2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TO AVOID TWO DEER CROSSING ROAD (BULL BRIDGE ROAD, SOUTH KENT, CT) ON CURVE, LOST CONTROL ON RIGHT SHOULDER, HIT STRAIGHT ON THE UTILITY WOOD POLE. MY SPEED WAS IN BETWEEN 25 AND 30 MPH. DURING THE ACCIDENT, ALL AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK ME UP. THE IMPACT CAUSED MY CHEST, BACK, NECK AND HEAD INJURIES.

VEHICLE SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING, CAUSING ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO FAIL INCLUDING THE ELECTRONIC STEERING, WHICH SINCE VEHICLE ALSO TURNED OFF, CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK UP. SINCE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AT SPEED AND INFACT WHILE MAKING A TURN, A NEAR COLLISION OCCURED. THE PROBLEM OCCURED MULTIPLE TIMES IN SUCCESSION AND WAS ALSO INTERMITTENT WITH MUCH TIME ELAPSING BETWEEN EPISODES. TWO OTHER TYPES OF RELATED OCCURRENCES DURING THIS TIMEFRAME WERE THE (1) VEHICLE ALSO CYCLING OFF AND ON AND (2) WOULD ALSO TURN ON ITSELF IF THE KEY WAS IN THE VICINITY OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA OF SEATTLE EXPERIENCED THE ISSUES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN AND DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE TO BE A LOOSE BOLTED CONNECTION OF THE NEGATIVE ELECTRICAL WIRE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES SINCE TIGHTENING OF THE NEGATIVE WIRE BOLTS. ONGOING ISSUES INCLUDE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CYCLING OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING INCLUDING THE NAVIGATION AND FRONT CONSOLE DISPLAY. THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT IN SEPTEMBER 2014 AND HAD LESS THAN 25K MILES AS OF APRIL 2016. ON TWO PRIOR INSTANCES ELECTRICAL ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED AND DOCUMENTED TO TOYOTA OF SEATTLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS KEPT FOR TESTING. THE FIRST ELECTRICAL ISSUE OCCURED WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL FAILING AND THEREBY REQUIRING PASSENGER INTERVENTION TO AVOID COLLISION. THIS CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE FIRST SEEMED TO OCCUR IN DECEMBER 2015. TOYOTA OF SEATTLE DID NOT FIND ANY FAULT AND SENT ME AWAY. THE SECOND PRIOR ELECTRICAL ISSUE OF THE BATTERY PREMATURELY FAILING OCCURRED IN MARCH 2016. THE READINGS INDICATED SOME ODD DRAWS. TOYOTA OF SEATTLE REPLACED THE BATTERY AND SENT ME AWAY WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE ODD DRAWS. THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY REMAINS SUSPECT WITH ONGOING ELECTRICAL CYCLING OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING.

WHEN THE A/C OR HEATER IS ON, THERE IS A VERY FOUL ALMOST ROTTEN TYPE OF SMELL COMING INTO THE CABIN. I NOTICE IT AS SOON AS I START THE CAR. IT USED TO GO AWAY AFTER DRIVING IT SEVERAL MILES, BUT LATELY IT SEEMS TO CONTINUE WITH THE BAD SMELL FOR A LONGER TIME. WE HAVE NOTICED IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. IT HAS 28,000 MILES ON IT AS OF 4-25-16.

NAVIGATION SYSTEM. WILL NOT SET TO GO TO SPECIFIC ADDRESSES, WILL NOT OPERATE MUCH LIKE A NAVIGATION SYSTEM SHOULD.

THE REAR POWER DOOR, FIRST WAS SPORATIC, WOULD OPEN HALF WAY THEN STOP, THEN YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE DOOR OPEN AGAINST THE MOTORS, THEN, SOMETIMES IT WILL CLOSE, BUT MOST TIME IN THE RAIN, YOU HAVE TO JUMP UP AND PULL DOWN THE DOOR, AGAIN AGAINST THE MOTORS, THEY RESIST QUITE ALOT, NOW THE DOOR, OPENS 2 INCHS AND STOPS AND I CAN'T GET IT TO OPEN MORE, TOLD TOYOTA, WELL, WE HAVE ONE GUY THAT WORKS ON THAT, AND IT HAS TO DO IT IN FRONT OF HIM, SHOULDN'T A COMPLAINT ABOUT A DOOR NOT OPENING BE SAFETY RELATED, ITS A DOOR, IT WON'T OPEN AND PUSHING AGAINST MOTORS IS VERY UNWANTED FOR A DISABLED PERSON, THE LAST 2 WEEKS, EVERY TIME I GO TO STORE IT WON'T WORK, AND I HAVE MY HANDS FULL WITH GROCERY'S, I HAVE HAD TO USE SIDE DOORS, TO GET THINGS OUT WHEN IT WON'T OPEN, TOOK IT BACK FOR THE THIRD TIME TO TOYOTA AND DEALERSHIP PERSON SAID, I WAS RUDE, SAYING BS THE DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN, SO FAR, IT DOES NOT OPEN AND TOYOTA HAS NOT OFFERED A FIX, AND I NEED TO GO ON A TRIP, LOOKS LIKE A CAR RENTAL, RATHER THAN TAKE A CHANCE MY DOOR WON'T OPEN IN THE RAIN.......ITS A BACK DOOR TO A CAR, IT SHOULD OPEN AT ALL TIMES, AND NO MOTOR SHOULD BE STOPING IT, AND I WAS TOLD THEY KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT AGAIN, THE ONE PERSON IN BUILDING HAS TO SEE IT........WOW, BIGGEST CAR COMPANY IN THE WORLD AND I HAVE TO POST THIS, 4 VECHILES WITH THEM AND RETHINKING IT NOW, THE HORRIBLE JBL STEREO, IS ANOTHER POST.....BUT SHOULDN'T A DOOR OPEN AT ALL TIMES, IT DOES NOT AT THE MOMENT OF WRITING THIS, LAST NIGHT IT DID NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY, AND THE WIND CAUSED THE ALARM TO GO OFF THIS MORNING...THE VERY MOTORS, THAT SHOULD CLOSE IT DID NOT WORK, AGAIN, IT WAS 1/2 INCH, OPEN THIS TIME....AND IT WAS RAINING ALL NIGHT.

POPPING NOISE FROM REAR BREAK FREQUENTLY WHEN I DISENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER. WHENEVER THIS HAPPENS THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND NOT BEEN USED FOR 3 HOURS ON; TOOK TO DEALERSHIP STATING COULD FIND PROBLEM, BUT DEALER SAYS IT DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING ABNORMAL. DEALER'S MECHANIC SUGGESTED RELEASING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEFORE RELEASING PRESSURE FROM BRAKE PEDAL AS A RECOMMENDATION. I TOLD THEM THIS IS NOT THE ORDER OF STEPS RECOMMENDED BY MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA) IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THEY CONTESTED MY STATEMENT TELLING THTA THEIR MECHANICS ARE SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL PERSONNEL WHICH THEY TRUST.

THE HVAC SYSTEM DOES NOT DRAIN COMPLETELY IN HOT CLIMATES, CAUSING A BUILD UP OF MOLD/MILDEW IN THE AC SYSTEM, BLOWING IT INTO THE CAR. THE ODOR IS FOUL AND DAMAGING TO CUSTOMERS RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS. THIS OCCURS IN THE SUMMER, IN HOT MONTHS WITH THE AC IS USED ON A DAILY BASIS. IT DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE WINTER.

REAR DOOR HATCH STALLS UPON OPENING AND CLOSING. FREQUENTLY REPORTED PROBLEM ON TOYOTA WEBSITES. WHEN DOOR SWITCH IS ACTIVATED EITHER AT THE DOOR, REMOTE FOB OR DASH SWITCH, THE DOOR OPENS A FEW INCHES THEN STOPS. PRESSING AGAIN MOVES IT BACK THEN STOPS. YOU MUST MANUALLY OPEN OR CLOSE THE DOOR. NOT CERTAIN THE DOOR LOCKS COMPLETELY WHEN CLOSING. ONGOING ISSUE SINCE JULY 2014

I NOTICED A BAD SMELL FOR MONTHS AND COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. RECENTLY I NOTICED WATER COMING IN FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SEATBELT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD ME BRING IT IN IMMEDIATELY. THEY FOUND MOLD AND SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE MOON ROOF LEAKING. THE CARPETING WAS REPLACED BY PROFESSIONALS SINCE THEIR EMPLOYEES COULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO THE MOLD. I HAD THE CAR FOR OVER A YEAR AND DROVE IT WITH MY ASTHMATIC CHILD DAILY. NO ONE HAS YET TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH HAZARD THIS IS. NOT TO MENTION THE MOLDING AROUND THE DOORS AND SEVERAL GUARDS AND PIECES NO LONGER FIT PROPERLY AND ARE SLIDING ALL OVER THE FLOOR AS I DRIVE.

POPPING NOISE FROM REAR BREAK FREQUENTLY WHEN I DISENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER. WHENEVER THIS HAPPENS THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND NOT BEEN USED FOR 3 HOURS ON; TOOK TO DEALERSHIP STATING COULD FIND PROBLEM, BUT DEALER SAYS IT DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING ABNORMAL.