The Toyota Sequoia was introduced into Toyota’s lineup as a full-size SUV in 1998 and remains popular today. The Sequoia is known for its unique styling and for having the features consumers expect from SUVs, including towing. But what is the towing capacity of a 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
The 2003 Toyota Sequoia can tow up to 6,500 pounds when properly equipped.
The 2003 Toyota Sequoia tow capacity can vary based on a few different factors such as engine size, drivetrain, and others which we’ll discuss below.
There’s a bit more to know about Toyota Sequoia towing capabilities which we’ll cover in today’s guide.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Towing Capacity
The 2003 Toyota Sequoia can tow between 6,200 lbs and 6,500 lbs depending on if it is a 2WD or 4WD model.
The 2003 Toyota Sequoia 2WD can pull 6,500 lbs.
The 2003 Toyota Sequoia 4WD can pull 6,200 lbs.
You can check out our guide to Toyota Sequoia towing capacity by year if you’re looking at a different model year’s max capacity or if you want to compare different years of this vehicle.
Here’s a video showing the Toyota Sequoia being put to a real-world towing test pulling an Airstream trailer:
2003 Toyota Sequoia Tow Capacity Chart
Refer to the chart below to find how much your 2003 Toyota Sequoia can tow.
| Toyota Sequoia Trim Level | Towing Capacity | 2WD or 4WD |
| All | 6,500 lbs | 2WD |
| All | 6,200 lbs | 4WD |
2003 Toyota Sequoia Braked Vs. Unbraked Towing Capacity
All vehicles have different towing capacities based on whether or not you’re towing a trailer that has trailer brakes installed.
Trailer brakes allow the trailer to stop faster than if only the vehicle is using its brakes, allowing the vehicle to tow more weight, so braked towing capacity will always be higher than unbraked towing capacity.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Braked Towing Capacity: up to 6,500 lbs.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Unbraked Towing Capacity: 3,500 lbs.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Towing Capacity Factors
There are several factors that affect the 2003 Toyota Sequoia tow capacity which we’ll cover next.
You can also read our guide on what makes a vehicle towing capacity to learn all the aspects that go into it.
Engine Type
There is one engine available on the 2003 Sequoia, which is a 4.6L V8 engine.
The 4.6L engine produces 273 horsepower and 314 lb.-ft of torque.
2WD or 4WD
Whether your Sequoia has a 2WD or 4WD will impact how much it can pull.
Standard Sequoia models with 2WD drivetrains can usually tow more weight than 4WD models.
Towing Equipment Installed
Typically you’ll need a weight distributing hitch to appropriately tow anything over 5,000 pounds.
Number of Passengers
A big factor in calculating your vehicle’s towing capacity is how many passengers you’re carrying, which directly calculates into the vehicle’s GCWR.
This is true of all vehicles, not just the 2003 Toyota Sequoia, so always take into consideration the total load of your passengers and gear in addition to what you’re towing.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Towing Package Info
Does The 2003 Toyota Sequoia Have A Tow Package?
All trim levels of the current Toyota Sequoia come with a factory-installed trailer hitch as standard equipment.
Toyota offers an optional factory-installed Sequoia tow package option called the Tow Technology Package.
Can You Install A Trailer Hitch On a 2003 Toyota Sequoia?
If you plan on towing anything with your Toyota Sequoia, you’ll need a tow hitch and wiring harness.
Depending on what you’re towing, you’re going to need a ball mount (aka a trailer ball hitch) so you can attach items for towing.
Make sure to get the right trailer ball size that matches your hitch and trailer.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Tow Hitch
Trailer hitches come in different hitch classes, which are rated for different vehicle sizes and weight limits.
The Toyota Sequoia uses a Class 3 or Class 4 hitch.
Here’s a great option for a Class III Toyota Sequoia trailer hitch:
- DEPENDABLE STRENGTH. This trailer hitch is rated for 5,000 lbs. gross trailer weight, 500 lbs. tongue weight, 6,500 lbs. weight distribution capacity and 650 lbs. weight distribution tongue weight (limited to lowest-rated towing component)
- VERSATILE DESIGN. This class 3 hitch equips your vehicle with a standard 2-inch x 2-inch hitch receiver, allowing for a wide variety of towing options. It can accept a ball mount, cargo carrier, bike rack, tow hook and much more
- FULLY TESTED. Every CURT class 3 trailer hitch design is tested in real-world, on-vehicle conditions at our Detroit engineering facility. Aftermarket hitches are tested according to SAE J684 standards for the utmost safety while hauling
- RUST, CHIP, UV-RESISTANT. This tow hitch is protected with a unique dual-coat finish of rust-resistant liquid A-coat and highly durable black powder coat. The two finishes are co-cured together for exceptional resistance to rust, chipping and UV rays
- EASY TO INSTALL. This hitch offers a custom, factory fit on select model years of the Toyota Sequoia
Here’s a great ball mount option so you can hook up different types of trailers for towing with your Sequoia:
- DEPENDABLE STRENGTH. Rated to tow 3,500 pounds gross trailer weight and 350 pounds tongue weight, this ball hitch offers dependability for your towing setup (weight capacity may change if trailer ball is removed)
- VERSATILE USE. This trailer hitch ball mount comes with a 1-1/4-inch shank to fit virtually any industry-standard 1-1/4-inch receiver. The ball mount has a 3-1/4-inch drop, 2-inch diameter ball, 1/2-inch hitch pin hole and 7-1/4-inch overall length
- READY TO TOW. Hitching up your trailer is easy with this ready-to-use trailer hitch ball mount. It comes with a pre-attached tow ball for ready coupling and a trailer hitch pin to securely mount onto your hitch receiver
- CORROSION-RESISTANT. For long-lasting use, this ball hitch is protected with a durable black powder coat finish, and the trailer ball has a polished chrome plating. These finishes resist damage from rain, dirt, road salt and other corrosive threats
- EASY TO INSTALL. To install the trailer hitch ball mount on your vehicle, simply insert the shank into your vehicle's 1-1/4-inch hitch receiver. The rounded shank makes installation easy
2003 Toyota Sequoia Trailer Hitch Installation
If you’re considering having a tow hitch added to your Sequoia, expect to pay between $100 and $200 to have a tow package professionally installed (excluding the cost of the tow hitch and wiring harness).
If you’re handy and looking to save money, you can install the trailer hitch and wiring harness yourself.
Always follow the manufacturer’s directions and use proper safety precautions.
Here’s a great video walkthrough on a Toyota Sequoia trailer hitch installation:
Does My 2003 Toyota Sequoia Have A Tow Package?
You can start by looking under the rear bumper of your Sequoia to see if you notice a trailer hitch or trailer ball.
That will give you a good indication of if you have a tow hitch already installed on your Sequoia.
Another way to research this is by checking the paperwork that came with your vehicle or taking it to a local dealer to see what’s installed.
Make sure to have your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) handy if you call the dealer so they can look up the exact specs and whether or not your Sequoia has any towing packages or features installed on it.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Towing Capacity Vs Competitors
The 2003 Toyota Sequoia has a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds, which makes it capable of doing some heavy duty trailer towing. This number is similar to its main competitors, the 2003 Chevy Tahoe and the 2003 GMC Yukon XL.
Here are some similar vehicles to the Toyota Sequoia and their towing capacities below:
2003 Chevy Suburban Towing Capacity: 12,000 pounds
2003 Chevy Tahoe Towing Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2003 Ford Expedition Towing Capacity: 8,950 pounds
2003 Dodge Durango Towing Capacity: 7,550 pounds
2003 GMC Yukon XL Towing Capacity: 12,000 pounds
Data Accuracy
We’ve gathered all data represented here from the official Toyota Sequoia Owner’s Manuals on Toyota’s website and have checked all data thoroughly for accuracy.
Having said that, we still recommend you refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual yourself before towing with your Toyota Sequoia.
