Toyota Sequoia 2001–2027

This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.

Look under any 1st gen for frame rust, which owners say can end the truck. Autotrader's pick is a later 2nd gen with the 5.7L V8; on a 2008–2011, ask whether the air injection pump was replaced.

3 generations
27 model years
6 warnings
23 recalls

Learn

Generations

2001–2007
1st gen 2001–2007

Toyota's first full-size SUV, built beside the Tundra, with a 4.7L V8, seats for eight, and SR5 or Limited trims.

11 colors, 3 interiors
- Rusted frame All years Walk away if found
  
  What to check: Get the truck on a lift and look along the whole frame, the rear crossmember and the mounts near the rear axle for scale, flaking and holes.
  
  Autotrader calls frame rust the 1st gen's main concern. Nineteen owners of 2001s on one CarComplaints.com page report frame or underbody rust, several with frames judged unsafe and Toyota offering no help. Wikipedia says the Sequoia shared a frame rust recall with the Tacoma and Tundra, without naming its years.
  
  Sources ^1,2,3
4 warnings
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
Options, colors and years for the 1st gen →
2008–2022
2nd gen 2008–2022

Bigger, on the newer Tundra's platform with independent rear suspension, the 381 hp 5.7L V8 and a fold-flat third row. From 2013 the 5.7L was the only engine.

22 colors, 9 interiors, 3 rare catches

No walk-away warnings.
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
Options, colors and years for the 2nd gen →
2023–2027
3rd gen 2023–2027

Built in Texas on the new Tundra's frame, with the i-FORCE MAX hybrid twin-turbo V6 on every grade, a 10-speed automatic and a sliding third row. The V8 is gone.

15 colors, 6 interiors, 6 rare catches

No warnings recorded yet.
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
- 2027
Options, colors and years for the 3rd gen →

Timeline

1st gen 2001–2007
What changed, year by year (4)
1. 2001 New model, on the Tundra's underpinnings, with a 240 hp 4.7L V8 and optional stability control and curtain airbags.⁴
2. 2003 A rear-seat DVD player and load-leveling rear air suspension are offered.¹
3. 2005 A new grille, front fascia and tail lamps, 282 hp from the V8, a 5-speed automatic, optional navigation, and a rollover sensor for the side and curtain airbags.^5,3
4. 2007 Autotrader says front passenger airbags and side curtain airbags for both rows were added.¹
2nd gen 2008–2022
What changed, year by year (8)
1. 2008 New generation, larger, on the Tundra's platform, with independent rear suspension, the 5.7L V8, a fold-flat third row and the new Platinum.⁶
2. 2010 A 4.6L V8 with a 6-speed replaces the 4.7L, front knee airbags are added, and the stereo gains Bluetooth and iPod hookup.⁷
3. 2013 The smaller V8 is dropped, leaving the 5.7L, and a Blu-ray rear-seat entertainment system is offered.^8,1
4. 2014 Entune audio adds smartphone hookup.¹
5. 2018 A new grille and bumper, LED lamps, new gauges, Toyota Safety Sense-P, blind spot monitoring and the TRD Sport.⁹
6. 2020 The first TRD Pro, push-button start on every grade, and Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Alexa.¹⁰
7. 2021 The Nightshade Edition, and Lunar Rock for the TRD Pro.¹¹
8. 2022 Wind Chill Pearl replaces Blizzard Pearl and Super White. The Nightshade returns.¹²
3rd gen 2023–2027
What changed, year by year (5)
1. 2023 New generation, sharing its frame with the Tundra and the global Land Cruiser, with the hybrid twin-turbo V6, a 10-speed automatic and a multi-link rear. The V8 is gone.^13,14
2. 2024 The Nightshade package for the Limited, TRD Off-Road for the Platinum, Terra for the TRD Pro, and power-folding tow mirrors.¹⁵
3. 2025 The 1794 Edition, massaging front seats, a wireless trailer camera, and Mudbath for the TRD Pro.¹⁶
4. 2026 A power-folding third row on every grade, leather for the Limited, a Shale interior for the Capstone, and Wave Maker for the TRD Pro.¹⁷
5. 2027 A new front end, a 14-inch screen and Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 on every grade, the Trailhunter package, and Honeycomb for the TRD Pro.¹⁸

Buy

Rare catches

Rare options, colors and interiors to look out for, and whether finding one is good news.

Rare Nightshade Edition Trim · 2nd gen
A limited edition for 2021 and 2022; the count is the 2021 run^11,3

2,500 built³
Rare Army Green Color · 2nd gen
TRD Pro only¹⁰
Rare Lunar Rock Color · 2nd gen
TRD Pro only^11,12
Rare Solar Octane Color · 3rd gen
TRD Pro only at launch; for 2024 also on SR5 TRD packages and the Limited Nightshade^19,15
Rare Terra Color · 3rd gen
TRD Pro only, new for 2024¹⁵
Rare Mudbath Color · 3rd gen
TRD Pro only¹⁶
Rare Wave Maker Color · 3rd gen
TRD Pro only¹⁷
Rare Honeycomb Color · 3rd gen
A new TRD Pro colour for 2027¹⁸
Good find Black and white Interior · 3rd gen
Capstone only^13,16

Why it is a good find: The Drive's reviewer found the white and black leather nice and up-class, enough to worry about children ruining it.²⁰

Recalls 23

05V225000 2002–2004
Scratched front lower ball joints can wear, loosen and separate from the knuckle. They are replaced.^21,22,23
07V013000 2004–2007
Front lower ball joints can wear early and, in extreme cases, separate. They are replaced.^23,24,25,26
10V017000 2008–2010
The accelerator pedal can stick part-way down or return slowly. A reinforcement bar is fitted.^27,28,29
10V176000 2003
A programming fault can make stability control act briefly when pulling away from a stop. The control unit is reflashed or replaced.^30,22
11V148000 2008–2011
Tire pressure warnings were not recalibrated and may not light. They are recalibrated and a new label fitted.^27,28,29,31
12V491000 2008–2009
The power window master switch can overheat and melt, a fire risk. It is greased or replaced.^27,28
15V286000 2002–2007
The passenger front airbag inflator can rupture in a crash. The airbag is replaced.^{21,22,23,24,25,26}
15V285000 2002–2007
The passenger front airbag inflator can build too much pressure and rupture. The airbag is replaced.^{21,22,23,24,25,26}
15V689000 2009–2011
The power window master switch can short, overheat and melt, a fire risk. It is greased, or its circuit board replaced.^28,29,31
16V065000 2005–2006
A wrongly programmed control unit can fire the curtain airbags unexpectedly. The unit is replaced.^24,25
18V122000 2018
Electrical interference can switch off stability control. The software is updated.³²
18V685000 2018–2019
The airbag control unit can wrongly detect a fault at start-up and the airbags may not deploy. The software is updated.^32,33
18V883000 2002–2005
The passenger airbag inflator can rupture when it deploys. The inflator or airbag is replaced.^21,22,23,24
19V741000 2002–2007
A replacement passenger airbag inflator can explode. The inflator or airbag is replaced.^{21,22,23,24,25,26}
20V012000 2018–2019
The fuel pump can fail and stall the engine. The pump is replaced.^32,33
20V682000 2019–2020
The fuel pump can fail and stall the engine. The pump is replaced.^33,34
21V920000 2008–2022
The power steering gear may have been built wrongly and leak, losing assist. The gear is checked and replaced as needed.^{35,27,28,29,31,36,37,38,39,40,41,32,33,42,43}
23V468000 2023
A badly welded spare tire chain can break and drop the spare. The carrier is replaced.⁴⁴
24V125000 2023–2024
The SUV can roll in neutral without the brakes on. The transmission software is updated.^44,45
24V640000 2023–2024
The tow hitch cover on the rear bumper can loosen and fall off. The cover is replaced and the bumper modified.^44,45
24V767000 2024
Passenger-side tires may have inner sidewall damage and lose pressure suddenly. The tires are checked and replaced as needed.⁴⁵
25V657000 2023–2025
A software fault can stop the rearview image showing in reverse. The software is updated.^44,45,46
26V179000 2025
The load label may show wrong figures for the weight of added parts. The label is replaced.⁴⁶

Checked against NHTSA records on 21 October 2026.

Before you pay

A buyer's checklist for each generation: every warning and recall, with a box to tick.

Sources

The specs, year changes and recalls here are facts from Toyota, Edmunds, NHTSA and Wikipedia, with older colours from Cars.com's specs pages for single model years. The claims and issues are reputation, from Autotrader, a complaints site and Toyota's own warranty programs, and none is measured against sale prices yet. Recalls are Toyota's own, from NHTSA's records, checked for every model year.