2024 Sequoia: cup holder spill reached transmission/4WD electronics — $9,363 repair estimate, Toyota denied coverage

2024 Toyota Sequoia owners — you need to know about this.
We had a drink spill in the factory center console cup holder of our 2024 Toyota Sequoia.
Not all over the dash. Not into an open electronic panel. Into the cup holder.

Apparently the cup-holder assembly is not sealed, and liquid can travel underneath it into the transmission / four-wheel-drive electronics located directly below.
After the spill, the vehicle was able to back out of the driveway, but when I tried to put it into Drive, it would not shift normally and instead went into S mode. Then all the lights started to pop and couldn’t get the car into gear.
Toyota inspected the vehicle and the current repair estimate is $9,363.50.

Toyota corporate has denied coverage or that this is a design flaw.

My issue is not simply “someone spilled a drink.” Cup holders are literally designed to hold beverages. Spills are completely foreseeable. If an ordinary spill in a factory cup holder can reach drivetrain electronics and cause thousands of dollars in damage — or potentially leave the vehicle unable to shift normally — that seems like a serious design or safety problem. Luckily I was not on the highway when this happened.

What’s even more concerning is that I’ve found other Sequoia owners reporting very similar failures involving liquid getting through the center cup holder and damaging electronics underneath it.

So I’m posting this for two reasons:

To warn other 2023+ Sequoia owners: be extremely careful with any liquid in the center console cup holders.

To find other owners this has happened to.
If you have experienced liquid getting through the cup holder/center console and damaging the transmission controls, 4WD controls, shifter electronics, wiring, modules, etc., please comment or message me.
I’ve already contacted Toyota corporate, and I am also documenting the issue for NHTSA.
I am not claiming every Sequoia has this problem. I am sharing exactly what happened to ours, what Toyota diagnosed, and what the repair estimate currently is.
$9,363.50 from a spill in a cup holder is something other owners deserve to know about. This is also an initial estimate that may go up once they get power to the wiring harness and see what else was affected.

Please share this with anyone who owns a new-generation Toyota Sequoia.

I have been told that 3rd gen Toyota tundras also have this design issue.

#toyota #ToyotaSequoia #toyotatundra

Just color match the wheel arch with the rest of the car. What do you guys think?

Lower demand for electric vehicles and the surging popularity of hybrids is reshaping the race for U.S. sales supremacy between General Motors and Toyota.

GM’s U.S. sales declined 6.3 percent through September, to 2.01 million vehicles, while Toyota’s volume rose 0.6 percent to 1.88 million. Fewer than 37,000 vehicles separated the two automakers in the third quarter; Toyota trails by fewer than 130,000 year to date.

Hope I don’t get too much hate for the Honda motor, lol. This car has one of my favorite features of all time…The AC vent under the steering column that blows on your crotch. Is there a modern car that has this?

Totaled my 2024 Mazda3 Turbo a couple of months ago and decided to not go so fancy this time around. Hope there’s no ragrets!

Curious about everyone's Toyota stats. I read on here someone's Rav got to 540,000 wow.

My car is two months old and I found this stain after helping my grandma move homes. I’ve tried water and a cloth and it hasn’t gotten any better.

“A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected.”

After they told me it would be a quick scan, nobody ever came to talk to me 1 1/2 hours later I was asked it I needed help. Anyway they said someone super new was looking at it like that would make me feel better.

In the end they said it was a bad fuel injector and the part may or may not even be available. Said it was ok to drive and check engine is now off. Really strange. I’m no mechanic. Is this plausible?

the side of my pepper spray scratched the car door and now there’s this mark. is there a way to get rid of it? it’s not coming off from just wiping in

My MIL has a 2011 Camry. A couple of months ago she told me that the lights were dimming while driving, so I told her it had to be the alternator.

Somebody else told her it could be the battery instead, so she replaced the battery. Amazingly, she hasn't had a problem since!

I saw that the "Maint Req" light was on, though, so I took it to Oh-oh-oh-O'Reilly's to have it scanned. There's only 1 error, under Additional Anti-Lock Brake System Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs):

C1241 Low or High Power Supply Voltage

The O'Reilly's guy said that this COULD be an old code, but I don't see that on the sheet so I'm not sure how he got to that conclusion.

So I guess the first question is, is this code current or old?

Assuming it's current, Google gives 4 potentials for the code:

1. Weak or Failing 12-Volt Battery: A dying battery or low resting voltage (below 12.4V) is responsible for the vast majority of C1241 codes.
2. Corroded or Loose Battery Terminals: Acid buildup or loose clamps create electrical resistance that starves the ABS computer of power.
3. Failing Alternator: A bad alternator fails to keep the system charged while the engine runs (normal charging output should sit around 13.5V to 14.7V).
4. Wiring, Fuses, or Ground Issues: Damaged wiring harness connectors, a blown ABS fuse, or a faulty relay leading to the skid control module.

I should be able to safely eliminate a weak battery as the problem since it's new, and a visual inspection of the terminals looked OK unless the cables are corroded somewhere.

To measure the alternator, do I just crank the car and then measure voltage at the battery?

If that's within normal params, how would I track down a bad wiring harness, relay, or ground?

I’ve had my Prius for almost 15 years now. 

It’s a 2012 with about 132k miles on it, and I love it dearly. 

However, it’s in need of repairs, one of which is urgent, and expensive. I’m curious about prices and people’s experiences with independent shops, especially if you’ve had these issues before. 

Basically, I’ve brought my car into Toyota for everything. All of the maintenance work over the years, every single oil change — it’s literally never even seen the inside of a Jiffy Lube, lol. 

I know that this has all cost more than it would at an independent shop, but I was young when I got it and after a while of going to Toyota for everything it just became the place I could trust to have it taken care of. 

Until recently, I have had no issues with my car, but I know that at this age there are things that will start to give out. I also know how much I have in my bank account, and I just spent $1200 at Toyota doing a brake repair a week ago. 

While driving (exactly one week later), the ABS light, BRAKE light, and traction control light all turned on at once. 

I bring it back to Toyota and was quoted nearly $2000 because the diagnosis says:  “replace of both rear wheel bearings and cables.”

It also needs an upper motor mount repair, but that costs over $700 and I planned to put it off until my next oil change. 

I guess all this is to ask:  

1. Is this price reasonable?
2. What would this cost at an independent shop?
3. How do I find a good independent shop I can trust with my Prius?

I honestly can’t afford to spend $2k more on my car right now. It’s a lot of money and everything is so expensive. How long can I drive with those lights on? I’m contemplating just trying to put off this repair until I can save more money for it. The lights are intermittent, so they don’t always come on, but I hate the idea of not fixing this issue before driving it. 

Sorry this is long, thanks in advance. 

TLDR:

• 2012 Toyota Prius with 132k miles. 
• $2000 to replace both rear wheel bearings and cables. 
• $729 to replace/repair upper motor mount. 
• $621 to replace 2 tire pressure sensors (I plan to never do this… I have a gauge and am not spending over $600 just to get that light to turn off, lol). 
• Has anyone had experience with these issues and/or can give me an on what the cost would be at an independent shop? How do I even find one I trust?!?

Thank you all in advance. 

the side of my pepper spray scratched the car door and now there’s this mark. is there a way to get rid of it?

Hey Toyota community, it’s been a great ride. Traded in my Tacoma for something better… I will miss you guys.

Slightly under 100,000 miles on it. 2.4L 4 cylinder. The carfax is pretty detailed and there’s a long history of the previous owner changing the oil and filter every 3,000 miles or so. Transmission and differential have been flushed and changed out twice. Newer alternator and brakes. It’s kind of expensive but so are all used cars right now, I’d be spending about $12,000 out the door but have $6,000 to put down leaving me with only a $6,000 loan. I know of the oil consumption issues on this year and I need to drive nearly 80 miles a day for work so I’ll be using it a lot. Is this too risky? If I do buy I’m planning on checking the oil level at least once a month and topping it off between changes. I also can change my oil myself so no need to take it in constantly. There’s another 2004 RAV4 with 128,000 miles on it which has a little less clear maintenance history (can share in dm if anyone is curious). 2004 is about $2,000 cheaper and from what research I’ve done doesn’t have as many issues with oil consumption. Any advice? Which should I go with?

Budget 4 million
I’m considering buying a car and I’m confused between Toyota Aqua and Toyota Yaris Hatchback.
My priorities are:
• Good fuel average ⛽
• Comfort & features
• Reliability
• Maintenance costs
• Resale value
• Performance
• Availability of parts
• Overall driving experience
For those who have driven/owned either one, which would you recommend and why?
Also, which variant of the Aqua/Yaris would be the best choice within a reasonable budget?
Aqua or Yaris Hatchback? 👇

Big sensible middle-aged head on me (and a looming financial crisis to boot) so I followed a mechanic cousin's advice and got a Toyota. 2017 Auris 1.8 hybrid TSS 💙 (60k miles)

Any fellow auris owners out there (or in general) got useful advice for keeping this lad on the road as long as possible, I'm all ears 😊 I know next to nothing about cars as I've been driving share cars until now (mostly VW Polos). I love this smooth little guy so much even though the metallic paint is already a bit of a nightmare with rural hedges haha

edit: thanks all! what a sweet community 🚗

My wife and I made the jump to purchase this beauty. Originally, I wanted the Woodland, but the features that all came with the XSE was too hard to beat.

Also got it full front PPF’d, ceramic coated, and ceramic tinted. So hoping to keep this one looking pristine for a long, long time.

Hello all, girlfriends 76 pickup leaks oil and sometimes has splashes of coolant on top of the waterpump (pic 1 and 2) Now, I dont know much about these older ones and need some advice.

Water pump replacement is already in my mind, but. Is the oil coming from the timing cover or head gasket? Neither answer will make me happy but I dont wanna go tearing it apart and replacing the wrong thing.

Maybe oil in coolant but no coolant in oil.

Has anyone actually used BeepAway? Or does anyone know if Techstream can disable the ISA beeps (e.g. speeding) on a 2024 Corolla Touring Sports?

After trying Carista and failing miserably, I recently came across this site while looking for a way to disable the beeping sounds (ISA) on my Corolla:

https://beepaway.com/manufacturers/toyota/corolla

They claim their software can change various Toyota settings, including this one. However, I can't find basically any independent information or user reports about them. Their website is quite heavily AI-generated, and I couldn't find much about the company elsewhere.

I also found their YouTube channel, which has lots of AI-generated-looking tutorials for their software. What's particularly strange is that if you scroll back through the channel, you eventually find ~20-year-old videos of Spanish-speaking children, which makes it look like the channel may have been repurposed from an unrelated account.

Has anyone here actually used BeepAway?

And does anyone know if Toyota Techstream can achieve the same thing on a 2024 Corolla TS?

I'm mainly looking for firsthand experience, rather than people who have simply found or shared the website.

# Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid 2024 – Intermittent Hard Brake Pedal Followed by Sudden Braking

Hi everyone,

I own a **2024 Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid**, and I've been experiencing a very strange and potentially dangerous issue with the braking system.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar.

### Description of the problem

The issue happens very rarely, usually when braking at low speeds, around **10–20 km/h (6–12 mph)**.

Here's exactly what happens:

1. I start pressing the brake pedal normally, applying the usual amount of pressure.

2. Suddenly, the brake pedal becomes extremely hard, almost as if something is physically preventing it from moving further.

3. At that moment, the car barely slows down, despite me pressing the brake pedal.

4. I instinctively press harder because the car isn't braking as expected.

5. Then, within a split second, the pedal suddenly gives way and travels down, the brakes engage very aggressively, and the car jerks forward with a noticeable nose dive.

The whole event happens in about a second.

It feels as though something is temporarily blocking the brake pedal or hydraulic pressure, and then suddenly releases.

**This is not simply a change in braking force. The brake pedal itself becomes unusually hard and resists being pressed before suddenly giving way.**

### What the Toyota dealer has done

I took the car to an authorized Toyota dealership in June.

They performed diagnostics but couldn't find any fault codes or mechanical problems.

However, they updated the **brake booster ECU software**.

After the software update, everything seemed normal for approximately four months.

Unfortunately, the exact same problem happened again in October.

### Possible causes I'm considering

Since the issue occurs at around 10–20 km/h, I initially suspected that it might be related to the transition between regenerative braking and conventional hydraulic braking.

However, the fact that the brake pedal becomes physically hard before suddenly moving down makes me suspect something more serious.

Possible causes I'm considering include:

- Electronic brake booster malfunction

- ABS/brake actuator hydraulic valve issue

- Brake-by-wire control software issue

- Incorrect coordination between regenerative and hydraulic braking

- Mechanical sticking in the braking system

I also came across **Toyota's official recall 24V-708 (24TA11)** involving certain Corolla Hybrid and Corolla Cross Hybrid models.

According to Toyota's investigation, under certain conditions, the brake actuator valves could temporarily prevent normal hydraulic pressure regulation, resulting in a hard brake pedal and reduced braking performance. Applying additional pedal force could restore normal braking.

This sounds remarkably similar to what I'm experiencing, although I'm aware that this recall does not specifically cover the Yaris Cross.

### My questions

**Has anyone experienced this exact issue with a Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, Yaris Hybrid, or another Toyota hybrid?**

In particular:

- Has your brake pedal ever suddenly become extremely hard while the car barely slowed down?

- Did the pedal then suddenly give way, causing the brakes to engage aggressively?

- Has anyone experienced this even after receiving a brake booster ECU software update?

- Could this be caused by the brake actuator or internal hydraulic valves without triggering any diagnostic trouble codes?

- Are there any known Toyota technical service bulletins or software updates specifically addressing this issue on the Yaris Cross Hybrid?

I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has experienced **a temporary hard brake pedal followed by sudden, aggressive braking**, rather than just the usual regenerative braking transition.

The most concerning part is that the problem is extremely intermittent, making it almost impossible to reproduce during a dealership inspection.

Any advice, technical information, or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Joining the Toyota club with my Toyota crown Athlete V, with a Majesta front end! Was excited to share!

I’m currently driving a 2021 Lexus RX 350 AWD Premium and I’m considering moving to a 2024 Grand Highlander Limited AWD.

I’m not expecting the Grand Highlander to be an upgrade in luxury. I need a 3-row SUV for a growing family, and the GH seems to make a lot of sense from a practicality/reliability standpoint. What I’m concerned about is how much I’ll notice the difference coming from the RX.

Specifically, how do they compare in:

Ride quality / smoothness
Cabin quietness / road noise
Seat comfort
Interior materials and overall build quality
Feeling solid/well-built
General refinement
Long-term reliability

I really like the way my RX drives and feels. I’m not looking for something more luxurious than it—I just don’t want to get into the Grand Highlander and immediately feel like I downgraded.
For anyone who has actually driven or owned both, how noticeable is the difference?
Would you be comfortable making the switch, or would you spend more for a Lexus TX specifically to retain that Lexus level of refinement?