2008 Toyota Sequoia Suspension Problems

While driving slowly out of a parking lot, your wife heard a loud noise and the vehicle started shaking violently. The driver's side rear suspension airbag broke through the lower control arm and ended up under the rear tire, and the frame appears to have cracks. This happened at low speed, but could have caused a serious accident if it occurred on the highway. The vehicle may have qualified for a Toyota frame replacement program due to rust and frame issues, but you were not aware of it.

Your rear suspension and cross frame have developed severe rust and crumbling, which could fail at any time and cause loss of vehicle control. The frame itself has a rust-through area that will be replaced under warranty, but the suspension damage is not covered. You should have the rear suspension inspected immediately and likely replaced to ensure safe operation.

EXSESSIVE RUST CAUSING SEIZED BOLTS RELATED TO SUSPENSION. CANNOT DO PROPER ALIGNMENT OR CHANGE LEAKING SHOCK WITHOUT MAJOR PARTS BEING CUT FROM FRAME.

I WAS DRIVING IN RAIN GOING ABOUT 35-40 MPH ENTERING A CURVE WHEN I SAW A CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY. I TRIED TO HIT THE BRAKES BUT MY CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATED TO 55-60 MPH HITTING THE VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. IT THREW THE CAR I HIT OVER 100-200 FEET OFF THE ROAD INTO A TREE. MY CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND FINALLY STOPPED 1-2 FOOTBALL FIELDS' LENGTH UP THE ROAD. I HAD OVER $23,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR INCLUDING A CRACKED FRAME. IT TOOK OVER 6 WEEKS TO GET MY CAR FIXED BECAUSE THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP KEPT FINDING MORE DAMAGE AS THEY WORKED ON IT. IT WAS NOT TOTALED EVEN THOUGH I HAD INSURANCE THAT WOULD HAVE TOTALLY REPLACED THE CAR WITH A NEW ONE IF IT WERE TOTALED. I FEEL THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME SINCE. I SUSTAINED SHOULDER, NECK, BACK, AND R KNEE INJURIES WHERE I KEPT TRYING TO HIT THE BRAKE TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED I TOLD THEM THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP BUT ACTUALLY ACCELERATED WHEN I TRIED TO HIT THE BRAKE. I REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO CORPORATE TOYOTA BUT THEY NEVER GOT BACK WITH ME. SOON AFTER THERE WAS A RECALL WHERE SOMETHING HAD TO BE REPLACED ON MY ACCELERATOR. I WAS VERY UPSET THAT I NEVER GOT ANY RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA ABOUT MY ACCIDENT. *TR

FOUND A LARGE (2" DIA.) WASHER ON THE DRIVEWAY AT REAR OF THE CAR AND LATER A LARGE APPROX. 3/4" BOLT HEAD ON THE DRIVEWAY AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR. UPON INSPECTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, NOTED THAT THE FRONT BOLT ON THE RIGHT REAR CONTROL ARM WAS MISSING ITS HEAD. SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. REPLACE THE BOLT AT A COST OF ABOUT $110.00. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT PREVIOUSLY THAT I KNOW OF (WAS PURCHASED AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED SUV WITH 60,000 MILES), NOR HAD IT BEEN SUBJECT TO ANY HARD USE OR ROUGH TRAVEL, NOR HAD IT HIT CURBING OR OTHER OBSTACLE DURING OUR USE. APPEARANCE OF THE SHEARED BOLT HEAD HAD INDICATED THAT STRESS CRACKING AND CORROSION HAD BEGUN PRIOR TO TOTAL FAILURE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE CONTROL ARM OR THE SITE WHERE THE BOLT CONNECTS IT TO THE FRAME. CONCLUSION WAS THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT EVENTUALLY FAILED UNDER REGULAR USE. *TR