2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

ON SUNDAY OCT 21 2018, THE DRIVER HAD JUST LEFT THE OLIN REST AREA IN NORTH CAROLINA, HEADING NORTHBOUND ON RT 77. AFTER DRIVING FOR A LITTLE BIT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATION UNINTENTIONALLY BY ITSELF. AND THE CAR STARTED TO ZIG ZAG ACROSS THE HIGHWAY LANES WITHOUT THE DRIVER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER TRIED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE BUT IT WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. THE CAR THEN GRAZED AN HIGHWAY GUARDRAIL AND IT PARTIALLY RIPPED OFF THE REAR LEFT SIDE AND REAR BUMPER. THE DRIVER KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKE WITHOUT EFFECT WHILE SWERVING ACROSS THE LANES. THEN SUDDENLY THE BRAKES STARTED TO WORK AND THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. THE DRIVER PUT IT INTO PARK BUT THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING AT HIGH RPM UNTIL THE DRIVER TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I THINK THE CAR HAD A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. IN ADDITION, I THINK THE ZIG ZAG WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC TRACTION/ STABILITY CONTROL, SENDING EXCESSIVE POWER TO A WHEEL ON A PARTICULAR SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT DIDN'T NEED IT.

TAKATA RECALL. STRANGE NOISES AND FLASH GREEN LIGHT APPEAR ON DISPLAY, AFTER 1/4 MILES FROM PARKING LOT, THE CAR SPEED UP BY ITSELF, THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM (PCS) IS NOT WORKING, BRAKE ASSIST IS FAILED, THE DRIVER CANNOT MANUALLY BRAKES THE CAR.

BOUGHT THIS 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER NEW FROM DEALER IN DENVER. 400 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED SEVERELY IN THE FIRST 1000 MILES FROM MINOR STONES HITTING THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT- OEM WITH CAMERA, HEAT, RADAR SENSORS FOR $1800. NOW, THAT SECOND WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED AGAIN, REQUIRING A 3RD WINDSHIELD INSTALLED AT 27,000 MILES. TOYOTA SLANTED THE ANGLE OF THE FRONT HOOD ON THIS VEHICLE TO REDUCE DRAG AND IMPROVE GAS MILEAGE. AS A RESULT, MINOR STONES ON THE ROAD ARE THROWN VIOLENTLY INTO THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD LEADING TO CRACKS WHICH START FROM THE BASE OF THE GLASS AND QUICKLY CRAWL UP AND ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD REQUIRING REPLACEMENTS. THIS IS NOT SAFE. I HAVE HAD 3 BRAND NEW HIGHLANDERS IN DENVER OVER 12 YEARS- A 2009 HIGHLANDER HYBRID LIMITED, A 2015 HIGHLANDER LIMITED AND THIS 2017 HIGHLANDER LIMITED- AND THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE WHERE THE WINDSHIELD BARELY LASTS A FEW THOUSAND MILES BEFORE CRACKING AND REQUIRING A NEW WINDSHIELD. THESE WINDSHIELDS ARE HEATED, WITH CAMERA AND RADAR SENSORS AND OEM ONLY SO REPLACING THESE IS NOT CHEAP- $1800 PER WINDSHIELD FROM TOYOTA. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. PROTECTION FOR THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD NEEDS TO BE ADDED. THE CRACKS ALWAYS HAPPEN IN THE SAME SPOT.

TWICE IN THE SPAN OF 1 YEAR AND 6 MONTHS OWNED CAR FOR 2 YEARS 1ST- SHATTERED WINDSHIELD- GLASS CAME INSIDE THE CAR OF HYLANDER WHEN ROCK HIT WINSHIELD- ONLY 1 YEAR OLD. CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY ROAD SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH 2ND TIME: SHATTERD WINSHIELD 1 YEAR 3 MONTHS LATER FROM ANOTHER ROCK. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET SPEED LIMIT 45 MPH

THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT ALARM ON PEOPLE WALKING BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING LOT. IT ALSO DOESN'T ALARM ON A VEHICLE BACKING TOWARDS YOU DIRECTLY BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE JUST MOVING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE, IT HAPPENED TWICE RECENTLY. IT IS AN UNUSUAL SITUATION WHICH IS WHY I HAVEN'T REPORTED IT EARLIER. THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE.

2017 HIGHLANDER LIMITED. 11,800 MILES. OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS THE VEHICLE HAS HAD 3 SIMILAR EVENTS OF VEHICLE HESITATION OR STUMBLING FROM A FULL STOP, WHEN APPLYING FULL ACCELERATOR PEDAL TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY FOR A SECOND OR TWO, THEN JUST SEEMS TO HANG AT 5-10 MPH. PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL QUICKLY FULL UP, FULL DOWN MAY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM, I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT THAT IS WHAT I DID.THE VEHICLE OPERATES NORMALLY AFTER THAT.IN THE LAST AND MOST FRIGHTENING EPISODE, I WAS AT A STOP,ON A SIDE STREET WAITING TO TURN ONTO A FRONTAGE ROAD WHERE TYPICAL SPEEDS ARE 60 MPH. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FULL DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND TURNED ONTO THE FRONTAGE ROAD. THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY FOR 1-2 SECONDS, THEN AS BEFORE, JUST STAYED AT 5-10 MPH WITH A CAR COMING UPON MY REAR AT 60 MPH. FORTUNATELY FOR ME HE WAS ABLE TO CHANGE LANES AND AVOID RUNNING INTO ME. I PUMPED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AS DESCRIBED. THE VEHICLE THAN RESPONDED NORMALLY. I DON'T REMEMBER IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN POWER OR ECONOMY MODE. I TYPICALLY PUT IT INTO POWER MODE BEFORE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY (WHICH I WAS ABOUT TO DO ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD) IF I REMEMBER. AS YOU MAY IMAGINE THIS LAST EPISODE LEFT ME QUITE DISTURBED. I ALWAYS USE REGULAR GRADE GASOLINE FROM TOP NAME GAS STATIONS. THESE EVENTS HAPPENED WITH DIFFERENT TANKS OF GAS FROM DIFFERENT STATIONS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO READ ANY ERROR CODES FROM THE COMPUTER, AND WERE UNABLE TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM IN A TEST DRIVE. THEY HAVE ESCALATED THE CASE TO THE TOYOTA ENGINEERING TEAM.

CITY STREET, TWO WHILE TURNING FROM A STOP AND TWO FROM A STATIONARY STOP. LOSS OF POWER. PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR HAD NO AFFECT BUT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 SECONDS REGAINED MOVEMENT AND CONTINUED ON. UNSURE/UNKNOWN OF THE SAFETY CAUSE. SCARING ESPECIALLY TURNING LEFT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC COMING AT YOU.

ON AUGUST 10TH 2018, I WAS DRIVING MY 2017 HIGHLANDER WITH 17,000 MILES ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN CALIFORNIA WHEN I ACCELERATED HARD TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES. SUDDENLY THE HIGHLANDER LOST ALL POWER WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES SOUNDING. THE ORANGE TRIANGULAR WARNING/CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON WITH THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM FAILURE FLASHING NEEDING IMMEDIATE SERVICE. I WAS ABLE THE GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT GETTING KILLED AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. AFTER A MINUTE I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS RESET. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED. FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE HIGHLANDER HAD ONLY 4,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. I WAS TRYING TO PASS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN RENO NV THEY SAID ALL THE ERROR CODES WERE NOT CAPTURED AND THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS ISSUE DESPITE MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET AS WELL AS THIS SITE? I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO WITHOUT AN ERROR CODE. THEY SUGGESTED THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS, DO NOT RESTART THE CAR AND HAVE IT TOWED THE A DEALERSHIP TO TRY AND RECAPTURE AN ERROR CODE. I FILED A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA CORP BUT THEY LEAD ME TO THINK THAT THEY DON'T INVESTIGATE INCIDENTS LIKE THIS UNLESS THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. I HAVE ADVISED MY FAMILY OF THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION WITH THE HIGHLANDER AND IF ANY ONE GETS HURT OR KILLED PLEASE SUE THE HECK OUT OF THEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SYMPTOM WITH THE HIGHLANDER THAT IS GOING TO GET SOMEBODY KILLED AND TOYOTA DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE.

HELLO, THERE. I WANT TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE ABOUT HIGHLANDER PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND ME WENT TO MYSTIC,CT FROM MY HOME FOR PLEASURE AUGUST 8. I USED CRUISE CONTROL WITH 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY. AFTER I FINISHED TRAVELING THERE, I TRIED TO USE THE SAME CRUISE CONTROL ON THE WAY HOME. AND THEN SUDDENLY MY CAR MADE PROBLEM IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. RPM WENT UP TO OVER 3000 AND RPM NEEDLE ON DASHBOARD STARTED DANCING. AND I WATCHED 'CHECK AWD SYSTEM','TRACTION CONTROL TURNED OFF','CHECK ENGINE VISIT YOUR DEALERSHIP' COMING UP. AUTOMATICALLY MY CAR LOST POWER CONTROL. WE WERE VERY SCARED BECAUSE EVERYONE THERE WAS DRIVING A CAR WITH HIGH SPEED AT NIGHT. I TURNED ON EMERGENCY LIGHT AND PUT MY CAR ON SERVICE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, NO BODY FOLLOWED BEHIND MY CAR AT THAT TIME. IF SOMEONE KEPT APPROACHING MY CAR,WE WOULD HAVE MADE BIG TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE FOR US. EVEN IF WE ARE STILL ALIVE, I DON'T HAVE ANY COURAGEOUS IDEA ABOUT MY CAR. I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH MY CAR. WHENEVER I DRIVE IT, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT MY CAR CONDITION. FOR EXAMPLE, I FOUND THE SAME STORY ABOUT MY HIGHLANDER THROUGH CARCOMPLAINTS.COM THAT CAR WAS EVENTUALLY BURNED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY. SO I WANT MY MONEY BACK BY LEMON LAW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY OR WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY FAILED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT TIGHTENED WITH EACH ATTEMPT TO MOVE AND PREVENTED THE DRIVER FROM MOVING. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KOONS TYSONS TOYOTA (8610 LEESBURG PIKE, VIENNA, VIRGINIA 22182), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.