2007 Toyota Highlander Complaint Log

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, STRUCK A CURB, CROSSED THE MEDIAN, AND CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER AND DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE WITHIN 30 DAYS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 12/15/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER THE POILCE WERE NOT CALLED. UPDATED 12/15/08. *JB

TL-WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE MEDIAN AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ANOTHER PARKING SPACE. THE FAILURE MILES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILES ARE 45,000 MILES. AA

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH THE REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FELL APART. THE TIRE SEPARATED AT THE SIDE WALL. MY WIFE MANAGED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CAME TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER WAS NO HELP. WE FEEL THAT THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND WANT TO REPLACE THEM. TIRES-TOYO P225 70R16 101S M+S 97H1407 THESE TIRES HAD ONLY 19800 MILES ON THEM. *TR

MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED [2007] HAS A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. IT IS NOT IN THE CURRENT RECALL. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM 6/5/08. WHEN I AM IN CRUISE CONTROL, THEN BRAKE, THEN PRESS THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM TO RETURN TO CRUISE CONTROL, THE CAR SOMETIMES SURGES AHEAD AT SPEEDS MUCH FASTER THAN THE SET CRUISE CONTROL SPEED. I DO NOT TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT ALL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. HAS HAPPENED 10 - 15 TIMES. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 19,500 MILES. THE TOYOTA DEALER WENT ON A TEST DRIVE WITH ME IN JUNE 2008 BUT THE SURGING DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE TEST DRIVE. I MENTIONED IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT HAPPENING AT THE TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE, I WAS NOT WRITTEN UP. HAS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN I USE CRUISE CONTROL TO RESUME SPEED. ALL INSTANCES HAVE BEEN IN HIGHWAY DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT SEEMS ELECTRONIC TO ME. |OCCURRENCE IS ERRATIC. *TR

TIRE WENT FLAT DUE TO FAILURE OR BREAKDOWN OF SIDE WALL. *TR

2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WITH 45,000 MILE ON IT. UNPROTECTED AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER DAMAGED BY ROAD DEBRIS - COST ME $1300 TO FIX AT DEALER. I FOUND OTHER HIGHLANDER OWNERS ON INTERNET WITH IDENTICAL PROBLEM. ALSO APPEARS TO BE PROBLEM ON TOYOTA COROLLA (TOYOTA ISSUED TSB AC002-06 ON THIS). CLEARLY DEFECTIVE DESIGN - ABSOLUTELY NO PROTECTION IN FRONT OF A/C CONDENSER WHICH IS MOUNTED VERY LOW WITH BIG OPEN HOLES IN SHROUD IN FRONT OF IT. ALMOST FORMS A FUNNEL FOR COLLECTING ROCKS, BROKEN TIRE CHUNK'S, ETC. FROM ROADWAYS AND HAVING THIS DEBRIS PUNCTURE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER. COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE. RESPONSE ABYSMAL. AND WE WERE A TOYOTA FAMILY - CURRENTLY OWN TWO OTHER TOYOTAS. SHAME ON TOYOTA. *TR

SLOW THROTTLE RESPONSE UPON TAKE-OFFS. CAN BE HAZARDOUS IN A NEED TO QUICKLY GET OUT OF A SITUATION FROM A STANDING STOP OR SLOW ROLLING TAKE OFF. *TR

TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO SHIFT AT RANDOM TIMES. AT A STOP IT WILL NOT ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY AND THE HIGHLANDER WILL COAST TO SPEED, AT OTHER TIMES I TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR LAUNCH OFF LIKE A RACE CAR. WHEN COASTING IT SEEMS TO SHIFT AT RANDOM TIMES AND SOME TIMES SPEED UP WHEN I WANT TO SLOW DOWN BY HITTING BRAKES. THIS SEEMS TO RISK A COLLISION. *TR

SLOW INTERMITTENT DRAIN ON TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2007 AUXILIARY BATTERY. SINCE APRIL 2007, THE BATTERY HAS DIED 5 TIMES. DEALER REPLACED WITH NEW BATTERY, NEW DVD PLAYER BUT STILL CANNOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE BATTERY DRAW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH UPHILL WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME UNRESPONSIVE TO THE CONTACTS ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AT A LOWER SPEED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOT A FAILURE WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING UPHILL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NOTIFIED BY FELLOW TRAVELER THAT TIRE WAS LOW. CHECKED DASH FOR WARNING LIGHT - NO WARNING. TOOK AUTO TO TIRE DEALERSHIP. MADE ME REPLACE TIRE - TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE. SAID SENSORS WERE REQUIRED IN AUTO AS OF 2006. HAD SENSOR IN PREVIOUS HIGHLANDER. CALLED TOYOTA. TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT HYBRID HAD SENSOR. TOOK AUTO TO DEALERSHIP. HAD CHECKED. NO SENSOR!! WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT IT WAS NOT REQUIRED. *TR

WAS PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE UNDER 5 MPH AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN SURGE FORWARD AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. WENT OVER CURB THROUGH BUSHES OFF ANOTHER CURB HITTING UNDERNEATH OF CAR AND BRAKES THEN WORKED AGAIN. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE THEY DROVE IT PUT IT ON A MACHINE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR! *JB

WHEN TRAVELING DOWN HILL FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME THE BATTERIES CHARGE AND THEN START TO EMIT NOXIOUS FUMES INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. (OZONE I THINK.) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WE HAVE HAD TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN OR STOP AND EXIT THE VEHICLE TO ALLOW THE FUMES TO CLEAR. THE LOCAL DEALER SAYS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT OUR COMPLAINTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CANNOT SEE THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING THE DAYTIME. HE STATED THAT THE LENSES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ARE TINTED, WHICH HE BELIEVES IS THE REASON FOR THE POOR VISIBILITY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED HIM TO CALL TOYOTA. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH TOYOTA AND THE CONTACT WAS ISSUED COMPLAINT NUMBER 200707203477. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING IN THE SUNLIGHT, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ARE DIFFICULT TO READ. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE DEALER TEST THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THAT IS HOW IT WAS MANUFACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURS DURING THE DAYTIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37.

ON MAY 9, 2007 WE PURCHASED A NEW 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ABOUT A MONTH LATER IT UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AND RAN THROUGH THE END OF OUR CARPORT WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN TO PARK. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF IT. THE AUTO SUSTAINED ABOUT $650 IN DAMAGES AND THE CARPORT RECEIVED SIMILAR MONETARY DAMAGES. ABOUT A MONTH LATER WE HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT WHILE PARKING IN A PARKING LOT. AT FIRST WE ATTRIBUTED THE INCIDENTS TO MY WIFE'S FOOT SOMEWAY SLIPPING OFF THE BRAKES AND ON TO THE ACCELERATOR. NOW, AFTER THE RECENT NATIONAL PUBLICITY, WE ARE NOT SO SURE. PERHAPS THE ACCELERATOR MECHANISIM OR SOFTWARE IN THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE IN THIS MODEL TOYOTA ALSO. IN THE MEAN TIME, I NOW WONDER IF THIS MODEL VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I WILL BRING THIS ISSUE UP TO OUR TOYOTA DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION WILL BE USEFUL IN HELPING THE GOVERNMENT AND TOYOTA TO SOLVE THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT ALSO PURCHASED A TOWING PACKAGE WHICH INCLUDES A HITCH. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE HITCH IN STOCK AND THE CONTACT WAS SENT TO ANOTHER STORE TO RETRIEVE THE PART. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A BILL FOR THE HITCH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE 12-VOLT BATTERY IN HER VEHICLE. ON AT LEAST TEN OCCASIONS, THE 12-VOLT BATTERY WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT WOULD ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OVER. SHE HEARD OF INSTANCES WHERE OTHER PEOPLE'S VEHICLES COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING; THEREFORE, SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT IT COULD EVENTUALLY HAPPEN TO HER. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CHARGED THE BATTERY AND RELEASED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.

I CANNOT BELIEVE TOYOTA IS FINALLY BEING HELD TO TASK. IN 2007 I SENT YOU A COMPLAINT ABOUT TRANSMISSION HESITATION PROBLEMS IN THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. IT WAS SO SEVERE, MY WIFE REFUSED TO DRIVE IT, FEARING A COLLISION ON HIGHWAY ENTRY AS THE CAR HELD BACK AND THEN LURCHED FORWARD. DESPITE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET UNDER TRANSMISSION HESITATION FOR TOYOTA, TOYOTA REFUSED TO ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND STILL DOES! WITH OTHER PROBLEMS NOW COMING TO LIGHT, I HOPE YOU WILL RE-LOOK AT THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF IT, SINCE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY THING THAT GENERATES THESE INVESTIGATIONS AS ARE NOW GOING ON. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH WILL SHOW YOU HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS AND THEY ARE ALL EXACTLY THE SAME- NOT LIKELY IF THE PROBLEM ISN'T REAL. *TR

HYBRID INVERTER FAILURE. *NM

2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER - UNCONTROLLED TRANSMISSION SURGES CAUSE VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. TRANSMISSION ALWAYS SHIFTING DOWN TO 5TH GEAR AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS, PUSHING CAR FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN NOT DESIRED. TAKING FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL, CAR MAINTAINS SPEED (LIKE ON CRUISE CONTROL). CAR WILL DRIVE AND MAINTAIN SPEEDS WITHOUT GAS PEDAL INPUT. DRIVER MUST FIGHT TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. SLOWING DOWN, COMING TO A STOP SIGN, CAR STILL ALWAYS WANTS TO SHIFT DOWN INTO 5TH GEAR, PUSHING CAR FORWARD FASTER JUST BEFORE FULL STOP, RISKING REAR END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. FIGHTING WITH CAR TO SLOW DOWN. TOYOTA DEALER SAYS CAR IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. *JB

2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED WITH STALLING CONCERNS CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CARS IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE AND IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE HAD TO BE REPLACED**CC

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. MICE ENTERED THE VEHICLE ENGINE AND CHEWED THE WIRE RELAY. AS A CONSEQUENCE, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE IT WAS IN LIMP MODE; WHICH CAUSED SUDDEN VEHICLE DECELERATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE 29,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS AVAILABLE.