Toyota has announced a recall to its popular sports utility vehicle, the Toyota Sequoia. Toyota is recalling fifty thousand 2003 Toyota Sequoia SUVs to upgrade its anti-rollover software. This is the sixth recall Toyota has issued in recent months, again placing doubt in the minds of consumers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began an investigation into the Sequoia in late 2008 amid reports of sudden unexpected braking and slowing of the vehicle. Drivers reported to NHTSA that they suddenly would lose control of the throttle and the brakes would automatically apply themselves, stopping or slowing the vehicle. During these events the brake lights would not illuminate to warn traffic that the vehicle was stopping or slowing down.
Toyota has determined the defect to be located in the skid control software installed on the vehicles. A steering angle sensor in the vehicle was not stored properly activating the stability control system at inappropriate speeds causing the vehicle to brake. To remedy the defect Toyota will replace the skid control electronic control unit and upgrade the associated software. Half of the vehicles under warranty have already been fixed and Toyota will begin to fix the remaining defective vehicles in May 2010.
Although this recall is not connected to the recalls of sudden acceleration and the braking problems in the Prius, it again raises concern about the electronics of Toyota vehicles. This is the third recall that is associated with electronics and most experts in the auto community believe the electronic throttle control system is causing the sudden acceleration of Toyota vehicles.
Related Sources:
2003 Sequoia added to Toyota's recall list
