Investigations
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND/OR TRAC
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE08072 — closed, opened 2008-12-16 and involving the TOYOTA SEQUOIA.
NHTSA investigation PE08072 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2008-12-16 and currently closed. The subject of record is TOYOTA SEQUOIA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for TOYOTA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-04-15 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE08072 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "ODI HAS RECEIVED 64 CONSUMER REPORTS AND TOYOTA HAS RECEIVED 96 REPORTS THAT ALLEGE INCIDENTS OF INAPPROPRIATE ACTIVATION OF EITHER THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM [TOYOTA NOMENCLATURE: VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related TOYOTA files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
ODI HAS RECEIVED 64 CONSUMER REPORTS AND TOYOTA HAS RECEIVED 96 REPORTS THAT ALLEGE INCIDENTS OF INAPPROPRIATE ACTIVATION OF EITHER THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM [TOYOTA NOMENCLATURE: VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VSC)] AND/OR THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA VEHICLES. DURING THE ACTIVATION OF EITHER SYSTEM THE DRIVER LOSES THROTTLE CONTROL AND ONE OR MORE BRAKES MAY APPLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW SUDDENLY. DURING THESE ACTIVATION EVENTS THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT ILLUMINATED TO SIGNAL TO FOLLOWING TRAFFIC THAT THE VEHICLE IS SLOWING. SOME OF THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGE ALMOST BEING STRUCK BY FOLLOWING OR CROSSING TRAFFIC BECAUSE OF THE UNEXPECTED DECELERATION. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER FOR PE08-072, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THE REPORTS SUBMITTED TO ODI AND TO TOYOTA AND THAT IT BELIEVES THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPORTED INCIDENTS. IT IS TOYOTA'S OPINION THAT THE VSC SYSTEM WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND THAT THE REPORTS ARE MOST LIKELY RELATED TO THE APPLICATION OF THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM RATHER THAN THE VSC SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME TOYOTA HAS NOT DETERMINED THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS IN THE MY 2003 SEQUOIA VEHICLES. THIS PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA09-006) TO CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY, AND SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other TOYOTA Investigations
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
Electrical problems / No-start
Joyson Passenger Side Air Bag Cushion
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.