2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

I BOUGHT A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN OCTOBER 2012 AND NEVER NOTICED ANY PROBLEM UNTIL EARLY IN 2014. WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE ON A SMALL INCLINE, THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT RESPOND. IT ACTED AS IF I AM NOT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS BUT JUST A SMALL INCLINE WHEN I DRIVE HOME FROM WORK EVERYDAY. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER IN MARCH 2014 AND THEY RESPONDED SAME AS OTHER PEOPLE ON THIS WEBSITE, NO ERRORS ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND NO POSTING FROM TOYOTA. THEY ADVISED ME TO PUT IN PREMIUM FUEL AND I DID BUT THAT DID NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. VERY DISAPPOINTING FROM A TOYOTA WITH A V6 ENGINE. THE DEALER ALSO TRIES TO SAY IT IS DUE TO CVT TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, I HAVE A SUBARU WITH CVT AS WELL AND THAT CAR CAN ACCELERATE UPHILL WHEN NEEDED. I HAVE HAD A TOYOTA CELICA, TERCEL, AND A TOYOTA TRUCK IN MY LIFE AND NONE HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,600. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON 03/15/14. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING DAY, I SUBSEQUENTLY NOTICED THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IMPAIRS / BLURRED VISION OF THE DRIVER AS WELL AS ANY OTHER OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE WHILE LOOKING OUT OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. IT ACTUALLY MAKES YOU DIZZY AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD TO ALL ON THE ROAD. SEARCHED FOR RECALL/DEFECTS WITH TOYOTA AND DID FIND ANOTHER COMPLAINT OF THE SAME INCIDENT/VEHICLE/PART/SYMPTOMS WITH A VEHICLE OWNER. HIS COMPLAINT WAS CONFIRMED BY A TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER AND WAS SET UP FOR A WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE OWNER WAS LATER CONTACTED AND TOLD THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS THE WINDSHIELD THAT ALL TOYOTA HIGHLANDER'S ARE ASSEMBLED WITH. PERSONAL OPINION: DEFECT MAY BE DUE TO THE INTEGRATION OF THE "FRONT WINDSHIELD HEATER SYSTEM." *TR

VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. IT JUST ROLLED ALONG, ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED TILL ABOUT HALFWAY, THEN IT ACCELERATED RAPIDLY SPINNING THE TIRES, THIS HAS OCCURED 3 TIMES. IT HAS ALSO HESITATED BADLY WHILE ACCELERATING WITH NO RESPONSE TO PEDAL POSITION THEN SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED RAPID ACCELERATION, THIS HAS OCCURED 5 TIMES. THIS CONDITION HAS BECOME DRAMATICALLY WORSE SINCE IT WAS SERVICED FOR UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WHERE THE DEALER CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. HEADLIGHTS ARE ALSO AIMED WAY TOO HIGH ILLUMINATING THE TREES INSTEAD OF THE ROAD AND BLINDING ONCOMING DRIVERS. THE DEALER CLAIMS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THIS EITHER AND THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THESE HAZARDS AT 6006 MILES. WE HAVE STOPPED USING THE CAR SINCE WE FEEL IT IS UNSAFE.

JULY 20, 2013 I PUSHED THE IGNITION BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY REALIZED IT WAS STILL MOVING. I ATTEMPTED TO GET BACK IN THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT. I FELL AND THE BACK TIRE RAN OVER MY FOOT/LEG. A MAN CAME AND JUMPED IN THE CAR TO STOP IT AFTER IT CROSSED THE STREET AND HIT A PARKED CAR. I HAVE BOTH A FRACTURED TIBIA AND FIBULA. THE TIBIA REQUIRED A SCREW TO STABILIZE HOWEVER, MY FOOT WAS SO INJURED (TORN FLESH) THAT I HAD TO WAIT 5 WEEKS FOR THE FLESH TO HEAL TO AVOID INFECTION. I HAVE BEEN OFF OF WORK SINCE JULY 22 TO DATE (SEPTEMBER 5,2013). I REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE I AM IN THAT IT APPEARS I HAVE NOT SUSTAINED A PERMANENT DISABILITY. I SHUDDER TO THINK HOW MUCH MORE TRAGIC THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FOR MULTIPLE INNOCENT PEOPLE. I AM UNSURE OF HOW TO GIVE NOTICE TO OTHERS TO PREVENT FURTHER INJURIES. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I REPORT THIS TO NHTSA.

VEHICLE ACCELERATED SLIGHTLY WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED, CRUISE ON, SPEED 60MPH, 1 TIME. HESITATED ON ACCELERATION AFTER DECELERATION, SPEED 60 MPH, CRUISE OFF, 1 TIME; SPEED 40 MPH, CRUISE OFF, 2 TIMES; SPEED 35 MPH, CRUISE OFF, 3 TIMES. HESITATED ON ACCELERATION AFTER COASTING, SPEED 40 MPH, CRUISE OFF, 4 TIMES; SPEED 43 MPH, CRUISE OFF, 1 TIME, SPEED 45 MPH, CRUISE OFF, 2 TIMES; SPEED 35, CRUISE OFF, 3 TIMES. ACCELERATED BY ITSELF INCLUDING DOWNSHIFT ONE GEAR, RPM 1725 CHANGED TO 2225 AND ACCELERATED FROM 60 TO 65 THEN RETURNED TO 60 MPH AFTER A FEW SECONDS, FLAT LEVEL ROADWAY, CRUISE ON, 1 TIME. I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC OVER 45 YEARS AND A FLEET OWNER, ONCE I EXPERIENCED THE INITIAL SPEED UP I HAVE BEEN KEEPING A LOG OF ALL ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. FIRST ISSUE AT ABOUT 3500 MILES, PRESENT MILEAGE ABOUT 6000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND CAME UPON A RED LIGHT, THERE WERE TWO CARS AHEAD OF ME, A LINCOLN AND A CHRYSLER. I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AT A DISTANCE, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE, MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED, I LOOKED DOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, AND IT SURE WAS, SO I HAMMERED DOWN ON THE BRAKE AND MY VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND CONTINUED TO RUN AT THE SAME SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THE FAULTY BRAKE CAUSED A WITHOUT THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS. I KNEW THAT I DID NOT ACCIDENTALLY STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL BECAUSE IF I HAD DONE SO, THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FATAL. I WOULD HAVE PUSHED THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME ONTO THE ON COMING TRAFFIC. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I TESTED OUT THE BRAKES, AND IT WAS AS IF EVERYTHING WAS ALRIGHT. EVEN THOUGH I HAD SEEN THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME, AND THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY VEHICLE DID NOT REACT TO MY BRAKES. THE LINCOLN AND THE CHRYSLER IN FRONT OF ME ALSO DIDN'T HAVE THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE SECOND ROW SEATS MOVED FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WOULD NOT DISPENSE WHEN SHE APPLIED THE SWITCH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FLUID HAD FROZEN. THE CONTACT ADDED DE-ICER TO THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO WORK BRIEFLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LUNGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A SUPPORT BEAM, THEN DOWN AN EMBANKMENT BEFORE FINALLY CRASHING INTO A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

I BOUGHT A NEW 2013 HIGHLANDER DECEMBER 28, 2013 FROM TOM WOOD TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME DECEMBER 28-31, 2013 CLICK, CLICK, SQUEAKING NOISE, BRAKES SLIPPING, DRAGGING, VIBRATING AND A TREMENDOUS PULSATING AGAINST MY FOOT WHEN I STOP. WHEN I TRIED TO STOP THE HIGHLANDER THE VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD. JANUARY 2, 2014 A BURNT ODOR COMING THROUGH THE HEATER VENTS, RATTLING IN THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR, GUSH SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKES, THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKES THAT I CAN NOT IDENTIFY. I AM WONDERING IF A FIRE IS TRYING TO START, BECAUSE OF THE BURNT ODOR. *TR