2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

MY 2008 HIGHLANDER ABS IS FAILED AND THAT PUT OUR FAMILY AND OTHERS IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THE ABS IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE LIGHTS KEEP STAYED ON DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU DO, RESET IT OR NOT. THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING, THE SIREN INSIDE THE VEHICLE MAKING BUZZY NOISE WHEN OPEN THE DOOR OR ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE. I'VE DONE MANY RESEARCH ONLINE REGARDING TO THE TOYOTA HYBRID MODELS AND FOUND MANY DISAPPOINTED CUSTOMERS REVIEWS, THEY ALL POINT TO THE ABS PLATFORM DESIGN FLAWS BY TOYOTA JUST LIKE THE ABS ON CAMRY HYRIDS & OTHER HYBRIDS MODELS THAT HAS RECALLED. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AS SUGGEST BY TOYOTA PRESENTATIVE, THE SAME TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY TWO CAMRY FROM; PAID $125 TO HAVE THEM CHECKED OUT MY HIGHLANDER ABS AND THE RESULTS TUNED OUT TO BE BOTH ABS ACTUATOR (47070-48010) AND ABS PUMP (44510-48080) ARE FAILED AND THE COSTS TO HAVE BOTH FIX IS $5240.46 WHILE THE VEHICLE ONLY WORTH BETWEEN $8000-$9000 WHICH IS MORE THAN HALF OF THE VEHICLE’S VALUE, FOR JUST A FEW SMALL DEFECTIVE PARTS MADE BY TOYOTA, WHICH I DO BELIEVE THAT THE COST IS RIDICULOUSLY HIGH AND BECAUSE OF THE MANUFACTURE DESIGN FLAWS & NOT FROM END USERS FAULT. SEE ATTACHED QUOTES FROM DEALER. I'VE CALLED TOYOTA TWICE TO BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION BUT I GOT DISAPPOINTED RESULTS INSTEAD. CASE # 1604020974. TOYOTA OFFER US $1000 FOR REPAIR COST WHICH I DENIED AND ASKED FOR A COMPLETE FREE REPLACEMENT PARTS. WE, TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID OWNERS NEED TO UNITE AND CONTACT TOYOTA AND OR SMART ATTORNEYS TO CONNECT ALL THE DOTS AND SUE TOYOTA FOR THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. OUR LIFE AND OTHERS IS IN DANGER DUE TO TOYOTA'S DEFECTIVE PARTS.

2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER EXPERIENCED HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE. IT TURNS OUT ITS A INVERTER ASSEMBLY FAILURE. THERE WAS CLASS LAW SUIT FILED IN 2006 FOR THE SAME FAILURE HTTPS://TOPCLASSACTIONS.COM/LAWSUIT-SETTLEMENTS/LAWSUIT-NEWS/1074-TOYOTA-HIGHLANDER-HYBRID-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT/ MY CAR 2008 MODEL EXPERIENCED SAME FAILURE BUT IT WAS NEVER RECALLED. I HAD NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE DRIVING THIS CAR WHEN IT CAME TO ABRUPT HALT PLEASE REVIEW THIS AND CONSIDER THESE MODEL CAR FOR RECALL BEFORE THEY RESULT IN ANY DEATHS. TOYOTA HAS BEEN VERY RELUCTANTLY PUTTING IT ON NHTSA THAT THEY ARE THE ONES ISSUING THE RECALLS AND NOT TOYOTA.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCUMULATOR AND ACTIVATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY OR RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 10/06/16*LJ *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN LTX M/S TIRES, SIZE: P245/65/R17 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE THREAD ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR BUMPER AND REAR WHEEL WELL LINER WERE PARTLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE OTHER THREE TIRES HAD CRACKED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13T012000 (TIRES), BUT THE TIRE SIZE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,800.

THE STEERING WHEEL HAD BEEN ADJUSTED TO A SETTING FOR A SHORTER DRIVER, AND WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF RE-SETTING IT FOR A TALLER DRIVER, THE STEERING WHEEL AND ITS HOUSING CAME COMPLETELY OFF OF THE SHAFT THAT REACHES INTO THE ENGINE. TO SAFELY GET OFF THE ROAD, AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO STICK IT BACK ON, AND IT WAS UNABLE TO STAY IN THE CORRECT POSITION. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, TO TRY TO REATTACH IT, THE DRIVER AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO SEAT THE HOUSING ON THE SHAFT. THIS MANEUVER WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY, BUT UPON ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE AGAIN, THE "SLIPPERY WHEN WET" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND WHATEVER ENGINE MECHANISM THAT ALERTS BEGAN TO ENGAGE, AFFECTING THE BRAKES, ACCELERATOR, AND STEERING. THIS ALL HAPPENED AS WE WERE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER INTO THE ROADWAY.

FAILED ABS BRAKE ACCUATOR ASSEMBLY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND TOYOTA HAS PAID FOR CAMRY OWNERS TO HAVE THEIRS FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. THE DEALER WANTS $3800 TO REPLACE MINE. WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS AS THERE ARE OUT THERE COUPLED WITH THE DANGER INVOLVED WITH THIS PART FAILING THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. IT CAUSED US TO VERY NEARLY HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. I HOPE TOYOTA DOESNT WAIT FOR SOMEOBE TO BE KILLED BEFORE THEY ACT ON THIS.

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY LOCKED IN THE UP POSITION AND THEREFORE PARTIALLY BLOCKS THE DRIVERS VISION WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

STARTED CAR IN EVENING AND GOT WARNING "BRAKE MALFUNCTION, CHECK ABS, CHECK VSC SYSTEM". TOOK CAR TO OUR MECHANIC AND HE FOUND CODE C1391. MECHANIC SAID PART VERY EXPENSIVE AND RECOMMENDED CONTACTING TOYOTA SERVICE AS COST TO REPAIR WOULD PROBABLY BE SIMILAR. MECHANIC SAID HE HAD REPLACED FOR ANOTHER CUSTOMER (2004 MODEL HIGHLANDER) WHO AFTER THE REPAIR GOT NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ABOUT RECALL REPAIR LAST WEEK. TOYOTA SERVICE SAID COST TO REPAIR IS $4000! READING ON THIS SITE I SEE OTHERS WITH THIS ISSUE. DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY NHTSA.

MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED HERE AND IN MANY PLACES ONLINE AND TOYOTA REFUSED TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE FOR RECALL. THE PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED BY NHTSA AS FOLLOWS REPORT RECEIPT DATE: SEP 04, 2013 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 COMPONENT(S): HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM ALL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL EXPAND DETAILS CLOSE 12 ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS EXPAND MANUFACTURER: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING SUMMARY: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 HIGHLANDER HYBRID VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH JULY 29, 2010; AND MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 23, 2005, THROUGH DECEMBER 2, 2008. THE INTELLIGENT POWER MODULE (IPM) INSIDE THE INVERTER MODULE MAY CONTAIN TRANSISTORS THAT HAVE HIGHER OPERATING TEMPERATURES THAN THE SOLDER CAN SUPPORT AND THE TRANSISTORS MAY BE HEAT DAMAGED BY THE SOLDER. IF THIS OCCURS, VARIOUS WARNING LAMPS, INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT, WILL BE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSEQUENCE: THE VEHICLE MAY ENTER A FAIL-SAFE/LIMP-HOME MODE THAT LIMITS THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY:

THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION ALERT LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON IN MY 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED. I TOOK IT TO TOYOTA SERVICE AND THEY SAID IT WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY ON THAT PARTICULARLY DAY. THE ALERT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER SO I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICES. TOYOTA SAID THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON SOME OF THE SAME 2008 HIGHLANDERS, BUT TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SENSOR WIRING IS IDENTICAL IN MY CAR TO WHAT IS DESCRIBED FOR THOSE CARS THAT WERE RECALLED. THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT IN OUR CAR COMES ON MORE THAN 50% OF THE TIME. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING NOW FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THE PROBLEM IS APPARENT WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS ON, WHETHER THE CAR IS MOVING OR STAIONARY.