2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, AN INTERNAL ALARM SOUNDED. ALSO, THE BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS ACTUATOR FAILED AND FAILURE CODES: C1241, C1380, C1256, AND C1391 WERE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID . HAS 110K MILES AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME TWISE IN ONE WEEK WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BEFORE APPLYING THE BRAKES.WHAT WOULD HAPPENS HAPPENED THEIR IS A NEED FOR A HARD STOP . ATTER RESETTING ABS LIGHT. HAD PULLED C1391 FOR ABS ACCUMULATOR LEAK.VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO MY VEHICLE IS BRAKING ONLY ON BASE BRAKES AND MY ABS AND VSC SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED DUE TO FAULT PRESENT. NOT SURE WHY ITS NOT COVERED ON EXTENDED WARRANTY LIKE OTHER 2006 AND 07 MODELS. SAME SYSTEM UP TO 2010. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING ABS IF IT DOESN'T WORK WHEN YOU NEED IT THE MOST.

THE ABS ACTUATOR IS LEAKING FLUID AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. LUCKILY, I NOTICED A NOISE FROM THE SLIPPING ABS WHILE IDLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, AND BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE BEFORE A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, OR MY BRAKES FAILED. THOUGH MANY ONLINE ACCOUNTS OF THIS SAME FLUID LEAK ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR, DESCRIBE DANGEROUS BRAKE FAILURES. THE REPAIR COST IS OVER $4,000 AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ACCORDING TO A CARS.COM ARTICLE FROM JULY 1, 2016, THERE HAS BEEN A FREE REPLACEMENT SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE BRAKE ACTUATORS ON TOYOTA PRIUS 2004-2009, AND HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2006-2007. THE 2008 HIGHLANDER HYBRID HAS THE SAME ISSUE, WITH AT LEAST 75 IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ON WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM. THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA: PLEASE INCLUDE THE 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID TO THE SERVICE BULLITEN TO REPLACE THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE BRAKES COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND AVOID A CRASH. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER (TOYOTA OF STAMFORD, 909 E MAIN ST, STAMFORD, CT 06902, (203) 348-3751) STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT COVERED BY A RECALL AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 265,000.

MY 2008 HIGHLANDER ABS IS FAILED AND THAT PUT OUR FAMILY AND OTHERS IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THE ABS IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE LIGHTS KEEP STAYING ON, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU DO, RESET IT OR NOT. THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING, THE SIREN INSIDE THE VEHICLE MAKING BUZZY NOISE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR OR ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ONLINE REGARDING TO THE TOYOTA HYBRID MODELS AND FOUND MANY DISAPPOINTED CUSTOMER REVIEWS, THEY ALL POINT TO THE ABS PLATFORM DESIGN FLAWS BY TOYOTA JUST LIKE THE ABS ON CAMRY HYBRIDS & OTHER HYBRID MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AS SUGGEST BY TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE, THE SAME TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY TWO CAMRYS FROM; PAID $125 TO HAVE THEM CHECKED OUT. MY HIGHLANDER ABS AND THE RESULTS TUNED OUT TO BE BOTH ABS ACTUATOR (47070-48010) AND ABS PUMP (44510-48080) ARE FAILED AND THE COSTS TO HAVE BOTH FIX IS $9000 WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ONLY WORTH BETWEEN $6000 (NOW $0) WHICH IS MORE THAN HALF OF THE VEHICLE'S VALUE, FOR JUST A FEW SMALL DEFECTIVE PARTS MADE BY TOYOTA. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE COST IS RIDICULOUSLY HIGH AND BECAUSE OF THE MANUFACTURE DESIGN FLAWS & NOT FROM END USERS FAULT. I'VE CALLED TOYOTA TWICE TO BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION BUT I GOT DISAPPOINTING RESULTS INSTEAD. WE, TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID OWNERS NEED TO UNITE AND CONTACT TOYOTA AND OR SMART ATTORNEYS TO CONNECT ALL THE DOTS AND SUE TOYOTA FOR THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. OUR LIFE AND OTHERS IS IN DANGER DUE TO TOYOTA'S DEFECTIVE PARTS.

LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO A ABS BRAKE ACUATOR INTERNAL LEAK ON HYBRID VEHICLE

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY LEAVING THE CAR 100% WITH NO BRAKES AS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC NEARLY CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND POTENTIAL RISK OF LIFE. CAR REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND WELL CARED FOR. DEALER CALLING FOR $5,200 REPAIR WITH NO ALTERNATIVE. PARTS REQUIRED ARE ABS MODULATOR P/N 44050-48320 @ $2,700 AND ABS PUMP ASSEMBLY P/N 47070-48020 @ $1,010 PLUS APPROXIMATDELY $1,200 IN LABOR. HAD THIS SYSTEM FIXED OVER A YEAR AGO WITH THE CORRECT PARTS AND THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED ONCE AGAIN, PARTS ARE NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE USING OEM PARTS.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET AND AN ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED ALONG WITH A LOUD RINGING SOUND. THE MESSAGE ON THE SCREEN SAID TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND CALL A DEALER BECAUSE THERE IS A BRAKE MALFUNCTION. IT ALSO SAID TO CHECK THE ABS AND THE VSC. I COULD FEEL THE MY BRAKE PEDAL WASN'T REACTING WHEN I PRESSED ON IT. I HAD TO PRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN REALLY HARD TO GET THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN.

BRAKING POWER ASSIST FAILURE CAUSED FENDER BENDER IN PARKING LOT, LEAKING BRAKE FLUID FOUND AT BRAKE PUMP. DASH WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED THE NEXT DAY.

WE WERE DRIVING ON WA14 GOING ABOUT 55MPH WHEN OUR RIGHT SIDE AIRBAG CURTAIN EXPLODED. WE WERE NOT IN A COLLISION. NO BODY DAMAGE. THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED OUT OF THIN AIR.