1998 and 1999 the best 100 series you can buy?

[jblatl]

Was talking to a friend at work who is currently hunting a 100 series, it is getting harder and harder to find a clean truck these days. Most he has seen have massive differed maintenance. He has a concern with the VSC system killing him if there is a fault. He has a 2002 4Runner that almost killed him because the steering rack had some play and locked the brakes down on a side of the car because the truck thought it was rolling and was just a rack.

He is considering a 1998/99 because these are the last years without all the VSC / computer aides, are these the last years before this?

Are a lot of people stating to see these systems act up?

 

[jblatl]

I should also mention, I talked my little brother into buying a 2003 LX470 and it drives great.

My dad has had his 1998 LX470 for ever with no issues.

 

[joseywales]

I think ‘99 is the best year, but I may be slightly biased I bought the ‘99 as it was the best of the 1/2 dozen or so that I considered, and I did want the factory rear locker. There are enough electronic systems on the early trucks to still cause the odd issue, but I don’t feel the need to have more! The ‘06 I had for a while had a cel lit for cats, but that also triggered the VSC and ABS lights as well. Too much weirdness for my liking.

 

[joseywales]

I think ‘99 is the best year, but I may be slightly biased I bought the ‘99 as it was the best of the 1/2 dozen or so that I considered, and I did want the factory rear locker. There are enough electronic systems on the early trucks to still cause the odd issue, but I don’t feel the need to have more! The ‘06 I had for a while had a cel lit for cats, but that also triggered the VSC and ABS lights as well. Too much weirdness for my liking.

 

[97 AZ LC]

I think most people come to this debate already hard coded with the answer, for them. You are either attracted to simple, basic, reliable and less sophisticated, or to more sophisticated and less simple, basic and reliable. I'm in the former category - I reviewed the changes by year and knew I had to have a 98. To me there's nothing worse than a safety feature that goes rogue on you when it ages.

 

[jblatl]

Family gathering!

 

[kelly saad]

Once again, I will say that I love my 98.

 

[REZARF]

Look for good maintenance records, no rust and a clean car that drives and stops straight. Any 100 will make a great vehicle for most anyone.

That said I bought a 99 cause a factory locker was important to me... and it was garaged kept, and detailed once a year, and had a stack of maintenance paper from the dealer that was 1" thick. I have added 70,000 miles to it now and I bought it with 260k on the clock.

 

[vman07]

The weak two pinion front diff in the 98 and 99 should be a serious consideration. You read about people blowing up their front diffs doing pretty basic off road stuff.

 

[YardPig]

VSC 'issues' is a 15 minute delete job now thanks to @Odyseuss . VSC OFF switch install.

Your friend that was 'almost killed' was due to his neglect of simple maintenance safety issues he ignored, like steering tie rod ends, steering rack bushings or the steering rack itself. It can also happen from any worn front end components or modification of the vehicle from stock in ride height or even simple alignment.

People make it out as some over the top complete loss of control when it actuates. It may be alarming if you have never experienced it before but it is akin to a jerking sensation to the steering wheel. I guess if your hand was not grasping the wheel it could be slightly more aggressive.

I'm sure I'll now hear from a dozen that claim the computer took over and they went across 6 lanes of traffic...

Toyota Sequoia Yaw Rate Sensor Investigation Closed

It was enough on the Sequoia investigation for "NHTSA says it has closed the yaw rate sensor investigation without taking action because the problem "will not result in abrupt lane change or loss of vehicle control due to steering controllability."

 

[97 AZ LC]

It was enough on the Sequoia investigation for "NHTSA says it has closed the yaw rate sensor investigation without taking action because the problem "will not result in abrupt lane change or loss of vehicle control due to steering controllability."

Note that the article also says "However, that position will come as a shock to many Toyota Sequoia owners who complained about SUVs going nuts and traveling across highways."

The report also says that the "closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety related defect does not exist,"

One takes risk for reward. If you don't see a potential benefit to such a system there's no reason to take the risk of having it, or to incur the costs of maintaining and repairing it.

 

[jblatl]

He does have a lift on his 4Runner, I think the culprit was his steering rack. He did replace it after it scared the crap out of him...

Sounds like there is a fix on the 100 series if everything is tight and the problem happens you can just turn the system off.

 

[YardPig]

One takes risk for reward. If you don't see a potential benefit to such a system there's no reason to take the risk of having it, or to incur the costs of maintaining and repairing it.

Your black listing a range of years that are 'repairable' in 15 minutes for $10 in parts IF and WHEN there was an issue. This 'issue' does not effect all, only ones with lack of maintenance or modifications that Toyota never offered. There is no "risk" of a safety feature that works very very well on a stock unmolested truck.

 

[jblatl]

I find it hard to believe that this is that big of a problem, I do not have this system on my lifted 100 series, but so manny other people do lift later model trucks and this is the first time at work that I have really heard about it. Sound pretty easy to kill the system though.

 

[YardPig]

I find it hard to believe that this is that big of a problem, I do not have this system on my lifted 100 series, but so manny other people do lift later model trucks and this is the first time at work that I have really heard about it. Sound pretty easy to kill the system though.

I think #1 issue is loose worn out front ends. #2 issue is oversized E Load stiff sidewall tires. #3 issue is max lifts exaggerating center of gravity body roll without upgrading sway bars in fear of it limiting suspension articulation.

In other words, some have problems and some don't. For the cost of a single wire splice bypass it doesn't deserve the bad publicity it gets attempting to steer a potential purchase from the uneducated who comes here for answers.
Not everyone wants to lift, oversized tires, wheel spacers, etc etc...

 

[JPS]

I think ‘99 is the best year, but I may be slightly biased I bought the ‘99 as it was the best of the 1/2 dozen or so that I considered, and I did want the factory rear locker. There are enough electronic systems on the early trucks to still cause the odd issue, but I don’t feel the need to have more! The ‘06 I had for a while had a cel lit for cats, but that also triggered the VSC and ABS lights as well. Too much weirdness for my liking.

The cats cel lit is an easy fix with spark plug anti-foulers.

 

[jblatl]

You are joking, right?

The cats cel lit is an easy fix with spark plug anti-foulers.

 

[YardPig]

You are joking, right?

No he's not. Pull the O2 sensor back from the exhaust stream with an anti-fouler and bye bye CEL...

 

[jblatl]

That is pretty cool, I had never heard of that.

 

[JPS]

You are joking, right?

That is pretty cool, I had never heard of that.

If it's the actual CAT throwing the code, works like a charm.