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Toyota SequoiaModel year report

2004 Toyota Sequoia Problems

Complaints
380filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
95,000miles, 295 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
14 mpgcombined, 4.7L 8-cyl RWD · 13 city / 17 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Toyota Sequoia (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2004 Sequoia most often describe warning lights and unexpected braking or power loss tied to the stability and traction control system, often starting well before 100,000 miles. A second common theme is serious frame and rear hatch rust reported at higher mileage, and many owners say dealers told them the available rust-related service campaign had expired.

  1. Electronic stability control

    VSC/TRAC lights with unexpected braking or power loss

    • 156 complaints (41%)
    • median 82,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (140 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,507 (median of 37 quotes)
    • filed 2004–2024

    Owners describe the VSC, TRAC OFF and brake warning lights coming on intermittently, sometimes while driving at steady speed or turning at low speed. When the lights appear, complaints say the vehicle may slow down on its own, briefly cut accelerator response, or brake and grind unexpectedly, and a few describe the vehicle stopping suddenly. Dealers often pointed to the skid control ECU, yaw rate sensor or brake booster as the cause, with repair estimates ranging from several hundred to a few thousand dollars, while some visits ended with 'no problem found'. Reported from a few thousand miles up through roughly 250,000 miles, with many complaints filed between 80,000 and 160,000 miles.

    What to check: Have a shop read stored codes in the skid control ECU and check service records for skid control ECU, yaw sensor or brake booster replacement. Ask whether the VSC/TRAC lights have come on during a test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2004 Toyota Sequoia that had the right rear wheel bearings replaced last week at my Toyota dealership. Now the engine light is staying on as well as the vhs trac and trac off indicator lights. The car jerks when accelerating. This problem has been intermittent for two months but is now all the time.”

    NHTSA complaint #10360939, filed 2010-10, 118,000 miles

    “We had tires changed, then the skid light came on we lost power on the freeway the car fish tailed my husband changed the fuel filter thinking that there was no way changing tires could make our 2004 Sequoia lose power, the problem still exists I am frightened to drive my car the light comes on I lose power at 70mph this could create serious accident. I have read lots of others experiencing same problem these should be recalled.”

    NHTSA complaint #10383924, filed 2011-02, 100,091 miles
  2. Body and structure

    Frame and rear hatch rust

    • 104 complaints (27%)
    • median 134,444 mi at 11.6 yrs old (77 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $600 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2004–2026

    Owners report rust perforation in the frame and rear subframe, in some cases with holes and a rattling or shaking front end, and describe being told by dealers that the rust-related service campaign had expired. Rear hatch latches and handles are also a repeated complaint, with the hatch failing to open or close and lock and handle assemblies replaced multiple times. A few owners describe the rear differential housing rusting through and leaking fluid. Mostly reported above 100,000 miles, often on vehicles 15 or more years old and in rust-belt or coastal areas.

    6 related service bulletins

    What to check: Put the vehicle on a lift and inspect the frame rails and rear subframe for perforation, flaking or soft metal, and check the differential housing for seepage. Test the rear hatch handle and latch several times.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The rear differential housing has rusted to the point that the lubricant leaked out. I understand talking to the dealership this a common problem along with the frame rusting. If I had not noticed the oil puddle on the ground I would have continued to drive this vehicle until the rear differential gears seized. Need I say more? If the rear end became inoperable this vehicle would go out of control.”

    NHTSA complaint #10520229, filed 2013-06, 130,000 miles

    “Took 2004 Sequoia to kings Toyota for the airbag recall as well as diagnostic eval of vsc ABS lights issue. Received a phone call that the tech could not determine the electrical problem unless we paid an additional $360 for more time to diagnose and that the frame was rusted through with large holes. Wondered if we wanted to pursue the electrical issue with the larger safety issue with the frame. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11302665, filed 2020-01, 187,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    Brake warning light and low or soft brake pedal

    • 79 complaints (21%)
    • median 85,000 mi at 7.7 yrs old (71 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 17 quotes)
    • filed 2006–2024

    Complaints describe the brake warning light staying on or coming on randomly, sometimes alongside ABS and traction lights, and needing an engine restart to clear. Some owners report the brake pedal traveling toward the floor or brakes grabbing and making noise, and several say dealers could not reproduce or explain the light. Others describe uneven rotor wear and shaking when braking. Spread from low mileage up past 150,000 miles; many reports fall between 40,000 and 130,000 miles.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check brake fluid level and pedal feel, and look at rotor condition for uneven wear or scoring. Ask if the brake warning light has been reported and whether a diagnostic scan was done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Having problems with the brakes, rotors and components. Shaking and wearing uneven. Toyota will not stand behind their warranties. I know that many other people are having same problems. This is the second Toyota I had with this problem. This is a warning to all...speak-up...make them stand behind their product,before someone get badly hurt or dies over faulty equipment. You got it Toyota..fix-it-right. Show us the love... We have given you .”

    NHTSA complaint #10252992, filed 2008-12, 20,000 miles

    “My brake light continue to come on and will remain on until I turn off the SUV. I have taken it back to the deal which I bought it from and they supposed to have reset it, however, it came back on a week later I took it back and they kept it all day to fix it. They could not tell me what was causing the light to come on after keeping the vehicle all day. I took it to an independent dealer cosby body shop and he checked the SUV but could not see what was wrong since the light was not on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10513339, filed 2013-05, 104,000 miles
  4. Suspension

    Front lower ball joint wear and separation

    • 23 complaints (6%)
    • median 108,000 mi at 4.9 yrs old (16 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2005–2026

    Complaints describe the front lower ball joint failing with little or no warning, in two cases letting the front wheel drop or come off while maneuvering at low speed. Other owners mention noise, steering effort changes and difficulty getting a recalled joint replaced, and one describes the joint separating on a nearly new vehicle. Reported from about 2,000 miles to over 350,000 miles, so at low mileage as well as on high-mileage vehicles.

    Recall 07V013000Recall 05V225000

    What to check: Ask whether the front lower ball joints were replaced under the earlier ball joint recall, and have a mechanic check them for play, torn boots or looseness before driving.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was simply parking my 2004 Toyota Sequoia in parking lot space. Left front tire fell completely off the car without any previous warning of pending problems! Ball joint catastrophically failed! Prior recent new tires and alignment showed no pending problems. Did a check and found many prior ball joint issues for this car and a prior recall years ago. Towed to Toyota dealership in capitola ca. They replaced ball joint and related parts. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11414630, filed 2021-04, 356,000 miles

    “Left front (drivers side) wheel ball joint(s) failed catastrophically causing wheel to fall off and wedge under car while pulling into a parking space. No prior warning, no prior noise, no prior steering issues, no strange tire wear (tires just replaced 6 months ago). Just instant and catastrophic failure!”

    NHTSA complaint #11403018, filed 2021-03, 356,000 miles

Buying note. Check the frame and rear subframe for rust perforation before anything else, since that is the most expensive item owners describe, and have the stability control system scanned for stored codes. Ask for paperwork showing the airbag inflator recalls and the earlier ball joint recall were completed, and budget for possible skid control ECU or brake work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 380 consumer complaints for the 2004 Toyota Sequoia. 295 of the complaints include a mileage, and 20% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 95,000 miles. Of all complaints, 17 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 19 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 159 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (7), Fuel system (7), Wheels (7), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (6), Tires (5), Engine (4), Latches, locks and linkages (4), Engine cooling (3), Seat belts (3), Equipment (2).

Example complaints

Electronic stability control: “I have to add my voice to the crowd. The vsc trac, vsc off, and ABS brake warning lights come on intermittently. Loses power. Toyota wants $1500+ to replace a computer and they don't guarantee a fix. This problem occurs while on the road and sometimes after just starting it up in the driveway. It's a known issue that Toyota should fix..”

NHTSA complaint #10886223, filed 2016-07, 54,000 miles

Brakes: “I have a '04 Sequoia 4wd ltd, my vsc trac, vsc off and ABS lights come on and stay on, they never go off. The visit to a dealer ended with them stating that they could not read any codes, so the vsc computer needs to be replaced, about $1,500.00 total. The car is not experiencing any problems, but, the lights stay on.....Sequoia has 83k miles. Anyone offer any advice or help to solve the problems?”

NHTSA complaint #10690735, filed 2015-02, 82,000 miles

Body and structure: “*filed with attorney general of new york* recall was issued on the 2004 Sequoia due to corrosion. On july 25, 2013 we brought our car to the dealership to apply a protective coat and waited a week for the car to be returned to us. We had to return the vehicle, september, 2014, to the dealer with the same problem, the spray was flaking off exposing the rust underneath. …”

NHTSA complaint #10658579, filed 2014-11, 70,000 miles

Other or unknown: “I sold the automobile listed above on 08/13/15 to an individual and realized after that I did not remove the plate from the car. Because I live in nc, I will have to return the plates before canceling the insurance. The current owner is driving under my registration and insurance.”

NHTSA complaint #10748786, filed 2015-08, 304,213 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

20% of the 295 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 55,000 and 139,000 miles.

4%0–104%10–2513%25–5018%50–7515%75–10026%100–15021%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (295 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 95,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’05’0856’11’14’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Toyota Sequoia. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Sequoia · sedan RWD/AWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2004 Toyota Sequoia version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Sequoia 2WD4.7L 8-cyl4-speed automatic131714$4,800
Sequoia 4WD4.7L 8-cyl4-speed automatic131614$4,800

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2004 Toyota Sequoia → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 159 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 159 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Sequoia

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2019722,3005—15—Not enough data
2018202,6844—15—Falling
2017731,0002—15—Not enough data
20161133,5002—15—Not enough data
2015921,5002—15—Not enough data
20141739,3002—15—Rising
20131232,5002—15—Not enough data
20122027,5003—16—Falling
20111760,0006—16—Falling
20103162,5009—16Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
20096117,8208—15—Not enough data
20086760,0008—15Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
200713673,0007—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200620289,0008—15Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200535287,0009—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200438095,0006—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200356584,0006—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2002666111,5006—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2001531119,2631—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Toyota Sequoia model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Toyota Sequoia?

Owners of the 2004 Sequoia most often describe warning lights and unexpected braking or power loss tied to the stability and traction control system, often starting well before 100,000 miles. The issues reported most often: VSC/TRAC lights with unexpected braking or power loss; Frame and rear hatch rust; Brake warning light and low or soft brake pedal.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Toyota Sequoia have?

NHTSA recorded 380 consumer complaints for the 2004 Toyota Sequoia as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Toyota Sequoia is reported most often?

Electronic stability control is named most often, in 101 complaints (27% of the total), followed by brakes with 100.

Has the 2004 Toyota Sequoia been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2004 Toyota Sequoia get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Toyota Sequoia (Sequoia 2WD, 4.7L 8-cyl) at 14 mpg combined, 13 city and 17 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Toyota Sequoia reported?

Among the 295 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 95,000 miles and the middle half falls between 55,000 and 139,000 miles; 20% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.