YearToAvoid

2005 Toyota Sequoia Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 18 Sequoia years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2005 Toyota Sequoia has 352 owner complaints and 9 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 18 Sequoia model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is brakes (163 complaints, 46% of the total). Complaints report 7 crashes, 1 fire, 21 injuries, and 2 deaths.

Complaints
352
Recalls
9
Crashes / fires
7 / 1
Injuries / deaths
21 / 2
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13.5 city / 16.5 hwy

Top 2005 Toyota Sequoia problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes163 (46%)
  2. Engine124 (35%)
  3. Airbags40 (11%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires37 (11%)
  5. Electrical System34 (10%)
  6. Structure & Body27 (8%)
  7. Other19 (5%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain14 (4%)
  9. Fuel System13 (4%)
  10. Steering6 (2%)
2005 Toyota Sequoia complaints: complaints filed per quarter252005 Q12007 Q32009 Q42012 Q12014 Q22016 Q32018 Q42022 Q1
488 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2024 Q3; peak 2014 Q4 (25).

2005 Toyota Sequoia recalls

9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V741000Oct 17, 2019Airbags928,220 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.

  2. NHTSA 18V883000Dec 12, 2018Airbags168,993 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for these recalls are J0A (Zone A Toyota), J0B (Zone B Toyota), J0C (Zone C Toyota), JLI (Zone A Lexus), JLJ (Zone B Lexus), and JLK (Zone C Lexus). Note: This recall includes vehicles that have had their air bag previously replaced under an earlier air bag campaign.

  3. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

See all 9 recalls for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia →

2005 Toyota Sequoia fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13.5 MPG
Highway
16.5 MPG
Combined
15 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,300
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other Sequoia years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid100352915
2006Avoid94202814.5
2007Avoid88136715

All Toyota Sequoia years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Toyota Sequoia a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Toyota Sequoia ranks worst among Sequoia model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 352 complaints and 9 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Toyota Sequoia?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (163 complaints), engine (124 complaints), and airbags (40 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 87,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Toyota Sequoia have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2005 Toyota Sequoia, most recently reported 2019, covering airbags, structure & body, other, and suspension, wheels & tires.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Toyota Sequoia?
EPA rates the 2005 Toyota Sequoia at 15 MPG combined (13.5 city / 16.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,300. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.