2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

"INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FAILURES ON 04-05 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER" THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (ST001-06) OF SHAFT REPLACEMENT ON SOME MODELS BUT NEVER BECAME A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE. ON TOYOTA PRIUS NHW20 MODEL VEHICLES PRODUCED IN JAPAN FROM JULY 2003 TO NOV 2005 ARE BEING RECALLED. TOYOTA SAYS ON SOME VEHICLE, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY BECOME LOOSE OR DEVELOP A CRACK. WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANTS TO KEEP THEIR TOYOTA FOR A LIFETIME? MINE IS AN SUV(HIGHLANDER) WITH A HIGHER CENTER OF GRAVITY AND ROLLING FORCE. YOUR HELP ON THIS MATTER IS DEEPLY APPRECIATED. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN A PARKING PLACE AT MY WORK SITE. I WAS MOVING VERY SLOWLY MOVING INTO THE PARKING SPOT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HIGHLANDER BEGAN ACCELERATING VERY RAPIDLY. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. UPON REACHING THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB AND RAN INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SPIN THE WHEELS WHILE PUSHING ON THE TREE UNTIL I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THE DAMAGE TO THE HIGHLANDER WAS $5,272.46 WHICH WAS COVERED BY MERCURY INSURANCE [XXX] . *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL EXHIBITED A SLIGHT VIBRATION AND NOISE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE DRIVEN AND IF THE FAILURE PROGRESSED TO RETURN IT FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 4/22/10 *CN UPDATED 06/01/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND SWERVED TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A LARGE PILLAR ON AN OVERPASS AND BOUNCED OFF OF IT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE ALSO CRASHED INTO A SECOND PILLAR. THE DRIVER SUFFERED NO INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE MASSIVE IMPACT OF THE CRASH. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR MUST BE STRUCK IN A SPECIFIC AREA FOR THE DEPLOYMENT TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,498.

EVER SINCE I PURCHASED MY HIGHLANDER, NEW, I INFREQUENTLY EXPERIENCE AN UNEXPECTED SURGE IN ACCELERATION WHILE BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, OR AFTER SLOWING TO TURN A CORNER. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TURNING A CORNER. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO TWO DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS, IN THE PAST, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEIR ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION WAS THEIR BIGGEST COMPLAINT, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. WHILE DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM TO A SERVICE REP AT A DEALERSHIP, A GENTLEMAN, ALSO WAITING FOR SERVICE, INDICATED THAT HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS NEWER MODEL RAV 4. THIS MAY HAVE HAPPENED FEWER THAN TWO DOZEN TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE HIGHLANDER. HAS THIS PROBLEM BEEN BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION, OR DO YOU KNOW IF TOYOTA HAS EVER DEVELOPED A "FIX" FOR THIS? *TR

WE HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, AND WE HAVE HAD SURGES ON THE GAS SINCE WE BOUGHT IT IN 2004. IT USUALLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTROL, AS YOU WILL BE DRIVING ALONG, AND IT WILL SURGE FORWARD A BIT, BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO APPLY BRAKE AND CONTROL IT. THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE INSTANCE WHERE IT SURGED STRONGLY, AND I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. WE TRIED TO SELL THE CAR A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT THE BUYER TEST DROVE IT, AND NOTICED THE SURGING, ASKED ABOUT IT, AND THEN DECIDED NOT TO BUY IT - SO WE KEPT IT AFTER THAT. WE WERE THINKING IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM, OR SOMETHING.... WE HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT INTO A SHOP TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED, BUT THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MENTION IT, IN CASE OTHER HIGHLANDERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THE GAS PEDAL STICKING, BUT JUST THE GAS SURGING SOMEHOW, BUT MAYBE IT IS RELATED. *TR

2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS 57,000 MILES, SINCE I OWNED THE CAR THE FOLLOWING OCCURS; ON SLIPPERY CONDITIONS THE VCS LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND IT WOULD TAKE A SECOND OR SO FOR BRAKES TO ENGAGE. TODAY ON A DRY PAVEMENT SURFACE (NO RAIN OR SNOW) THE VCS LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON WHEN TRAVELING 20 MILES AN HOUR LOCKING MY BRAKES FOR NO APPARENT REASON MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TRIED DRIVING AGAIN BUT BREAKS IMMEDIATELY LOCKED UP ONCE I HIT 10-15 MILES AN HOUR AND STEERING WHEEL WAS ALSO LOOSE CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND IT IS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED, TECHNICIAN SAID THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $500. NOT SURE IF THIS WILL CORRECT THE 1 SECOND GAP IN BREAK ENGAGEMENT ON SLIPPERY SURFACES WHICH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2004. *TR

MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED V6 DEVELOPED SUBSTANTIAL TRANSMISSION/ TRANSAXLE LEAK AT 56,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS ABLE TO LEAK INTO THE FRONT TRANSAXLES AND THEN ONTO THE GROUND. TOYOTA IS AWARE THAT THE #2 AXEL SEAL IS AT FAULT AS IT IS WELL REPORTED. THE REPAIR WAS OVER $2,000. I FIXED MINE, BUT AM CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE THAT WON'T BE FIXED. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE TRANSMISSION LEAKS OUT IN TOTAL WOULD THE RESULTING TRANSMISSION FAILURE RESULT IN INJURY.*TW

HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA 3.3L 2WD HIGHLANDER THAT HAS HAD A SURGING PROBLEM WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A START SINCE I HAD IT NEW....DEALER RECALIBRATED COMPUTER BUT DIDNT FIX THE PROBLEM....THEY TOLD ME THIS IS NORMAL.....IT IS NOT NORMAL AND IS VERY DANGEROUS....BEING THEY DONT WANT TO FIX IT, I GUESS IT WILL COME DOWN TO A LAW SUIT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS.....THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF POST ON THIS PROBLEM AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE RECALLING AND FIXING......WONT NEVER BUY TOYOTA AGAIN IF SOMETHING ISNT DONE BECAUSE THEY STILL SEEM TO BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER MAKES AND MODELS IN TOYOTA LINE....AND LEXUS........*CN

2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, AWD AND A V6. THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELARATING AFTER BRAKING. CAN BE UP TO 3 SECONDS BEFORE POWER IS RESTORED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IS NORMAL. *TR