2006 Toyota Highlander Engine Problems

I can see many complaints similar to mine on line since the car was built in 2006. Driving on a 7hr trip when engine light came on and car overheated. We had to pull over on a busy highway and wait for car to cool down and light to go off. It was scary since I had my child in the car and traffic was moving at 60 mph. The next day I had the Toyota dealer charge me $160.00 to tell me coolant and oil were leaking from the head gasket and the bolt corroded and listed out causing a sealing issue. We just had the car in their shop doing thousands of dollars of maintenance and had a full inspection done in preparation for this trip. We also had fluid leaks from the engine twice before at 65819 miles and again at 84458 miles. No mention of this issue was ever brought up by dealer. I have full records and always did maint as suggested. so now the dealer says it will need a used engine at a cost of $9,000+. I am now without a car. This car should have been recalled and repaired, now it is totaled it. Thank goodness we were not injured or hit by another car on the interstate. sorry unable to send a copy of repair estimate done at Daytona Toyota 386-255-7475

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FORWARD GEARS WERE INOPERABLE HOWEVER, THE REVERSE GEAR WORKED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MARK MCLARTY TOYOTA 4336 LANDERS RD, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 72117 (501) 753-0400 BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES STILL OPERATED AS INTENDED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SHOULDER AND CHECKED THE FLUID LEVELS IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 290,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS ALL THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 103,000 MILES AND HAS FUNCTIONED FLAWLESSLY TILL RECENTLY WHEN IT STARTED USING OIL EXCESSIVELY. THAT IS ONE QUART IN 500 MILES AT FREEWAY SPEEDS.

DRIVING CAR AND IT STALLED THEN MESAGE CAME ON WHICH STATED CHECK HYBRID ENGINE. TOOK IT TO SHOP AND WAS TOLD WOULD COST $9,000 AS IT WAS THE INVERTER. THEY SAID MY VIN WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE RECALL OF 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS. HAD THE POWER MODULE REPLACED AS RECALL IN 2012 BUT WHY WASNT MY CAR ON RECALL LIST FOR THE INVERTER?

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT NORMAL SPEED, I NOTICED THE CAR OVERHEATING. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED. PULLING INTO A 70 YEAR OLD SERVICE CENTER IN CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND, I LEFT THE CAR WITH RELIABLE SERVICE PEOPLE AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT. IT SEEMS THAT THE BOLTS HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE ENGINE AND FLUID WAS GOING INTO THE PISTONS,THEY REPORTED TO ME THAT THE THREADS IN THE ENGINE WERE FAULTY, I THINK THEY SAID ALUMINUM, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN METAL. I AM NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT THE ENGINE HEAD WAS NOT SECURE AND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER TOYOTA ENGINES. ANYWAY, AT 70 YRS OLD, IT TOOK ALL THE MONEY I HAD TO REPAIR IT AND THEY INSISTED THAT I LOOK FOR A RECALL, BECAUSE THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. $1842.00 LATER, THE CAR IS RUNNING LIKE IT SHOULD NOW. IF TOYOTA DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF ME, I WILL SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE SPREADING THE WORD. I WILL START AT THE RHODE ISLAND DEALERS, GO ON LINE AND CONTACT ALL THE PROPER AREAS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED TO MY TOYOTA.THIS IS THE CAR THAT THEY ADVERTISE WILL LAST 265000 MILES IF MAINTAINED PROPERLY. I BOUGHT THE CAR AT EARL STEWART TOYOTA IN LAKE PARK, FLORIDA. [XXX] TOLD ME HE WAS SORRY THAT THIS HAPPENED, TO REPORT IT TO TOYOTA. MY WIFE PASSED AWAY AND IT MOVED BACK TO MY HOME STATE IN RHODE ISLAND. THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED BY TOYOTA ALWAYS THRU MY WARRANTY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED. IN ADDITION, THE TRACTION, CHECK ENGINE, AND VHC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT COOLANT FLUID WAS LEAKING AND AN ENGINE KIT NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ROSE ABOVE THE READ LINE (HOT). BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A PARKING AREA IT CONTINUOUSLY ROSE AND FELL, HOWEVER, IT NEVER DROPPED AS LOW AS THE MIDDLE LINE ON THE GAUGE. AFTER CHECKING THE FLUIDS WE HAD TO ADD WATER. WE TOOK THE HIGHLANDER AND WERE TOLD THAT IT HAD A COOLANT LEAK. FROM THERE WE TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACING. I CLAIMED THAT THIS HAD TO BE SOME SORT OF FACTORY DEFECT BECAUSE HE EXPLAINED THAT THE THREADS WERE STRIPPED AND THE BOLTS WERE COMING OUT "THE HEAD IS PULLING AWAY FROM THE BLOCK". WE HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN GREAT CARE OF OUR VEHICLE AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO ANY WELL MADE VEHICLE. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE SUFFERED WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO HELP WITH THEIR SITUATION. PLEASE SEE THE WEB PAGE BELOW. HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2006/TOYOTA/HIGHLANDER/ENGINE+AND+ENGINE+COOLING+SYSTEM THIS IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL THAT I HAVE FOUND. WHILE I AM NOT SURE IF THERE ARE ANY SAFETY ISSUES HERE BUT MANY PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED WHEN OBVIOUSLY TOYOTA IS NEGLECTING THIS ISSUE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO BUT ANY ADVICE WOULD BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU. *TR

WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ABOUT 75MPH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ROSE ABOVE THE READ LINE (HOT). BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A PARKING AREA IT CONTINUOUSLY ROSE AND FELL, HOWEVER, IT NEVER DROPPED AS LOW AS THE MIDDLE LINE ON THE GAUGE. AFTER CHECKING THE FLUIDS I HAD TO ADD WATER. I TOOK MY HIGHLANDER TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND WAS LEAKING COOLANT($700 TO REPAIR THIS). I HAD THIS FIXED AND HAD NOT TAKEN IT OUT OF TOWN UNTIL APR 27, 2013 AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE THREADS WERE STRIPPED AND THE BOLTS WERE COMING OUT "THE HEAD IS PULLING AWAY FROM THE BLOCK AND COOLANT IS LEAKING. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND HAVE EVERY RECEIPT FOR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE. I WAS TOLD THAT I MAY NEED A NEW ENGINE ($6000 TO FIX THIS) AND AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS TYPE OF CAR. COOLANT IS DANGEROUS TO HUMANS, ANIMALS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT SO THIS CAN BE A SAFETY CONCERN. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ERROR I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND TOYOTA IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE WITH THIS TOYOTA AND THEY HAVE LOST A LOYAL CUSTOMER OVER THIS. THIS ISSUE IS OBVIOUSLY HAPPENING MORE AND MORE EVERYDAY AND IT IS FRUSTRATING. ANY ADVISE IS WELCOME!!! *TR

I WAS ADVISED THAT MY HEAD GASKET BLEW AT 80,000 MILES AND WHEN THEY WENT TO FIX IT THEY FOUND THE THREADS WERE STRIPPED AND I NEED A NEW ENGINE? AT 80,000 MILES, THIS IS INSANE. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT WITH THESE BOLTS. NO WAY THE THREADS SHOULD BE STRIPPLED AND A HEAD GASKET BLOWN AT 81,000. *TR

HIGH ENGINE RPM AT IDLE, THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 48,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRAC OFF AND VSC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED INTO THE CENTER MEDIAN WHERE THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE. A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SMOKE EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE GRASSY AREA UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 05/28/13*LJ UPDATED 06/11/2013 *JS

COOLANT LEAKED FROM ENGINE ONTO FLOOR IN LARGE AMOUNTS. OUR MECHANIC SAID THREADS WERE STRIPPED AND HEAD GASKET BOLTS HAD PULLED OUT. ONLY SOLUTION, NEW ENGINE OR POSSIBLE REBUILD BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. WE WERE UNDER 60,000 MILE WARRANTY BUT OVER 60 MONTHS. TOYOTA REFUSED TO HELP US. SADLY I'VE BEEN CHANGING MY OWN OIL AND DIDN'T KEEP ALL RECEIPTS FOR A MAINTENANCE RECORD. LESSON LEARNED. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP OFFERED NEW ENGINE FOR $7,300 OR REBUILD FOR $4,600. WE HAD NON-TOYOTA MECHANIC REBUILD THREADS FOR $2,300. CAR WORKS FINE NOW. WAY MORE MONEY THAN WE EXPECTED TO SPEND ON A TOYOTA WITH UNDER 60,000 MILES. *TR

I PURCHASED A USED 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FROM A FERNELIUS DEALERSHIP IN MICHIGAN IN APRIL 2011 - IT WAS IN MINT CONDITION WITH 56210 MILES ON IT - THOUGHT I HAD MADE THE BEST DEAL EVER - THEN THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING WHILE DRIVING IT OVERHEATED. THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A HEAD GASKET ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE THREAD BOLTS ON THE SHORT BLOCK HAD STRIPPED OUT AND LEAKED RADIATOR FLUID EVERYWHERE CAUSING IT TO OVERHEAT. AT THAT TIME THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME TOO BAD I BOUGHT A USED VEHICLE IF I WANTED TO TOW IT TO THEM THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. I THAN CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATION ONLY TO BE TOLD PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING, SINCE I WASN'T THE ORIGINAL OWNER THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HELP ME EITHER. SO NOW I'M STUCK TRYING TO FIND AN ENGINE BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP CAN ONLY OFFER ME ONE WITH 58000 MILES ON IT INSTALLED FOR ABOUT $7,000, AND FROM WHAT I'M READING ON THE INTERNET THEY HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE ENGINE REACHES RIGHT OUT OF THE WARRANTY AT 60,000 MILES. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATION WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX THE ENGINE OR AT LEAST OFFER SOME ASSISTANCE. WHY SHOULD THEIR FAULTY ENGINE PART BE MY PROBLEM? NOW OF COURSE BEING JUST A WORKING STIFF AND RETIRED MILITARY MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES AND I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE, SO I HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. I WON'T BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN SINCE THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR OWN PRODUCT, BUT I'M STUCK WITH THIS ONE FOR NOW. *TR

THREE MONTHS AND 6000 MILES PAST THE WARRANTY (66,000 MILES) OUR HIGHLANDER FAILED (OVERHEATED). I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND THERE WERE MANY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES WITH THIS ENGINE. OOLANT LEAKED FROM ENGINE ONTO FLOOR IN LARGE AMOUNTS. OUR MECHANIC SAID THREADS WERE STRIPPED AND THREE HEAD GASKET BOLTS HAD PULLED OUT. ONLY SOLUTION, NEW ENGINE OR POSSIBLE REBUILD BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA REFUSED TO HELP US. THEY DENIED THAT THIS PROBLEM EVEN EXISTED. BUT WHY WOULD TOYOTA PUT OUT A BULLETIN ON HOW BEST TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM , IF THE PROBLEM DIDN'T EVEN EXIST? TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DID NOT OFFER TO HELP. WE HAD OUR LOCAL DEPENDABLE TOYOTA MECHANIC REBUILD THREADS FOR $2,700.A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND ON A TOYOTA WITH UNDER 70,000 MILES. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA'S RESPONSE. THEY NOT ONLY LOST MY FUTURE BUSINESS BUT ALSO MY DAUGHTER'S. CAR WORKS FINE NOW. BUT I NO LONGER HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE. THAT LOSS OF FEELING OF DEPENDABILITY IS THE WORST PART. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN MY HIGHLANDER WITH MY DAUGHTERS IN THE BACK SEAT WHEN SUDDENLY OUT OF NO WHERE ALL THE ALERT LIGHTS CAME ON AND THERE WAS NO POWER AT ALL - THE GAS PEDAL WAS NON FUNCTIONAL - I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OF A AN INTERSTATE AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND PULL THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC AS IT ROLLED TO A STOP. I WAITED ON THE CROWDED INTERSTATE FOR TWO HOURS FOR A TOW. I WAS TOLD THAT THE HIGHLANDER HYBRID INVERTER HAD FAILED - THE DEALER REPLACED THE PART THAT WEEK AND THE CAR DRIVES NORMALLY NOW. I WAS ADVISED THAT IN FACT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. ONE MONTH LATER IRONICALLY I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA THAT MY MODEL OF HIGHLANDER IS BEING RECALLED FOR THE INVERTER REPLACEMENT THAT HAD JUST CAUSED THIS EXTREMELY UNSAFE VEHICLE FAILURE JUST ONE MONTH PRIOR. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. SHE DROVE APPROX 1/2 MILE FROM OUR HOUSE AT AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 35 MPH WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SUDDENLY WENT PAST THE RED LINE. WE HAD OUR CAR TOWED TO CROWN TOYOTA WHERE THEY TORE DOWN THE ENGINE AND FOUND WATER PUMP LEAKING AND HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL . THEY REMOVED ENGINE HEAD AND FOUND WARPED BLOCK AND BUT HEAD WAS OKAY. WE THEN TOWED THE HIGHLANDER TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC TO HAVE BLOCK REPLACED AND WE WERE INFORMED THE BLOCK WAS NOT WARPED BUT INSTEAD THE BOLTS ON THE ENGINE ARE STRIPPED/DEFECTED. TOYOTA WANTS $5,400 TO REPAIR VEHICLE BY INSTALLING A USED ENGINE. TOYOTA REFUSES TO HELP WITH THE COST EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND HAS ALREADY CHARGED US $654 TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT EVEN REASSEMBLE OUR ENGINE. THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AT 68,970 MILES. WE HAVE NOT YET REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. *TR

MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. HE DROVE APPROX 2 MILES FROM OUR HOUSE AT AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 35 MPH WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SUDDENLY WENT PAST THE RED LINE. HE DROVE OUR CAR APPROX 2 MILES BACK TO OUR HOUSE. WE THEN HAD IT TOWED TO SAVANNAH TOYOTA WHERE THEY CHECKED THE ENGINE AND FOUND THE HEAD WARPED AND THE BOLTS STRIPPED . I WENT TO SAVANNAH TOYOTA AND TOLD THEM THAT I HAD JUST HAD THE CAR THERE FOR AN OIL CHANGE A MONTH PRIOR. AT THE TIME OF OIL CHANGE, SERVICE WRITER NOTED UNDER THE HOOD THAT HE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THE WATER PUMP MAY BE LEAKING AS THERE WAS FLUID ON THE UPPER PART OF HOOD. THERE WAS NO NOTIFICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE WATER PUMP. A MONTH LATER, THE ABOVE OVERHEAT CONDITION OCCURRED. WHEN WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BURNED UP AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF 5000.00. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR REGULAR MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK, JUST THE HEAD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROX. 2200.00.SAVANNAH TOYOTA DID CHARGE US $600 TO CHECK WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND IF THE ENGINE COULD BE SAVED. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK BOLTS WERE STRIPPED AND COULD NOT BE RE-INSTALLED. AFTER DIS-ASSEMBLING THE ENGINE TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM THEY DID NOT EVEN REASSEMBLE OUR ENGINE. THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AT 70,000 MILES. WE HAVE NOT YET REPAIRED THE PROBLEM CAR HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE 3-20-11 TO DATE 11-22-2011 . *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART SO IT WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE INVERTER INSIDE THE ENGINE WHICH WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED TO PAY A PORTION OF THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.