2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

AROUND THE MIDDLE OF MARCH 2008, MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS KNOCKING SOUNDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I MAKE TURNS. I SOUGHT THE ADVISE OF A MECHANIC FRIEND WHO HAS WORKED WITH LEXUS IN THE PAST. HE CONDUCTED A TEST DRIVE AND OCULAR INSPECTION AND ADVISED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR HE SUSPECTS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY. ON MARCH 24, 2008, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY. I PAID A TOTAL OF $469.29 FOR THE SERVICE BY TOYOTA CITY, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 INV. [XXX] . THE CAR HAS 14,549 MILES DURING THE DATE OF SERVICE. I WROTE TOYOTA USA FOR A REFUND OF THE AMOUNT I SPENT AND GOT AN ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT. FAMILY MEMBERS USE THE CAR IN THE USUAL COURSE OF GROCERY, SCHOOL AND RELATED TRAVEL ACTIVITIES AND HAS NOT ABUSED IT. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THIS IS ALSO WELL MAINTAINED AS WE FOLLOW THE SUGGESTIONS/ADVISE OF THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULED CHECKS. MY VIN [XXX] . THE LETTER OF ASSURANCE FROM TOYOTA SALES USA WAS RECEIVED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND REQUEST FOR REFUND HAS NOT BEEN ACTED UPON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT DAY! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)*TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR STATIONARY, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MAKE A KNOCKING VIBRATION WHEN IT WAS TURNED. THE FAILURE PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT/COLUMN ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $550. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

SECOND TIRE TO HAVE A BUBBLE SHOW UP ON THE WHITE WALL SIDE. 2 OTHER TIRES HAD SEPARATION STARTED AND WAS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE BUBBLES WOULD SHOW UP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 40 MPH. THE CONTACT'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER HEAD, BACK, CHEST, AND LEGS. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS UNINJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,000.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ON 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT PROBLEM. I NOTICE IT HAS A NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10019873. WHEN MY CAR WAS GETTING A STATE INSPECTION, THE INSPECTOR NOTICED THE SLIGHT NOISE WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED. I FIND OUT LATER AT THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT THE SHAFT WAS "BINDING" AND CONTINUED DRIVING COULD CAUSE STEERING FAILURE. IF THE GAS STATION HADN'T NOTICED THE SUBTLE NOISE, WE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED DRIVING IT UNTIL THE STEERING FAILED. I WOULD CALL THAT A SAFETY ISSUE WARRANTING A RECALL. *TR

2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH ONLY 72000 MILES (12,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY), SEALS ON TRANSFER CASE OF TRANSMISSION LEAKS ONTO EXHAUST PIPE CAUSING SMOKING AND SMELL OF BURNT FLUIDS. *TR

HEAT CONTROLLER UNIT STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING. WINDOWS BECAME FROSTED WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF LOST TEMPERATURE CONTROL. OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER HAS A NUT WHICH REPEATEDLY COMES LOOSE. THIS CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TO BECOME LOOSE AND CEASE TO FUNCTION. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THE MECHANISM WAS DESIGNED TO COME LOOSE SO AS TO AVOID DAMAGE TO THE UNDERLYING MOTOR. HE SAID TO JUST KEEP TIGHTENING THE NUT! IN THE 27,000 MILE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD TO TIGHTEN IT NOW A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME WAS 6 WEEKS AGO DURING A SNOW STORM. THE INABILITY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM CONSTITUTES A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 HIGHLANDER THAT DEVELOPED A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK AT 62,000 MILES. TOYOTA CURRENTLY HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT STATING THAT THE TRANSMISSION SEAL ON CERTAIN AWD HIGHLANDERS AND SIENNAS ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. THIS CAN RESULT IN LEAK OF TRANSMISSION OR FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FLUID. THE REPAIR IS NOT BEING COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY FOR ME SINCE THE CAR IS BEYOND THE 60000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION OR GEAR OIL CAN LEAD TO SUDDEN FREEZING OF DIVE-AXLE, WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I OWN A TOYOTA 4-RUNNER (2005, 53635 MILES) WHICH IS A COMPANY CAR. ON 8/27/07, I ATTEMPTED TO ADD AIR TO ALL 4 TIRES. THE METAL VALVE CAPS THAT WERE SUPPLIED ON THESE TIRES FROM TOYOTA SEIZED TO THE ALUMINUM VALVE STEMS AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE VALVE STEM. THE RIMS ARE ALSO ALUMINUM. ON ONE TIRE, I ATTEMPTED FORCE THE REMOVAL OF THE METAL VALVE CAP WITH A PAIR OF PLIERS WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOP OF THE VALVE STEM BREAKING OFF WHICH RESULTED IN AN IMMEDIATE FLAT. I CONTACTED AAA TO CHANGE THE TIRE. I THEN BROUGHT THE CAR TO IRA TOYOTA IN MANCHESTER, NH TO REPAIR THE TIRE. I WAS CHARGED $119.75 TO REPLACE THE VALVE STEM AND SENSOR. THEY DID NOT CHARGE LABOR FOR THIS SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT REMOVE THE TOYOTA SUPPLIED METAL VALVE CAPS FROM THE 3 REMAINING TIRES ON MY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THEY WERE AWARE THAT SOME VEHICLE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP PLANNED ON OBTAINING 3 MORE STEM/SENSOR UNITS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THAT THEY COULD NOT REMOVE THE VALVE CAPS WITHOUT DAMAGING THE REMAINING VALVE STEMS AND SENSORS. THIS WOULD HAVE COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $360 TO HAVE THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE UNITS. NOT GOOD TOYOTA WORKMANSHIP IN MY OPINION. I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE 3 REMAINING TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A WAY TO PUT ADDITIONAL AIR INTO THE TIRES. I WAS LEFT TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE MYSELF. I HAD TO MANUALLY GRIND THE CAPS OFF WITH THE AID OF A DREMMEL GRINDING TOOL WHICH TOOK ME 2 HOURS TO DO MYSELF. I REPLACED THE METAL CAPS WITH BLACK PLASTIC CAPS. I BELIEVE THAT ALL TOYOTA CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS SERIOUS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY. I BELIEVE THAT A FULL RECALL SHOULD BE MADE ON TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH METAL CAPS ON THE ALUMINUM RIM TIRES. PLEASE NOTE THAT I LISTED THE VEHICLE AS A "HIGHLANDER" BECAUSE IT WAS THE CLOSEST TO THE "4-RUNNER" WHICH I OWN BUT WAS NOT LISTED IN THE AVAILABLE SELECTION. *JB