Toyota Sequoia cars produced between 2001 and 2008 are not recommended. Early iterations of this full-size SUV had serious design and drivability flaws compared to cars produced after 2008.
In its early years, the Toyota Sequoia appears to have experienced a number of problems. The most frequent ones include failures of the brakes, body/paint, steering, engine, and suspension. These raise risky situations.
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Which Toyota Sequoia Models are Safe to Buy Used?
The Sequoia has been in existence for roughly 20 years. It has undergone numerous modifications and enhancements during that time to become the car it is today. As was previously mentioned, the initial models produced between 2001 and 2008 weren’t very dependable.
There are still a ton of other options available, all of which offer top-notch support and dependability. Compared to owners of earlier model years, owners of these years have reported less issues. The following Toyota Sequoia model years are advised for purchase:
- Toyota Sequoia 2009
- Toyota Sequoia 2010
- Toyota Sequoia 2011
- Toyota Sequoia 2012
- Toyota Sequoia 2013
- Toyota Sequoia 2014
- Toyota Sequoia 2015
- Toyota Sequoia 2016
- Toyota Sequoia 2017
- Toyota Sequoia 2018
- Toyota Sequoia for 2019
- Toyota Sequoia 2020
- Toyota Sequoia 2021
It is clear from the development of the Toyota Sequoia that after 2008, Toyota made several important adjustments to the vehicle to make it more dependable. The initial generation, which spanned the years 2001 to 2007, appeared to have several issues.
Significant advancements were made in the second generation, such as the addition of a rear independent suspension that enhanced ride comfort. Less complaints have been expressed about models created since 2009. The brakes and engine are generally the sources of issues.
It’s important to note that there are not many complaints. Some model years hardly at all generated any complaints. Others just received one or two complaints. The majority of the vehicles that experienced issues had already traveled more than 100,000 miles. This demonstrates that the Toyota Sequoia is a dependable car that does not let you down.
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Which Toyota Sequoia Years to Avoid
There are a few Toyota Sequoia model years you should stay away from. These mostly apply to previous versions produced between 2001 and 2008. They struggle to provide the dependability that most drivers require. The Toyota Sequoia years to stay away from are listed below.
- Toyota Sequoia from 2001
- Toyota Sequoia 2002
- Toyota Sequoia 2003
- Toyota Sequoia 2004
- Toyota Sequoia 2005
- Toyota Sequoia from 2006
- Toyota Sequoia 2007
- Toyota Sequoia 2008
These model years’ most frequent issues are with the brakes, steering, engines, body/paint, and suspension. Additionally, some models had a rear hatch handle that breaks after around 90,000 miles. As they mature, earlier Sequoias also develop serious issues.
An unpredictable VSC traction control system, transmission failure, and a damaged manifold gasket were some of the worst issues mentioned. Additionally, the engine could stop working and die after only 100,000 kilometers. The 2002 Toyota Sequoia had the most issues, therefore we advise staying away from it.
Let’s say you drive a Toyota Sequoia from 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007. If so, you can also encounter other issues like a broken rear window, a broken ABS brake, or a malfunctioning VCS light. In addition, problems like loss of acceleration, a failing air injection system, excessive corrosion, rear-end clunk noises, a leaking camshaft tower, or a battery that discharges quickly exist.
A handful of the issues start to appear at roughly 3,000 miles. When the Toyota Sequoia has more than 90,000 miles on it, more problems start to appear. Comparing the 20012004 model years to the 20052008 model years reveals less issues.
Any Toyota Sequoia produced after 2009 can be purchased with much better assurance. These models exhibit the greatest levels of reliability and deliver exceptional performance. We advise staying away from all of the aforementioned years in order to be safe.
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Common Toyota Sequoia Problems
The Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV that is generally dependable and has good longevity. However, it has a number of issues that any prospective buyer should be aware of.
- Numerous Sequoia owners have voiced their dissatisfaction with the SUV’s corrosion difficulties, particularly with its structure. Evidently, the Sequoia rusts out very quickly due to its big metal frame’s high susceptibility to rust and corrosion.
- Transmission issues: It was said that the Sequoia’s earlier models had transmission troubles. Unfortunately, fixing transmission problems can be quite expensive. Due to the need to replace or rebuild the transmission system, Sequoia repairs could cost as much as $3,500.
- There have been numerous instances of faulty oxygen sensors on Toyota Sequoia vehicles from 2001 to 2004. The check engine light turns on as a result, which can be frustrating because it could signal a variety of concerns. Symptoms of an oxygen sensor failure include rough idling and low fuel economy.
- Premature ball joint deterioration has been a problem for the Sequoia from model years 2001 to 2008. Due to a production problem, experts have found that Sequoia’s ball joints are more prone to wear and damage.
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What does a Toyota Sequoia have high mileage?
The Toyota Sequoia can survive between 250,000 and 300,000 kilometers, according to owner reports. Your Toyota Sequoia will provide you with great service for roughly 17 to 20 years if you drive it around 15,000 miles per year.
The Toyota Sequoia is dependable.
The Toyota Sequoia has a 3.5 out of 5.0 reliability rating, which places it 5th out of 14 full-size SUVs. It has moderate ownership expenses since the average cost of annual repairs is $642. Repairs happen on average, but when they do, they are more likely to be serious than with other models.
What issues is the Toyota Sequoia experiencing?
The Toyota Sequoia is a big SUV that has been produced since 2001. Because of its spacious cabin, the powerful car is sometimes called a family vehicle yet it can also be used as an off-road SUV.
It is well known for being strong and dependable, and it can travel over 300,000 miles without experiencing significant problems. The car has a strong engine and is in high demand for resale.
Despite its outstanding endurance and dependability, the Sequoia nonetheless has issues of its own.
200000 kilometers for a Toyota Sequoiais that a lot?
It turns out that whether you buy a new or used Toyota Sequoia, you can count on it to survive longer than practically any other car you’ve undoubtedly owned. The Sequoia was assessed to be nine times more likely to exceed 200,000 miles than the majority of other vehicles, placing it in the No. 2 slot on iSeeCars’ list of the “Top Longest-Lasting Cars.” According to iSeeCars CEO Phong Ly, the Toyota Sequoia is constructed on a truck platform, just like the Land Cruiser, so it combines the toughness of a truck and space for up to eight passengers, making it a capable family hauler that can withstand high mileage.
According to Motors and Wheels, Toyota Sequoia owners have stated that their vehicles have lasted between 250,000 and 300,000 miles. J.D. Power also gave the Toyota Sequoia an overall score of 84 out of 100 in the “quality and reliability area.” In other words, assuming you drove the SUV 15,000 miles a year, it ought to last you roughly 17 to 20 years. It seems sense that Toyota named it after one of the planet’s oldest trees.
Do Sequoias cost a much to maintain?
The annual cost of car maintenance for a Toyota Sequoia is $642. The table that follows provides a detailed ranking of each car in this overall scheme for comparison’s sake. The Toyota Sequoia is significantly less expensive to maintain than the average car, which costs $651 year, given that it has an average cost of $642.
What is the best year Toyota Sequoia?
Depending on your needs and budget, you can select the ideal Toyota Sequoia. Two generations of the Sequioa have been produced; the first generation ran from 2001 to 2007 and the second from 2008 to the present. Purchase a 2007 Sequioa if you want a first-generation model. When compared to the Land Cruiser, which uses the Sequoia’s engine, these are the most dependable and a great deal.
2015 is a wonderful year to check out if you’re looking for a newer Sequoia and have a higher budget. Compared to the 4.7L in the first generation, this has a larger, more powerful 5.7L V8. The majority of the depreciation on the 2015 models has also already occurred; they will continue to lose value over the course of their lifetime at a reduced rate.
Toyota makes a fantastic three-row SUV called the Sequoia that should be able to provide you with many years of dependable service.
How long will a Toyota Sequoia last?
For either model, the Toyota Sequoia should have little trouble surviving more than 300,000 miles. If you drive 15,000 miles a year, this corresponds to more than 20 years. The Sequoia and Land Cruiser share many driveline parts, and because of the engineering work done on those parts, they last for a very long time.
The Sequoia continues Toyota’s tradition of making incredibly dependable vehicles, which is something the company is known for in general. Many first-generation Sequoia vehicles are still in use today and are in good condition. You will need to replace the timing belt roughly every 100,000 miles if you choose to purchase a first-generation vehicle with the 4.7L V8. Timing chain is included with the more recent 5.7L V8.
If you want an SUV that can tow and hold a lot of people, getting a Sequoia is a terrific alternative. They are Toyota’s largest SUVs currently available.
Is the Toyota Sequoia getting a redesign?
For 2022, it is unlikely that the Toyota Sequoia will get a complete redesign. To better blend in with the rest of Toyota’s SUV portfolio, various external tweaks will be made. For 2022, new features could include narrower headlights, smaller taillights, and a bigger front grille.
In the coming years, it’s possible that the Toyota Sequoia may no longer be produced. Due to poor sales, Toyota has stated that it will not be delivering the new Land Cruiser to the United States; similarly, the Sequoia may follow suit. As the Toyota Highlander has grown over the years and is now a 3-row SUV as well, it has been displacing Sequoia sales.
Toyota presently only provides one V8 SUV, the Sequoia, which also has the largest towing capability of all their SUVs. The Sequoia is still useful, but if sales keep falling, they might not release a third generation for the US market.
How durable are Toyota cars?
The typical lifespan of a Toyota vehicle is 1015 years and around 150,000200,000 kilometers. Although most new cars have a lifespan like this, that wasn’t always the case.
Highlander or Sequoia, which is superior?
The 2019 Toyota Sequoia is larger than the Highlander, which is the most obvious distinction between the two SUVs. In addition, the 2019 Toyota Sequoia offers increased cargo space and towing power. The Sequoia handles rough off-roading just as well as it does navigating busy highways. In actuality, its refined suspension and supple handling allow it to gently ride over humps.
It’s all thanks to the Sequoia’s sturdy V8 engine and truck-based SUV structure. The 2019 Toyota Highlander is constructed considerably differently from the Sequoia and has a real crossover SUV instead of a truck-based structure. The Highlander excels in quiet, comfortable driving, a wide range of standard safety features, and great fuel efficiency ratings.
The interior of the 2019 Toyota Highlander is roomy, easy to navigate, and equipped with a number of convenience features, including a height-adjustable power liftgate. We encourage you to stop by Le Mieux Toyota to compare the 2019 Toyota Sequoia and Highlander for yourself. Any queries you may have along the road can be answered by our distinguished team of professionals. Please visit us at any time!
Size and Styling
Both SUVs are fairly enormous. The Sequoia is significantly larger than the 4Runner, measuring 205.1 inches in length, while the 4Runner is 190.2 inches. In addition, the Sequoia is higher and wider than the 4Runner. In contrast, the 4Runner is 75.8 inches wide and roughly 72 inches tall, with dimensions of 79.9 inches wide and 77 inches high.
Parking the Sequoia could be a challenge for certain people. It might not fit in some smaller spaces and will take up a lot of space in a garage. For this reason, the 4Runner might be a better choice for people who reside in cities.
The Sequoia has a significantly larger interior than the other vehicle, which is one of their key contrasts. Its second seat offers excellent legroom, with 40.9 inches in the second row and 42.5 inches for the front passengers. There is 35.3 inches of legroom even in the third row.
The 4Runner’s optional third row only provides 29.3 inches of legroom, in contrast. Taller passengers will therefore have difficulty making themselves comfortable in the back. There is a slight improvement in second-row leg room, but not much. The third-row passengers in the Sequoia have more leg room than those passengers, who only have 32.9 inches. There wouldn’t be any problems up front because the 4Runner has 41.7 inches of front-row leg room.
Our brings up a crucial topic in this overview. Three rows of seating are typical in every Sequoia, but not all 4Runners have that extra row. Depending on whether the middle row includes a bench seat or a pair of captain’s chairs, the Sequoia may accommodate eight or seven passengers. In that row, the captain’s chairs could only fit two people while the bench seat could accommodate three. The Sequoia’s third row is spacious enough to accommodate three more passengers.
Four of the nine possible trims for the 4Runner may be configured to include a third row. The 4Runner might have seven seats in all thanks to its third row’s capacity for two passengers. There are no captain’s seats available, and the second row of every 4Runner has a bench seat.
The Sequoia has a sizable cabin and a lot of cargo space, as one might expect. It offers 120.1 cubic feet of space when the back seats are all folded down. There are 66.6 cubic feet of space available if only the third row is folded down, which is more than the maximum load space offered by certain two-row SUVs. There is 18.9 cubic feet of storage space behind the third row.
Although the 4Runner is sizable, the Sequoia dwarfs it in size. It has an 88.8 cubic foot freight capacity at its fullest. It has 46.3 cubic feet of room behind its second row of seats. The third row severely reduces a 4Runner’s ability to carry baggage. There is simply a nine cubic foot cargo hold beneath that third row.
Both vehicles have a commanding presence in terms of style. They sit almost ten inches off the ground, which is partly a result of their height and the height of their frames. Compared to the hefty Sequoia, the 4Runner appears to be a little more maneuverable.
These two Toyotas come equipped with LED fog lights and LED headlights as standard. The Sequoia includes standard LED Daytime Running Lights as well, and the fog lights’ bezels can be either chrome, dark silver, or darkened chrome. Both versions can have exterior elements made of chrome to give them a more upscale appearance. There are TRD Pro trims available, and those have unique badging.
20-inch wheels, cargo baskets or roof racks, a power sunroof and power liftgate, and automated running boards are some of the better features that may be added to the 4Runner. A motorized liftgate, moonroof, customized side mirrors, aluminum or black running boards, and front skid plates are all options for the Sequoia. These mirrors contain a memory feature, puddle lights, a reverse tilt-down functionality, and an automated dimming option.
Drivability
Both of these Toyotas have ample power. They ought to be able to dazzle a lot of drivers with their prowess.
The 4Runner is powered by a 4.0-liter V6 whereas the Toyota Sequoia has a 5.7-liter V8 under the hood. The Sequoia has 401 pound-feet of torque and 381 horsepower. The 4Runner’s 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque are more than adequate, but they can’t quite keep up.
Many folks intend to pull cargo behind their SUVs. The Sequoia can carry more weight than the 4Runner, which is impressive since it can tow up to 5,000 pounds. With the right equipment, it can tow up to 7,400 pounds.
The transmission types of the two cars are comparable. Both offer sequential shift mode to provide drivers some manual control over shifting, and both have electronically controlled automatic transmissions. While the 4Runner’s transmission only has five speeds, the Sequoia’s has six.
The Sequoias may almost all be equipped with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. The top-of-the-line TRD Pro model is only available as an SUV with all-wheel drive. A Torsen limited-slip center differential that can be locked in place to improve traction would be present in an all-wheel drive Sequoia.
Enhance suspensions are available for many Sequoias. For instance, the TRD Pro has piggyback reservoir TRD FOX shocks. The adaptive variable suspension in the Platinum trim allows it to modify itself according to the state of the road. The changes will be made to make the ride softer if the terrain is uneven. The shock absorbers don’t need to move about as much when driving on a smooth roadway.
Additionally, 4×4 drivetrains are standard on a number of 4Runner levels. Part-time 4WD systems and locking rear differentials are included as standard equipment on the TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, Venture Special Edition, and TRD Pro models. A permanent 4WD system is an option for the Limited trim. The Torsen limited-slip differential would be the same as that found in the Sequoia.
To assist drivers in navigating rough terrain, Toyota has added a few extra functions to the 4Runner. Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control are available on some trims, allowing their performance to be tailored to the specific circumstances. The SUV’s speed is controlled by this program by modulating the brakes and throttle, allowing the driver to concentrate just on steering.
The 4Runner can have higher-quality suspensions, just as the Sequoia. A unique Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, a sport-tuned suspension, or TRD FOX shocks are all options for this SUV. A cutting-edge part, the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, uses hydraulics to maintain stability.
Despite the fact that the Sequoia and 4Runner handle themselves admirably, it must be noted that they don’t get good fuel efficiency. The Sequoia’s estimated city/highway mileage is barely 13/17 miles per gallon. The fuel efficiency of the 4Runner is marginally better, with an estimated 1619 (city/highway) miles per gallon.