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Toyota SequoiaModel year report

2005 Toyota Sequoia Problems

Complaints
352filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
87,000miles, 255 complaints with mileage
Recalls
9campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
15 mpgcombined, 4.7L 8-cyl RWD · 14 city / 17 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2005 Toyota Sequoia most often describe warning-light clusters and intermittent power loss tied to the stability/traction control system, usually at moderate mileage and often while turning or accelerating from a stop. Brake pedal and booster complaints are also frequent, and a number of owners report rear hatch latch failures and frame corrosion on higher-mileage vehicles.

  1. Electronic stability control

    VSC/TRAC and brake lights on, momentary power loss

    • 172 complaints (49%)
    • median 91,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (152 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 30 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2022

    Owners describe the VSC OFF, VSC TRAC, brake, and sometimes check engine lights illuminating together, often while turning, accelerating from a stop, or going over bumps. In many accounts the vehicle briefly cuts power or refuses to accelerate for a few seconds before returning to normal, and the lights sometimes clear after the engine is shut off and restarted. Several say dealers diagnosed the skid control ECU or computer and quoted repairs in the hundreds to low thousands of dollars; others report no stored codes or an inability to duplicate the condition. Most reports in the sample fall between roughly 40,000 and 160,000 miles, with several noting the lights appear more often in cold weather or on turns and rough pavement.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Have a scan tool read stored codes such as C1223, C1247, and C1310, and ask whether the skid control ECU has ever been replaced. Test-drive at low speed through turns and over bumps to see whether the lights trigger.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Both vsc and trac off warning lights are on as well as my brake light. Fluid is topped off and brakes were just replaced by Toyota a couple of months ago. I have pressed the trac off button but nothing happens. It vehicle appears to drive fine and dealer stated the skid control ecu is bad. However, as usual when going to a dealer, the lights are no longer on. Still id 'd problem as the skid control.”

    NHTSA complaint #10332552, filed 2010-05, 78,000 miles

    “Brake light, vsc light, low tire pressure light, ABS light, and one other light come on when it's cold. They go off when it's above 40 or so degrees. Replaced brakes and fixed parking brake (drove with it on because I got so used to ignoring all of the lights). Lights were off for about a week. 21 degrees out today and all the lights are back on. Will call Toyota and discuss why I just spent $900 and the lights are still coming on.”

    NHTSA complaint #10302961, filed 2010-01, 65,000 miles
  2. Brakes

    Brake pedal goes soft, long, or to the floor

    • 124 complaints (35%)
    • median 82,500 mi at 7.4 yrs old (110 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,550 (median of 22 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2024

    Complaints describe a spongy or inconsistent brake pedal, intermittent brake warning lights, grinding or shuddering during braking, and in some cases the pedal traveling to the floor with reduced stopping ability. Owners report dealers replacing the master cylinder, brake booster, ABS/skid control unit, pads, or the onboard computer, sometimes without fully resolving the symptom. Reports in the sample range from about 40,000 to over 240,000 miles, appearing at both low and high mileage.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for brake service records and check pedal feel on a test drive at low and highway speeds. Have a shop inspect the booster, master cylinder, and brake lines for leaks or corrosion.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 2005 Toyota Sequoia has been having intermittent brake lights coming on and off for months. Usually when I would turn the car off the lights would go off - only to return again for no apparent reason. I have brought the car in many times only to hear that the lights have to stay on for good to analyze and or fix it.....a Toyota dealership in savannah made this comment on my last full service appt and made the same reply yesterday. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10426671, filed 2011-09, 135,000 miles

    “We just purchased a used 2005 toyoyta Sequoia sr5 4wdon 01/23/2009. Almost immediately noticed that the brake warning lights kept coming on intermittently so in the intrest of our safety we took it in to a Toyota dealer and got it looked at. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10257279, filed 2009-02, 52,214 miles
  3. Engine

    Air injection pump failure with reduced power

    • 35 complaints (10%)
    • median 109,000 mi at 9.1 yrs old (31 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $3,000 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2024

    Owners describe a loud vacuum-like noise on startup, multiple warning lights, and a marked loss of engine power, with the vehicle struggling to reach or hold highway speeds. Complaints say dealers or shops identified the air injection or secondary air pump as the cause, with repair estimates reported around $3,000 in one case. Reported in the sample from roughly 70,000 to 120,000 miles.

    What to check: Listen for a loud rush-of-air noise at cold start and ask whether the air injection pump or valves have been replaced. A scan tool check for air injection codes is worthwhile before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Car had very little power when pressing gas pedal. Took to Toyota dealership where they indicated the air injection pump required replacement. I performed the required repair and it was $3,000. I've also seen this is a common problem with this model vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #10654933, filed 2014-11, 92,000 miles

    “A couple of days ago, when I was driving on the highway, my Sequoia suddenly stopped accelerating. Trac light and vsc light and check engine light came on. My speed would not go above 40mph and would not even brake. I was in the left lane and the cars behind me were going pretty fast and almost hit me. I am lucky there was no car in the right lane, so I pulled to that lane just in time. It was a scary moment for me because my kids were with me also. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10820700, filed 2016-01, 39,003 miles
  4. Other or unknown

    Frame rust and suspension mount corrosion

    • 40 complaints (11%)
    • median 150,000 mi at 10.6 yrs old (29 state mileage)
    • filed 2007–2023

    Owners describe rusted frame sections, corroded suspension arms and mounts, and in some cases a sway bar mount pulling away from the frame. Several mention dealer-applied undercoating that later flaked off, and one reports being told the frame could not be repaired. Mostly reported on high-mileage vehicles, generally above 150,000 miles and often in older, long-owned trucks.

    Recall 07V013000

    What to check: Inspect the frame rails, rear axle area, and suspension mounts closely for flaking coating or rust-through, especially on vehicles from road-salt regions. Ask whether any frame inspection or coating campaign was performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “These vehicles have a well known frame rust issue. In march of 2018, Toyota deemed this frame safe after an inspection and applied an undercoating to cover up the rust. A year later the undercoating began to flake off, revealing the severe rust underneath. Last week, not even three years later, we were making a right turn and felt a pop underneath. The passenger side sway bar mount broke loose from the frame, and the Toyota dealership told us the frame is so rotted there's nothing left to weld it back to. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11386488, filed 2021-01, 226,152 miles

    “The contact owned a 2005 Toyota Sequoia. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer on August 7th, 2023, where a protective chemical coating was sprayed on the sub frame. The contact stated that after driving, he noticed that power steering fluid was leaking from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact’s brother who is an independent mechanic, informed him about the source of the leak and noticed there was rust on the puncher frame. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11550200, filed 2023-10, 198,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection by a shop familiar with this generation is worthwhile, focused on stored stability-control codes, brake pedal feel, and frame rust. Service records showing whether the skid control ECU, air injection pump, or brake components have already been addressed will tell you more than mileage alone.

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 352 consumer complaints for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia. 255 of the complaints include a mileage, and 24% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 87,000 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 21 an injury, 2 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns and 218 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: Transmission and drivetrain (14), Fuel system (13), Tires (9), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (7), Steering (6), Wheels (4), Latches, locks and linkages (2), Seat belts (2), Equipment (1), Exterior lighting (1), Forward collision avoidance (1).

Example complaints

Electronic stability control: “Mileage is 76,500 and driving on city street and my vsc trac, vsc off and break light comes on with a grinding noise. I pulled the car on the side and turn off the car. Ever since the vsc trac, vsc off and break light are always on. I went online and I see a lot of Sequoia owners have the same problem. Is there a recall on this??”

NHTSA complaint #10874408, filed 2016-06, 76,500 miles

Brakes: “My vsc, trac and brake light all came on all of sudden with a large boom sound. The car stalled on me in an intersection. The lights go off once car is turned off and then after turning car back on they will come on about 5 minutes after driving. Car loses power every so often now. Dealer said it needs a new computer.”

NHTSA complaint #10504210, filed 2013-03, 121,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “While driving straight down the street, I heard a grinding sound and all of the vsc trac warning lights came on. After stopping and restarting the car, the car behaved normal again. This is the second occurrence. I'm presuming that the grinding noise might be the brakes pulsating. It is not safe for the brakes to automatically apply themselves during safe driving conditions.”

NHTSA complaint #10531612, filed 2013-07, 100,000 miles

Other or unknown: “My 2005 Sequoia has the vsc off and vsc trac lights on and it causes a hesitation in acceleration - which is a significant crash hazard. I notified Toyota about this and asked if they would fix it because they recalled other years of sequoias for the same problem. Toyota will not fix it and said that the 2005 has different parts than the years that they recalled. That is silly because the problem is there even if the parts are different. The hatchback latch has also broke and the hatchback will not open. …”

NHTSA complaint #10892770, filed 2016-08, 85,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

24% of the 255 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 55,000 and 120,000 miles.

5%0–105%10–2513%25–5018%50–7518%75–10029%100–15011%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (255 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 87,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’06’09’12’1545’18’21’24
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.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2005 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-cyl5-speed automatic141715$4,450
Sequoia 4WD4.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic131615$4,450

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

See all 9 recalls for the 2005 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. 218 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 218 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 2005 Toyota Sequoia?

Owners of the 2005 Toyota Sequoia most often describe warning-light clusters and intermittent power loss tied to the stability/traction control system, usually at moderate mileage and often while turning or accelerating from a stop. The issues reported most often: VSC/TRAC and brake lights on, momentary power loss; Brake pedal goes soft, long, or to the floor; Air injection pump failure with reduced power.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Toyota Sequoia have?

NHTSA recorded 352 consumer complaints for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2005 Toyota Sequoia is reported most often?

Electronic stability control is named most often, in 93 complaints (26% of the total), followed by brakes with 91.

Has the 2005 Toyota Sequoia been recalled?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2005 Toyota Sequoia get?

The EPA rates the 2005 Toyota Sequoia (Sequoia 2WD, 4.7L 8-cyl) at 15 mpg combined, 14 city and 17 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,450 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2005 Toyota Sequoia reported?

Among the 255 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 87,000 miles and the middle half falls between 55,000 and 120,000 miles; 24% 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. 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.