2004 Toyota Highlander Complaint Log

HESITATION ON ACCELERATION. *AK

MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V6 (3.3L WITH 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION) HAS AN INTERMITTENT FAULT WHERE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL ABRUBTLY DROP DOWN A GEAR (OR GEARS) WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY TRYING TO ACCELERATE CREATING A SENSATION LIKE IT IS BUCKING OR PORPOUSING. USUALL STEPPING OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR IS SUFFICIENT TO ELIMINATE THE BUCKING SENSATION. THIS HAS OCCURED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN AUGUST 2004.

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER REAR WINDOWS. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE ALMOST LOOSES CONTROL DUE TO THE NOISE. THE NOISE FROM THE WINDOW NOT ONLY CHANGES THE AIR PRESSURE WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR FASTER IT HURTS BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGERS EARS. THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO HEAR EMERGENCY VEHICLES AS THEY APPROACH. *TC

OWNER STATED THAT WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP HE TEST DROVE A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE OWNER FOUND THAT THE MEASUREMENTS FROM THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE NOT THE SAME IN EACH VEHICLE THAT WAS TEST DRIVEN. *AK

I PURCHASED A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN MARCH 2004, LARGELY ON THE MERITS OF TOYOTA'S SAFETY RECORD AND USER REVIEWS OF DRIVEABILITY. WITHIN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF DRIVING, I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A HESITATION IN THE THROTTLE UPON ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS...AS IF THE CAR HAD TO "THINK ABOUT IT" BEFORE DECIDING TO RESPOND. TOOK IT IN TO DEALER WHO FOUND "NOTHING WRONG"...NEEDED BREAK-IN PERIOD, HE SAID. PROBLEM CONTINUED AND RESULTED IN AT LEAST TWO OCCURRENCES THAT CAUSED CONCERN: ONE MAKING LEFT HAND TURN IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND ONE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO HIGHWAY. HESITATION WAS PRONOUNCED ENOUGH TO CAUSE MOMENT OF PANIC...KIDS IN CAR ETC. TOOK TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO HAD EXPLANATION OF USE OF DRIVE-BY-WIRE THROTTLE TECHNOLOGY USED IN FIGHTER PLANES, SAID THAT TOYOTA KNEW OF ISSUE BUT THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO CALIBRATE. I THEN WENT TO INTERNET TO SEE IF COULD VALIDATE AND FOUND NUMEROUS OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. I AM FILING COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT TOYOTA WILL PRESS SOLUTION TO AVOID THE INEVITABLE ACCIDENT. *NM

TRANSMISSION HESITATION AND SUDDEN DOWNSHIFTING CREATE UNPREDICTABLE AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ON THE STREETS (NOT HIGHWAY).*AK

CAR HAS AN UNACCEPTABLE LAG WHEN ACCELERATING. *AK

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED V6 4WD. I WAS MERGING ON A HIGHWAY ENTRANCE RAMP SLOWING DOWN TO TIME THE TRAFFIC WHEN I SAW A GAP TO MERGE. I PRESSED ON THE GAS AND THE HIGHLANDER HESITATED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I KEEP PUMPING ON THE GAS AND THE HL WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, LUCKLY FOR ME THE TRUCK PULLING A TRAILER THAT I WAS MERGING INFRONT OF MOVED TO THE NEXT LANE IN TIME OR HE WOULD HAVE PLOWED ME INTO A CONCRETE BRIDGE ABUTMENT. *AK

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE WITH FASTER MOVING TRAFFIC THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT HESITATION. I'VE NEARLY BEEN HIT SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE I JUST COULDN'T GET UP TO SPEED IN TIME. THIS IS A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, V6 AWD. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WITH NO RESULTS.*AK

MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER MAKES A TERRIBLE HUMMING / MOANING SOUND ON ACCELERATION THAT RESONATES WITHIN THE VEHICLES AND DISTURBS THE DRIVER. THE PROBLEM TYPICALLY OCCURS DURING SPEEDING UP FROM 0 MPH. IT IS TERRIBLY FRUSTRATING THAT A BRAND NEW CAR MAKES SUCH A ANNOYING SOUND. IT IS ALSO HESITATES A LOT DURING 20-40 MPH SPEED RANGE. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AS IT SUPPOSED TO ON ACCELERATION AND THAT TOO SPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING WITHIN THE CITY. ON CANTACTING THE DEALER AND TOYOTA'S NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE THAY SAID IT IS DESIGNED TO BE LIKE THAT AND THE HESITATION IS A BY-PRODUCT OF COMPUTER CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS. AM TERRIBLY FRUSTRATED NOW AND PROMISE TO NEVER BUY ANY VEHICLE FROM TOYOTA IN FUTURE. I WOULD ALSO MAKE SURE THAT MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES DOES NOT GO NEAR A TOYOTA DEALER. I AM DESPERATE IN GETTING RID OF THIS VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE; 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED, V6 ENGINE, AUTO TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A DEFINITE HESITATION/LAG/DELAY IN SHIFTING AND ACCELERATION. THIS CONDITION HAPPENS ALMOST ALL OF THE TIME AND CREATES A REAL SAFETY CONCERN. MODERATE ACCELERATION WILL PRODUCE THIS CONDITION. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS CONDITION BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO CORRECT IT.

2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH APPROX. 11,000 MILES. 6CYL. 2W/D I HAVE NOTICED A SLIGHT BUT CONSISTENT HESITATION BETWEEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND ACTUALLY ACCELERATING. I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THAT WHEN ACCELLERATING HEAVILY, AS TO PASS ANOTHER CAR, THE HIGHLANDER ACTUALLY SEEMS TO PAUSE, AND TO EVEN MOMENTARILY SLOW DOWN INSTEAD OF ACELLERATING. AND THEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. THIS DELAY IS GREATER THAN 1-2 SECONDS AND IS SIGNIFICANTLY NOTICABLE. THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE THE VEHICLE IS DROPING SMOOTHLY INTO A LOWER GEAR TO ACCELLERATE. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURED TO ME I THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FULLY DISINGAGED OR OTHERWISE FAILED. I HAD TIME TO BRIEFLY CONSIDER HOW I WAS GOING TO GET SAFELY OUT OF TRAFFIC & ONTO THE SHOULDER BEFORE IT SUDDENLY ACCELLERATED. PLEASE UNDERSTAND, THE ENGINE IN FACT DID REV IN ACCELERATION WHILE THE VEHICLE ITSELF SLOWED BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY SURGED INTO CONNECTION AT A HIGH RPM. THIS IS MY WIFES VEHICLE. SHE'S DESCRIBED THIS "SURGING" BEFORE AND I PRETTY MUCH BLEW HER OFF UNTIL IT HAPPENED TO ME. NO MORE. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. IN THE MEANTIME TOYOTA, OR MORE ACCURATELY THE MECHANIC AT THE TOYOTA DEALER, TELLS ME THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS FAIRLY COMMON, BUT DON'T HAVE A FIX AND HAVE NOT ENTERED A BULLETIN TO THEIR DEALERS. AGAIN, THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.*AK

THE 1994 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT THE CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND AT THE VERY LEAST UNACCEPTABLE FROM A QUALITY CONSUMER STANDPOINT. WHEN THE REAR WINDOW IS PUT DOWN IT CREATES A WIND NOISE AND VIBRATION THAT IS DANGEROUS TO THE PASSENGERS AND DRIVER. IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT TOYOTA COULD LET THIS GO ON WITHOUT A RECALL OR AT THE VERY LEAST A WARNING AND A BETTER SOLUTION THAN "OPEN UP THE FRONT WINDOWS BEFORE OPERATING THE BACK ONES". AFTER JUST ONE MONTH OF OPERATION I AM REALLY QUESTIONING IF I WILL EVER OWN A TOYOTA AGAIN.*AK

THE NEW MODEL YEAR 04 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SUV AND SIENNA VANS HAVE POORLY DESIGNED AND OR MISADJUSTED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, CAUSING BLINDING GLARE TO ON COMING DRIVERS, DRIVERS IN FRONT OF THESE VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS WALKING AT NIGHT. THESE EXCESSIVELY GLARING LIGHTS DISTRACT AND CAUSE EYE PAIN TO OTHER DRIVERS AND TEMPORARY BLINDNESS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ESPECIALLY FOR PEDESTRIANS WALKING AGAINST TRAFFIC AT NIGHT.*AK

THE HEAD REST ON THE THIRD ROW OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED DOWN. IT WILL NOT STAY UP. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR-ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. *AK IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE PIVOT BRACKET HAD BENT, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL. *SC *JB

JACK SUPPLIED WITH VEHICLE IS INADEQUATE FOR SIZE/WEIGHT OF VEHICLE PARTICULARLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL 16" WHEELS. *JB

WE PURCHASED A 2004 V6/5 SPEED AUTO 2WD TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN JUNE, 04. IT HAS A HESITATION PROBLEM WHICH CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. IT LOSES POWER FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER DECELERATING AND RE- ACCELERATING TO CHANGE LANES OR MAKE LEFT TURNS, THEREBY EXPOSING A POWERLESS, DECELERATING CAR TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE. THEY CLAIM IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM, THEY CANNOT FIX. THEY SAY IT OCCURS AS A RESULT OF THE ADAPTIVE LEARNING ALGORITHM IN THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION PACKAGE. CHECK THE EDMONDS TOWN HALL BY SEARCHING FOR "HESITATION" AND YOU'LL FIND IT REPORTED SINCE 12/03 BY HIGHLANDER, CAMRY, SOLARA, LEXUS RX330 AND LEXUS CAMRY EQUIVALENT OWNERS ALL HAVING GOTTEN NO COMMITMENT BY TOYOTA TO FIX IT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS DESCRIBED BY THE CLASSICAL DEFINITIONS. IT OCCURS FREQUENTLY (IN MOST VEHICLES AND IN NORMAL OPERATION, AND MORE THAN A FEW OF THE OCCURRENCES WILL EXPOSE THE OCCUPANTS TO SEVERE PERSONAL INJURY. TOYOTA CLAIMS THE HESITATION IS "NORMAL" BECAUSE ALL THE HIGHLANDERS ON THE LOT DO IT--WHICH ONLY REINFORCES THE HIGH FREQUENCY ESTIMATE. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY ARE NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN AN OFFER TO HAVE A TOYOTA REP CONFIRM YOUR CAR HAS IT AND THEN TO TAKE THE ISSUE TO ARBITRATION. ITS TIME FOR YOU TO INVESTIGATE, BEFORE SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS OCCUR. IF WE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME. JIM MULLEN. *AK *JB

1 MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE TOYOTA THE HESSITATION ON ACCELERATION BEGAN. I HAD THE COMPUTER PROGRAM FLASHED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY COULD. ENTERING HIGHWAYS OR TURNING CORNERS THE CAR STALLE D UNTILL THE THROTTLE GRABBED, AND THEN TOOK OFF. IT JOLTED THE BODY AND MADE DRIVING THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER VERY DIFFICULT. *AK

2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HESITATES ON ACCELERATION AS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THERE IS NO WAY TO DETERMINE WHEN THIS HESITATION WILL OCCUR MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO JUDGE WHEN IT IS SAFE TO MERGE OR WHEN SOMEONE MIGHT REAR END YOU.

WHILE RESEARCHING ANOTHER MATTER CONCERNING MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ON YOUR SITE, I READ COMPLAINT #10161055 CONCERNING A HESITATION PROBLEM THE OWNER WAS HAVING AND WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS NOT CONSTANT, HOWEVER IT DOES HAPPEN FREQUENTLY. *JB

THERE WAS A SEAT BELT LOCKING REEL FAILURE THAT HAD OCCURRED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT IN A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE SIDE. *SC *JB

HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. HAPPENS EACH TIME AIR CONDITIONER IS ON...NOT JUST AN ISOLATED CASE.*AK

2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HESITATES ON ACCELERATION MAKING DRIVING IN TRAFFIC EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AND ADDS MORE RISK TO BEING REAR ENDED. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM BUT HAS NO FIX. *JB AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE IT REPAIRED I WAS TOLD THERE ISN'T A WAY TO REPAIR IT, YET THE DEALER REFUSES TO REFUND THE COST OF A 4 MONTH OLD CAR WITH 5000 MILES ON IT. *JB

THE VEHICLE HAS A DANGEROUS HESITATION ON LOW SPEED ACCELERATION. WHEN SLOWLY ROLLING FORWARD, AND THEN ACCELERATING, SUCH AS TO PULL OUT FROM A SIDE STREET, THE VEHICLE WILL OFTEN HESITATE FOR 1 SECOND OR MORE. THIS SOMETIMES RESULTS IN ALMOST GETTING INTO A SIDE IMPACT CRASH, AS THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PULL ACROSS THE LANE OUT OF THE WAY OF ON COMING TRAFFIC. *JB

SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V6 IT HAS VERY ROUGH SHIFTS. THE TRANSMISSIONS SEEMS TO HESITATE AND LAG WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE DURING NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS, (I FEEL LIKE I AM ON A CARNIVAL RIDE). I HAVE HAD IT TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP IN FLORIDA & THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING ("THAT THIS MODEL DRIVES LIKE THAT" & IT'S THE WAY YOU DRIVE") FUNNY THOUGH WHEN THE MECHANIC DROVE IT, WITH ME IN THE CAR HE SAID THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THE UNDERWRITERS IN SERVICE THINK BECAUSE I'M A WOMEN, IT'S THE WAY I DRIVE. I LOVE MY CAR BUT, THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA & FIXED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *JS

BOUGHT A NEW '04 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER MAY 3. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS DRIVING IT BECAME DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN HEAVY/FAST TRAFFIC. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM UNTIL I INSISTED REPEATEDLY. THEN THEY 'FOUND THE PROBLEM' BUT THERE IS NO FIX. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE SOMEONE TO BE KILLED. WHY ISN'T TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS PROBLEM ON A $30,000 VEHICLE?? *JB

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, V6, FWD. THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO DOWNSHIFT SOMEWHAT UNEXPECTEDLY, BUT WORSE, WHEN I NEED TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY SUCH AS MERGING IN TO TRAFFIC ON AND INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THERE IS A HESITATION OR LAG BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS TO ACCELERATE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN APRIL AND HAPPENS ON A CONTINUING BASIS.

I PURCHASED A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN MARCH. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF DRIVING I NOTICED THAT WHILE BRAKING AT A LIGHT, SOMETIMES THE BRAKE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE. WHEN THE DEALER LOOKED AT MY CAR HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT WAS A "POWER SURGE" I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHY THEY DIDN'T FIX IT, BUT THE CAR STILL DOES IT 3 MONTHS LATER. ALSO I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO STALL WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC ONTO A HIGHWAY. I HAVEN'T BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE RE: THE LAST ISSUE BUT I EXPECT THE SAME WRITEOFF ANSWER THAT THEY GAVE ME FOR THE FIRST PROBLEM.

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM, IN A BRAND NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. (IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE BEFORE)

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ON MY WAY TO GEORGIA ON INTERSTATE 75, WHILE GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR, I ROLLED DOWN THE BACK WINDOWS.THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY SHOOK AND THE PRESSURE INSIDE WAS PIERCING TO MY EARS, I FELT LIKE THE BACK REAR WINDOW WAS GOING TO BLOW OUT. THE VHEICLE SHOOK SO VIOLENTY, I HAD A VERY HARD TIME KEEPING UNDER CONTROL WHILE I ROLLED UP THE WINDOWS IT SCARED ME SO BAD, I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER (COURTESTY TOYOTA) PUT IN WIND BREAKS OR VENTS, OVER THE SIDE WINDOWS SO THAT I WAS ABLE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS AND DRIVE SAFELY AND THE DEALER REFUSED MY REQUEST. I TOLD THE DEALER, THAT I BELIEVED THIS SITUATION WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY STILL REFUSED MY REQUEST. I ASKED TO SEE THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, THAT WIND BREAKS "WOULD NOT HELP" THE SITUATION. HE SAID THAT IF I WOULD PUT DOWN THE FRONT WINDOWS A FIVE OR SIX INCHES, I WOULD NOT HAVE THE WIND PROBLEM IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I TOLD HIM, I DO NOT ALWAYS WANT THE FRONT WINDOW OPEN, WHEN I AM DRIVING, SOMETIMES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE SOME AIR IN THE BACK. (I ALSO SAID, SUPPOSE SOME CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT SUDDENLY DECIDED TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW WHILE THE MOTHER WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE). AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS YOU WILL LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE WIND AND THE VEHICLE SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY. THE REASON I CHOSE THE HIGHLANDER WAS THAT THE BACK WINDOWS OPENED. I TAKE MY DOGS WITH ME WHEN I TRAVEL AND THEY CAN GET AIR WHILE THEY ARE RIDING IN THE BACK.*AK

"INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FAILURES ON 04-05 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER" THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (ST001-06) OF SHAFT REPLACEMENT ON SOME MODELS BUT NEVER BECAME A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE. ON TOYOTA PRIUS NHW20 MODEL VEHICLES PRODUCED IN JAPAN FROM JULY 2003 TO NOV 2005 ARE BEING RECALLED. TOYOTA SAYS ON SOME VEHICLE, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY BECOME LOOSE OR DEVELOP A CRACK. WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANTS TO KEEP THEIR TOYOTA FOR A LIFETIME? MINE IS AN SUV(HIGHLANDER) WITH A HIGHER CENTER OF GRAVITY AND ROLLING FORCE. YOUR HELP ON THIS MATTER IS DEEPLY APPRECIATED. *TR

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ELECTRONICS GET CONFUSED AT STREET SPEEDS, NOT ALLOWING ME TO ACCELERATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING A LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC. I HAVE BEEN NEARLY T-BONED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. I TALKED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND EXPECTS TOYOTA TO COME UP WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY, I LEFT A MESSAGE WITH THE SAME TECHNICIAN ASKING WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, AND I RECEIVED NO REPLY. IT IS EXTREMELY SCARY TO FIND THIS 'DEAD SPOT' IN ACCELERATION. THIS IS OUR FOURTH TOYOTA, AND MIGHT BE THE LAST IF TOYOTA DOES NOT ADDRESS THIS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *JB

TRANSFER ASSY FAILED AT 74,000 MILES AND FAILED AGAIN AT 101,000 MILES. *TR

AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A NISSAN PATHFINDER CUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I CRASHED INTO HIM. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN HE SUDDENLY VEERED INTO MY LAND. I TRIED TO BRAKE, BUT THERE WASN'T TIME AND I HIT THE BACK OF HIS PATHFINDER AND THEN SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE GUARDRAIL. THE SEAT BELTS EXPLODED, BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, UPON EITHER IMPACT. THE FIREMEN JUST SHOOK THEIR HEADS IN DISBELIEF AND MY CAR'S DAMAGE (~$9000). MY HIGHLANDER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK TO ME IN 2-3 WEEKS, BUT IT HAS BEEN NINE WEEKS AND THE CAR STILL ISN'T FIXED DUE TO BACK ORDERS AT TOYOTA. THE NUISANCE OF THE TOYOTA BACKORDERS MAKES ME VERY UNSATISFIED WITH TOYOTA. THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY IS SCARY AND MAKES ME VERY LEERY OF THE HIGHLANDER AND DECREASES MY FAITH IN TOYOTA, ONCE I DO GET IT BACK. (AL