MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota Sequoia years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2018 and 2010 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota Sequoia Full report
D
Grade 2010–2018
2018 vs model median 1.6×
Model median3× median
Electrical 8
Driver Assist 8
Speed Control 4
Avoid

2010 · 2018

Best

2014 · 2016

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.35× 21 D
2011
0.72× 10 C
2012
1.17× 22 C
2014
0.83× 11 B
2016
0.63× 14 B
2018
1.64× 32 D
2023 P
2.63× 49 F
2024 P
2.54× 52 F

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2010 D 21 reports · median 42,000 mi

  1. Exhaust & Emissions 4

    2010 toyota sequoia. Brand new. Bumper began to melt from extreme heat emitting from exhaust pipe. Strong smell of smoke in vehicle. Brought to toyota. Had toyota rep. Inspect. He stated that toyota has rec.'d. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 3

    It made noise on start and while pulling out of parking the flames/smoke came under the engine/hood and whole vehicle got burned in few minutes. Recently had 30k service done by toyota dealer. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 3

    2007 toyota sequoia: latch on rear tailgate broke with 62k miles and 2.5 years into owning new vehicle purchased from dealer. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

2 crash · 1 fire

2018 D 32 reports · median 2,700 mi

  1. Electrical 8

    Issue: safety features failing at less than 500 miles problem statement: at less than 500 miles the safety sensors ( collision prevention, cruise control adaptable speed, rear cross traffic, blind spot monitor ) are… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Driver Assist 8

    I purchased this vehicle new from mark miller toyota on fri dec 29th, left the dealership at 12:10pm with 39 miles on it. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Speed Control 4

    The vehicle has a malfunction on the rear cross traffic, blind spot monitor and possible adaptive cruise control - at only 30 miles. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

The best year for the Sequoia

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2016 is the best-scoring Sequoia model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 76.8 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2016 0.63× 14 B
2014 0.83× 11 B
2011 0.72× 10 C

Recalls

15 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
10V017000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2010 2,230,661
20V012000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2018 1,830,752
15V689000 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS 2010, 2011 1,814,284
10V035000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 271,417
18V685000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2018 168,187
10V036000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 153,418
18V122000 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2018 64,901
21V920000 STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2010–2018 22,462
11V148000 TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS 2010, 2011 22,000
16V396000 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER 2010, 2011 7,749
13V123000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2012 7,525
13V014000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE 2010–2012 3,235

+ 3 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2018 were reported at a median of 2,700 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota Sequoia years should you avoid?
2018, 2010 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota Sequoia model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota Sequoia?
2016 is the best-scoring Toyota Sequoia model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 76.8 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota Sequoia have?
15 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota Sequoia model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2018 Sequoia
Complaints in window
32
Severity-weighted
36.5
Model median (weighted)
22
vs model median
1.64×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
5
Open investigations
0
Score 46.5 D