2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, WHILE BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM, YET WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE BRAKES DUE TO THE DESIGN. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE CONTACT NEEDED TO WARM UP THE ENGINE BEFORE DRIVING, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 11/9/2006 - THE CONSUMER CONTACTED TOYOTA WHO SAID THE ARE STILL WORKING ON A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. *NM

DURING REGULAR MAINTENANCE IN MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4X4 2004 WITH A 20000 MILES, THE DEALERSHIP INFORM ME THAT THE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACE AND TOLD ME THAT WARRANTY DOES NOT INCLUDE TIRES. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT TIRES SHOULD HOLD MORE THEN 15000 MILES. THE TIRES ARE BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/T 687. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CARPET ON THE VEHICLE FLOOR WAS LOOSE AROUND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #06V253000 REGARDING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ENGINE DIES, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH, ENGINE LIGHT AND VSC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS WERE ON, WOULD SLOW DOWN TO 10 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. *KB THE THROTTLE BODY CONTROL UNIT WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES. JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL 4 TIRES DRY ROTTED ON THE SIDEWALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS MADE.

THE AIR/HEAT KEEP GOING IN AN OUT. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU TRY TO SWITCH IT OVER THE AC IT STAYS HOT AND SAME W/ HOT. STOPPED BY TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT ON THIS YEAR MODEL HIGHLANDERS THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE HEAT AND AIR ARE GOING BAD. BUT THEY WON'T DO A RECALL. IT EVEN MESSED 1 OF THE ACCUATORS UP AND WE HAD TO REPLACE IT LAST TIME AND NOW IT HAS DONE IT AGAIN. *NM

WHILE RESEARCHING ANOTHER MATTER CONCERNING MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ON YOUR SITE, I READ COMPLAINT #10161055 CONCERNING A HESITATION PROBLEM THE OWNER WAS HAVING AND WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS NOT CONSTANT, HOWEVER IT DOES HAPPEN FREQUENTLY. *JB

LET ME START BY SAYING I AM A DIE-HARD TOYOTA OWNER, MY CURRENT VEHICLE BEING THE 3RD TOYOTA WE OWN. I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, V6, 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC WITH AWD. THIS VEHICLE HAS A VERY SERIOUS HESITATION PROBLEM WHICH IS DANGEROUS. UPON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR AT SPEED, THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS LAG IN THROTTLE RESPONSE. MANY TIMES LEAVING A STOP OR ACCELERATING FROM A SLOW SPEED I.E. PARKING LOT DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WILL LAG WITH NO RESPONSE, THEN LURCH & ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, SAFE PASSING, STARTS AT LIGHTS AND SAFE DRIVING IN PARKING LOTS AND AROUND PEDESTRIANS CAN BE HAZARDOUS. THOUSANDS OF OWNERS ACROSS THE NATION ARE AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT. FROM MY RECENT RESEARCH IT APPARENTLY IS NOT RESTRICTED TO THE HIGHLANDER, BUT AFFECTS MANY TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH "DRIVE BY WIRE" AS OPPOSED TO MECHANICAL TRANSMISSION & THROTTLE LINKAGE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER RIGHT AFTER MY PURCHASE IN NOVEMBER OF 2004 AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG, NOW RECENT RESEARCH TELLS ME THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. I LOVE TOYOTA BUT THERE METHODS OF DEALING WITH PROBLEMS LIKE THIS IS DECEPTIVE AT BEST AND JUST SHORT OF CRIMINAL AT WORST. PLEASE "GOOGLE" TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HESITATION PROBLEM AND ALSO VISIT TUNDRASOLUTIONS.COM FOR MORE EVIDENCE OF WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. TOYOTA HAS NOT DEVOTED ENOUGH RESOURCES TO THIS PROBLEM OR A PERMANENT FIX WOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED. PLEASE CONTACT TOYOTA AND URGE THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THIS MATTER WITH ALL THE THOUSANDS OF OWNERS ACROSS THE U.S. THAT ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS MATTER. I WILL BE FOLLOWING THIS MATTER WITH KEEN INTEREST TO SEE IF ANYTHING IS BEING DONE AND AM ADVISING AAA OF THE ISSUES AS WELL AS MY STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES. TOYOTA COMMANDS A PREMIUM PRICE FOR WHAT ARE OTHERWISE EXCEPTIONAL VEHICLES AND THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THE NATIONS DRIVERS DESERVE A BETTER MORE RESPONSIBLE RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA. *NM

THIS SITUATION HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT MY HIGHLANDER IN NOVEMBER 2004. AFTER BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY OR MOVING IN REVERSE, THE FIRST TIME BRAKES ARE USED IN THE FORWARD OR DRIVE GEAR THERE IS A LOUD CLANK OR BANG FROM THE FRONT WHEEL BRAKES. I HAVE HAD THE DEALER CHECK THEM MORE THAN ONCE AND EVERY TIME I AM TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL OR THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST CAR EVER AND I'M SURE THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT KIND OF NOISE IN MY BRAKES AFTER CHANGING GEARS. *NM

2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER VSC LIGHT COMES ON AT UNEXPLAINABLE TIME AND CAR LOSES POWER. DEALER HAS HAD THREE TIMES AND STILL HASN'T FIXED. *NM