My vehicle began shaking violently when braking downhill at around 60-65 MPH. This started at 15000 miles on the vehicle. Toyota dealer said the rotors were warped. Toyota dealer and corporate customer service say they feel the brake wear is normal and they said the vehicle requires a brake job. The braking shakes the whole vehicle so violently I am afraid I will lose control of the vehicle. *tr
2012 Toyota Sequoia brakes problems
moderate 3 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
When does it fail?
Of the 3 brakes complaints filed for the 2012 Toyota Sequoia, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 5 model years of Toyota Sequoia we track for brakes problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (3).
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
I have a 2002 Toyota sequoia & have had about 7 instances since the beginning of august where trac off trac vsc and slip indicator light all come on while car locks up and beeping noise all while driving. Have found several instances of the same situation. Apparently Toyota recalled the 2003 models for the apparent same reason but did not include the 2002's although there are several…
Vehicle began shaking violently when braking downhill at around 60-65 MPH. This started at 5000 miles on the vehicle. Toyota dealer said the rotors were warped. They said they machined the rotors as a "goodwill" gesture as brakes are not covered by warranty. Now at 16k miles and 6 months later the vehicle is shaking violently downhill when braking. Toyota dealer and corporate customer…
Had brakes trouble with your 2012 Toyota Sequoia?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2012 Toyota Sequoia?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 3 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $450 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 3 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 10,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Toyota/Sequoia.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.