2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH ONLY 97,000 MILES THAT KEEPS "OVER HEATING". I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD EXCEPT THE ENGINE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AROUND NOV. 2009. I HAVE READ OTHER BLOGS THAT HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT AND IT APPEARS TO BE THE "BOLTS ON THE ENGINE ARE STRIPPED/DEFECTED" AND ALLOWS THE COOLANT TO LEAK OUT CAUSING OVERHEATING. ONE BLOG I READ STATED HE HAD THE "BLOTS" REPLACED AND THE NEW BOLTS ARE EXPANDING AND DOING THE SAME THING (OVER HEATING) AGAIN! I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL DEALERS AND SO FAR NO RECALL FROM TOYOTA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH ONE DEALER SAID THERE IS A MEMO FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL! PLEASE HELP, I AM A SENIOR ON A FIX INCOME AND CAN NOT AFFORD THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ALL OF US WITH THIS PROBLEM.....THANK YOU. *TR

HAVE AN 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER THAT I BOUGHT NEW. HAVE USED SUN VISORS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AS THEY WERE INTENDED TO BE USED. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW. THIS PARTICULARLY HAPPENS WHEN ANY BUMP IN THE ROAD IS RUN OVER. THIS CREATES A HAZARD DUE TO LIMITING MY SIGHT. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX BY TIGHTENING THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE VISOR TO THE CEILING AND BY USING VELCRO TO HOLD THE VISOR TO THE ROOF. NEITHER OF THESE WORKED...THE VELCRO WILL NOT STICK TO THE CEILING ROOF. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN HIS GARAGE WHEN HE NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A DEFECTIVE ENGINE BLOCK. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED COMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000. UPDATED 01/24/11 *CN UPDATED 04/18/11

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HE PICKED HIS VEHICLE UP FROM THE DEALER AFTER HAVING THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE DONE, HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT OR SPEED BUMPS AT LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WITHIN DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THE CLICKING NOISE FROM THE BRAKES HAD BEEN REMEDIED. IN MARCH 2010, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CONSUMER DETECTED A SHIMMY COMING FROM THE FRONT END AND TRANSMITTING THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE SHIMMY CONTINUED WITH INCREASED INTENSITY OVER TIME DURING HIS TRIP AND THERE WAS AN ODOR OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. A CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HAD EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST AND IT SEEMED TO BE HOTTER THAN THE OTHER SIDE ALONG WITH A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE SAME LOCATION. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE RIGHT FRONT CALIPER HAD SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE CONSUMER STATED ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT, ALONG WITH THE BRAKE PADS AND CALIPER. *JB

TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS SUV BRAKE LIGHTS FOR YEARS 2002-2003 HAS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTING. MY WIFE'S 2003 TOYOTA LIMITED EDITION HIGHLANDER RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT STOP WORKING ON 25 JUNE 2010. AFTER READING AND LEARNING MANY OTHER TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, I HAD TO SUBMIT THIS, SINCE TOYOTA HAS NOT ANNOUNCED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OTHER COMMENTS FROM TOYOTA HIGHLANDER'S OWNER: HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/TOYOTA-HIGHLANDER/T7H7LD934GSQLC6BE. I WORRY ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE SO MANY OWNERS HAVE PAID A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY TRYING TO HAVE THIS IS RESOLVED, AND THE ONLY REPLY/RESPOND THEY RECEIVE FROM THE DEALERSHIP TECH'S ARE MORE MONEY AND A STATEMENT INFORMING THEM THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL. I ALSO WORRY ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WHAT WOULD MY WIFE SAY TO A POLICE OFFICER IF SHE IS CITED REPEATEDLY? PLEASE ASSIST IN SERIOUS MATTER. *TR

MY WIFE'S TRUCK BEGAN LEAKING COOLANT. I WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. I PAID NEARLY $1600 FOR THE REPAIRS. A YEAR LATER, THE COOLANT IS LEAKING. WHEN THE HEAD WAS PULLED, THE THREAD STRIPPED OUT ON 3 BOLTS. I FOUND THE SAME COMPLAINT NUMEROUS TIMES ON THIS WEBSITE AND ON OTHERS. AT THIS POINT, THE OPTIONS ARE THREAD INSERTS THAT MAY WORK OR A NEW ENGINE! AT THIS POINT, I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO GET HELP FROM TOYOTA. THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING TO DATE. *TR

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2003 2.4 LITER, BLOWN HEAD GASKET DUE TO STRIPPED THREADS ON THE SHORT BLOCK ENGINE. *TR

MY 2003 HIGHLANDER HEAT GAGE INDICATED THE ENGINE WAS STARTING TO GET HOT. I PULL INTO SERVICE STATION TO CHECK COOLANT LEVEL AND NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING ON THE GROUND. I WAITED FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO ASSURE MYSELF IT WAS SAFE TO TAKE OFF THE RADIATOR CAP. I COULD NOT SEE ANY COOLANT SO, I PURCHASED A GALLON OF PRE-MIXED COOLANT AND POURED IN ABOUT 1/2 TO 3/4 GALLON TO BRING IT UP TO FULL. I MADE THE TRIP HOME WITHOUT THE CAR GETTING HOT, BUT NOTICED THE LEAK WAS STILL THERE. I HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT BY A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDED MAJOR REPAIRS. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SUPPORT BULLITIN ON THE ENGINE IN QUESTION. A 2.4 LITRE (4 CYLINDER) ENGINE COMMON ON CAMARYS AND HIGHLANDERS. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE IN LIGHT OF THE FACT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN OF THE DESIGN DEFECT ON OTHER MODELS (CAMARY AND HIGHLANDERS). WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS THE SERVICE SCHEDULER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT PROBLEM I WAS DESCRIBING TO HIM ABOUT MY CAR. THIS INDICATED TO ME, TOYOTA HAS INFORMED THEIR DEALERS OF THE PROBLEM OR, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SENT A SERVICE BULLITIN ON THE VERY FIX TO MY CARS PROBLEM. THE SERVICE BULLITIN DESCRIBED (3) HEAD BOLTS AROUND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WOULD STRETCH AND FAIL TO SEAL THE HEAD THUS, LEAK COOLANT. THE BULLITIN EVEN DESCRIBES INSTALLING HELI-COILS IN THE (3) AFFECTED BOLTS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER FAILURE OF TOYOTA TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR KNOWN DEFECTS IN THEIR AUTOMOBILES. I BOUGHT AND PAID FOR THIS VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH ON THE RELIABILITY RECORD OF THE TOYOTA COMPANY'S PAST RECORD. I NOW FEEL I HAVE BEEN TREATED UNFAIRLY BY THIS COMPANY. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THIS WAS AN ISOLATED OCCURANCE, BUT IT IS NOT AND TOYOTA KNOWS THIS FULL WELL. SERVICE BULLITINS DON'T GET SENT TO ALL DEALERS FOR A SINGLE OCCURANCE. PLEASE HELP !

VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND MOTOR RACED AND VEHICLE TRAVELED BACKWARD AT RAPID RATE OF SPEED AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED IN SPITE OF BRAKING. ATTEMPT TO STOP VEHICLE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED WHEN STRUCK TELEPHONE POLE. PROBLEM WAS ENGINE RACING WHICH COULD NOT BE STOPPED. ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO STICK DOWN OR ACCELERATE WITHOUT FOOT APPLICATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH UTILIZING THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM, HE ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED UP TO 90 MPH. HE IMMEDIATLEY PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR MAT WAS LYING OVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED ALL FLOOR MATS FROM THE VEHICLE AND HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE SINCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 96,000.