ANY HELP PLEASE! I have a 2003 Sequoia. Every year the check engine light comes on and I have to take it in for repair. This is an on going process. No one can figure it out. They replace a sensor that is throwing up a code, the light goes off, then after a short time the light comes on. Any help would be appreciated.
Without knowing the code, it;s impossible to know if there’s actually a problem.
Tester
How can we help when you didn’t tell us the code or the details of what was repaired? If you want people to help you for free, you need to make it easy for them.
Is it the same fault code and sensor that’s replaced yearly, or is it different? There are a dozen sensors or systems that I can think of that could routinely fail on a car that old.
And those dozens of sensors won’t fail all at the same time, they will randomly fail at a rate of, oh, about one or 2 a year.
Be happy they aren’t failing once a MONTH!
I’d sell a car that annoyed me.
Can you do that with teenagers?
Teens may redeem themselves as adults. A lousy car will only get worse.
tell them to replace a different sensor next time.
Only if you don’t get caught.
@michaelcotter76_183988, what codes do you have now? If the shop hasn’t seen it yet this time call an auto parts chain store like Advance Auto Parts and confirm that they have an OBD-2 code reader. Take it to them and get the codes. You can take a photo with your phone of the code screen. Tell us what codes appear. If you have your old receipts for similar events, look at them and see if the codes are the same. If not, the car is getting old and things go wrong. After 20 years all work is maintenance, there are no repairs anymore.
Your Sequoia is 20 years old. The check engine light turning on once a year is just something to be expected on a 20 year old car. The CEL shouldn’t turn back on soon after the repair is done of course. Are you using a dealership shop, or an independent? If inde, how much toyota repair experience do they have? The shop must have the proper tools and diagnostic gadgets designed for a toyota to have a chance at fixing it properly.
Good advice above, for more ideas ask your shop for the diagnostic code(s) and post them here. An example of a diagnostic code is “p0301”, meaning a misfire in cylinder 1.
I don’t have the codes on the receipts. I have the work done independently. I sincerely thank you all for your time. This was helpful.
Mike