2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS SEVERELY ROTTED UNDER THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT'S CONCERN WAS THAT THE ENGINE WOULD POSSIBLY FALL OUT WHILE DRIVING BUT THE MECHANIC ADVISED HIM THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT DROP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD FEEL THE ENGINE SHIFTING ABNORMALLY WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

ENGINE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING, AND VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT AND COOLANT RESTORED. WHEN TAKEN TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR WAS INFORMED THAT BOLTS HOLDING ENGINE BLOCK HAD FAILED DUE TO THREADS INSIDE BLOCK BEING STRIPPED, AND COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM SEAL IN ENGINE BLOCK. ASIDE FROM HITTING A DEER ONCE (MINOR VEHICLE DAMAGE IN WHICH THE HEADLIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED), THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IN READING INFORMATION ON WEB, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS. *TR

THE ENGINE ON THIS VEHICLE REQUIRED A COMPLETE REBUILD, AT A COST OF OVER $5000 DUE TO OIL LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE AND FOULING THE COMPONENTS. IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE STALLED REPEATEDLY ON BOTH CITY ROADS AND HIGHWAYS, CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION SEVERAL TIMES. WHENEVER THE OIL WAS CHANGED, THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD USE UP TO 4 QUARTS OF OIL PER WEEK FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. I CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE OFFICE BY LETTER AND PHONE AND WAS TOLD THAT NO DEFECT EXISTED. TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY RECALLING EARLIER MODELS OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS EMITTING WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THE ENGINE FAILED. EVENTUALLY, IT WOULD ONLY SUSTAIN A SPEED OF 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY THREE MECHANICS WHO ALL FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE IS USED TO TRANSPORT A HANDICAPPED PERSON, AND WAS ALSO USED TO TRANSPORT CHILDREN FREQUENTLY. IN ORDER TO SAVE THE MONEY FOR THE REPAIRS, WHICH I HAD TO MAKE BECAUSE I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE LOAN FOR THIS CAR, I HAD TO PURCHASE A VERY OLD AND INEXPENSIVE CAR TO GET TO WORK. THE TOYOTA SAT PARKED FOR 9 MONTHS BEFORE IT COULD BE FIXED. HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO BUY THIS SECOND CAR, I WOULD HAVE LOST MY JOB. I COULD NOT PUT MY DAUGHTER'S WHEELCHAIR IN THE OTHER CAR. SHE IS ABLE TO WALK ONLY FOR SHORT DISTANCES. THIS CREATED A SEVERE HARDSHIP AND ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO HER DEVELOPING A FOOT WOUND AND INFECTION OF THE BONE IN HER FOOT. THIS MEDICAL ISSUE REQUIRED 3 SURGERIES AND 5 HOSPITALIZATIONS, PLUS OVER 6 MONTHS OF IV ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY. I NARROWLY AVOIDED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WHEN THE CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC. IF I WAS NOT SUCH AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER, IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. *KB

UNUSUAL FRAYING OF DRIVERS SEAT BELT DUE TO DESIGN PROBLEM WITH STITCHING OF BELT MATERIAL. BEGAN TO UNRAVEL AND RUN ALONGSIDE APPROX 18" OF BELT LENGTH. THIS CAUSED BELT TO BIND AND SNAG ON BUCKLE FURTHER EXACERBATING PROBLEM. THIS OCCURRED DURING ROUTINE USE AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL. TOYOTA DOES NOT WARRANTY SAFETY RESTRAINT DEVICES FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE LIKE OTHER SIMILAR MAJOR MANUFACTURERS (NISSAN, HONDA, MAZDA, ETC) AND DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEIR WARRANTY WAS GOOD FOR 5 YR/60,000 MILES. THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES, IT IS >5 YEARS AND THEREFORE NOT COVERED. TOYOTA CORPORATE DOES NOT SEEM CONCERNED ABOUT RECENT GLARING SAFETY CONCERNS RESULTING IN CONSUMER DEATHS (STICKING WOT ACCELERATORS, FAILING BRAKES, ETC) AND IS UNWILLING TO COVER ANY PORTION OF THE ESTIMATED $450 REPAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO DOCUMENT THIS DEFECT WHICH IS EXTENSIVELY REPORTED ON THE INTERNET BY OTHER CONSUMERS IN HOPES THAT TOYOTA COULD BE FORCED TO CORRECT THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE MORE DEATHS OCCUR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD BOLT DETACHED FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING HOT AND WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE HEAD BOLT WAS STRIPPED FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT BULBS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. UPDATED 12/12/11

THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE. I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE GETTING THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPLACED ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RETURN A YEAR LATER. SEE HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/TOYOTA-HIGHLANDER/T7H7LD934GSQLC6BE NOW MY VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING AND TOYOTA SEEMS UNINTERESTED IN A RECALL. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR WON'T STAY AGAINST WINDSHIELD - IT IS BLOCKING VIEW OF THE ROAD - A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER VISOR DEFECT. FALLS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND BLOCKS VIEW, REPLACEMENT COST IS $700. SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO DANGEROUS VISION OBSTRUCTION. *TR

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DROOPS AND WILL NOT STAY UP. BLOCKS VISION AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. SYSTEMIC PROBLEM ON ALL HIGHLANDERS. HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON MY CAR SINCE ABOUT 2007. REPLACEMENT COST OF $750 IS RIDICULOUS AND PROHIBITORY. *TR