage:92,894 mi
Crash-related:2
#360 complaints

Brakes

Avg mileage:112,573 mi
Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia.

Electronic Stability Control
93
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
98,361
Unintended Acceleration
85
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
92,894
Brakes
60
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
112,573
Airbags
39
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
50,478
Electrical Faults
33
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
87,565
Engine Problems
33
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
105,257
Traction Control System
25
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
79,510
Hydraulic Brakes
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
104,499
Body Structure
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
152,885
Suspension Failures
18
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
81,914
Engine & Cooling
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
73,678
Fuel System
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
81,714
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
33,364
Transmission / Drivetrain
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
90,162
Tire Defects
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
23,200
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
36,507
Steering Defects
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
134,036
Automatic Transmission
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
40,443
Parking-Brake Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Child Seat
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Electric
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2005 Toyota Sequoia

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~4,624,545 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.

16V396000Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/cooler
~7,749 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

16V065000Air Bags:side/window
~320,409 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

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.

14V743000Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/cooler
~3,233 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

10V036000Equipment:other:labels
~153,418 affected

SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Other Toyota Sequoia Years

2005 Toyota Sequoia — FAQ

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

Is the 2005 Toyota Sequoia reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2005 Toyota Sequoia has 558 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash-related, and 8 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electronic Stability Control with 93 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2005 Toyota Sequoia?
Top reported problems: Electronic Stability Control (93 complaints, avg 98,361 mi); Unintended Acceleration (85 complaints, avg 92,894 mi); Brakes (60 complaints, avg 112,573 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 2005 Toyota Sequoia?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 91,624 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2005 Toyota Sequoia?
NHTSA complaints for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia include 9 crash-related reports, 5 fire reports, 21 injuries, and 2 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 2005 Toyota Sequoia have any recalls?
Yes — 8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 4,624,545 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 2005 Toyota Sequoia?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (electronic stability control) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

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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