2017 Toyota Highlander Speed Control & Cruise Problems

The radar cruise control system on my 2017 Toyota Highlander is not functioning properly and creates a safety hazard. When initially setting the radar cruise control, the system works as expected. I can accelerate to a desired speed, press the “set” control, and the vehicle maintains that speed correctly. The problem occurs when I try to increase the set speed. After setting an initial speed (for example, 45 mph), I accelerate to a higher speed (such as 65 mph) and press the “set” control again to update the cruise setting. Instead of setting the new speed, the system reverts to the previously stored speed. When this happens, the vehicle rapidly decelerates and applies braking to return to the lower speed. This sudden and unexpected braking creates a dangerous situation, especially on highways, as it can put surrounding drivers at risk of a rear-end collision. I have tested this multiple times and experience the same result each time. This issue only occurs when using radar cruise control and does not occur with standard cruise control. note this has been an ongoing issue since the day I purchased my vehicle in January 2017. I notified the dealership about the issue and they stated they would open a case with Toyota

CRUISE CONTROL ON SPEED AT 45 MPH, LIFTED CRUISE LEVER 5 TIMES TO POSTED 50 MPH SPEED GOING ONTO INTERSTATE APRON/BRIDGE. LIFTED THE CRUISE CONT LEVER AND HELD TO ACCELERATE TO POSTED SPEED OF 60. RELEASED LEVER AT 60 MPH, BUT NOTICED CAR STILL ACCELERATING. PULLED ON LEVER TO CANCEL WHEN CAR WAS AT 75 MPH. CAR HAS 19,850 MILES

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER TO APPX 5MPH AND CHECK ENGINE, CHECK ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM, VISIT DEALER, LIGHTS APPEARED ON DASH, VEHICLE WAS ON HIGHWAY DRIVING AT APPX 50MPH AT TIME OF INCIDENT , DEALER REPROGAMMED ECM, AND RETURNED CAR TO OWNER AND NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN

THE DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITH THE FEATURE ON AND A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU EXITS TO THE RIGHT, THE HIGHLANDER WILL SLOW AND BRAKE AGGRESSIVELY AS IF IT'S STILL FOLLOWING THE SLOWING EXITING VEHICLE THAT IS NOW IN ANOTHER LANE AND LEAVING THE HIGHWAY. THE SETTING OF THE VEHICLE TO VEHICLE DISTANCE AND PRE-COLLISION SETTING HAVE LITTLE AFFECT ON THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM CAN EASILY BE DUPLICATED EVERY TIME. THE DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL OPERATION. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED BY A LARGE TRUCK WHEN MY HIGHLANDER UNEXPECTEDLY AND AGGRESSIVELY BRAKED AND SLOWED FOR NO REASON AS IT CONTINUED TRACKING THE EXITING VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, WHICH IS WHY I NO LONGER USE DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER WITH TOYOTA BEFORE SOME IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THANK YOU.

2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SE AWD ("VEHICLE"). ON JANUARY 26, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:15 P.M., PACIFIC TIME, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE 10 FREEWAY NEAR THE LA BREA AVENUE EXIT. IT WAS DARK BUT CLEAR WITH LIGHT TO MEDIUM TRAFFIC. WHILE I WAS DRIVING AROUND 80 MPH AND MERGING TOWARD AN INNER LANE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY - ON ITS OWN - SLOWED TO AROUND 30 OR 40 MPH. CONCOMITANTLY, THE VEHICLE'S MESSAGING SYSTEM (BETWEEN THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER) BEGAN BLINKING AND ALERTING ME THAT THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM WAS EXPERIENCING FAILURE AND THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED IMMEDIATE SERVICING. A SMALL ORANGE TRIANGULAR INDICATOR WITH AN EMBEDDED EXCLAMATION POINT FLASHED AS WELL. I ENGAGED THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND THEN MANIPULATED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTO VARIOUS POSITIONS WHILE FULLY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 30 OR 40 MPH. FACED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING REAR ENDED, I DISENGAGED THE HAZARD LIGHTS, SIGNALED TO THE RIGHT, AND EVENTUALLY MADE IT OFF THE FREEWAY. THE FOLLOWING DAY, JANUARY 27, 2017, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I BELIEVE IT IS STILL BEING DIAGNOSED . THE LONGER THE DIAGNOSIS TAKES, THE MORE I AM CONCERNED THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT DETERMINED THE REMEDY FOR THIS ISSUE. GIVEN TOYOTA'S HISTORY, I AM ALSO CONCERNED THEY MAY RETURN THE VEHICLE TO ME WITHOUT DETERMINING CONCLUSIVELY HOW THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AND WITHOUT FIXING THE ISSUE SO THAT IT WILL NOT POSE A THREAT TO MY PASSENGERS, INCLUDING MY OWN FAMILY, AND THE PUBLIC. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS MY DUTY TO REPORT THIS TO THE NHTSA AND TO SEEK THE NHTSA'S GUIDANCE ABOUT STEPS I CAN TAKE TO ENSURE THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT HAND ME BACK THE VEHICLE, WHICH MAY BE A DEATHTRAP. I DON'T USE SUCH INFLAMMATORY WORDS LIGHTLY, BUT THE MORE I CONTEMPLATE, THE MORE I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING EVENT.