NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE16-006: Yaw rate sensor malfunction
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-006 on June 14, 2016 and closed it on December 20, 2016. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2001–2002 Toyota Sequoia for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE16-006 (also written PE16006)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed December 20, 2016
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Toyota Motor Corporation
- Component
- Electronic Stability Control
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2001–2002 Toyota Sequoia
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-006.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
On June 14, 2016, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-006 to investigate 135 complaints alleging incidents of yaw rate sensor malfunctions resulting in unexpected Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) activations and steering pull while driving in model year (MY) 2001-2002 Toyota Sequoia vehicles.
ODI identified a total of 958 incidents in complaints provided by Toyota or submitted to ODI by consumers.
ODI conducted the following work to assess the alleged defect in the subject vehicles: 1) evaluated the design of the subject yaw rate sensor; 2) initiated vehicle testing and instrumentation; 3) performed failure analysis on subject components collected from the field; 4) analyzed field data for evidence of system faults; and 5) reviewed the performance of the subject system in fault simulations testing conducted by Toyota.
ODI review indicated that an overwhelming majority of incidents are related to flashing VSC slip indicators on the instrument panel accompanied by warning buzzers and grinding noise or vibration caused by pulsed brake application to one of the front wheels.
Yaw rate sensor malfunctions resulting in VSC brake applications is accompanied by a brief duration of longitudinal deceleration with minimal changes in vehicle speed and will not result in abrupt lane change or loss of vehicle control due to steering controllability.
This preliminary evaluation is closed.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist.
For additional information, see the closing resume appendix and the investigation file for PE16-006.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-006. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Toyota
All Toyota recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Toyota VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE16-006
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.