2012 Toyota Highlander Body & Structure Problems

The paint is malfunction , and is available for inspection upon request.

Hello, to whom it may concern: My 2012 Toyota Highlander Color Pearl White vin [XXX] ) has a repaint recall before Nov 2024. I was told at the dealer that I have to contact the Toyota dealers until I get the opportunity to get it paint. I was told that I had to contact any Toyota dealer until I get a date of acceptance. Thinking that it was not fair to delegate the responsibility on myself I made a few calls until I did get an appointment to get my SUV painted. The recall period is almost over (Nov 2024) I was told and I will put a claim on Toyota Corporation for not making sure all the vehicles are completely painted. I will also put a lawyer to help me get across my claim if I am not informed from Toyota the date that they will work on my SUV with the repaint recall. Respectfully, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that he noticed that the front and rear driver’s side and rear passenger’s side carpet were soaked with water. The contact then stated that he also noticed the water had leaked from the sunroof. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that water had entered through the sunroof due to the drain tube being improperly designed. The contact stated that he was concerned because of two visible electrical connectors near the front driver’s side floorboard and possible mold, corrosion, and rust. An undisclosed dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that he would receive a call back but no response was received. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

ON MARCH 19, 2019 AROUND 9:30PM (DRY ROAD CONDITION ' NO RAIN), MY HUSBAND AND I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION OUTSIDE WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY (I-70) GOING APPROX. 70 MPH. IT SOUNDED LIKE A TIRE BLEW OUT OR A GUN SHOT. MY HUSBAND DIDN'T FEEL THE CAR WAS WOBBLY SO WE ASSUMED THE TIRES ON OUR CAR ARE OK. WE WERE DRIVING ON LEFT LANE AND THERE WAS A SEMI-TRUCK NEXT TO US BUT WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING HAPPENED TO THE TRUCK AND IT WAS MOVING NORMAL TOO. HOWEVER, AFTER THAT LOUD EXPLOSION, WE BOTH NOTICED THE NOISE COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE CAR (NOISE SIMILAR TO WHEN THE CAR WINDOW IS OPEN). I THEN OPENED THE COVER (SHADE) OF THE SUNROOF AND SAW THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED SO QUICKLY CLOSED THE COVER (SHADE) BACK UP. FORTUNATELY, THE COVER WAS CLOSED WHEN THE SUNROOF SHATTERED SO WE DIDN'T GET HURT FROM BROKEN GLASSES. WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT HAPPENED AS WE DIDN'T SEE ANY OBJECTS WERE FLYING TOWARDS US.

THE SEAL COATING ON THE ROOF PAINT CLEAR COAT IS UNDER CURRENT WARRANTEE AND THE DEALER WANTS NOT TO COVER IT. INSTEAD THEY WANT TO NOT USE THE POLICY ,BUT CHARGE ME $1000 FOR THEM TO PAINT IT.THIS I CONSUMER FRAUD.

VEHICLE POWER UNLOCKING MECHANISM IS UNRELIABLE, AND SHOWS SIGNIFICANT DEFECT IN THE UNLOCKING CAPABILITIES OF ALL BUT THE DRIVERS DOOR. AFTER SEVERAL LOCK ACTUATOR REPLACEMENTS, THE VEHICLE STILL EXHIBITS IMPROPER OPERATION. DEALERSHIP AGREES THAT THERE IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND IT'S LOCK OPERATION. BIGGEST ISSUE I SEE IS HAVING TO LEAVE MY CHILDREN UNATTENDED TO ENTER THE VEHICLE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK DOORS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS EXTENSIVELY, AND FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE, IN MANY FORUMS ETC - TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE LOCK MECHANISMS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW, AND SHOULD BE EXAMINED FOR THE SAFETY IMPACT AT A GREATER SCALE.

SUNROOF LEAKING UNDERCARRIAGE RUST

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 75 MPH I HEARD A VERY LOUD POPPING NOISE IN THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I PULLED OFF ON A SIDE ROAD AT 45 MPH, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED, SOUNDING LIKE A SHOTGUN WAS FIRED OVER MY HEAD. THE COVER TO THE SUNROOF WAS OPEN AND TINY SHARDS OF GLASS FELL INTO THE CAR AND I WAS PICKING THEM OUT OF MY HAIR ALL DAY. IT WAS VERY DISTRESSING AS I DIDN'T KNOW IF SOMEONE WAS SHOOTING AT ME SO I KEPT DRIVING UNTIL I WAS OUT OF THE AREA. WHEN I FELT SAFE, I STOPPED THE CAR TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW THE SUNROOF GLASS PROTRUDING UPWARDS. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND ME AND NOTHING OVERHEAD. IN THE ATTACHED PICTURE YOU CAN SEE THE GLASS OF THE SUNROOF PROTRUDING UPWARDS, WHICH COULD NOT BE THE RESULT OF AN IMPACT FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE'D HEARD OF IT HAPPENING BEFORE AND ADMITTED IT WAS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT, YET TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER IT. HE SUGGESTED I SUBMIT A CLAIM TO MY INSURANCE, WHICH I DID. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECTIFY.

LIFTGATE OPERATES ERRATICALLY, NOT STAYING OPEN WHEN BUTTON IS PUSHED. SOMETIMES IT OPENS ALL THE WAY, ONLY TO CLOSE IMMEDIATELY. MOST TIMES IT STARTS TO OPEN PARTIALLY THEN CLOSES. TWICE IT OPENED WHILE DRIVING. MOST TROUBLING IS ONCE IT STARTED TO CLOSE DOWN ON ME WHILE I WAS GETTING THINGS OUT OF THE TRUNK AREA. I WOULD THINK, FOR SAFETY REASONS, THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF SENSOR. IS THAT NOT THE CASE WITH MY HIGHLANDER? THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING PERIODICALLY FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS.

REAR LIFT GATE OPENED AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. DANGEROUS. NOW THE DOOR DOES NOT WORK AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO. I WAS TOLD DIRECTLY BY ANOTHER OWNER THAT THE DOOR DOES NOT ALWAYS LOCK WHEN CLOSED. WHAT ABOUT GRANDCHILDREN AND PETS. I CANNOT USE MY CAR AS INTENDED. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS I HAVE NO IDEA IF OR WHEN IT WILL REPEAT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AUTOMATIC DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE OF THE FOUR DOORS. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR. COLONIAL TOYOTA (2600 W PIKE RD, INDIANA, PA 15701, (724) 349-9100) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

POWER LIFTGATE ON 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FAILS TO FULL CLOSE AND LATCH. 4 YEARS OLD NOW, PROBLEM BEGAN 2 YEARS AGO AT 12,000 MILES, AND NOW 1 YEAR PAST 3/36 WARRANTY AND 47,000 MILES. LIFTGATE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY MANUAL FOR LAST 1-1/2 YEARS. USING BUTTONS TO CLOSE POWER LIFTGATE RESULTS IN LEFT SIDE WHERE MOTOR IS TO BE CLOSE TO CLOSED, WHILE RIGHT SIDE HAS AN INCH GAP TO D-PILLAR. NO OTHER REASON FOR ME TO GO TO DEALERSHIP, SO I HAVEN'T SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. FINALLY TOOK IT IN JUNE 6, 2016. OVER PAST 2 YEARS DEALER SERVICE DESCRIBED SOLUTION AS SIMPLE ADJUSTMENT. HAVE ASKED AT LEAST TWICE "ARE THERE ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS FOR MY HIGHLANDER?" ANSWER IS ALWAYS NO, INCLUDING DAY I TOOK IT FOR "SIMPLE ADJUSTMENT". HOWEVER RECENT RESEARCH FINDS TWO RECALLS AND MULTIPLE SERVICE BULLETINS FOR 2008-2012 HIGHLANDERS. IF THEY HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH POWER LIFTGATES SINCE 2008, WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THIS? POTENTIAL CAUSE IS POWERFUL MOTOR PULLS TOO HARD AND BENDS HINGES. NEW DESIGN USES PAIR OF POWER STRUTS TO PULL EVENLY. ESTIMATE APPROACHES $600 FOR NEW HINGES AND OTHER PARTS ($253+TAX), PAINT, AND LABOR. ALREADY PAID $100+TAX TO DIAGNOSE THIS ISSUE, WHICH TOOK ALL OF 15 MINUTES, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THEY ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND LIED ABOUT RECALLS AND BULLETINS. MY WIFE'S 2014 RAV4 HAD 1 OF 2 STRUTS REPLACED, AND OTHER ISSUES REPORTED ON NEWER HIGHLANDERS. WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO FIX THIS KNOWN ISSUE WITHOUT FURTHER COST.

REAR LIFTGATE ARM DETACHED FROM DOOR. THE BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE LIFTGATE ARM TO THE DOOR STRIPPED. THE PIECES SHOT OFF FROM THE VEHICLE WILE THE ARM WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE GATE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HATCHBACK SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HATCH LIFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART DO TO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,700.

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WAS CROSSING INTERSECTION WITH GREEN LIGHT AND WAS STRUCK ON THE MIDDLE SIDE BY ONCOMING VEHICLE RUNNING A RED LIGHT. TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ROLLED 1.25 TIMES. TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAD SECOND ROW SET UP IN BENCH CONFIGURATION WITH CENTER CONSOLE UNIT STOWED AS MANUAL INDICATED UNDER CENTER SEAT. CENTER CONSOLE UNIT DISLODGED DURING IMPACT AND/OR ROLL AND FLEW THROUGH REAR PASSENGER AREA, STRIKING TWO CHILDREN ON THE HEAD AND CAUSING HEAD/BRAIN INJURY (CONCUSSION AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS). *TR

I OPENED THE POWER REAR DOOR BY DEPRESSING THE SWITCH NEXT TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DOOR BEGAN TO OPEN, MADE A CLUNKING NOISE, AND CLOSED ITSELF. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND MANUALLY OPENED THE REAR DOOR AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED THE LIFTGATE ARM (WITH THE SCREW AND WASHER STILL ATTACHED TO THE EXPOSED END) HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE DOOR. DESPITE HAVING 55K+ MILES, MY HIGHLANDER IS JUST OVER 2 YEARS OLD AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN EXCESSIVE USAGE OF THE POWER DOOR. I'LL BE TAKING IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER FOR ASSESSMENT. *TR

SEVERAL SMALL PAINT BUBBLES ON REAR HATCH. ONE HAD BURST AT SEAM OF TRIM AND IS RUSTING. SCREWS HOLDING THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT AND ASSEMBLY ARE RUSTED. UNDERSIDE OF "HIGHLANDER" EMBLEM TRIM WHERE REAR CAMERA IS LOCATED IS CORRODED AND RUSTED. *TR

THIS EVENT HAPPENED WHEN MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2012 (SE V6 4WD) WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. I PRESSED THE REMOTE CONTROL BUTTON TO AUTOMATICALLY OPEN THE CAR HATCH DOOR. THE DOOR WAS OPEN AND STAY UP. HOWEVER, WHEN I WAS PUTTING SOME GROCERY BAGS INSIDE THE CAR, THE DOOR CAME DOWN WITHOUT ANY ANNOUNCEMENT AND HITTING MY HEAD. I HAD HEAD ACHE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. AFTER THIS HAPPENED, THE BACK DOOR DOES NOT STAY UP. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWO DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. I AM STILL WAITING FOR A DECISION FROM TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AND WITHOUT MY CAR (3 WEEKS AND COUNTING). I AM CLAIMING A CAR REPLACEMENT FROM TOYOTA. THIS IS THE FIFTH INCIDENT WITH THIS CAR (FIVE CAR REPAIRS BY THE DEALERSHIP UNDER TOYOTA GUARANTY) DURING ITS FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP (A BRAND NEW CAR). REALLY DISAPPOINTED FROM TOYOTA CAR QUALITY. I AM AFRAID THAT NEXT TIME WOULD BE A FATALITY OR ANOTHER SERIOUS INJURY WITH IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES. *TR

OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS WE NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT SMELL IN OUR CAR. WE HAVE RUBBER FLOORMATS, SO DID NOT NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A DRAINAGE PROBLEM IN OUR A/C CONDENSER. THE BLOCKAGE CAUSED DRAINAGE TO BACK UP INTO THE BODY OF OUR VEHICLE AND MOLD STARTED TO GROW ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE ON THE CARPET UNDERNEATH THE RUBBER FLOORMATS. WE LATER LEARNED THAT THE BLOCKAGE WAS CAUSED BY A SPIDER WEB IN THE A/C CONDENSER DRAINAGE TUBE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY CALLED TOYOTA AND LEARNED IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED TOYOTA CARE WARRANTY AND ANY COSTS WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID OUT OF POCKET. I JUST LEARNED THAT SIMILAR MODEL YEAR TOYOTA VEHICLES, INCLUDING THE AVALON AND CAMRY, ARE UNDER RECALL DUE TO PROBLEMS THAT RESULT FROM SPIDER WEBS BLOCKING THE A/C CONDENSER DRAINAGE TUBE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT THAT COVERS MORE THAN JUST THE AVALON AND CAMRY MODELS, BUT THE RECALL DID NOT COVER MY HIGHLANDER. WE HAVE AN INFANT SON AND THE GROWTH OF MOLD COULD HAVE SEVERELY IMPACTED HIS HEALTH AND BREATHING. *TR

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the driver’s side sun visor detached and fell on the contact. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the driver side sun visor to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that in September 2022, the driver's and the passenger's side sun visors detached. The contact took the vehicle to the second local dealer, Capitol Toyota (6800 Automall Pkwy, Gilroy, CA 95020, (408) 335-0587) where the vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the driver’s and the passenger's side sun visors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.