toyota highlander Problems

toyota highlander 2008 Complaints

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: SOFTWARE

toyota highlander 2008 limited can be put in reverse with no visible or audible warning that a door is open. resulted in backing out of garage and causing property damage. highlander has lcd screen to display warnings and other messages to the driver. same screen is used to show rear camera image in reverse. when car is in reverse, rear camera image supersedes warning message giving the driver the impression that all systems are go and it is ok to back-up. toyota needs to reprogram onboard computer so that if any door is open, or if any other warnings (perhaps seatbelts) are engaged the rear camera view does not show on the lcd screen so that the warnings car be displayed. given the lcd screen and after having the car for only two months, it is clear that drivers will look to that screen for information and not so much use the instrument panel lights.

Reported in: BRENTWOOD TN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A382

STRUCTURE

Reported in: BRENTWOOD TN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A382

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

had a rock chip that grew across windshield while i was driving down highway. had windshield replaced two days later very small rock chipped it. had chip fixed now 3wks later lines are appearing out of the fixed chip. all repairs were done by safelight and is reported to insurance.

Reported in: VANCOUVER WA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A382

VISIBILITY:SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY

while driving on highway the sunroof exploded and sent glass fragment everywhere. fortunately the shade was pulled closed otherwise glass would have been blown into the driver and passenger compartment at 55 mph. glass was completely distributed throughout the headliner and it had to be removed to ensure glass would not interfere with air bag operation or become a projectile if the air bag actuated. the sunroof is made of tempered glass and not safety glass. when it exploded, the glass was not held captive by the safety film. only a two inch border of glass remained in the sun roof frame. this is a very significant safety oversight. if the sun roof shade had been open, the driver would have been hit with glass and an accident would likely have occurred.

Reported in: RICHLAND WA || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

2008 toyota highlander fuel tank damage. consumer states engine check light illuminated and would not accept gas when trying to fill the tank. mechanic determined that the ovr valve and charcoal filter were damaged. *kb

Reported in: NEW YORK NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW44A482

POWER TRAIN

tl*the contact leases a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving approximately 20 to 25 mph, the brakes failed. the contact had to swerve to avoid striking other vehicles. he then heard a loud bang. there were no warning lights. he pulled off the road and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that the transmission axle failed. the manufacturer will send an investigator to inspect the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 4,000.

Reported in: OSSINING NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A782

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2008 toyota highlander with transmission problems. consumer states that the vehicle will roll forward when the vehicle and transmission are positioned in reverse, if the front of the vehicle is on a downward slope. he also states that the hill holder feature doesn't work on a downward slope. *kb

Reported in: TRAVELERS REST SC || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A682

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

in feburary 2008, i purchased a 2008 toyota highlander. on two separate occasions since purchasing the vehicle, when slowly pulling into a parking space the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. on the first occasion (april 2008), the incident ended in an accident as the vehicle slammed into a wall. the second incidence occurred approximately 3 months later and nearly caused another accident. again, as i was pulling into a parking space the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. however, the vehicle was stopped by a parking pylon before hitting a wall. i have had the vehicle inspected by the local dealership and they claim that they can not find any issues with vehicle. based on my research, this does not appear to be an isolated problem as other toyota vehicles are noted as having the same issue. i feel that this vehicle is threat not only to the safety of my family, but to others on the road. updated 08/08/08. *jb

Reported in: PHOENIX AZ || Crash: Y || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

using a highlander's power-adapter to power my iphone, a significant amount of noise is added to the music output. toyota dealer has corrected my problem by installing some filters in line before the power adapter socket.

Reported in: SAN JOSE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES

the bridgestone dueler h/l400 (not h/l 683 or 684 ii as listed in the choices for this tire on this web site!!!!!) tires on our 2008 toyota highlander are terribly unsafe in all conditions other than dry roads. they hydroplane in the rain, the rear end slides in all types of snowy conditions, causing the stability control to kick in and compensate, and they require frequent topping off of the air pressure, more so than any tire on any vehicle i've ever owned. this tire is getting terrible reviews on tirerack.com from current owners of mazda cx-9s and highlanders, and there isn't another tire on the market in the size i would need to replace it. it's an accident waiting to happen. our car is a v6 powered 4x4 suv we bought brand new 10 months ago. it has never driven well in snow, and despite the full-time 4-wheel drive, the vehicle behaves like a rear-drive truck with summer tires. the car severely fishtails and slides sideways, with the stability control fully cutting power and applying certain brakes in attempt to correct course. this happens at every turn and intersection. it's not only embarrassing, it's also wreaking havoc on my fuel economy as i do so much slipping in these tires, and i fear i will be going off the road or sliding into someone's property or vehicle some day without warning.

Reported in: HANOVER MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A282

TIRES

on march 2, 2009 i rented a suv from hertz at the salt lake city airport. upon picking up the car i commented to the person checking me out that the tire tread depth looked very low for an suv that would be used in the snow. she said she would make note of it. when i arrived at my destination 230 miles away i used a penny to check the depth. i called hertz to ask for assistance to get the tires replaced. roadside assistance said there was a goodyear dealer in the city i was in but would have to get approval. the manager at the hertz in slc said he would not approve new tires. i stopped at a toyota dealer who checked the tire tread depth, the depth ranged from 2/32 to 3/32, the service manager stated the tires were unsafe. should the nhstb investigate car rental companies who may be placing the safety of customers at risk to save money?

Reported in: SANDY UT || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2008 toyota highlander - accelerated to pass a car in the next lane so i could pass and the accelerator got stuck. i could not stop the car. i pulled into the shoulder and though the car into neutral and had both feet on the brake and still the car wanted to go but it slowed a bit so i threw it into park and the jerked but finally came to a stop and i shut off the car. this is the 2nd time this has happened to me and i am afraid that it may cause a serious accident. currently the car is at the dealership. however, the dealership says they haven't heard of this before. yet when i googled the issue toyota has had this problem before with the highlander as well as other vehicles including the camry.

Reported in: SOUTH PLAINFIELD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A082

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

my 2008 toyota highlander consumes a little over half quart of oil for every 1,000 miles driven and i took it to longo toyota for more than three times and the mechanic there told me that it's normal. this is the first brand new car that i ever had wherein i have to add oil in between oil changes (3,000 miles). had they told me before i bought this car, maybe i will not have bought it and won't end up having this problem.

Reported in: LOS ANGELES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTMZD35V285

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2008 toyota highlander. the vehicle will roll forward when the vehicle and transmission are positioned in reverse, if the front of the vehicle is on a downward slope.

Reported in: BRANDON FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A282

TIRES

toyo tires (p245/55r19) were installed on my 08 highlander at the time of purchase. at first oil change, was advised that they were not wearing properly & had alignment checked. no problems with alignment--called toyota--they advised to rotate every 5k with oil change..did the same and i now have 20k miles with 2 rear tires that rubber is "peeling" so bad that they have to be replaced immediately. front will have to be replaced within few months as well. toyota is blaming toyo & no reply from toyo....obviously this manufacturer makes poor quality products with just the complaint records that you have on file. anyone driving a vehicle with these tires is obviously taking their life in their hands!!

Reported in: CENTREVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A082

VISIBILITY

i bought a 2008 toyota highlander in december 2007. i did not test drive the vehicle at night. after a few weeks, i tried to back up at night. the lights are completely inadequate and they are a safety hazard. i have to get out of the vehicle every few feet and check to make sure there is nothing/no one in my path when backing up at night. i asked the dealer to check/repair the lights. they said this is a common complaint but there is nothing they can do to fix it. it is not safe to back up the vehicle at night because the lights do not illuminate enough to see if someone is in your path. i have asked the manufacturer for help fixing the problem but they said there is nothing they can do.

Reported in: OOLTEWAH TN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A582

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Reported in: OOLTEWAH TN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A582

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

when the front of the car is on a downward slope and it is shifted into reverse it will roll forward the same as a manual transmission will do when the clutch is depressed. the brake has to be applied with one foot while the other foot is pressing on the accelerator. the could cause injury and or property damage if parked close to person or property. the slope angle does not have to be a steep incline for this to occur. the toyota dealership was notified of the issue and stated they were not aware of this as a problem and it was a normal occurrence for the car to roll forward.

Reported in: CUYAHOGA FALLS OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A982

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

brake pedal spongy at low engine operating speeds.

Reported in: COLUMBUS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A982

TIRES

tire flaking and prematurely wearing.

Reported in: CABIN JOHN MD || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A482

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

no previous braking problems experienced. first heard an airy sound when braking then soft brake pedal and then almost complete brake failure. dealer found a vacuum leak in brake booster. repair was replacement of the brake booster.

Reported in: PORT SYDNEY 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A282

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

Reported in: PORT SYDNEY 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A282

TIRES

known defects of toyo tires on 2008 toyota highlander. tires shred tread in little pieces. toyota dealer has a sheet describing the details. toyo knew the tires were defective. they waited until the owner noticed and complained. the tires wear out very quickly. the tires should have been recalled and replaced. instead toyo applied their warranty. with 80% credit, my costs were$252.25 since the tires were known to be defective, they should have been replaced at no charge to me.

Reported in: EUGENE OR || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A082

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving in reverse out of a parking garage, the all-weather floor mat shifted under the accelerator pedal and caused it to stick which caused him to crash into the garage. the vehicle was taken to a collision center and repaired at an estimated cost of $4,000. the failure mileage was 4,957. the current mileage was unknown.

Reported in: CHICAGO IL || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES43A482

TIRES

we have leased a 2008 toyota highlander for 22 months. the toyo a 20 tires are so worn with normal driving they will not pass state inspection. numerous complaints appear online regarding this matter. no one wants to take responsibility for this matter. there is obviously a defect with tire or car.

Reported in: ASHBURN VA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A682

TIRES

i own a 2008 toyota highlander limited. after driving 25k miles, i noticed a vibration in my steering. i then noticed my tires tread on all 4 tires worn down to almost 2/32" of tread depth remaining. i have original tires: open country a20 p 245/55r19 103s. i called toyo tire consumer relations dept. and they said there is no mileage warranty on the original equipment. they offer 30% discount on new set of tires installed at tire dealer center. new tires, after discount will cost about $900, but they on the back order and become available only by the end of december 2009. i forced to keep driving my car with bad tires.they don't offer any replacement tires for this odd size, manufactured only for this car. these tires create a hazard to me, my family and public safety, especially driving in the north-east areas. i have never had a new vehicle that need new tires when it is barely two years old. i try to replace this tires before i have an incident. i have noticed numerous complaints about these tires on various web sites. all toyota highlander owners very disappointed and lost. many try to change tire size to more common used, which will void power-train warranty and could create more of safety problems. i hope you find this situation very disturbing and potentially safety hazardous and will lead to your investigation and correction.

Reported in: TUCKAHOE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A982

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

on august 13, 2009 my wife was driving our 2008 toyota highlander limited, 4wd suv when she suddenly lost control and crashed into a wooden telephone pole, totaling the car. according to her, the car suddenly accelerated and she couldn't stop the vehicle.

Reported in: SMITHTOWN NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A782

SEATS

the driver�s seat does not rise up enough to see over the outside rearview mirror. also, the outside rearview mirror is large and continuous to the doorpost producing a visual block from windshield side of the doorpost to the far end of the outside mirror - about 16 inches. project this visual block-out across to a side-street intersection and it blocks the view of the entire side-street intersection and then some when traveling on a four lane street with a meridian in the middle. this is gross hazard for me and a vehicle in the intersection and for pedestrians. i had one collision when leaving a church parking lot onto a two lane rural road - traveling about 10 mph and the other vehicle was stopped in his lane. occurred in spring of 2008, about 5 pm - clear sunny day. i did not see his car - and the collision repair cost for his vehicle was $2,500 and for my repair cost was $4,000 +-. also, i have hit the low concrete divider with my left front tire - located under the freeway overpass when turning - this turn i have done 5 days a week for 5 years on the way to work with no problem until driving this 2008 highlander. also, i have had several near collisions with unseen vehicles and pedestrians. at night with vehicle behind me the light glare in the outside mirror is such that it is impossible to see over or around to see a side-street intersection. similar problems exist for the right outside mirror. to correct this problem the mirror needs to be lowered. also, a gap between the edge of the mirror and the doorpost would be a major great help. my height is 5'-5" not too short - by pushing hard with my left foot on the floorboard step i am able to see over the outside mirror and gain a reasonable view of the side-street intersection - but this movement takes away from my concentration and agility to drive on.

Reported in: HUNGERFORD TX || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS41A982

POWER TRAIN

2008 low mileage toyota highlander sticking accelerator pedal. my accelerator got stuck at full throttle. i'm sure it was not the mats; i did not have any. the mileage was very low at the time, unlike what the recall is addressing. it has not happened since.

Reported in: RED BANK NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A692

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

crash and injury on dated 12/21/2008 where i thought my 2008 highlander which i bought a month ago skid on a dry road in broad day light. speed was below 20 mph 1000 ft away from my home inside the neighberhood of reading, pa 19606. we were going to see a movie on a weekend. on lynn ave my car skid and hit a parked trailer behind. i could not get time to press the brake at all. all i thought is snow/ black ice. myself and attending police officer did not find any ice on the road. so, as usual human error was blamed. but my 14 yr son noticed the skid before incident. my wife and son both were injured in the crash. in over one year i could not get satisfied with the police report which said my speeding was to blame. we all knew i was not speeding near my home. the control of my car went away from my hand. the car sped up and before any realization it hit the back of the trailer. if you see the car and the way it hit, only reason you will believe that the driver must have been drunk. but i was not. now i know what really happened that day. it is the reason why the recall happened.

Reported in: READING PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES41A382

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact's sister owned a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact's sister was driving and the vehicle accelerated across the interstate, hit an embankment and was struck by semi truck. the vehicle burned and the driver was killed as a result of the accident. the vehicle was destroyed but there was no investigation into the cause for the accident. the contact called the manufacturer but was not able to get in touch with any representatives. the current and failure mileages were approximately 33,000. updated 03/10/10 *bf updated 07/07/10.*jb update 9/19/2011*cw

Reported in: OMAHA NE || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A282

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

toyota 2008 highlander-braking system hesitates like the prius is described. it freezes up and doesn't react as quickly as it is pushed. this is ongoing.

Reported in: CASPER WY || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i am leasing two toyota vehicles ... a 2008 toyota highlander and a 2009 toyota camry. during december 2009 i experienced problems with the 2008 toyota highlander transmission and sudden acceleration while braking. details include a transmission noise rattle while driving on a california freeway at about 60 mph. this transmission noise continued for 3-4 minutes, sounding louder as if a part was loose inside of the transmission. i shifted the transmission on the 2008 highlander between gears and the noise eventually stopped. the second complaint on the 2008 toyota highlander occurred on december 5, 2009, while i was parking the vehicle. as i approached the parking place, with my foot covering the brake pedal, i experienced unexpected acceleration while braking. the 2008 toyota highlander suddenly lurched without warning and would have continued to accelerate through a plate glass window at the bank if i didn't apply full force of the brake! i was able to apply the brake firmly enough to overcome the sudden acceleration in order to stop the vehicle in time. carlsbad, california toyota of carlsbad was notified on december 9, 2009 in writing regarding these two issues. i had personally delivered a two page document detailing both of these complaints to the toyota of carlsbad service department. i have not received any response from my complaint by toyota of carlsbad or the toyota motor corporation.

Reported in: SAN MARCOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A182

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: SAN MARCOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A182

TIRES

toyo a20 open country tires in 245/55r19 size wear prematurely with potential loss of traction and control. drivers unaware of the fact these tires wear out in less than 20,000 miles may fail to check them for wear soon enough. these tires are the oem tires used on the 2008 toyota highlander sport model and probably some other toyota models and model years as well. the 2008 vehicle owners will be the first to report problems. this blog on consumer reports details the problems. http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/04/toyota-highlander-how-to-choose-the-best-replacement-tire-.html toyota dealers are offering no compensation or replacement assistance and this size tire is unique so that only two firms offer replacements - toyo and bridgestone. the bridgestone oem tires in this size may have the same wear and traction problems. *cn

Reported in: OAK RIDGE TN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A482

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

brake failure on 2008 toyota highlander: i turned car on & shifted into reverse to back out of parking space. there was no resistance on the brake pedal. car rolled backward & would not stop. i applied emergency brake and car stopped. when e-brake was on i tested to see if there was pressure on the brake pedal - there was none. at this point i put car into park and turned off engine, waited a few minutes and restarted engine. still no brake pressure and shifter would not come out of park position. i turned the engine off and then on again and released emergency brake. at this point the car shifted out of park and there was pressure in the brake pedal. i drove vehicle safely to nearest toyota dealership (where vehicle was purchased). computer check indicated no problem with brakes. manual/visual check revealed a gap leaking brake fluid between the master cylinder and the brake booster , both of which were subsequently replaced by the dealership. *tw

Reported in: KATY TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A382

TIRES

my wife's 2008 toyota highlander sport with 19" rims came with bridgestone dueler h/l 400 tires. this tire happens to be the only tire made to fit this rim other than a toyota open country which apparently was standard on the hybrid model. we found this tire to be unfit and unsafe for a 4,500 lb vehicle of this scale. these tires hydroplan in rain from the moment they were new, and they handled terribly in any amount of snow, causing the rear of our 4wd vehicle to slide sideways when starting from simple stops. on several occasions we held our breath as we slid toward vehicles and property while the stability control system tried in vain to overcome the tire's very poor handling characteristics. if you go to tirerack.com you will see that this tire is rated extremely poorly by many many owners of highlanders and other cars that they came standard on. when i contacted toyota about this, they balked at me, and copped an attitude when they asked if i seriously thought toyota was going to replace my tires for me. these tires are unsafe for any vehicle which will travel in snow or rain. the final insult of these tires is that they were more than three-quarters worn out by 15,000 miles. we milked these tires until almost 30,000 miles since i refused to buy the same tire again, hoping some other manufacturer would come along with a similar sized tire - 245/55-19. that never happened, so i went with a 255 width tire and brought a well rated hankook. i could not be happier. i am just incensed that toyota colluded with bridgestone to install such terribly cheap and unsafe tires on thousands of highlanders, stranding all those owners to suffer the same instability issues as we did, while they did not work with any other tire vendors to supply this distinctive tire design. i am not sure who i hold in more contempt - bridgestone or toyota. i do not doubt that you could research vehicle crashes involving highlanders and find many caused by poor traction. *tw

Reported in: HANOVER MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A282

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

driving my new 2008 toyota highlander leased dec. 2008. on 4-5 separate occasions while driving with the cruise control on i accelerated and the vehicle immediately went to full race. pedal was not stuck. could not turn off the cruise control. shifting into neutral caused uncontrolled maximum rpms. turning the key off and back on numerous times did not fix the problem. eventually after about 20-30 seconds the problem resolved, engine slowed with no sign there had ever been a problem. this has not happened again since spring 2009 but that spring the 4-5 episodes happened within a few weeks.

Reported in: WESTFORD VT || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Reported in: WESTFORD VT || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i was driving in traffic and all of a sudden the information screen indicated there had been a brake malfunction and that i should pull over and call the dealer. i noticed the emergency brake light was lit so i thought i had somehow been driving with the emergency brake on. in kind of a panic i then pushed down the emergency brake about half way in an effort to turn it off. this caused the car to slow down precipitiously and we almost got into an accident. it turns out the problem was caused by corrosion in one of the wheel sensors that detects slippage. the emergency brake was never engaged. toyota should not illuminate that light when this happens to prevent drivers from thinking their emergency brake is engaged when infact it is not. toyota should recall the 2008 highlander to make sure there is no corrosion since the message on the informational display is so distracting to the driver.

Reported in: COTTAGE GROVE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A682

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

at the end of october, 09, i was driving with both of my boys in the car. i got into the left turn lane on bay area blvd, houston,tx. i had one car in from of me. i had my foot on the brake and my engine raced and i started to go forward. i looked down quickly to see if the floor mat was stuck and it was not. i pressed both feet on the brake and continued to move forward. i put my car in park and turned the car off. my 11 year old was in the front seat and he experienced the entire situation. i was very scared that i would hit the car in front which is why i put the car in park and turned it off. i did not think anyone would believe me so i did not tell anyone about it. last weekend i was waiting at the red light with my foot on the brake to turn left and my car engine started to race again, i was ready to put my car in park but the light turned green so i was able to move forward. i contacted star toyota in league city and spoke to the service manager. i was informed again ( once by the sales manager) that my car vin had a j in front of it so it was not involved in the recall. i was told to bring it in at my expense to have it looked at and was referred to the 800 331 4331. i called that number and received a recording that due to the high volume of calls that they were not accepting calls and was referred to the toyota press room on line. i went to that site and did not find any way to contact toyota. i have a dangerous car and i cannot get help with it from the dealer. i don't care if the vin has a j in front of it or if it was made in japan. i have owned this car since oct 2007. my husband complained several times that while he was driving the car on the interstate that it seemed to accelerate faster on its own.

Reported in: HOUSTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A182

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander which was purchased in october 2007. she stated that while attempting to make a left turn with her foot on the brake pedal, there was a sudden increase in rpms without warning. she assumed the floor mat was blocking the accelerator pedal; however upon further investigation found this was not the case. the vehicle then proceeded to abnormally accelerate at speeds of less than 15 mph. the contact used both feet to depress the brake pedal and abruptly shifted the vehicle into the park position. the vehicle continued to idle until she shut the engine off. the dealer was contacted and she was advised that there were no recalls on her vehicle. the dealer nor manufacturer provided any assistance. the failure mileage was 38,400 and the current was 39,538. updated 3/24/10 *cn updated 08/18/10*jb

Reported in: HOUSTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A182

SUSPENSION

i own a 2008 toyota highlander all wheel drive and have a problem with the car's alignment. my mechanic said it is a defect that cannot be fixed and is a safety danger. when my car had 3,000 my mechanic said the tires were shredding. when he checked my alignment he said it was off but whenhe tried to correct it he said it was impossible to fix and it is a defect. i took the car to the toyota dealer and was told they would fix it. when i picked up the car they said it was realigned but could not get it to the recommended alignment but it was not a safety issue. i took the car back again to have it realigned and the same result that it could not be realigned to company specs but toyota told me the misalignment is not a safety danger. my mechanic said it is a danger so i brought it back to toyota to complain. toyota said there is nothing they can do so i should just live with it. i am furious and am concerned about the safety of my car. will you please help me. i am aware of other owners with alignment problems with the all wheel drive models. thank you.

Reported in: HONOLULU HI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A082

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

left and right rear brakes stay engaged when applied and will not disengage for up to 2 minutes after released. i was told that the mechanism (apparently the calipers) was corroded.

Reported in: OLEAN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A182

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

our 2008 toyota highlander has had the same intermittent braking problem since we purchased it in 2008. when we brake for the first second or so of depressing the brake pedal the brakes will either not respond or there will be a slight surge in acceleration. after further depression of the brake pedal, the brakes will engage, but the initial engagement is not smooth. it feels like someone that has braked their vehicle too rapidly. this issue comes and goes. when we take it to the dealer, they say they cannot recreate the issue and say there is nothing wrong with the vehicle.

Reported in: SHERRILLS FORD NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

this is an intermittent problem with acceleration we have had with our toyota highlander since we purchased the vehicle. when accelerating, the vehicle will periodically over-rev before the automatic transmission shifts into the appropriate gear. this results in a momentary lack of acceleration. again this is an intermittent problem. when taken to the toyota dealer, they say they cannot recreate the problem and that there is nothing that they can see that is wrong with the vehicle.

Reported in: SHERRILLS FORD NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: SHERRILLS FORD NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

2008 toyota highlander fails to shift into gear. most occurrences at low speed after slowing to 5mph vehicle does not respond to gas pedal - or will not engage into gear and move forward. this occurs or is most noticeable at slow speeds when the gas pedal is pushed after having slowed down or in the midst of a slow down (not a complete stop) usually to wait for traffic to clear. occurred with every driver of the vehicle (4). most notable (scary) while my daughter was turning and trying to get out of the way of traffic. car would not engage in gear, rpm increase, car reves up, but will not move forward out of the way of traffic. my daughter screamed. taken to dealer at least twice. and continue to call and complain. dealer states they had experts look at car, rebooted computer (because car responds to driver that drives the most!). said nothing is wrong or can be done. dealer has admitted that engaging is slow, noticeable. failure to engage occurs daily. consequence - in danger of not being able to move car out of the way of oncoming traffic. nothing was done to repair. computer re-set. (this is what i was told) vehicle also has experienced trouble while driving up hill. rpm went to 4000 + and would not change gears. on freeway and slowing down. had 6 high school girls in car. also has "dropped" into gear heavily.

Reported in: LIVERMORE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A782

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Reported in: LIVERMORE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A782

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

i have toyota highlander 2008 from aug 2008. this car has a problem with braking. first winter it was unsafe to park car on shopping parking, because of close proximity to other cars. highlander was not stopping, it continued moving with my leg on the brake pedal. this car was not slowing down. i drove many different suvs from rental companies, like chevy trail blazer, gmc acadia, jeep two different models, but never had any problems with brakes. i went to the dealership three times and each time they told me they cannot do anything. i'm used to this car now, but braking still not good. it requires deep pressure on the pedal and car is stopping longer.

Reported in: SKOKIE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A182

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

all the sensor lights, including abs, emergency brake, and trac, for the brake system have gone on and off intermittently on my 2008 toyota highlander. sometimes the brakes engaged the skid control and one time i heard the back left brake make a clunking noise when i pressed the brake pedal. the brakes were inspected twice, once by toyota mechanic and another time by a local sears mechanic. the toyota mechanic re-calibrated the sensors and they stayed off for a few weeks, but they are all back on now. the toyota mechanic stated that our vehicle was third one he saw that week for brake sensor problems. also, both mechanics said i had plenty of brakes left. this started when there was less than 50,000 miles on my car but, with over 36,000 warranty miles. i think the sensors should last longer and it's scary driving with the sensor lights indicating a problem.

Reported in: GLENDALE HEIGHTS IL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A182

STEERING

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving at low speeds with his foot on the brake pedal, the power steering locked and it was very difficult to make a left or right turn. the vehicle also became hard to control at higher speeds between 50 to 70 mph. the failure occurred 10 times. the dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was designed that way and it was not malfunctioning. no repairs were made to the vehicle. the failure mileage was 2000. the current mileage was 12,050.

Reported in: ROCKVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A382

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

we have a 2008 toyota highlander with intermittent failure of the anti-lock brakes and vehicle stability control system (abs/vsc). for no apparent reason, the abs/vsc will malfunction and brakes operate incorrectly. it is an intermittent problem that comes an goes. we have almost had an accident in the snow in ohio. we have had the car into the dealer 4x without resolution since nobody knows what is wrong. it has been an ongoing issue since it started jan 2010.

Reported in: GALENA OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A182

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Reported in: GALENA OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A182

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

in january 2010, i was parked in my daughter's daycare driveway. the driveway has a normal slope. i turned the vehicle on while in the driveway and even though i was pressing on the brakes the brakes failed and the car began rolling backward. i had to use the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. thankfully no children were around me. the incident happened again moments later while the car was parked in my driveway, which has a minimal slope. again the brakes lost pressure and did not work. in both instances i noticed the vehicle stability control light was on. i took the car to the dealership after the vsc light turned on 4x in the same day. the dealership cannot find the problem. the vsc light and brakes fail on a routine basis...at least once a week. i make sure that the emergency brake and parking brake are engaged and that the vsc light does not turn on before shifting to drive. this care is unsafe considering the vsc engages for no apparent reason.

Reported in: PLEASANT HILL CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A982

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. on february 10, 2008 while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated when she put her foot on the brake pedal. the vehicle failed to slow down. she lost control and swerved the into the left lane and crashed into another vehicles rear bumper causing that vehicle to crash into the vehicle in front of them. she sustained injuries to her ribs. the other two drivers also sustained injuries. the insurance company was in the process of investigating the failure. the vehicle was destroyed. the failure and the current mileages were 13,000. a police report was filed. updated 03/30/10. *lj the consumer stated there may have been possible steering problems as well. according to the police report, the consumer was traveling too fast for the road conditions. updated 06/28/10*jb

Reported in: SUMMERVILLE SC || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS43A782

STEERING

Reported in: SUMMERVILLE SC || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS43A782

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. he stated that while driving 5 mph and changing lanes, the throttle caused the wheels to lose traction control. after a while, the throttle engaged and the vehicle began functioning normally. the dealer was contacted and stated that the failure was normal. vehicle has been inspected but no errors were found and no repairs were made. the failure mileage was 8000 and the current mileage was 33000. updated 03/24/10 *bf updated 06/28/10*jb

Reported in: ANDOVER MN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A782

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) my father [xxx] was killed while driving a 2008 toyota highlander. he hit another car sustaining severe injuries to the driver. he left my house in georgetown, tx. driving to rockport tx when it is reported that he left his lane, no indication that he tried to slow down. the accident occurred in goliad county, about an hour from his house. the autopsy could find no medical or physical cause for this accident. the accident is on file with the texas department of public safety and usaa insurance.

Reported in: GEORGETOWN TX || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEEP21A060

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. on december 7, 2009 the contact drove into his parking garage and depressed the brake pedal when the accelerator pedal immediately jammed causing the vehicle to crash into the garage, approximately 18 feet. the vehicle stopped at the stairs. there was $9,000 worth of damage to the vehicle and $4,000 for the garage. toyota has examined the vehicle and stated that the vehicle was not a part of the recall yet it was the contacts fault. the contact also stated that there was an electronic failure. toyota advised the contact that his foot went between the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal causing the vehicle to crash into the garage. the failure mileage was 29,000. the current mileage was 30,000.

Reported in: BELLEVUE WA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A982

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact was backing out of the residence driveway on a slight incline. the driver stepped out of the vehicle while the gear shifter was placed in the reverse position and within three seconds the vehicle rolled over top of the driver. the ambulance was called to the scene. the driver was transported to the hospital and sustained severe injuries to the left leg and chest area. there was no damage to the vehicle. the cause of failure has not been determined. the failure mileage and vin were unknown. updated 4/5/10 *cn the consumer stated she stepped out of the vehicle not realizing it was in gear. it stayed stationary for several seconds before running her over. updated 05/11/10.

Reported in: TRACY CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A882

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

gas pedal is too tight. i would like some one to check the car. i strongly believe that there will be a big problem found with this model also. pedal is abnormally tight.

Reported in: READING PA || Crash: Y || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

on december 7, 2009, i had just arrived at my parking apron in front of my garage and was putting the car in "park" and had depressed the brake pedal to do so. the accelerator immediately jammed on "full" and the car went through a wooden two-car garage door taking all of the equipment with it and proceeded eighteen (18) feet into the garage and was stopped only by the stairs to the condo and the house foundation. there was $9,000 damage to the vehicle and $4,000 damage to the garage and stairs. toyota has examined the vehicle and claim it is not one of the recalled autos and this event must have been my fault. this is very distressing as i am a senior volunteer driving seniors to their medical appointments and an "at fault" accident would prevent my continuing this project. i firmly believe that some defect, probably electronic controls, caused the vehicle to do what it did and i am very afraid to continue driving it. even if, toyota's claim is correct that my foot wedged between the brake and gas pedal causing acceleration, would this not also be a design defect? please provide any information or assistance available.

Reported in: BELLEVUE WA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A982

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

sudden acceleration of new highlander 2008 model. i had reported for the first time i feb 19, 2009 when i took the car for service that there is something wrong with acceleration, as it runs at a higher speed. they checked & i was told there is nothing wrong by the dealer.my wife who never had any accidents got involved in an accident on dec. 21,2009 when as she was parking the car accelerated suddenly & hit the building in front. the impact was so great the people that were working in that building came out to see what happened. inspite of wearing seat belts, her chest hit the steering wheel she was in severe pain. after emergency visit, she did not have any fractures, but bruises of ribs. she was so scared she was afraid to drive for weeks. it took more than 8k for repairs.the car still has the same problems &we are at a loss what to do. she is driving with caution locally until this problem is resolved. when we contacted 2 dealers, we are told the car is manufactured in japan & it is not on recall list. we try to contact numerous times without success. need help in returning this car to toyota , as it is a serious hazard .

Reported in: WHITTIER CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS41A882

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: WHITTIER CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS41A882

TIRES

tl* the contact owns toyo open country a20 tires, size 245/55/r19, dot# cxhhdk84607. while the contact was having her vehicle inspected she noticed that all 4 tires were experiencing adnormal tread wear. the tires were taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the tires were experiencing normal wear. there were no prior warnings and the current and failure mileages were 30000. updated 4/28/10 *cn updated 06/11/10.*jb

Reported in: GROVELAND MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A882

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

recently i was involved in a minor rear-end accident. the impact speed was approx 10-15 mph and light to moderate damage was done to my vehicle, which is a 2008 highlander. prior to this accident i noticed my anti-skid braking system activated at a point i would consider to be premature. this premature activation limits the braking power of the vehicle when it is needed. this problem was brought to the attention of south county toyota in costa mesa, ca and they stated the vehicle was operating to specification. i am still concerned about the issue and would like to have it evaluated by a toyota motors rep while i am present. i do believe this premature activation of the anti-skid system was a contributing factor in my recent accident and it may have been prevented if the full braking power was available. at the time of the accident the streets were dry and it had not rained in several weeks. the vehicle suffered moderate front end damage which has since been repaired. toyota was notified of the accident and they have failed to correct the issue or admit there is anything wrong with the vehicle. as of right now i can duplicate the brake fade/ issue 100% of the time.

Reported in: COSTA MESA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS41A582

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

while i was driving our 2008 toyota highlander (with 21506 miles) to the toyota dealer for a tire inspection, the vehicle surged to approx 80 mph without accelerator pedal engagement. when i applied both feet to the brake pedal, it slowed the vehicle to approx 60 mph, but the engine continued to race out of control. i put the vehicle in neutral, but the engine continued to race. i put the vehicle back into drive and turned off the ignition. i eventually glided to a slow, difficult stop. no other vehicles were in the immediate area. after a 5 minute rest in park, i started the car and the engine raced. i immediately turned off the ignition. after another 5 minute delay, i started the vehicle again and it appeared normal. i drove the vehicle to the dealer and explained what had occurred. the dealer could not recreate the event and did not see any readouts indicating what had occurred. they explained it as a ect transmission that is common when the air conditioning is on. given recent events, my fear it that the explanation given to me is not accurate. i called the dealer several times over the past 2 months to determine what my options are for recall and repair. they continue to tell me to wait for a floor mat recall notice from toyota, and prior to receiving that notice, they cannot assist. i called the national toyota service center 1-800-331-4331 to file an incident report. i explained the situation above, they gave me a case number . they indicated that our vehicle was made in japan and should not be part of the pedal recall. they also indicated that we should be part of the floor mat recall which will include a computer chip adjustment that will install a brake override to ensure that the brake pedal will override the accelerator. give the recent events over the past 2 days, it appears that may not be working properly on other vehicles. since august 2009, this situation has not occurred again. my fear is that it will.

Reported in: STRONGSVILLE OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A082

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE

Reported in: STRONGSVILLE OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A082

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

i was in an accident (my car rear-ended another car), and the body repair shop indicates that there is "significant left framerail damage." however, my airbags did not deploy in the accident, which was very surprising to my insurance company and the body shop.

Reported in: RAMONA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS43A982

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2008 toyota highlander . unintended vehicle acceleration. pulled into parking space and applied brake but vehicle speed up. vehicle went up and over the curb and continued to accelerate. the muffler hit the curb and stopped the car from going further. while car was still trying to go forward, managed to get the car in park and turned off the engine. extensive damage done to the undercarriage of the car. car was towed to toyota dealer. case number from toyota is [xxx] . information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: HOWELL NJ || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A482

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

noted recently on mycarstats.com six complaints registered with nhtsa regarding 2008 highlander brake problems and five complaints registered with nhtsa regarding 2008 highland electric problems that involve brakes and electronic controls. i am submitting the following experiences with my 2008 highlander because they mirror many of the complaints. the brakes on my highlander have been an issue from the first weeks of ownership. i have taken the car to a local toyota dealership and complained about the brakes. the dealership did adjust the emergency brake which they indicated was out of adjustment but have stated that the brakes are working normally. my specific complaint is brake response. there is roughly an inch of pedal travel before the brakes begin to respond. if one must make a hard emergency stop the vsc control will engage. on one occasion, while driving in town a car ran through a traffic light in front of me. i hit the brakes hard - the vsc light came on - and the car slowly stopped. there was no accident but it was extremely close. i have found that if i routinely press on the brake pedal until the vsc light comes on that the pedal travel is reduced. i took the highlander to aaa auto diagnostics and they confirmed the pedal/vsc. aaa was unable to read the highlander computer because they did not have the proprietary toyota computer interface. the local toyota dealer has stated that the depressed pedal and vsc light response is normal. i also noted complaints of sudden acceleration when putting the car into gear. i have never experienced a surge to the degree mentioned in the complaints referenced above, however, while putting the car into drive with my foot on the brake i have had the car surge forward. i now always have the emergency brake on while putting the vehicle into drive. the date listed below is that of my first complaint to the local toyota dealer.

Reported in: SANTA CLARA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A282

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: SANTA CLARA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A282

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while depressing the brake pedal from speeds of 5 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. the contact attempted to stop the vehicle by depressing the brakes however, the brake pedal fell onto the floor board and did not engage. the vehicle proceeded to crash into a concrete statue. the vehicle did not come to a stop and proceeded to crash into a vehicle. the contact did not report any injuries. the police arrived to the scene but a police report was not filed. the vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic. no repairs were made to the vehicle. the vin was not available when the complaint was filed. the approximate current and failure mileages were 5,000.

Reported in: SEAL BEACH CA || Crash: Y || VIN #:

SEAT BELTS

we have a toyota highlander (2008) which is having safety issues. the passenger seat belt keeps going off. there is nothing in the seat but the bell keeps going off. it doesn't happen all the time but it does it often enough that it could be a safety issue. my second complaint is the window. the windshield keeps chipping when anything hits it. there are several times when i had to replace this window. there could be no other cars around but if something hits it will spider. my third issue is there is a noise that happens when we start the car. its in the engine and we cant find it. i have taken the car into toyota but of course they cant find anything. i have had nothing but expensive issues with this unsafe car. i want to know if there have been any recalls on these issues? [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: VANCOUVER WA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A382

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

Reported in: VANCOUVER WA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A382

TIRES

i ask because today had a horrible experience with toyota. they told me my shredding, bald tires are safe and nothing wrong with them. called toyo who makes the tires and they offered me 50 percent discount on new tires and tire place said car wouldn't pass inspection.. .all this when an hour earlier toyota dealership said everything is safe and sent me off with a safety inspection report saying all is well... from what i see online, it seems like hundreds of customers dealing with same 2008 vehicles with only 10-18k miles on tires that are shredding and bald. personally i think this could be another toyota example of turning the other way. from reading consumers stories and comments online i am afraid this could result in more injuries than the whole brake situation. appreciate anything you can do to draw some attention to this. the dealership i went to was: toyota of braintree 781 848 9300 customer service manager bob hadges service manager bob sullivan

Reported in: BRAINTREE MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

my 2008 toyota highlander has had one incident where the accelerator got stuck. i brought the vehicle to bernardi toyota in framingham, ma on 3/2/2010 and they advised that my vehicle is not part of the recall and they also conducted diagnostics on the vehicle and reported that all systems are normal. i am concerned about all of the confusing information pertaining to this problem offered by toyota and the fact it happened once to my vehicle, i am worried it might happen again.

Reported in: WALTHAM MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A182

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: WALTHAM MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A182

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving at speeds of 5 mph in snowy weather, the vehicle began to loose traction, causing the vehicle to spin. the contact stated that he engaged the brakes and was able to stop the vehicle with the suspension traction control. the traction control had to be shut off before he was able to accelerate. the contact stated that he believed that the failure was contributed to the weight distribution axle. there were no repairs made to the vehicle and the manufacturer had not been contacted. the failure mileage was 9,000 and the current mileage was 12,000.

Reported in: SLOATSBURG NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A782

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

while driving in reverse my 2008 toyota highlander gas pedal continued acceleration after braking and crashed into my garage.

Reported in: HOBE SOUND FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS41A782

POWER TRAIN

while driving in reverse my 2008 toyota highlander gas pedal continued acceleration after braking and crashed into my garage.

Reported in: HOBE SOUND FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS41A782

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact was driving at approximately 20 mph when the vehicle turned off as she made a left turn. she attempted to restart the vehicle multiple times but it continued to stall and would not restart. the contact was finally able to start the vehicle but the vehicle would not move forward when shifted into drive. the police were at the scene and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership. the dealer inspected the vehicle but could not find the cause for failure. the vehicle had not been repaired and the contact had not called the manufacturer at the time of the complaint. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was approximately 29,850. the current mileage was 29,866.

Reported in: WALNUT CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while the contact was driving up an incline approximately 60 mph with the cruise control in activation the speed rate increased to 85 mph or higher. when the brakes were applied, the vehicle came to a complete stop; however, the identical failure occurred three weeks after the first failure. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. the technician was unable diagnose the failure. the failure mileage was 25,000. the current mileage was 38,000.

Reported in: GALENA IL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A982

TIRES

toyota highlander (2008) with toyo a20 tires. extremely high wear with low mileage; car hydroplanes with minimal wet road surface, power wheels lose traction, even with slow start. the toyo tire treads are almost worn off at 23000 miles; when in normal driving, one should expect 45000 miles. this is a very poor quality oem tire, and should be recalled.

Reported in: CUPERTINO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A882

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE

toyota safety recall notice. i received a safety recall notice from toyota about floor mat interference with the accelerator pedal. while the pedal may get stuck on the floor mat, it is highly unlikely that this will cause a sudden increase in acceleration. common sense tells you that if the pedal gets stuck, the vehicle will remain at the speed in which the problem occurred. this also is true for the alleged sticky accelerator problem. it is disappointing that the ntmvsa has not recognized this problem and is allowing toyota to continue down this road.

Reported in: THOROFARE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A582

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: THOROFARE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A582

TIRES

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander sport. the contact stated that one of the lug nuts on the tire had rusted. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the lug needed to be replaced. there has been no replacement of the lug nut at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was approximately 23,000. the current mileage was 27,806.

Reported in: FALLBROOK CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A082

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving at speeds of 35-40 mph, the vehicle accelerated without warrant. the contact applied the brakes but the vehicle continued to accelerate and the brakes would not engage. the vehicle proceeded to crash into a curb several times before coming to a stop. the contact stated also she had previously received notification of nhtsa recall campaign id number 10v023000 (vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal) but had not taken the vehicle for recall repairs. the approximate failure and current mileages were 33830.

Reported in: SAN DIEGO CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS41A482

TIRES

2008 toyota highlander purchased used toyota certified 9-3-09 fails to shift into gear. most occurrences at low speed after slowing to 5mph vehicle does not respond to gas pedal - or will not engage into gear and move forward. this occurs or is most noticeable at slow speeds when the gas pedal is pushed after having slowed down or in the midst of a turn into a parking spot. wife has also complained about transmission not engaging into gear when car is first started up acts like you didn't shift it into gear. we have also noted transmission doesn't always seem to disengage when slowing from highway speeds 55 mph. feels like it is dragging car to stop. there is a noticeable whine between 55 - 62 mph. talked to dealer mechanic and he said that was normal everything is controlled by computers. we are going to take it back in this week and complain about the transmission slippage. we have also had a issue with the toyo tires. at 28,345 they were down to 5/32 to 4/32. they have major problems in snow and heavy rain with loss of traction. when esc kicks on in the snow on a turn do to sliding at slow speed it makes matters worse be better off with it turned off.

Reported in: MCCORDSVILLE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A482

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: MCCORDSVILLE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A482

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving 45 mph, the contact depressed the brakes and the vehicle began to slow down. when he depressed the brake pedal a second time, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into the vehicle ahead of him. the vehicle continued to accelerate into the preceding vehicle every time the contact attempted to depress the brake pedal. the contact crashed into the same vehicle three times. a police report was filed. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. both of the drivers of the vehicle were able to continue driving normally after the crash occurred. the failure mileage was 15,000 and the current mileage was 15,100.

Reported in: BENSALEN PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS43A082

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

on may 22, 2010 my toyota highlander sudden accelerated. i was at a full stop (red light) on 14th street at the intersection of castro heading west uphill. my foot was on the brake when my truck suddenly accelerated. the truck jerked forward even though my foot was on the brake. i reported it to san francisco toyota service representative when i brought in my truck for the recall service on may 29, 2010. they completed the recall as required, but he dismissed my comment about the above incident. i believe the real issue is the electronic or software programming of vehicle controls and wish to have this documented if a more serious problem occurs.

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A882

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A882

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2008 toyota highlander. consumer is not satisfied with decision on her toyota *tgw the consumer stated the vehicle was leaking oil and the cover had to be resealed. the right front main oil seal was replaced as well. *jb

Reported in: ROBBINS TN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A582

TIRES

poor tires on my 2008 toyota highlander sport edition. excessive wear and need to be replaced at 22k miles. they are the bridgestone 245/55/r19.

Reported in: SIMI VALLEY CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES

stock tires on 2008 toyota highlander limited are unsafe.

Reported in: YREKA CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A282

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated while driving at approximately 15 mph, the vehicle rapidly accelerated without driver intent. the contact shifted into neutral and depressed the brakes until he was able to stop the vehicle. there was no warning prior to the failure. the manufacturer was contacted and advised an investigator would further assess the failure. the manufacturer stated also that the vehicle would be towed to the nearest dealer for diagnostic repairs. the vehicle was not yet repaired or diagnosed. the failure and current mileages were approximately 30,000.

Reported in: DESTREHAN LA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A482

TIRES

the 245-55x19 toyo open country a20 tires toyota specs on highlander limited models are utterly treacherous on ice or snow. edmunds.com documents a huge number of winter traction complaints under used cars> toyota> 2008> highlander limited> customer comments. in my own case, starting under 15 mmph i slid under 8 lanes of interstate viaduct, anti-lock brakes pulsing all the while, before my car stopped. the toyos are 1 of only 2 tires from any mfr in the size noted, the other being a bridgestone with equally horrific ice/snow traction ratings at tirerack and discount tire. toyota refuses any assistance, saying the tires are tire manufacturer warranted. the problem? i would be getting exactly the same tire again, and the a20 tire is the problem to begin with. i replaced the toyo's with another make and size at 15,900 miles (for $900) and they transformed my highlander completely winter traction-wise. this toyo tire needs to be banned entirely, yet toyota continues to spec them on new vehicles.

Reported in: LISLE IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while the vehicle was parked the contact heard a rattling noise. he drove the vehicle to an authorized dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. the failure recurred while the vehicle was parked and was taken back to the dealer. the contact stated was advised by the dealer that the failure was caused by the cam shaft gears. the vehicle remained at the dealer. the contact stated that the vehicle will be in the dealers possesion for approximately two weeks. the failure only occurred when the vehicle was parked. the failure mileage was 33,800 and the current mileage was 34,250.

Reported in: GROTON CT || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A782

TIRES

have the bridgestone tires stock that come with the 2008 highlander. they didn't even make it 28000 miles. while looking up the tire on the manufacturers site, they don't even have a mileage rating. we complained to the toyota customer care site and never received so much as an acknowledgment. complained to the toyota dealership and were told that toyota sacrifices the mileage of their tire so that we get a better riding tire. in other words, tough.

Reported in: RUMFORD RI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A682

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while the vehicle was in drive gear, the vehicle began to surge backwards until the ignition was turned off. upon restarting the vehicle it began to function normally. the vehicle was not examined to determine the cause of failure. the failure mileage was 48,700 and the current mileage was 48,880. the vin was unavailable.

Reported in: BURKE VA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEAT BELTS

during a recent road trip visiting family, my son was riding in the third row seat in our toyota highlander. shortly before arriving at his grandparents, he told me that he had become twisted in his seatbelt. as we were within 10 minutes of our destination, i told him that i would handle the situation when we arrived. a few minutes later he said that the belt was getting tighter and i asked him if i needed to stop and he said that would be a good idea. before i could get stopped (less that a block), he indicated that he was having trouble breathing. when i looked back, i was startled to find that the seat belt had become wrapped around his neck and had ratcheted back in, pinning his neck back against the side of the car. even after stopping, i was unable to pulled the seat belt out to get it out from around my son's neck -- he was strangling in front of my eyes. fortunately, i was in a city with residents close by, one of which heard me screaming and running door to door, who brought out a kitchen knife to cut the belt and release my son. i realize that these ratchet-type seat belts are designed as a safety feature in the third row seat of many makes and models, however, feel that this design also presents a strangulation concern. in cases such as mine, there was no way to get the seat belt released and if this had occur while on rural roads or the interstate, the availability of a knife would have been more difficult to come by. i feel that either an emergency release button should be designed for the ratchet seat belts or consumers need to be aware of the potential for strangulation and advised to carry scissors for this possibility. i have voiced my concerns to toyota and they are replacing the seat belt free of charge, however, i feel that it is important that individuals be aware of this possibility and be prepared.

Reported in: HIGHLANDS RANCH CO || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A782

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

when the vehicle was purchased the airbag light came on intermittently. the sales person said this was normal when someone was in the passenger seat. the vehicle was taken in for regular maintenance and supposedly this was checked. on 5/23/10, the vehicle was on, but "parked" and both side airbags deployed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer, it was inspected by a toyota engineer and both the dealer and engineer have refused to disclose the cause for the deployment of both airbags which caused injuries and damages.

Reported in: MILWAUKEE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A682

TIRES

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander equipped with toyo open country tires, size p245/55/r19. the contact stated all 4 tires on the vehicle, including the spare, exhibited tread separation. the dealer performed an alignment yet the failure persisted. the vehicle and tire manufacturers were contacted and neither would provide any assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 20,000 and the current mileage was approximately 27,000.

Reported in: BENICIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A682

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

went to local dealer to get oil change, 15 minutes later oil leak all out from bottom. dealer said that it was a hose malfunction, but no recall, car is only two yrs old.

Reported in: FOND DU LAC WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

i received a vsc error code, on a 2008 toyota highlander, not the hybrid model, but a limited top of the line model. the vehicle starts to accelerate by itself & then when you slam on the brakes to try to stop it, it fails to stop. in order to avoid slamming into the vehicle in front of me & to the right of me, i chose to turn left hard & run into the concrete divider. this was the 2nd occasion that this type of failure has happened to me. the 1st time was on december 15, 2010 & i also chose to turn left hard & strike the divider instead of rear ending the vehicle in front of or side swiping the vehicle to the right of me. on the 1st occasion, none of the airbags deployed & because of that i ended up striking my head on the either the drivers side glass or some hard object and losing my short term memory. the vehicle & then crossed 3 lanes of traffic, finally off of an exit ramp & came to rest after striking a fence pole. the 2nd time it happened was on august 16, 2010. i also chose to strike the concrete divider as opposed to striking the vehicle in front of me or to the right of me. then somehow i also crossed 3 lanes of highway & finally coming to rest after striking a light pole. the driver side curtain airbag did deploy this time so i did not lose consciousness nor did i lose my short term memory. it was at that point that i noticed that a 2nd error code also came up stating brake failure.

Reported in: MARLBORO NJ || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A082

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

vehicle, toyota highlander 2008, would not start using the electronic ignition pushbutton. on 7/22/2010 vehicle was brought into the dealer and the ignition/power switch was replaced, code found b2275. same problem occurred again and dealer replaced neutral safety switch per t-sb-0348-09. same problem occurred again and was towed to dealer on 8/16/2010. they do not know what the problem is and i have heard nothing further from them as of 8/23/2010. i have been stranded several times with the vehicle not starting, the last time at 9:00 pm on sunday, 8/15/2010.

Reported in: GLENWOOD IL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A982

TIRES

greetings. i am writing to you regarding my 2008 highlander sport, serial number [xxx]. specifically, i am writing about the oem tires, toyo open country, dot cxhh, dk82508. as of today, i have 23, 897 miles on the vehicle; and the tires are completely worn out to a point below the wear bars, which indicates that they must be replaced now. when i purchased the vehicle in october 2008, i purchased the toyota maintenance program, so the tires are rotated and balanced (if necessary) every 5,000 miles when i also change the oil. i am a 46 year old father of three small children, with no moving violations, tickets or accidents. i tell you this about my life to indicate the type of conservative driver that i am. i have conducted extensive research online and have identified the lowest price for a set of four tires at $759.88, which will actually more expensive during the buy due to the tpms system, the necessity for an alignment when replacing four tires, and tax. i realize that tire replacement is just one part of the overall maintenance requirement for a vehicle. however, tires on a $33,000 vehicle should provide far more mileage than 24,000 miles. in fact, if you have the time-i invite you to go the blog titled toyota nation, where all of the writers consistently make disparaging remarks about toyota?s cheap tire selection. so much in fact, writers discuss various methods for overcoming the burden of finding a suitable, well-priced replacement when there are only three companies who make the 245/55-r19. those companies are toyo, bridgestone and hankook. most writers convert to a larger tire or a smaller tire with new wheels, which of course affects not only the speedometer/odometer readings, but more importantly performance and possibly safety of the vehicle. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: OVIEDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A682

TIRES

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander equipped with toyo open country at tires, size p245/55r19. the contact stated that all four tires were chipping away on the shoulder of the inside. while drivign 35 mph, the tire pressure warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the tires were inspected and the chipping was discovered. the contact called the tire manufacturer who advised her to take the vehicle to their tire dealer. the contact did not feel comfortable driving the vehicle to the dealer with the defective tires. the tires had not been replaced. the failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

Reported in: WARSAW VA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A582

TIRES

tire falling apart and flaking including premature wearing on factory oem toyo open country 245-55x19 a20 tires which were on my 2008 toyota highlander purchase brand new on jul 2008. approximate current mileage is 20,195. all tires are showing the same abnormal wear as verified by toyota dealer. there are numerous online complaints of similar owners with pictures of the unusual wearing. mine are worse than are described as concurred by toyota service advisors.

Reported in: CORPUS CHRISTI TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A582

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

leased the car new. on the odometer it had over 60 miles registered. from the first day, the valves were sounding loudly. the valves are still sounding loudly, at 15, 000 miles. i informed the service dept, but really nothing was done. when warming up the car, when i first had it, the car was running very rough. the service dept. corrected this. at 15,000 miles a fuel injector had to be replaced. service consultant states he will check this in one year. i wanted to know how come the fuel injector had to be replace and was this normal in other car. new fuel injector was inserted. old part is not available.

Reported in: BRONX, NEW YORK NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41AX82

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while stopped a stop sign and the rpms begin to increase excessively. when the contact attempted to pull off she was unable to drive forward or in reverse. a mechanic came and was able to drive the vehicle to the contact's residence. the vehicle was then towed to the dealer who stated that the transmission dropped out of the vehicle because the front axle had broken. the vehicle was being repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure and current mileages were 12000. updated 01/24/11 *bf the dealer stated the driver side axle broke in half and half of the axle became stuck in the transmission. also the camshaft position needed to be replaced. updated 03/16/11

Reported in: BROOKLYN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A182

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

Reported in: BROOKLYN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A182

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Reported in: BROOKLYN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A182

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

the sensor lights for abs and vsc have gone on and off intermittently on my 2008 toyota highlander. sometimes the brakes engaged the skid control, braking capability is lost and other times the speed needle does not gage properly. the system was inspected by toyota, who indicated it was due to damage to the sensor from a rope. toyota supposedly replaced the sensor and they stayed off for a few weeks, but continue to come back. my vehicle still has less than 50,000 miles, and toyota is again telling me they have to look into the problem.

Reported in: SAN DIEGO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A682

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: SAN DIEGO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A682

TIRES

this report concerns a 2008 toyota highlander limited that was purchased new as a dealer leftover. the vehicle has just over 20,000 miles and the toyo open country a20 tires are shredding and have pieces of the tread missing. this is on all four tires. the tires are p245/55r19 with a dot number cxhh-dk80508. i have not yet contacted toyo, however from other complaints noted, it does not seem that the manufacturer will willingly accept the defect of premature wear of this tire. the tire size is unique, which causes the replacement cost to be much higher than more standard sizes.

Reported in: MEDFORD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i was involved in a car accident on 08/17/2010 while driving my 2008 toyota highlander that has 23000 miles on it. the accident caused me total damage to my car and put my life in danger due to failure in the break/acceleration system on the car. the car did not stop but accelerated even though when i was pressing the break which caused me to hit a truck that was passing in front of me. i explained to the emergency crew that the accident was because of failure of the break/and acceleration system on the toyota car and i explained the same thing to the police officer who was presented on the scene. i like to mention here that the toyota dealer sent me a note of defection about my car prior to the accident and i took the car to the dealer shop and spent 2 hours there to have it fixed. the car now is at the state farm insurance and i can email/send you the car pictures after the accident.

Reported in: MUNSTER IN || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A082

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Reported in: MUNSTER IN || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A082

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Reported in: MUNSTER IN || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A082

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM

on 6/9/2010 asked dealer to ck. vehicle b/c air vents were throwing out white substance. dealer said the cabin filter was contaminated and replaced at 27,180 miles. on 12/9/2010 31,109 miles returned to dealer with same complaint white substance through vents. same response, cabin filter. i said how could filter be the problem after just 3929 miles, 6 mo service. dealer checked with toyota no record of issues here. we also own a 2007 lexus and had the same problem. on 1/14/2011 lexus service replaced the evaporater core with updated part as per tsb 0032-28. lexus said toyota dealer should do the same. toyota dealer has refused to replace. my concern, warranty expires in march 2011 and still having the problem. cannot continue to replace costly cabin filter. what should i do to get the repair completed?

Reported in: MONROE TOWNSHIP NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A582

SUSPENSION

2008 toyota highlander. consumer states squeaky noise when vehicle tires go over any bumps as well as when the vehicle is started in the morning when the weather is cold *tgw the consumer stated the noise was coming from the dashboard on the passenger side. the dealer was unable to find a problem. also, the water pump was leaking. *jb

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A382

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A382

STRUCTURE

events leading up to failure: i first noticed that my low tire pressure warning light was on when i started out this morning. i stopped at a gas station to check the tires and noticed a large screw stuck in my front left tire. my tire pressure gauge registered less than 5psi. i filled the tire to at least 25psi and headed back home, figuring i could put the spare on in my garage and take the flat to be repaired. i was glad to get back as the biggest snowstorm of the season was an hour away. the failure: i was able to get the jack and other equipment out of the back and successfully lowered the spare tire onto the ground. my problem is that i cannot remove the spare tire from the carrier cable. we've had a lot of salt sprayed on the roads recently and all the parts were white. i sprayed with wd40, but no luck. the manual is no help as it only shows a picture of the spare and a rotating arrow. i came inside to look online to see if there was a solution.. none. i then saw a recall listed for the 2008-2010 sienna (id# 8250). because of a safety issue with spare tire carrier cable, it could possibly become corroded and cause the spare to fall off from under the vehicle. the recall says to see an amended recall for july 19, 2010. i can't find it. owners were to receive a letter "when a permanent remedy was available." repairs were expected to start in october 2010. i'm thankful i wasn't out trying to unsuccessfully remove the spare tire in a snowstorm, but a useless owners manual, a defective piece of equipment, and especially a recall for the same piece of equipment on another model with no amended repair information is unacceptable to me. why weren't highlander owners like me notified as well? have sienna vehicles been repaired? now i have to drive the car with a flat front tire to a toyota dealership to get the spare tire taken off the vehicle so i can take the flat off and get it repaired. i consider this another ball dropped by toyota.

Reported in: APPLETON WI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A882

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

Reported in: APPLETON WI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A882

AIR BAGS

i was involved in an accident in my 2008 toyota highlander on friday 3/4/11. i hit another vehicle while traveling 35mph. my highlander has significant front end damage but not one of the air bags deployed. i suffered a knee injury, a neck injury, a shoulder injury, and a concussion. i am very upset and concerned that none of the air bags deployed as they should have according to the owner's manual. i am hesitant to have any repairs made to my vehicle until we find out the cause of the defect. please let me know how to proceed...

Reported in: MOORESVILLE NC || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A982

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving approximately 25 mph and applying pressure to the brakes, the contact noticed that the vehicle continued to accelerate. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where they performed a diagnostic test which concluded that the brake booster had burst and would need replacing. the dealer performed the repairs and the manufacturer paid fifty percent of the repair costs. the approximate failure mileage was 53,000. updated 05/03/11*lj updated 05/11/11

Reported in: COLQUITT GA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A782

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact depressed the tailgate locking mechanism and while exiting a parking lot, the tailgate independently unlocked causing items to fall out of the vehicle. the contact stated that the electrical tailgate locking mechanisms failed and the contact would have to manually lock the tailgate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer advised that the hinges on the tailgate would need to be replaced. the dealer replaced all of the hinges and latches but the failure was not corrected. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that there was not a repair that would permanently correct the issue. the dealer stated that they would replace the hinges at their expense for up to seven years or 70,000 miles. the failure mileage was 11,000.

Reported in: HOCKESSIN DE || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A792

CHILD SEAT

i have a sunshine kids radian 80sl. model us18500. serial 090900106 03565. my latch strap does not remain tight. i can loosen it with one finger, which means my daughter climbing in and out can bump it and loosen it. it also has loosened over time on it's on. when i first install it, it is a completely rock solid install, but if you pull back and forth on the seat a few times you can feel it loosening. i do not feel like my daughter is safe in this seat in a crash. (related vehicle information: model year=2008, make=toyota, model=highlander).

Reported in: PRAIRIEVILLE LA || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS

2008 toyota highlander: there is a faulty wiring harness for the airbag deployment. it has been fixed but it occurs again and then have to get it fix again. due to faulty a wiring harness that could fail and prevent airbag deployment, it is dangerous for me, my kids, or anyone that owns or drives a 2008 toyota highlander.

Reported in: ST. PAUL MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

2008 toyota highlander had a new set of tires put on it 6 months ago and 9,000 miles later the rear tires were bald to the cords to a point it was not able to be driven. the car appears to have a problem with alignment or stabilization as the car, even with new tires and an inspection by the dealership was undrivable in snow or heavy rain even at low speeds. the rear end is very unstable in this car.

Reported in: FINDLAY OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43AX82

SUSPENSION

Reported in: FINDLAY OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43AX82

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering failed and the steering wheel began abnormally moving from left to right independently. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they advised him that the power steering control module had failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired for the power steering control module. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that they would cover fifty percent of the repair costs. the failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

Reported in: FITCHBURG MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A482

WHEELS

caps keep falling off of the lug nuts, which exposes the studs of the wheel hub. corrosion forms and causes the lug nut to be difficult to remove. additionally, exposure of the stud can weaken the joint. i replaced two lug nuts yesterday, bringing the total to five in the past six months.

Reported in: OSWEGO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A182

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:JACKS

tl*the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while the vehicle was parked the contact stated he was attempting to reposition the front passenger side tire with the jack holding the vehicle up. the jack slipped from underneath the vehicle while the contact was underneath the vehicle. the contact was not injured. the passenger side fender and the bottom molding were damaged. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000. updated 07/08/11*lj the repairs were completed on june 2, 2011

Reported in: LAKEWOOD CO || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A782

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that the vehicle was stopped when another vehicle crashed into the vehicle while driving approximately 50 mph. none of the air bags deployed during the failure. a police report was filed and the driver was taken to the hospital to treat minor injuries. the vehicle was towed to an insurance lot where the failure was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was awaiting a response. the failure and current mileages were 63,000.

Reported in: WILMINGTON NC || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS42A582

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that the rear door hatch would lock and unlock intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the hinges and the motor on the rear of the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and a claim was filed. the failure mileage was 29,917.

Reported in: HERMOSA BEACH CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A782

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 11v245000 (air bags) and contacted the manufacturer. the manufacturer advised that the parts were available and to schedule an appointment with the dealer. after contacting the dealer, they informed him that the part was not available and to keep trying back. the vehicle was not yet repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

Reported in: BLAIRESTOWN IA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTES43A0820

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

dealer claimed " this is an electrical problem. access and traced all related wiring to inside the fuse/relay panel. found something had chewed and shorted out the wiring" they would not provide any proof. i notified toyota motors and got no help from them.

Reported in: EASTON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A882

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: EASTON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A882

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

brief engine knock/rattle noise cold startup. immediately following a cold soak startup.

Reported in: AGUADILLA PR || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS44A282

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i was parked in front of a subway restaurant in a strip mall at approximately 7:30 p.m. after eating, my family and i left the restaurant and got into our toyota highlander. i put the car in reverse and backed out of my parking spot just a few feet. (it is a very narrow parking lot and faces a very busy street.) i bumped into a concrete pole that was behind me, that i could not see because of the darkness. i then put the car in drive, so that i could pull back up into my original parking spot and renegotiate how i was going to back out. as soon as i applied a little pressure to the accelerator, the car suddenly seemed to jump forward. before i could even process what what happening, the car accelerated very, very quickly and i slammed into the brick wall of the subway. there was not even time for me to think about applying the brake, it happened so fast. i felt like i had lost complete control of the vehicle. thankfully, no one was hurt, but there was property damage to the building and some to my car. i've been driving for 25 years and have no history of tickets or accidents. i do not drink and was not drinking on the night this happened. i was not under the influence of any kind of medication or ilicit substances.

Reported in: SEARCY AR || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS42A582

AIR BAGS

air bag warning light comes on intermitently but frequently. dealer has replaced parts twice but failed to correct the problem. toyota usa sent a safety recall notice (interim notice) appoximately 10 months ago which seemed to describe the problem but said toyota was working on the remedy and a second owner notification would be sent when the remedy is available. the notice also said that when the air bag warning light comes on the air bags could deploy inadvertently and that the vehicle should be taken immediately to the dealer. the warning light comes on frequently but when the vehicle is taken to the dealer, he says that he cannot do anything to correct the problem until toyota issues the final recall. i have contacted toyota usa who state that they cannot give any date for when they will have a solution to this problem. please help.

Reported in: NEWPORT OR || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A782

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

brake malfunction speed sensor.

Reported in: WINDSOR CT || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A382

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

valve springs. while driving at 65 mph the vehicle stalled without warning. i managed to steer across 4 lanes of fast traffic to a complete stop. the car was towed to the closest toyota dealer and was diagnosed as piston failure. the car was towed 140 miles to motorcars toyota for repair. the technician inspected and diagnosed: "a valve spring on the #2 cylinder broke in front head and dropped into the # 2 cylinder, destroying the piston and severely damaging the short block assembly. block had a hole in it and #2 piston was broken in half". repair included: replacing short block assembly, front head, exhaust cam, valve, spring. i had to pay aprox. $6000 for a problem toyota publicly admitted some 2008 v8 models had. faulty valve springs was actually a recall but only for lexus models. not fair! *kb

Reported in: HUDSON OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A682

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

upon starting my car, the vsc off, check engine, and abs lights remained lit. acceleration was slow and rough, and the general engine feel was wrong. i stopped car and restarted with no effect. while driving, the lights extinguished for a moment, and at that point performance temporarily improved - this caused a surge in acceleration. but the same lights came on a moment later and performance, once again, failed. fortunately i was not in traffic when the surge occurred.

Reported in: ST CLAIR SHORES MI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41AX82

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Reported in: ST CLAIR SHORES MI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41AX82

VISIBILITY

the driver's sun visor does not stay up -- when either pulled back or pushed forward -- and falls in the driver's line of vision. this leads to a dangerous situation because it means the driver loses his field of vision for a few seconds at very unpredictable times.

Reported in: CARTERSVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES

vsc, tracking and abs lights come on when driving. sometimes on as soon as i reverse in the morning. used to go off if i turned car off and restarted. sometimes doesn't come on until i am almost home from work (30 miles) sometimes the brakes feel off and not gripping. had brakes inspected and everything fine. *tt

Reported in: VERMILION OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A882

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

Reported in: VERMILION OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A882

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

as i approached a stop sign, my check engine and vehicle stability control lights came on. i was less than a mile from my destination and was able to safely park my vehicle with no issues. as soon as possible, i contacted my local toyota dealership to alert them to the problem. the dealership representative asked if the vsc light was flashing and i told him no; to which he replied it would be okay to drive. later on that evening, i decided to take the vehicle to the dealership and upon taking off at the light, the vehicle seemed sluggish at first and then suddenly accelerated and surged forward. when i pulled into the dealership, i explained what happened and am now awaiting to see what the problem is.

Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A282

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A282

SERVICE BRAKES

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph and applying the brakes to avoid hitting a deer, the brakes seized and the vehicle failed to respond. as a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed. the contact mentioned that none of the air bags deployed. as a result, the driver and a passenger sustained minor injuries. a police report was filed. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the contact was able to drive the vehicle away from the scene. the failure and current mileage was 70,000. updated 11/01/12*lj updated 11/02/12

Reported in: BOONENVILLE AR || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS42A882

AIR BAGS

Reported in: BOONENVILLE AR || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS42A882

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that the passenger side headlight lens were fogged and the headlight assembly failed. the failure occurred previously and both the driver and passenger side headlights were replaced. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the seal for the headlight assembly was defective and allowed water to enter. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who filed a report and did not offer any further assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 54,000 and the current mileage was 59,000.

Reported in: STUART FL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A882

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:AIR CONDITIONER

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that the carpet on the passenger side floorboard had become wet. the contact further inspected the vehicle and discovered that than water was leaking from the air conditioner. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. the dealer stated that they needed to replace the air conditioner line. the vehicle was repaired but the failure continued. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that they would follow up with the dealer. the failure mileage was 61,000 and the current mileage was 62,184.

Reported in: WEST HENRIETTA NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A782

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the contact heard a knocking sound in the steering wheel and the vehicle began to shake abnormally. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and a repair was made however, the contact was unaware of the nature of the repair. after leaving the dealer the vehicle began to shake again. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer at least three times who then advised that they were unsure of what was causing the failure. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was 21,000 and the current mileage was 60,000.

Reported in: BROOKLYN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A482

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly increased acceleration. when the brake pedal was depressed there was no immediate response which resulted to the vehicle crashing into a cement wall. the front passenger sustained bruises to the body and injured the left leg. a police report was filed of the incident. the vehicle was completely destroyed and towed to a collision center. the manufacturer was notified and planned to launch an investigation regarding the unintended acceleration. the approximate failure mileage was 63,000.

Reported in: CHICAGO IL || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES41A482

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the spiral cable went bad causing the air bag light to come on making the airbags inoperable.

Reported in: MIDWEST CITY OK || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A482

AIR BAGS

the spiral cable went bad causing the air bag light to come on making the airbags inoperable.

Reported in: MIDWEST CITY OK || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A482

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander sport. the contact stated that while stopped at a traffic stop, she noticed smoke emitting from the vehicle. the contact exited the vehicle and noticed flames coming from under the vehicle. the contact was able to allow a safe distance between her and the vehicle as it quickly became engulfed in flames. the vehicle was destroyed. the fire department was notified and determined that the cause of the fire was electrical. the failure and current mileages were 100,100.

Reported in: LOS ANGELES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A482

AIR BAGS

i was driving my 2008 highlander on november 11, 2012 and the airbag light came on. the following day i went online to see if there was a recall on the toyota website. there was a recall for the airbag light for the side curtain air bag system. i took my vehicle to my toyota dealer to have the recall work done on november 14. the airbag light was still on after the recall work. i left them the vehicle so they could do further diagnostics. they said the squib circuit on the spiral cable for the airbag system on the steering column had a short in it. toyota part number 84306-22010. it was not part of the recall. the dealership told me that if a repair was not done there was a good chance that the airbag system would not work in an accident. the dealership said the airbag light would light up intermittently if i didn't repair it and that they were pretty sure the airbag wouldn't go off on its own. my choice was fix it or park it. i had them do the repair, $276.63 for the spiral cable and $150.00 for the labor, $443.22 total with sales tax. i have over 122,000 miles on my vehicle and the dealership has been performing the maintenance on the vehicle. i have two other vehicles (not toyota) and neither has ever had an airbag system problem and each one has over 100,000 miles. the wiring for the airbag system should never go bad. please have someone look into this problem.

Reported in: PEACHTREE CORNERS GA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A882

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: PEACHTREE CORNERS GA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A882

SEAT BELTS

tl* the contact owns 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while parked the rear passenger door side seat belt would not release and as a result it had to be cut. the contact also stated he heard a knocking noise emitting from the steering column. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic testing. the technician stated the seat belt and the lower steering shaft needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 82,600 and the current mileage was 93,000. updated 12/12/12 *cn

Reported in: EASTON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A882

STEERING

Reported in: EASTON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A882

STEERING

my steering locks when i was driving. i reported this issue before to the dealer, but they figure out that the computer has a problem after the big issue.

Reported in: ROSLINDALE MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A682

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my steering locks when i was driving. i reported this issue before to the dealer, but they figure out that the computer has a problem after the big issue.

Reported in: ROSLINDALE MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A682

VISIBILITY/WIPER

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that white particles were emitted through the ventilation system while the climate control was actived. the vehicle was not taken to a mechanic or the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

Reported in: APEX NC || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A182

ENGINE

oil leak from backside of engine. toyota has acknowledge the issue with a service bulletin tsb-0321-08 but did not perform a recall. therefore, you may experience this problem and you may find the issue after your warranty expired. this is a very expensive repair - estimated to be more than $2k. toyota continue to experience quality problems and should honor their products within or outside their warranty when it is clearly related to poor quality.

Reported in: RALEIGH NC || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A182

SEATS

my wife was driving her 2008 toyota highlander to work and turned on the heated seat. it has burned her leg at the hamstring under thigh area pretty bad.

Reported in: CENTENNIAL CO || Crash: N || VIN #:

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander hybrid. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact merged to the shoulder of the road and power off and the vehicle failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the inverter needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 124,000. updated 3/13/13 *cn

Reported in: DENVER CO || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW41A682

SERVICE BRAKES

the right front brake of my 2008 toyota highlander popped loudly when i backed up. it sounded and felt like the brake locked up. this problem seemed to have already existed since the day i purchased the brand-new vehicle in december 2008, and it got worse and worse. therefore, i took the vehicle to a toyota dealer for inspection and the they said, "there is nothing wrong with the brake. it is normal and is just that the break is shifting." however, i asked them why the popping sound "only" came from the right front brake. they avoided my question and did not answer. as my concerns over the brake grew more and more, i took my vehicle to the same dealer again, but they said, "my vehicle is out of warranty and i have to pay $45 to have it re-checked." i told them that when my vehicle was inspected for the problem the first time, it was still under warranty, and the problem never went away; instead, it became even worse. however, they still insisted that i had to pay in order to have it inspected again. i was so disappointed i left the dealership. at the time of this writing, the right front brake still makes a loud, annoying popping sound when i back up my vehicle, which makes me worry that the brake could malfunction anytime when i am on the road.

Reported in: RUSSELLVILLE AR || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A482

SEAT BELTS:REAR

2008 toyota highlander. attorney representing consumer writes in regards to seat belt malfunction and requests an investigation and reimbursement. *smd as the consumer was driving on the highway, her son was secured in his car seat, playing quietly with the attached seat belt. at the point, the seat belt wrapped around his neck. the consumer pulled over and attempted to free her son from choking, she was unable to do so, although loosening the belt sufficiently allowed him to breath. first responders had difficulty removing the belt, finally they had to cut the seat belt to permit her son to be taken out of the seat.

Reported in: HARTFORD CT || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A682

STEERING

i had to replace the steering shaft on this car. i was told that on the 2008 and 2013 models there was an issue. toyota would not work with me on this expense. i feel this is a major part of the car and i could have been in danger if not fixed. them knowing this is an issue and not doing a recall is wrong! i felt they should have taken care of this and not at my expense. i have had about 3 different recalls on the car and this just added to my worries. i am not sure what constitutes a recall but felt this was one on toyota. thank you

Reported in: LAKE OSWEGO OR || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A782

ENGINE

my wife started the car in the morning to drop the kid to school which in within 2 miles of our home. it was cold day of winter. she heard a loud noise from the front part of hood when she drove about 1/2 a mile and was worried with the kids what is that noise. any how after that the car had start making squishing noise from the front of the hood. we took to toyota and they said water pump needs to be replaced. i have also read some other people reviews online regarding the water pump of toyota vehicles. my wife called the toyota motor co for warranty and they said, even that is not a part of power train and it is not covered under warranty. so we are ending up paying extra approx $650.00 to toyota for the replacement.

Reported in: WYLIE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A282

VISIBILITY

the driver side sun visor keeps falling down. it does not stay up and impairs driver vision.

Reported in: MORGAN HILL CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

i just became award of this: "t-sb-0201-11 from toyota that states "some vehicles equipped with 2gr-fe/fxe towing package engines may exhibit an oil seep from the engine oil cooler pipes." this tsb affects my model year and i believe it also affects toyota and lexus vehicles going back to at least 2008-present. to me this is a major safety issue and this should be handled as a recall instead of a tsb due to the severity of the issue if/when the pipe breaks. the rupture of the oil line will cause the engine to seize thus increasing the risk of a crash with resulting injury and possible death. and there is the hazard to other motorists with oil on the roadway. compared to the recall for floor mats and accelerator issues, this issue, which can drain the oil from your engine very quickly, destroy the engine, and very possibly cause an accident should be of major concern to all. the toyota advice to check for slow oil drips around the rubber hose is unrealistic for the owner due to the location. and the schedule routine service interval is much too long to wait for such an significant inspection. nhtsa needs to compel toyota to replace all of the defective rubber engine oil cooler pipes with the newer metal ones that the tsb addresses. this directive should apply to all toyotas including already made replacements for which the owners have paid for.

Reported in: SILVERDALE WA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A682

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle began to exhibit a loud, abnormal noise. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the water pump would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified but they offered the contact no assistance. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 62,000. ...updated 07-10-13 *bf

Reported in: BLUE BELL PA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A282

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact was driving approximately 55 mph when the air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and an authorized dealer, who both stated that the air bag spiral cable would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 67,000.

Reported in: VISALIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41AX82

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the air bag warning light illuminated intermediately. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was advised that the spiral cable needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 116,000.

Reported in: RIO RANCHO NM || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A882

AIR BAGS

the airbag light came on. i took it into a dealer, and was told the spiral cable needed to be replaced (at a cost of $419 parts and labor) and that it is not covered under any recalls. upon research, i learned that there is a recall for tacomas, camrys, and venzas for this exact same problem with the spiral cable. further, i found numerous claims of the same problem for the 2008 highlander. i contacted the toyota customer experience center, and they confirmed that there is no recall and that i would need to retain any documentation for reimbursement under any future recalls for this issue. obviously i need to have the spiral cable replaced, because i was told by the toyota dealer that the entire airbag system is inoperable. my hope is that there will be a recall for the highlander, and that it is already being considered.

Reported in: SANDY UT || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A382

AIR BAGS

while driving, the air bag light came on and stayed on. after taking it to a toyota dealer, it was diagnosed as a spiral cable assembly malfunction. this issue has been the subject of recall for 2008 tacomas, camrys and venzas, but not the highlander. it is a $450 expense. it seems to me if toyota has recalled the part on other models in the same year, it should consider recalling it for the highlander. looking at the recent complaints filed on this website, i see that i am not the only one to experience this issue.

Reported in: SPRINGDALE AR || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS

air bag light illuminated, and continued to stay on over several days. took the car to the dealer, and the spiral cable was determined to be malfunctioning. cost of repair was about $500.

Reported in: SAN CARLOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A582

AIR BAGS

the airbag light came on approximately in april 2013. the light stays on all the time. i brought it to elk grove toyota. the inspected the light for $120. this was for inspection only. they said the car needs a airbag spiral cable. they estimated $460 total to replace this wire. the car has not been in an accident. the light came on at 65000-67000 miles. will toyota recall this part or reimburse customers. there is another 2008 toyota highlander airbag recall but it did not apply to my car. i looked up my vin. for this recall.

Reported in: ELK GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A282

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that after parking the vehicle, he noticed a large amount of oil in the driveway. the contact checked the oil level and it showed that there was no oil in the vehicle. he then added oil and found a steady stream leak from a rubber hose. the contact purchased an after market metal hose and replaced the defective hose. he then drained the oil and found that there were metal shavings in the oil, which he assumed came from the bearings. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 64,000.

Reported in: TOLEDO OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A882

ENGINE

engine began revving upon acceleration from a stop light. engine warning light came on indicating low oil pressure. pulled into auto repair shop who found dipstick was dry. poured oil into engine only to see it leaking out from below passenger side. car was then towed to local toyota dealer. dealer replaced oil cooler hose 15767-31010 which had failed with 15767-31020 (all metal assembly). replaced oil and restarted engine. engine is making tapping sound and dealer recommends full replacement. depending on option, cost is between $7500 for a used toyota engine to $8300 for jarco engine (which i believe is rebuilt). this occurred in south carolina while we were vacationing from maryland. thankfully, we were not on the highway when this occurred. will have to leave vehicle here for repair and fly back to drive it home later. btw, the single pipe oil hose was replaced in may 2010 under the ssc 90k recall at 33k miles. that is not the part that failed. this is the dual manifold rubber hose that toyota has now replaced with an all metallic assembly. as far as i know, this part was never recalled, but there is a tsb 02011-11 available.

Reported in: TIMONIUM MD || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A382

AIR BAGS

air bags the spiral cable went bad causing the air bag light to come on making the airbags inoperable. took to dealership and cost was $560 to repair with parts and labor. view details.

Reported in: CHANDLER AZ || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY/WIPER

driver side sun visor defective - it does not stay in up position, drops down suddenly & blocking the visibility of the road; dealer said it is a common issue but not enough complains for a recall. this is an accident prone issue that will cut off the driver's visibility suddenly.

Reported in: CUPERTINO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42AX82

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

as was pulling out parking space, car stopped moving even though engine running. had towed to dealership, diagnosed with failure of hybrid inverter.

Reported in: WILMINGOTN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW44A082

POWER TRAIN

as was pulling out parking space, car stopped moving even though engine running. had towed to dealership, diagnosed with failure of hybrid inverter.

Reported in: WILMINGOTN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW44A082

ENGINE

low oil notice came on. drive 1/4 mile to oil change facility. was told almost no oil on dipstick. oil refilled and drove appro 5 miles to dealership- star toyota , league city, tx. have researched and noted tsb issued on 3/11/2011- nhtsa reference # 10033553 with this exact repair problem inclusive of my vehicles exact failure was not notified by star toyota dealership of this defect while under warranty. vehicle within 5-6 months of basic warranty; 5 year of 60,000 miles.

Reported in: FRIENDSWOOD TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A182

AIR BAGS

air bag indicator light just came on at 73,000 miles, no accident. took it to dealer and they replaced the spiral cable assembly in driver airbag at a cost of $500 and explained there was no recall on my vehicle. i called toyota and they told me this only affected tacoma's, interesting though, that my 08 highlander had same problem.

Reported in: N. ROYALTON OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A782

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that upon starting the ignition, the engine failed to operate. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the battery was replaced. the failure recurred three times where and battery was replaced on each recurrence. most recently, a diagnostic was performed and the dealer was unable to detect a trouble code. the technician informed the contact that the vehicle did not have enough road mileage to could contribute to the defect. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

Reported in: HUNTINGTON BEACH CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42AX82

AIR BAGS

airbag sensor light deployed, and remained lit for approximately three days. toyota dealership at pullman, wa diagnosed the problem as a faulty spiral cable; the spiral cable assembly was replaced at a cost of $491.69. i wonder why there was a recall done on ~450,000 tacomas, but not on the highlander. it sounds like a similar problem: poor engineering leads to friction, causing a short in the cable. warning light goes on, and the driver air bag may not deploy during a wreck. i could think of 1001 better ways to spend $500!!! *jb

Reported in: PULLMAN WA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A982

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: PULLMAN WA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A982

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i own a 2008 highlander sport that has a major issue with the door locks. the remote key fob no longer works, and now even the button inside the car stopped working. i have done a lot of research and it appears that many people who have owned highlanders have had this issue. my car was recalled recently for the power windows, and now the door locks no longer work. i would like to file this complaint with the hope that enough people complain to force toyota to fix this issue.

Reported in: CARROLLTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A482

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE

Reported in: CARROLLTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A482

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the vehicle was restarted and taken to the dealer for inspection. the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Reported in: FARMINGTON HILL MI || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A482

ENGINE

2008 toyota highlander was taken to toyota dealer in november 2011 after receiving notice to have defective oil cooler hose checked. in september 2013 replacement oil cooler hose failed while on highway traveling at seventy miles per hour. oil was observed covering bottom of vehicle and film of oil on back of vehicle. the oil gauge indicated no oil in engine. i believe this resulted in a safety hazard from both inhaling fumes and potential fire hazard. vehicle was towed to toyota dealer and oil cooler hose replaced for second time in less than two years.

Reported in: SAGAMORE HILLS OH || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A882

AIR BAGS

air bag indicator light just came on at 110,000 miles, no accident, in the garage..took it to dealer and they are asking to replace spiral cable assembly in driver airbag at a cost of $663 and explained there was no recall on my vehicle. i called toyota and discussed the issue...i also found out that tacoma's had the same issue as well, interesting though, that my 08 highlander had same problem. toyota confirmed my understandings as well. i searched internet and several other highlanders (almost identical vins) have faced the same issue. i think highlanders needs to be investigated for the similar issues which tacoma's faced.. this is a serious issue and needs to be given some attention. http://www.carproblemzoo.com/toyota/highlander/air-bag-light-on-problems.php the above website lists other highlander's which faced the same issue. i really appreciate the good work you guys are doing to make the roads/highways safer place for everyone.. thank you. *js

Reported in: SHARON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A682

AIR BAGS

in june of 2013 i went to mccarthy toyota in sedalia, mo for an unrelated recall. some work was done, but i was told to return in a week or so because an additional part had to be ordered. during this week, the red air bag warning light appeared. i had never observed this warning light before. when i returned to the dealer to complete the original recall work, i inquired about the warning light. the service manager informed me that my model toyota sometimes had a problem with the spiral cable and i was one of the unlucky owners! he informed me that i no longer had functioning airbags, but he had the necessary parts to rectify the situation and could do it immediately. the cost was approximately $500 and was not covered by any warrantee or recall. i decided that i would have to take my chances in a vehicle that now had non-functioning airbags, since $500 was just too much money to pay. a friend recently informed me that i should file this complaint.

Reported in: CHILHOWEE MO || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A382

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

while sitting in a line of traffic on our way home from a 2 mile trip to the store, we noticed a hot oil smell. i said to my wife that someone needs to get their car in for service work, not knowing that we were this someone! this smell had not been present at home, on our trip to the store or when parked there. when i pulled into my garage, steam/smoke appeared to be coming from the hood. the dipstick showed very low oil. there had been no signs of an oil leak in the garage before, but, after arriving home i saw a big oil leak. i called the toyota dealership (1/2 mile from home) who told me to bring it up to see what was going on. by the time that i got there my car was making a sound making it obvious something very wrong. i pulled directly into the service bay. the mechanic checked the dipstick which showed absolutely no oil in my engine. he put it on the hoist, added oil, and restarted the engine. the oil poured out as fast as he had put it in. upon further inspection, he saw that the lower oil cooler lines had ruptured. my engine had been close to seizing. replacing these parts was very expensive, $437, but replacing my engine would have been much more expensive. more importantly was that the danger of a fire from the oil that was pouring out on the hot engine was not out of the question. while at the dealership, the mechanic pointed at a lexus and stated, "this is very interesting. that lexus suv is in here for the same problem, the oil cooler lines ruptured." he said that he would not be surprised to see this be a recall issue, as the new lines are designed differently without rubber fittings, and will not rupture. this would indicate to me that toyota has noticed a design flaw in the oil cooler lines that were in my highlander. i feel this oil cooler lines problem is an issue that needs to be researched as a possible toyota recall.

Reported in: CEDAR FALLS IA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A582

ENGINE

the vvt-i oil cooler hose burst resulting in a major engine oil spill in a residential driveway. the toyota dealership and toyota corporate headquarters refuse to assume responsibility for the defective part because the vehicle is outside the warranty period and because they claim there is no recall for this part on the highlander. this same vvt-i oil cooler hose has been recalled on 1.6 million us rav4's, camry's and other toyota models. not only could a total loss of engine oil cause catastrophic engine failure, this issue can also be considered a safety concern. if engine oil were to have made contact with hot engine parts or hot exhaust piping, then a fire may have occurred which could have resulted in serious vehicular damage and loss of life.

Reported in: WILLIAMSTOWN NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A482

STRUCTURE:BODY

driver door lock mechanism has stopped working with the remote, that is a nuisance, not a safety issue but, recently i had difficulty manually unlocking the driver's door and for 1 - 2 minutes was not able to unlock the door to exit the vehicle. i was trying to manually unlock the door (the power lock mechanism quit working) but the door lock was jammed such that i could not get the door unlocked. i tried pushing the electric door lock button to try to unjam the mechanism and eventually that worked and i was able to manually unlock the door and exit the vehicle. this is clearly a safety issue because if the vehicle was on fire i may not be able to get out. a brief search online showed that this is a very prevalent issue with toyota vehicles. toyota should be forced to remedy the situation and a recall should be implemented to make toyota fix the flawed vehicles they have sold. i will go see a dealer in the next day or two to give them the chance to do the right thing and fix it free of charge but i imagine that will only get me an increased blood pressure.

Reported in: GARNER NC || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS43A902

AIR BAGS

spiral cable failed at about 72, 400 miles on my 2008 toy highlander base model causing airbag warning light to illuminate steady and failure of airbag system creating increased risk of injury in a crash. as no driver actions, etc. caused the failure it appears to be a manufacturing and/or design defect as also seen in other toyota vehicles that have been recalled for similar spiral cable failure.

Reported in: MOORESVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A982

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact was driving 55 mph when the vehicle began to emit a burning oil smell. the check engine lamp illuminated so the contact added oil to the vehicle. the contact stated that the burning oil smell still lingered and the check engine warning lamp illuminated again. in addition, a hose from the engine failed and spilled motor oil on the exterior of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection where the contact was informed that the oil cooler line had exploded. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the incident. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Reported in: TUALATIN OR || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A482

AIR BAGS

spiral cable failed at about 107,406 miles on my 2008 toyota highlander, causing airbag warning light to illuminate steady and was advised by the dealer that the airbag system wouldn't be functioning. this should have been covered by manufacturer or there should have been a recall on this. the car hasn't been in any accidents. the cost of replacement (part and labors) is $544. toyota needs to reimburse customers for such a cost as it is of no driver's fault and obviously a common issue. there is another 2008 recall on the airbag system but didn't apply to my car.

Reported in: CA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A082

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

in early november i received a recall notice from toyota instructing me to arrange for replacement of the intelligent power module. the letter indicated that this replacement is urgent and that i would be in violation of california regulations if i did not do this repair. i called my local dealer, toyota of santa cruz, the next day to schedule the appointment. i was told that toyota rations the parts for these repairs and that i would be put an a waiting list and to expect a call in 2-3 weeks. a month later i called again and was told that i was still on a waiting list and it would be 2-3 weeks at the earliest before i could schedule the repair. i feel that toyota (or the dealership) is not fulfilling its obligation to its customers by failing to supply parts for this repair in a timely manner.

Reported in: SANTA CRUZ CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW44AX82

SERVICE BRAKES

while driving at 35 miles per hour, the brake light on the dashboard came on, brake pedal began going all the way down while braking, and the brake pedal began making noise. i stopped the car, open the hood and found that all my brake fluid was gone. the toyota dealership was nearby i drove the car slowly to the dealership. they checked the brake system only to find out that all the brake fluid was in the brake booster. my service adviser told me the brake system failed due to bad seals between the master cylinder and the brake booster. now the master cylinder and brake booster need to be replaced. i purchased the highlander brand new in 2008. the vehicle is only 5 years old with approximately 78,420 miles on it and has been serviced every 5,000 miles ever since i purchased it. this should never happen to a vehicle that has been well maintained. it's a serious safety matter, and my brakes had just been replaced along with the brake fluid at the same dealership on october 02, 2013.

Reported in: TUSTIN CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A382

ENGINE

oil pressure warning light went on almost immediately pulled over found no oil on dipstick had rapid oil leak, dealer replaced oil cooler hose with oil cooler pipe.

Reported in: MENANDS NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A482

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my windshield wiper defroster started to crackle and smoke. i turned it off and back on and it started to do it again.

Reported in: KREMMLING CO || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM

my windshield wiper defroster started to crackle and smoke. i turned it off and back on and it started to do it again.

Reported in: KREMMLING CO || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the driver's side back door has stopped locking/unlocking with the key fob as well as the electrical lock. the beep doesn't occur when i use the fob to lock the doors because the door isn't locking, but does beep when unlocking the vehicle although the back door still remains locked. i did have the recall on the window lock switch completed, so not sure if that is factoring in with the problem or not..

Reported in: HUNTSVILLE AL || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS

spiral cable failed at about 72, 000 miles on my 2008 toy highlander base model causing airbag warning light to illuminate steady and was told of failure of airbag system creating increased risk of injury in the event of a crash. cause the failure appears to be a manufacturing and/or design defect as also seen in other toyota vehicles that have been recalled for similar spiral cable failure. sensor appears to reset when no person is seated on driver side and ignition is turned on. as soon as driver seat sensor is activated the air bags warning light is on. problem with driver seat sensors or main module perhaps? either way it appears to be a defect not found on older toyotas (?)

Reported in: GARLAND TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A382

SERVICE BRAKES

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the brake sensor, vsc sensor and the trac off sensor lights illuminated. the contact then noticed that the braking system malfunctioned, making the vehicle difficult to stop. the contact indicated that additional pressure was applied to the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. the vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer where the contact was informed that the hub of the wheel bearing was corroded. the contact stated that both rear wheel harnesses were replaced to repair the defect. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 94,154.

Reported in: NILES IL || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS42A682

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that after leaving the key fob in the ignition, she walked around the vehicle after securing a child in the child safety seat when the doors locked independently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the key fob had a low battery and caused the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 100,700. updated 3/25/14*cn

Reported in: BRUNSWICK GA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, she began to her a knocking noise in the engine. the contact parked the vehicle and had it towed to a certified mechanic which stated that the engine cooler hose had a hole and cause the engine oil to leak out of the vehicle and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Reported in: SATEBURN MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A482

AIR BAGS

airbag sensor is always lit now. took highlander into toyota dealership this morning for other toyota recalls and had them check sensor. i was told my 2008 highlander needed a new spiral cable and cost was 557.00 to install. i just found more complaints like this and wonder why it is not a recall considering other toyotas such as camrys, tacomas & venzas had same problem but was a recall. what does it take to have 2008 highlanders involved in a huge safety issue. apparently, i won't have any airbags working until this is fixed.

Reported in: FRESNO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A482

AIR BAGS

air bag warning light lit, took to dealer and found out spiral cable was the issue and need replaced. this is a huge safety issue which i believe should be recalled by toyota as they already did on other models. as a loyal toyota customer along with the rest, i would like to call upon toyota to step up to the plate and do the right thing--recall this air bag issue. thank you!!

Reported in: MILWAUKEE WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS

spiral cable failed at about 78 000 miles on my 2008 toyota highlander base model causing airbag warning light to illuminate. i took it in to be looked at and i was told of failure of airbag system creating increased risk of injury in the event of a crash. the light randomly came on and was not caused by an accident. i am suspicious that the failure is a manufacturing and/or design defect which has also been seen in other toyota vehicles that have been recalled for similar spiral cable failure. i was told by toyota service that it would be over $500 to replace the cable since it is no longer under warranty. after doing a bit of research on the internet, i am not the only person who is experiencing this problem. i am hopeful that a recall can be done so that my airbag can deploy if needed. there was nothing i could have possibly done to cause damage to the spiral cable which is housed inside the steering column; therefore i believe the manufacturer should be responsible for repairing.

Reported in: RIDGEFIELD CT || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A682

ENGINE

high pressure oil cooler line failure of rubber hose section dumped 5 qts of engine oil soaking undercarriage and spraying onto nearby hot exhaust pipe and right rear tire. no indication of loss of oil pressure on vehicle monitoring system. noticed a faint smell of burnt oil when vehicle was parked. returned later to start vehicle and heard audible engine noise and turned of engine to investigate under hood, a noticeable puddle of oil had accumulated under car. vehicle towed for diagnoses and repair.

Reported in: GLENDALE AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A282

ENGINE

driving in parking lot at approximately 5mph when smelled burning oil. parked car and noticed smoke from under the hood. turned off car and checked under the hood and noticed oil over engine. searched online and saw issue with oil-cooler line "toyota: on some vehicles, the engine oil cooler pipes may exhibit an oil seepage. information has been provided regarding this issue". this did turn out to be the issue. fortunately this even occurred when we were in a parking lot and not driving down the highway with kids in the back. this is a significant issue that could result in a fire and/or engine damage. the dealer stated they were aware of this service notice but no official recall had occurred. this has the potential to be a significant issue to both the cars and passengers and i hope that a recall would occur.

Reported in: SARTELL MN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A382

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated while driving various speeds the srs warning indicator remained illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who noticed that the srs air bag spiral cable was faulty. the technician stated that the defect could suspend the air bag deployment during a crash. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 67,000.

Reported in: BINGHAMTON NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A382

AIR BAGS

vehicle airbag light on with an indication of b1801. i was told the airbag may not deploy in an accident. toyota has recalled other models for similar reasons. car forums research has uncovered many other owners with same issue. airbags are a true safety concern and toyota, not the customer should fix issue.

Reported in: RIVERHEAD NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A682

AIR BAGS

while driving down highway 17 south towards santa cruz, california on a raining wednesday morning, i suddenly felt my vehicle loosing control in a slippery downhill highway and i hit the center divider with the left front of vehicle and car spun multiple times and hitting the left rear bumper to the wall facing the oncoming traffic. there are 4 of us in the vehicle all wearing seat belts and suffered injuries. the airbags did not deploy and the antilock brake system did not activate. my insurance company declared the vehicle total lost. i was advised to contact toyota dealership in fremont to investigate the reasons why the air bag and abs did not activate. i am about to call the dealership once they open in few minutes.

Reported in: FREMONT CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES41AX82

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: FREMONT CA || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES41AX82

SEAT BELTS

i believe there is a manufacturing flaw in the 2008 toyota highlander seat belts. when i initially purchased my highlander (new), there was a child safety seat in the rear passenger-side seat, which used the latch system for installation (did not require use of seat belt). when i first went to install a booster seat in that position, which would require the seat belt to be used, the seat belt did not work (could not extend belt, would not retract, etc.). the belt had never been used and does not work. i have filed several complaints with toyota, but they said they would not cover the replacement of my seat belt, because i was outside of my warranty time (# of miles). first, the belt had never been used (because a child safety seat had always been in that position since i purchased the vehicle). second, the # of miles driven has no direct correlation to how often a rear seat belt is used. it may have a direct correlation to how often the driver's belt is used, but none of the other positions. now, the other side rear seat belt is starting to have problems...oftentimes it does not retract properly/gets locked when it shouldn't, etc. the front belts also lock-up very easily and are hard to get unlocked once locked. i believe there to be a flaw in the manufacturing/components of these belts and feel toyota should cover replacing them. this is a safety issue!!!

Reported in: NEW HILL NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

following a oil change at local toyota dealer, a large puddle of oil (2 foot x 2 foot plus) found under car. i suspected oil filter or stripped oil pan plug. vehicle towed to dealer for inspection. they stated it was complete failure of the awd transfer box and that is was not covered by warranty. estimated cost to repair - $5,000.00+ note - during a previous oil change at approximately 63,000 miles toyota dealer stated there was a possible small leak on the awd transfer box and that they would monitor this during future oil changes. i was never informed, of any additional leakage during any oil changes at the same toyota dealer. (car did not leak any oil prior to failure of the awd transfer box)

Reported in: LUBBOCK TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42AX82

ENGINE

the oil line has degraded, causing total loss of engine oil and possible engine damage.

Reported in: BROOKLYN PARK MN || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A582

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated the electrical system failed to work. when the vehicle was turned on none of the electrical components would work. the failure occurred intermittently over a period of six years. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the diagnoses was not available. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 19,000. updated 8/12/14*cn

Reported in: WEST HEMPSTEAD NY || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEDS41A282

ENGINE

toyota's t-sb-0201-1 should trigger a recall!! my wife was driving her '08 highlander, with 2 co-worker passengers, to a funeral. on 95n in danvers, ma, a motor biker pulled alongside & flagged my wife to pull over asap as there was smoke coming from the engine compartment and under the car. after stopping the car & waiting for the smoke to dissipate,he checked & found there was no longer any oil in the engine, the oil had emptied from the engine the last few miles while on the highway. i arrived later that morning to investigate, to discover that the oil was below the dipstick. the bottom of the engine & entire underside of the vehicle, including the exhaust system, spare tire, wheel wells, right wheels & tires & rear liftgate were coated in engine oil. the smoke apparently was from oil splashing onto the hot exhaust system, & vaporizing due to the high temp, creating a potential fire hazard. we had the car towed to the nearest toyota dealership. they determined that an oil cooler line external to the engine - part of a towing option package the car has - had ruptured! the engine's oil had been pumped out by the oil pump. we have since discovered that toyota had issued a technical service bulletin - t-sb-0201-11 - in december 2011 which addressed "oil seepage" from this exact oil line. now we are $480 poorer, & we could have experienced a $10 k engine failure due to seizing, & possible injury or loss of life due to this. this tsb was never performed on our car as we had never seen spotting in our driveway from this leak. the new part installed was redesigned as solid metal tubing to fix the original rubber hose with clamps. instead of recalling all of the affected vehicles to replace this potential life taker, toyota simply swept it under the rug and only replaced them when someone saw a leak and only when they still were below their 36,ooo mileage warranty. crazy!

Reported in: HANOVER MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES43A282

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign id number 14v168000 (air bags) however, the contact was not able to have the vehicle repaired since the parts needed were currently unavailable. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the contact had not experienced the failure.

Reported in: MILLIS MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A582

ENGINE

i normally ride a vanpool, but due to flash flood warnings today i decided to drive my car into the office. my husband called me at work to tell me he noticed a big oil spot on the garage after i left for work. he told me to pull over and not drive my highlander if it started clacking or smoking on my way home. my husband just changed the oil in my car a few days prior. before i could make it home the car was smoking, knocking, and shifting very loudly. my husband said i was lucky this didn't lock up the engine. he discovered oil splatters all over the tire and near the engine. we had no issues at all prior to today. we are going to try replacing the oil line as denoted in other peoples comments. their experiences with this issue mirror my experience. i'm disappointed to hear toyota issued a service bulletin about this and not a safety recall. this could have been a huge safety issue as i'm hauling kids to/from daycare during rush hour traffic not to mention locking up the engine. this came out of the middle of nowhere.

Reported in: PEARLAND TX || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A582

STRUCTURE:BODY

i was driving north on a divided one way street. a 2006 minivan was traveling south on the other side of the divided street. he made a left hand turn, ran through the yield sign and broadsided me on the driver side. i saw he was not going to stop and turned the wheel to the right, not in time. took out the left side of the highlander from the front wheel to the rear panel. his front airbag did deploy. my side airbag did not deploy and i know my head bounced against the side window twice. i asked the body shop to look at the airbag and they said that it appeared ok and apparently the strike did not warrant airbag inflation. the highlander is 4 wheel drive, 20" wheels. both left doors had to be replaced and damage was low on doors. wheels also replaced. i think the side airbag should have deployed.

Reported in: TOPEKA KS || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEES42A282

STEERING

we were starting off to go on vacation when warning lights came on the dashboard and information panel with hybrid system warnings and brake warnings then the car completely stopped in the middle of the road and steering was lost. we were able to get off to the side enough to prevent causing an accident however we were on a busy street. had it towed to the local toyota dealer and the diagnosis was a failed coil. they replaced all 3 coils saying that it would be prudent as the engine was already apart (i agree). they also said that this is a relatively common occurrence with some of the highlander hybrids. i have the part and it looks like the top of the coil became became over heated and blew out the top plastic compound. i consider myself very lucky that this did not happen while on a highway on a rainy day where the vehicle abruptly stopping would certainly have caused me to be in an accident. this is certainly a flaw that toyota should address for safety reasons and it makes me hesitant to want to purchase another toyota product again.

Reported in: SUTTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW44A382

ENGINE

Reported in: SUTTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW44A382

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: SUTTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEEW44A382

POWER TRAIN

while driving my care on the highway the "low engine pressure" light came on. i immediately exit the highway and went to the gas station. all the oil in my car leaked out. we put 4 quarts of oil in my car and when you turn on the car all the oil leaked out. i call for a flat bed tow truck and drop my car off to the dealer. toyota has a recall 2gr-fev6 lsc 90k, which has this issue. the toyota dealer is saying my vehicle vin # is not effected by this. how could this been when the same exact thing happen to my car and they are replacing the parts that are part of this recall. they are charging me $900.00 to fix the car. i need help. my toyota life time warranty does not cover this!!!!!.....this is a serious safety issue. i believe toyota is covering it up so that they do not have to have all the vehicles fixed due to this malfunction.

Reported in: IRVINGTON NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A482

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: IRVINGTON NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES42A482

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. the contact stated after turning on the air conditioner, it emitted hot air through the vents and would continue to do so once the air conditioner was turned off. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not offer a remedy. the dealer diagnosed that a computer chip needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage were 63,000.

Reported in: TALAND CT || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A182

WHEELS

the car began to shake and was uncontrollable. managed to pull over and upon inspection found that all of the lug nuts on both front tires were very loose. the car was serviced by greentree toyota greentree scion commerce drive, brookfield ct the day before and a tire rotation service was requested. the lug nuts were loosened but never tightened back up.

Reported in: NEWTOWN CT || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A182

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander. while driving approximately 4 mph, the srs warning sensor illuminated continuously. the dealer stated that the spiral cable needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 14v168000 (air bags); however, the part needed for the repair was unavailable. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 64,000.

Reported in: MADAWASKA ME || Crash: N || VIN #: JTEES41A482

SUSPENSION

attempting to park car in a shopping center. suddenly engine accelerated unintentionally. hit curb & tree. damage to car approximately $6000 to repair

Reported in: MARANA AZ || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS42A982

STRUCTURE:BODY

attempting to park car in a shopping center. suddenly engine accelerated unintentionally. hit curb & tree. damage to car approximately $6000 to repair

Reported in: MARANA AZ || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS42A982

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

attempting to park car in a shopping center. suddenly engine accelerated unintentionally. hit curb & tree. damage to car approximately $6000 to repair

Reported in: MARANA AZ || Crash: Y || VIN #: JTEDS42A982

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