Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 Toyota Sequoia problems

Owners filed 17 complaints about the 2011 Toyota Sequoia with NHTSA between May 2011 and Jan 2026. The most-cited component is fuel/propulsion system (2).

Complaints
17
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Fuel/propulsion system2
  2. Service brakes2
  3. Engine2
  4. Electrical system2
  5. Engine and engine cooling2
  6. Seats2
  7. Steering1
  8. Latches/locks/linkages1
  9. Structure1
  10. Vehicle speed control1
  11. Parking brake1
  12. Air bags1
  13. Other / unknown2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20114
20121
20130
20141
20152
20161
20171
20181
20190
20202
20210
20221
20231
20241
20250
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Fuel/propulsion system

2 reports1 crash
“The vehicle fuel tank was punctured and then patched with JB Weld Epoxy. This vehicle was sold to me by a private owner that did not disclose this information to me. The safety of my family as well as thousands of others were at risk as the vehicle was parked in several parking garages of large buildings. The fuel tank and fuel pump has been replaced by Lewis Toyota of Topeka, KS. Several occurrences of a strong fuel smell had taken place for the two week time frame from the previous owner selling it to me. A fuel smell was present at inspection before purchase, however the owner stated that he had spilled fuel.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2026Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11710632

Service brakes

2 reports
“On [XXX] while driving our 2011 Toyota Sequoia 4x4 Limited (5.7 iforce non flex fuel) my wife was preparing to stop at a traffic light. Completely unexpected and with no warning, the vehicle started bucking, the engine began making a knocking noise and numerous dashboard lights started flashing. It immediately stalled while attempting to stop, thus, causing a very dangerous situation, losing total control of the brakes and steering, nearly causing a collision with the vehicle in front of her. The vehicle had to be towed from the middle of the road, while in heavy traffic. Eventually it was diagnosed (at my mechanics shop) and determined to be a broken valve spring in cylinder #7. This caused the valve to drop into the cylinder bore, making contact with the piston, known as "catastrophic failure on an 'interference' engine"..I later learned that these DEFECTIVE ($5) valve springs, are used in my meticulously maintained 5.7 Toyota motor,...THE SAME PART NUMBER UNDER RECALL IN SEVERAL LEXUS VEHICLES!! Being that I constantly maintained this vehicle and it being in overall excellent condition, I determined it was less expensive to have the engine replaced over…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2024Steering, Service brakes, EngineODI 11578821

Engine

2 reports
“TOYOTA HAS A FAULTY DESIGN ON 5.7 LITER SEQUOIAS AND TUNDRAS WHERE THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT TOWER SEALANT LEAKS OIL TOWARDS THE CABIN. SINCE THE ENGINE IS TILTED BACK, THE ENGINE OIL IS DIRECTED TO A HEAT SHIELD AND THEN DIRECTLY TO THE EXHAUST PIPE. UPON REACHING THE EXHAUST IT CAUSES SMOKE. THE SMOKE WILL ENTER INTO THE CABIN CAUSING ENGINE FUMES WHICH OCCUR WHEN DRIVING OR PARKED UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLS. THE ENGINE COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE THAT CAME OUT. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED FIRES. EVIDENCE OF THIS PROBLEM IS READILY AVAILABLE SEARCHING "TOYOTA TUNDRA CAM LEAK FIRE", FURTHERMORE, CHANGE.ORG PETITION HAS OVER 5,178 SIGNATURES REQUESTING THE RECALL. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES FROM 1,000 MILES AND UP. TOYOTA NOW USES A DIFFERENT SEALANT TO PREVENT THIS LEAKING, SO THEY MUST HAVE RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE BUT HAVE REMAINED SILENT. UPON CONTACTING TOYOTA, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT HE "HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM". THE DEALERSHIP THAT IS FIXING THIS HAS A NUMBER OF EXPERIENCED MECHANICS THAT DO SEE THIS OFTEN. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH THIS CONDITION AND THE COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $3,000!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2020EngineODI 11319081

Electrical system

2 reports
“THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR ON EACH OF THE DOORS ON THE SUV HAVE FAILED. THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK WITHOUT USING THE KEY, AND THE ONLY DOOR WITH KEY ACCESS IS THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE DOORS CAN BE LOCKED/UNLOCKED FROM INSIDE. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS SEEM EXCESSIVELY HIGH, AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON TOYOTA VEHICLES. SINCE THE ACTUATOR IS PART OF THE DOOR LATCH, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ACTUATOR FAILURE MAY LEAD TO A LATCH PROBLEM. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT REST.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2018Electrical systemODI 11160786

Engine and engine cooling

2 reports
“2011 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE AIR PUMP REPAIR PROBLEMS. *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW AIR PUMP AND A NEW AIR PUMP DRIVER AT A COST OF $ 2643 BEFORE TAXES. THE DEALER NOTED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSE BY POSSIBLY WATER INTRUSION. *JB MA 10/21/15 UPDATED 10/12/2017*CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2015Engine and engine coolingODI 10714829

Seats

2 reports2 related recalls
“MY CHILDREN (5 AND 6 YEARS OLD) WERE IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT IN BACKLESS BOOSTER SEATS WITH SEATBELTS ON. AFTER PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD, I HEARD MY 5 YEAR OLD SCREAMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. MY 6 YEAR OLD (WHO REMAINED IN HIS BOOSTER WITH THE SEATBELT FASTENED), MANAGED TO PUSH THE BUTTON NEAR THE SIDE DOOR TO RAISE/LOWER THE SEAT IN THE THIRD ROW. AS HE DID THIS, MY 5 YEAR OLD'S HEAD BECAME WEDGED BETWEEN THE THIRD ROW SEATS. I PULLED OVER AND GAINED ACCESS TO HIM FROM THE REAR HATCH. THE SEAT WOULD NOT MOVE BACK ANYMORE FOR ME TO GET HIS HEAD OUT. I HAD TO FORCE HIS HEAD OUT WITH MY HANDS. HE HAS SOME SERIOUS BRUISING ON THE SIDE OF HIS FACE. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I COULD NOT FIND ANY WAY TO DISABLE THEIR SEAT CONTROLS (LIKE I CAN FOR THE WINDOWS) TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT TOYOTA WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE IN THE FUTURE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 22, 2014SeatsODI 10565449
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.