2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

VEHICLE WHICH WAS OUT OF WARRANTY WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND WAS OBSERVED DURING EARLY MORNING HOURS TO BE LEAKING FUEL FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPORTED THAT THE ROLL-OVER BALL (SAFETY FEATURE IN A ROLL-OVER CRASH) HAD ACTIVATED AND HAD FLOATED TO THE TOP OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK FORCING FUEL INTO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. THE FUEL TANK HAD BEEN FILLED SEVERAL DAYS PREVIOUSLY. DEALER ESTIMATED REPAIRS TO BE $1500 FOR A NEW TANK, CANISTER, AND OTHER PARTS. FORTUNATELY, THE DISTRICT REP FOR TOYOTA INTERVENED AND PAID FOR ALL PARTS AND HALF OF LABOR AT WARRANTY RATES. VEHICLE OWNER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ONLY $248.50. *TR

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V-6 WITH 66450 MILES. DRIVING HOME GOING 40 TO 45 MPH, CAR TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SKIP, ENGINE WOULD SURGE THEN BUCK AND ENGINE WOULD HESITATE. DROVE ON TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. *TR

REPLACEMENT OF A CHARCOAL CANISTER ON A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. NO ACCIDENTS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART; HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF REPORTS OF HAVING TO REPLACE THIS VERY EXPENSIVE PART. ALSO IF THE PART IS A SAFETY HAZARD (MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE) IT SHOULD NOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER. THE PART IS AN EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE THAT IS SURELY REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS ACTION IS TAKEN BECAUSE I NOTICED, WHILE RESEARCHING CHARCOAL CANISTERS THAT TOYOTAS COME UP FREQUENTLY AS HAVING TO HAVE THIS TYPE REPAIR. AT THIS WRITING I AM UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE PART IS DEFECTIVE AS IT IS THE ORIGINAL PART THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. THIS IS NOT A PRE-OWNED VEHICLE. *TR

THIS IS REGARDING MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. IN JANUARY 2007, THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW CAME OFF ITS TRACK AND CEASED TO WORK. THE ADJUSTED THE REGULATOR AND PUT IT BACK ON TRACK AND CHARGED ME $210. IN JUNE 2008 THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WINDOW. THIS IS VERY COINCIDENTAL THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN TO BOTH WINDOWS. *TR

REAR LEFT STRUT SPINDLE ATTACHMENT BOLT (BOLT ADJUST WHEEL TILT) BROKE IN HALF AT CAM. *TR

I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER PURCHASED NOVEMBER, 2002 WITH CURRENT MILEAGE 49,570. I JUST NOTICED THAT THE STRAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS SHREDDING TO FINE THREADS PREMATURELY AND QUICKLY DETERIORATING DUE TO UNKNOWN REASON. SOON, NOTHING WILL BE LEFT OF MY SEATBELT BUT FINE THREADS (VERY UNSAFE). I HAVE SPOKEN TO TWO SERVICE ADVISORS AT MICHAEL'S TOYOTA OF BELLEVUE, WA AND TOYOTA OF KIRKLAND, WA AND REQUESTED FOR A WARRANTY REPAIR. I WAS AWARE THAT OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS HAVE LONGER WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISORS THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE EXTENDED SAFETY RESTRAINT COVERAGE SO IT WOULD COST ME $205-230 FOR PARTS PLUS 1-2 HOURS OF LABOR TO GET THE SEATBELT REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S 36,000/3 YR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. *TR

HEAT STOPPED WORKING, BLOWING COLD AIR. THE PROBLEM IS THE RIBBON WIRE FROM THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB TO THE ELECTRONIC BOARD BEHIND THE SWITCH BREAKS, THIS IS CAUSED FROM THE KNOB STEM LOOSENING, EVENTUALLY BREAKING THE WIRE. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE UNIT FOR $900 FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM ON TUNDRASOLUTIONS AND FOUND INSTRUCTIONS TO REMOVE THE UNIT AND SOLDER THE WIRES, WORKS LIKE NEW NOW. SEEMS LIKE THIS PROBLEM MAY ALSO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE DASHBOARD FIRES LISTED ON THIS SITE. *TR

MY CAR ENGINE IS FILLED WITH SLUDGE AND THE MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA MOTOR CORP.) WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. *TR

HEATER CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTION. HEAT TO COLD SWITCH STOPS WORKING, DEALER STATES THAT THE WHOLE HEATER CONTROL UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACE. AFTER EXTENSIVE SEARCHING, I HAVE FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS WHEN A NUT BECOMES LOSE HOLDING THE CONTROL KNOB, IT SHAKES AND THE WIRES BREAK OF MAKE THE UNIT STOP WORKING. *TR

AFTER ONLY 64,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER STARTED SKIPPING. WHEN I ACCELERATED, THE CAR WOULD JUMP/SKIP. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A WRECK. *TR