2013 Toyota Sequoia — Known Issues & Recalls

Your 2013 Toyota Sequoia's 5.7-liter engine is leaking oil from the cam tower on the left side, and the oil is dripping onto the manifold. This oil could potentially catch fire if not repaired, making the vehicle unsafe for long trips. The repair will likely involve replacing the cam tower gasket or seals to stop the leak.

Your engine's computer is incorrectly detecting high-ethanol fuel (E85) in your system even though you're using regular gasoline. This causes rough cold starts, rough idling, power loss, engine misfires, and poor fuel economy. You've had to return to the shop multiple times for the same problem, and recalibration fixes haven't permanently solved it. The fix will likely involve reprogramming your engine's fuel sensor calibration or replacing the fuel composition sensor.

Your Sequoia's frame has rusted severely, making it unsafe to drive according to a mechanic's inspection. The vehicle failed inspection and cannot be legally driven. The owner believes this should be subject to a recall, as a previous Toyota truck they owned had a frame recall for similar rust issues.

Your Sequoia's paint has started chipping, and you've contacted Toyota corporate multiple times requesting assistance, but they've declined to help. You believe you're still within a warranty period for this issue, but Toyota and your local dealer have both denied your claim.

Your right front tire blew out while driving at 60 mph, and when you pulled over, you discovered the entire factory tire had blown apart and disintegrated. This sudden tire failure could have caused loss of control or an accident. The tire will need to be replaced, and you may want to have the wheel inspected for damage.

Your car's shift lock system may not be working properly. Without the keys in the ignition, without pressing the brake pedal, and without pressing any buttons, someone can move the shift lever out of Park into Neutral or Drive, causing the car to roll. In this case, the vehicle rolled into the street and nearly collided with another car before being shifted back to Park. This creates a serious risk of your car rolling away or being involved in a crash. The fix would likely involve inspecting and repairing or replacing the shift lock mechanism and its electrical components.

Your rear liftgate latch area doesn't drain moisture properly, allowing water to accumulate and cause rust and structural damage over time. By the time you notice the problem, the damage is often severe enough that the liftgate won't latch securely and could fly open while driving. Replacing the liftgate is expensive ($750–$1,000) and Toyota dealers nationwide report long backorders with no delivery timeline available. The fix typically involves replacing the entire rear liftgate assembly.

Your chrome lug nuts may swell over time, making it impossible to remove them with a standard lug wrench when you get a flat tire. This can leave you stranded on the roadside unable to change your tire, potentially without cell service for help. Your dealership may be aware of this issue but won't replace the lug nuts for free. The fix involves replacing the swollen lug nuts with new ones that fit properly.

Your airbag warning light turned on after 6 years of ownership. A repair part for the airbag system costs $1,627 to replace, and the owner questions why a component that sits unused would fail. The part may be difficult to find locally. Fixing this will likely require replacing the faulty airbag system component and clearing the warning light.

Your windshield wipers are running slower than they should be, making it difficult to see clearly during heavy rain. The dealership said this is how all vehicles were manufactured from the factory, but the issue wasn't diagnosed or repaired. You may need to have the wiper motor or wiper linkage inspected and replaced to restore normal speed.

Your dashboard safety lights keep turning on and off without any clear reason, particularly the airbag warning light and messages for traction control, check engine, and 4-wheel low. You've also noticed that the engine cranks for an extended period before starting and produces an excessive fuel smell. The dealer has made seven repair attempts over nearly three years but hasn't been able to permanently fix the problem, as the lights continue to come on during highway trips. The underlying issue appears to be electrical shorts in the airbag system and engine controls that require comprehensive electrical diagnostics and potential replacement of the airbag control module or related wiring.

Your dashboard on the driver's side has become sticky and melted, creating a strong chemical smell inside your vehicle. This happened while the car was parked. The dealership said this isn't covered under recall and didn't offer to fix it. Fixing this will likely require replacing the dashboard panel or having it refinished to remove the melted material.