2007 Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH TRACTION CONTROL. ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE TRACTION CONTROL HAS ENGAGED DUE TO AN UNSTABLE TRAVEL SURFACE. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE HAS "SHUT DOWN" AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FORWARD DUE TO THE TRACTION CONTROL NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO DO SO. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL TO "PROTECT" THE CVT FROM DAMAGE ON UNSTABLE SURFACES. THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THIS SITUATION. LIVING I…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10277384 at NHTSA ↗

ON OCTOBER 13, 2009, MY 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WAS PARKED AT A SMALL BUSINESS PARKING LOT, ABOUT 40 FT. AWAY FROM ANOTHER PARKED CAR. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND DRY. DURING THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE,(NECESSARY FOR IGNITION) MY CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AT A VERY HIGH SPEED, AND SMASHED INTO THE PARKED CAR BEHIND ME. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF THIS CAR. IT DAMAGED THE BACK OF THE OTHER CAR SO COMPLETELY THAT IS WAS UNDRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. MY CAR HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE REAR …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291096 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED 4 SUMITOMO TIRES FROM NTB ON WEDNESDAY, 12-15-09. ON FRIDAY, 12-17, JUST 2 DAYS LATER, I PACKED UP FOR A TRIP TO BOSTON FROM DC WITH MY WIFE AND 2 TODDLER CHILDREN FOR A SCHEDULED EVENT THAT I WAS SLATED TO SPEAK AT. BY THE TIME WE REACHED THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, WE PULLED OVER FOR GAS. THE GAS ATTENDANT NOTICED OUR LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. THE AUTOSHOP ATTENDANT THERE INFLATED THE TIRE AND ROLLED IT AROUND IN WATER BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE A LITTLE LONGER AND SEE IF I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM. I PULLED OVER LA…

Owner-reported narrative. 36,925 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297489 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID THAT IS EXHIBITING THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS THAT ARE BEING REPORTED WITH THE PRIUS. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THE CAR BEGINS TO SLOW THEN IT FEELS THAT THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY RELEASE, CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD, BEFORE THEY RE-ENGAGE AND FINISH STOPPING THE CAR. I HAVEN'T NOTICED IF IT HAPPENS MORE OVER BUMPS BUT IT DOES HAPPEN ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS. WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND EACH TIME HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS WORKING HOW IT SHOULD AND THE PAUSI…

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305174 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHEN COMING TO A STOP FROM LOW SPEEDS, THE CAR OFTEN "SURGES" AND REQUIRES ADDITIONAL BRAKING IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STOP. SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST HYBRID I HAVE OWNED, I THOUGHT IT JUST HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ELECTRIC/GAS ENGINE SWITCHOVER. WITH ALL OF THE CURRENT NEWS, I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER IF THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW AND IT HAS HAD THIS ISSUE SINCE INCEPTION. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO STOP EVENTUALLY, SO IT HASN'T CAUSED ME ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, IT IS AN V…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305785 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY DO NOT ENGAGE (ESSENTIALLY SKIP) WHEN I APPLY THEM WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP OR A POTHOLE. I HAVE NOTICED THIS FOR A LONG TIME, HOWEVER CONSIDERED IT A 'QUIRK' UNTIL I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ISSUE HAD NOT EXISTED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306270 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. ON MONDAY, JAN. 25TH, MY WIFEWAS PARKING OUR HIGHLANDER. SHE PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPACE. HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN SHE WENT TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHOT FORWARD AND HIT A TREE, DAMAGING THE FRONT FENDER. MY WIFE WAS SURE SHE HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. WE BELIEVE THIS ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION OR BRAKING THAT MADE THE CAR GO FORWARD OVERPOWERING THE BRAKE. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO THE TOYOTA ACCELERAT…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306296 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. I PURCHASED IT USED 6 MONTHS AGO. SINCE PURCHASE I HAVE NOTED THAT WHEN I AM BRAKING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES SOMETIMES THE CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATES RATHER THAN DECELERATE. IT IS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE WHEN TURNING AT THE TIME OF BRAKING SUCH AS WHEN I AM EXITING THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE ADJUSTED MY DRIVING HABITS SO THAT I DRIVE MUCH SLOWER IN ROADWAYS WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IT HELPS MINIMIZE THE ISSUE; HOWEVER, GIVEN THE NEWS OVER BRAKING ISSUES WITH SOME OTHER HYBRID VEHICLES, I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH BRI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10306306 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2011-06-29 (June 29, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND LEXUS RX400H PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2006. A MODULE INSIDE THE INVERTER MODULE MAY CONTAIN INADEQUATELY SOLDERED TRANSISTORS THAT DURING HIGH-LOAD DRIVING, MAY BE DAMAGED BY HEAT CAUSED BY THE LARGE CURRENT. IF THIS OCCURS, VARIOUS WARNING LAMPS, INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT, WILL BE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

Consequence: THE VEHICLE MAY ENTER A FAIL-SAFE/LIMP-HOME MODE THAT LIMITS THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA/LEXUS MAILED AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION ON JULY 19, 2011 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS RECALL AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTICE WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. TOYOTA DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HYBRID INVERTER PRODUCTION NUMBER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE INVERTER CONTAINS SUSPECT TRANSISTORS AND REPLACE THE MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2013-09-04 (September 4, 2013)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.

Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.