Toyota HIGHLANDER problems and owner complaints

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 2-3 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WENT INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RUNNING INTO GARAGE DOOR. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026251 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAVY VIBRATION AND CAUSED A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK AT 55 MPH WHEN BRAKING, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO THE CONTROL THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER AT 75-80 MPH, WHEN BRAKING (NO EMERGENCY), THE STEERING SHOOK VIOLENTLY. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031428 at NHTSA ↗

I BOUGHT MY 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN AUGUST 2001..........AT 15 MONTHS/50,000 MILES MY TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING AND WHEN IT STARTED SLIPPING TOYOTA RAPIDLY REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION. A LEAK WAS DETERMINED WITHIN WEEKS OF THE REPLACEMENT AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER SEAL (TCS) HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPON REPLACING THE TCS THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS FOUND TO BE DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAS THE HIGHLANDER REQUIRED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS?*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011054 at NHTSA ↗

2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, V6 ENGINE, AUTO TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A DEFINITE HESITATION/LAG/DELAY IN SHIFTING AND ACCELERATION. THIS CONDITION HAPPENS ALMOST ALL OF THE TIME AND CREATES A REAL SAFETY CONCERN. MODERATE ACCELERATION WILL PRODUCE THIS CONDITION. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS CONDITION BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO CORRECT IT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10098738 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER PULLING OFF THE ROAD ONTO A SIDE STREET CONSUMER HEARD A STRANGE NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPON MERGING BACK ONTO THE ROAD STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD POPPING NOISE AFTER DRIVING FOR LESS THAN A BLOCK. CONSUMER THEN PULLED INTO PARKING LOT. THE SMOKE BECAME WORSE. THE CONSUMER POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THE ENTIRE ENGIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083225 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD WHERE IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER ONCE BEFORE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE ENGINE WAS CLEANED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161755 at NHTSA ↗

2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER STALL-REDUCE SPEED TO 1000/2000 RPM AND SHUT OFF ENGINE DURING COLD/HOT WEATHER. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10158290 at NHTSA ↗

DOOR LOCKS KEEP POPPING OPEN OR SHUT MANY TIMES PER DAY. SOMETIMES WHEN PARKED, OTHER TIMES WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. EACH TIME I TAKE TO THE DEALER, HE SAYS HE CAN'T FIND THE REASON. TOYOTA HAS NO CLUE ON WHY THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM EXISTS. I CAN'T LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE CAR, BECAUSE WHEN I RETURN THE LOCKS ARE UP.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 14,325 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056658 at NHTSA ↗

WIRING PROBLEM WITH PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT. KEPT REPLACING BULB, THEN REPLACING SOCKET, NOW GOING TO PUT A WHOLE KIT. TOYOTA NEGLECTED TO TELL ME THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, EVEN AFTER SEVERAL TICKETS AND WASTED MONEY ON DIFFERENT THINGS TELLING ME IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10651774 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER STRUCK AN UNIDENTIFIED ROAD DEBRIS. THE FUEL TANK HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096960 at NHTSA ↗

WIFE COMPLAINED OF INTERMITTENT GAS SMELL IN 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER,V-6/AWD, FOR 2-3 WEEKS. I CHECKED IT MORE THAN ONCE FOR LEAKING UNDER HOOD AND UNDER FRONT OF ENGINE; COULD NOT FIND SOURCE. ON 10/27/06 I STARTED CAR FOR 2-3 MINUTES TO POSITION IN FRONT OF GARAGE TO INSTALL FRONT BRAKE PADS. SHUT OFF AND STARTED TO JACK WHEN I NOTICED GAS DRIPS ON CEMENT, COMING FROM ABOVE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AND DRIPPING DOWN & OFF STILL FAIRLY COOL EXHAUST PIPE REAR BANK OF V-6 . STARTED ENGINE AGAIN, CHECKED FOR LEAKS; NOTHING DETECTED. TOLD MY WIFE IT WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 52,980 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173304 at NHTSA ↗