2002 Toyota Sequoia Latches & Locks Problems

I WENT TO EXIT MY CAR ONE NIGHT AND THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED OFF IN MY HAND LEAVING ME TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO EXIT MY VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT ALL PEOPLE USE TO EXIT THEIR VEHICLE THE DRIVERS DOOR. SHOULD I HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AT THE TIME I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN MY VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THAT MY REAR LID HANDLE STOPPED WORKING. TOYOTA REFUSED TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE WARRANTY IS UP AND THEY FEEL THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. IN CONTACTING MY LOCAL DEALER I WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND WAS JUST LAUGHED AT I WAS TOLD WHAT DO YOU EXPECT IT IS ONLY PLASTIC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE REAR TRUNK HATCH WITH HIS KEYS OR THE TRUNK RELEASE SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HAVING THE DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO ASSESS THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,500.

2002 SEQUOIA. NOW HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRUNK LATCH TWICE AS EACH TIME IT HAS RUSTED OUT AND WOULD NOT LATCH. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *TR

TO DATE, THE REAR DOOR HATCH, INSIDE DRIVER PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE AND NOW THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAVE CRACKED. ALL COMPONENT HAVE BROKEN OFF COMPLETELY, MAKING OPENING THE DOORS IMPOSSIBLE. THIS CREATES A DANGER FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGERS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT READILY EXIT VEHICLE. *TR

WHILE MAKING A TURN ON THE ROAD THE REAR TRUNK OPENED SPILLING ALL CONTENTS OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE LATCH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE BEFORE - APPEARS LOCKED BUT REALLY IS NOT. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH SOMEONE BEHIND ME NOT TO MENTION THAT IF A CHILD (OR ANIMAL) WAS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE THEY WOULD HAVE FALLEN OUT. THE LATCH WAS RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF OVER $300.00. TOYOTA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. THIS SHOULD BE - ALONG WITH THE LEATHER SEATS PEELING AND THE RUST ALL OVER THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO ALSO REPLACE STABILITY LINKS (NOT BALL JOINTS WHICH ARE UNDER RECALL) RODS AS WELL - TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST 1K...ALSO RUSTED. THERE APPEARS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT RUSTING ISSUE WITH THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES! (TOYOTA SEQUOIA 2002). *TR

THE LOCK TO THE REAR HATCH WILL NOT OPEN. WITH THIS PROBLEM I'M NOT ABLE TO GET TO MY SPARE TIRE. THE REAR HATCH HAS TO BE OPEN IN ORDER TO CRANK THE SPARE TIRE DOWN FROM ITS STORAGE SPOT UNDER THE TRUCK. *TR

MY REAR LATCH HANDLE SNAPPED AND BROKE. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE REAR LATCH. I PURCHASED THE LATCH PART AT A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR $72.00. I FOUND A LINK ON THE INTERNET WITH STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPLACING THE LATCH. ONLY TOOK ABOUT A HALF HOUR. *TR

THE BACK DOOR HANDLE/LATCH MALFUNCTIONS AND I CAN NO LONGER OPEN THE BACK DOOR. IN 2007 I WENT TO OPEN THE BACK DOOR AS USUAL AND THE HANDLE SNAPPED. I TRIED TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE AND IT DIDN'T LATCH. HAD TO TIE THE DOOR SHUT. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE LATCH AND HANDLE FOR APPX 280.00. A FEW WEEKS AGO THE HANDLE SNAPPED AGAIN, AND NOW THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN. THE DEALER SAID I CAN HAVE THEM REPLACE IT AGAIN. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO FORK OUT MORE MONEY. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ALL DOORS IN A VEHICLE SHOULD WORK. HEAVEN FORBID THERE WAS A CRASH AND THE ONLY EXIT IS THE BACK DOOR. DEALER IS NO HELP AT ALL. *TR

THE REAR LIFT DOOR ON OUR 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA REFUSED TO OPEN. AS I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR, IT FINALLY OCCURRED TO ME THAT, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO DISABLE THE BATTERY AND A FIRE WERE TO START IN THE FRONT HALF OF THE VEHICLE, THE IS NO WAY TO REMOVE OCCUPANTS FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE OR FOR THE OCCUPANTS TO OPEN THE REAR DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. THERE IS NO PHYSICAL MECHANISM FOR UNLOCKING AND OPENING THE REAR DOOR WITHOUT ELECTRICITY BEING AVAILABLE TO THE DOOR AND THE ELECTRICAL PART OF THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM WORKING PROPERLY. WHY HAVE MANUFACTURERS OF SUVS BEEN ALLOWED TO DESIGN AUTOMOBILES THAT DO NOT ALLOW FOR AN ESCAPE MECHANISM FROM THE INSIDE GOING OUT THE REAR DOOR? THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN (IT PROBABLY ALREADY HAS HAPPENED DURING A WRECK). *TR

THE LOCK ON THE REAR DOOR IS BROKEN AND THERE'S NO WAY TO OPEN DOOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE ANYONE SITTING IN THE THIRD ROW OF THE TRUCK HAS NO WAY TO GET OUT OF TRUCK,ALSO YOU CAN'T GET TO SPARE TIRE IF YOU HAVE A FLAT. THE REAR WINDOW WILL NOT OPEN EITHER. TOOK IT TO BE REPAIR AND THE PARTS ARE ON ORDER AND THE DEALER WANTS 850.00 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THIS LOCK IS SUPPOSE TO BE STAINLESS STEEL AND ENCLOSED IN A COMPARTMENT WHERE IT SHOULDN'T RUST. *TR

REAR DOOR OPENER LATCH HAS BROKEN TWICE IN SIX YEARS FOR NO GOOD REASON. I HAVE NO WAY TO OPEN THE REAR DOOR ONCE THIS OPENER LATCH IS BROKEN. THE LAST BROKEN LATCH IS AVAILABLE. *TR

THE REAR HATCH LATCH ON MY 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA HAS FAILED TWICE IN SIX YEARS. THIS GIVES THE LATCH AN AVERAGE LIFE SPAN OF 2 YEARS. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE LATCH JUST PRIOR TO FAILURE WOULD NOT HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE LATCH WHEN IT FAILS DOES NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE CLOSED AND SECURED. IF THIS FAILS WHILE OUT IN THE VEHICLE THIS FORCES ONE TO DRIVE HOME OR TO A REPAIR FACILITY WITHOUT THE REAR HATCH PROPERLY CLOSED. *TR

DRIVE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE CRACKED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I CALLED MOTOR IMPORTS IN HONOLULU, HAWAII AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE DEFECTIVE PART. ABOUT ONE YEAR EARLIER, THE HANDLE FOR THE LATCH TAILGATE SNAPPED. I HAD TO GO TO A REPAIR SHOP TO REPLACE BOTH THESE PARTS BECAUSE THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE FOR FREE. I AM SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY. THE TAILGATE MAY BE THE ONLY ESCAPE ROUTE FOR REAR PASSENGERS AND THERE IS NO INTERIOR LATCH TO OPEN THE TAILGATE. IF THE REAR EXTERIOR LATCH BREAKS OFF, THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE TAILGATE. WHEN MY DRIVER INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED, I REALIZE HOW DANGEROUS THIS VEHICLE CAN BE IN AN ACCIDENT ESPECIALLY WHERE EXITING THE VEHICLE IS IMPORTANT SUCH AS A FIRE OR IN THE WATER.

BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN OFF FROM NORMAL USE. AS A RESULT WE HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. AS THESE ARE POWER WINDOWS THIS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FAILURE. *NM

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA AND HAVE HAD THREE INSTANCES OF THE BACK HATCH LATCH ASSEMBLY BREAKING AND BECOMING UNLATCHED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE LATCH ASSEMBLY BECAME UNLATCHED AFTER THE REAR WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN. IN EACH CASE THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT RELATCH AND TO BE TIED SHUT. THE LATCH ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED BY A DEALER IN ORDER TO RESTORE THE HATCH TO OPERATION IN EACH CASE. DURING THE THIRD REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR HATCH LATCH ASSEMBLY THE DEALER TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE LATCH OPERATING CABLE HARNESS WAS ROUTED INCORRECTLY INSIDE THE REAR HATCH WHICH IS WHY THE REAR WINDOW WAS PUTTING STRESS ON IT AND DAMAGING THE LATCH ASSEMBLY. THE LATCH BROKE TWICE IN 08/2002, AND AGAIN IN 06/2005. *NM

INSIDE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE BROKE. CAN NOT EXIT VEHICLE ON PASSENGER SIDE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE REAR LIFT GATE, THE KEY LOCK ASSEMBLY WOULD NOT OPEN AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE REAR LIFT GATE LOCK ASSEMBLY WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

1. INSIDE DOOR HANDLE SNAPS/BREAKS OFF AT 30,000 MILES. 3 SEPARATE HANDLES HAVE BROKEN. DRIVER SIDE HAS BROKEN TWICE. MULTIPLE TIMES INCLUDING 3 OF 4 HANDLES OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW YEARS. 2 WHEN HANDLE BREAKS OFF YOU CAN'T EXIT THE CAR. 3. PARTS PLUS LABOR $70.00 - I HAVE OLD PART. *JB

2002 SEQUOIA REAR LATCH DOES NOT WORK. THIS CAUSED REAR DOORS NOT TO LOCK. *TS *NM

REAR DOOR (HATCH) WILL NOT OPEN. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME VEHICLE AND THEY ARE OR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LOCKING MECHANISM SEEM TO RUST OUT AND THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE A SEAL COMPARTMENT, THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS ABOUT 500.00. THIS LOCK IS IN A PLACE WHERE YOU AS A OWNER HAS NO CONTROL OVER IT NOR IS THERE A WAY FOR YOU TO MAINTAIN IT OR DO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE. ON IT. THIS PROBLEM JUST HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE FIRST TIME AND THEY FIX IT SO IT WOULD WORK AND IT DID FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS THEN IT FAIL AGAIN THIS WHEN THE DEALER INFORM ME OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR. IS ABOUT 500.00. THE NEXT TIME I WENT TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM I WAS CHARGE 59.00 JUST TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM, WHEN THE DEALER INFORM ME OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR. ABOUT 500.00 YOU NEED THIS LOCK AND HATCH TO WORK BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO THE SPAR TIRE IS TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH AND CRANK THE SPARE TIRE DOWN. *NM

REAR DOOR (HATCH) WILL NOT OPEN WHEN DOOR IS UNLOCKED. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH 3 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN THE SAME VEHICLE AND IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT. ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD TO HAVE THEIR LOCKING MECHANISMS REPLACED AT A COST OF $450+. BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE REAR HATCH DOOR LOCKS BREAK WITHOUT WARNING CAUSES A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE VEHICLE PASSENGERS AND PETS.

PLASTIC PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED IN FATIGUE (CRACK), PREVENTING DOOR FROM BEING OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. VEHICLE IS 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. DEALER REPLACED HANDLE WITHOUT CHARGE, BUT THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION. *JB

I PURACHASE MY TOYOTA SEQUOIA IN AUGUST 2003 FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL MONTH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVE THAT MUCH, BECAUSE OF MY WIFE'S ILLNESS. WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS THE FRONT DOOR HANDLE BROKE, IT WAS UNDERWARRANTY AND I DID NOT THINK MUCH OF IT, IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR 2005, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE AND AGAIN I DID NOT THINK MUCH OF IT. THREE WEEKS AGO ON SUNDAY ONE OF THE MEMBER FROM THE CHURCH WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETREIVE HIS BAG AND THE HANDLE BROKE. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER SHIP TO ASK ABOUT REPAIR THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD BE $300.00, AND 200.00 TO FIX THE PASSANGER SIDE. MY COMMENT TO THEM WAS CONCERNING THE REAR DOOR, WHICH I HAD NOT USED THAT MUCH AND OVER THE LAST 6 MONTH MAYBE 3 TIME AT THE MOST PER WEEK, CERTAINLY NOT ALOT. WHAT WAS AMAZING TO ME WAS THAT THE DOOR HANDLE MECHANISM IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND SO IS THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE. MY CONCERN AS A CONSUMER THAT TOYOTA DID NOT DO DUE DILIGENCE TO USE A PLASTIC DOOR HANDLE AND MECHANISM AND GIVEN THAT THINGS BREAK SHOULD NOT HAVE A PRICE TAG OF 300.00 TO REPLACE. I CONTEND THAT METAL PARTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING AND CONSIDERATION OF THE USE OF THE HANDLES. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE AT THE MERCY OF CAR MANUFACTURES TO PUT ANYTHING INTO A CAR THAT WOULD UTIMATELY WOULD PROVE NOT IN THE CONSUMERS BEST INTEREST. I AM SUGGESTING THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON ALL TOYOTA' DOOR HANDLES. PARTICULARLY THE TRUCK WHICH BY DESIGN ARE SUPPOSE TO ENDURE TOUGH USESAGE.

FIRST OCCURENCE OF LIFT GATE FAILURE WAS FEB 2005. LIFT GATE UNABLE TO BE OPENED, REAR WINDOW INOPERABLE, AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKED ONLY SPORADICALLY. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT WATER HAD GONE DOWN WINDOW INTO LIFT GATE AND HAD RUSTED OUT LIFTGATE DOOR LOCK, HANDLE AND CABLING COMPONENTS AND WOULD COST APPROX. $500 TO FIX WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT SAME FAILURE WOULD NOT OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. WE HAD REPAIR DONE AND IT WORKED FINE UNTIL JULY 1, 2005 AND WE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND OF COURSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEALER SAYS IS NOT COVERED BY OUR WARRANTY.

PLASTIC DOOR HANDLES ON TOYOTA SEQUOIAS EASILY BREAK OFF, VERY FLIMSY. THIS COULD LEAD TO SOMEONE GETTING TRAPPED IN THEIR CAR, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NEED TO OPEN THE DOOR QUICKLY OR AGGRESSIVELY. MY NEIGHBOR HAPPENS TO HAVE THE SAME VEHICLE EVEN THE SAME COLOR AND I ASKED HIM HOW HE LIKES IT AND HE SAID FANTASTIC, EXCEPT WE HAVE BROKEN OFF 2 DOOR HANDLES. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE SERVICE WRITER CASUALLY MENTIONED, "OH, WE GET THESE IN ALL THE TIME". I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE TOYOTA ZONE OFFICE AND THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE $175 REPAIR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY HAZARD AND A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT.*AK

DOOR HANDLE ON INSIDE OF DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE. IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN DOOR. UNFORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED WHEN MILEAGE IS AT 38,000 AND PAST WARRANTY BY 2000 MILES. COST TO REPAIR WAS $117. TECHNICIAN STATED PROBLEMS WITH CAMRY AND COROLA WITH THAT RESPECT. THE HANDLE WAS NEVER TREATED ROUGHLY, JUST BROKE ONE DAY.*AK