Toyota recalls 50,000 Sequoia SUVs

Toyota, the world's largest carmaker, yesterday issued a recall to about 50,000 early-2003 model Sequoia sport utility vehicles, for what it said, fixing traction controls that suddenly switch on and slow them down.

This is the Japanese automaker's eighth recall in the US this year, and the latest recall will add to the more than 6 million vehicles it has recalled globally since the past three months.

Toyota said it issued the Sequoia recall voluntarily to upgrade program logic in its Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, which can help control a loss of traction in turns as a result of front or rear tire slippage during cornering.

It added that in vehicles without the upgrade, the VSC system could, in limited situations, activate at low speed for a few seconds after acceleration from a stopped position and, as a result, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects.

The carmaker said there have been no reported injuries or accidents as a result of this condition.

Toyota instituted a running production change during the 2003 model year and published a Technical Service Bulletin to address this issue when it was first identified in Fall 2003.
Since that time, Toyota has been responding to individual owner concerns by replacing the Skid Control Engine Control Unit (ECU) in Sequoias impacted by this condition.