2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITION TUBE FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE AIR CONDITION TUBE WAS EXPOSED TO THE MOTOR VENTILATOR CAUSING THE TUBE TO OVERHEAT AND EXPLODE, SPILLING THE COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED BURNING OIL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND FOUND A LEAK IN THE MOTOR OIL COOLING HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE MECHANIC FOUND AN ISSUE WITH THE CAM SHAFT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER INVOLVED IN A REAR/SIDE CRASH SITTING STILL; HIT BY OTHER VEHICLE AT 60 MPH; 3 OCCUPANTS INSIDE VEHICLE ALL INJURED; NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN VEHICLE AT TIME OF CRASH; IF AIRBAGS ONLY ARE TO DEPLOY ON A FRONTAL IMPACT CRASH WHAT GOOD R THEY IN OTHER CRASHES TO HELP THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE?

I PURCHASED A NEW 2008 HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THOUGH I HAD NO PROBLEMS, IN NOVEMBER 2013, THE INVERTER WAS RECALLED AT 79,000 MILES, AND REPLACED. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR FOR THE NEXT 22 MONTHS. ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2015, THE CAR STALLED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED 55 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP. INVESTIGATION OF THE CAR OVER 2 DAYS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN DISCOVERING THE CAUSE. ON SEPTEMBER 9, I ASKED IF IT WAS THE INVERTER. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD CONTACTED TOYOTA, WHO RECOMMENDED TAKING APART THE HYBRID SYSTEM TO LOOK FOR A SHORTED WIRE. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY FOUND A WIRE, WOULD BUT THE SYSTEM BACK TOGETHER, AND WOULD TAKE IT FOR A TEST DRIVE. ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, THE CAR STALLED AND DIED ON THE THIRD TEST DRIVE. AT THIS TIME, I WAS INFORMED IT WAS THE INVERTER. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED WITH ME IN FEELING THAT SINCE TOYOTA HAD TAKEN OUT AN INVERTER THAT WAS SEEMINGLY WORKING FINE, AND REPLACED WITH ONE THAT FAILED IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS, THAT TOYOTA WOULD TAKE CARE OF ME. ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE COST FOR THE PART WAS $8800, AND THAT THE REGIONAL SERVICE/PARTS MANAGER, OFFERED TO PAY HALF OF THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT. I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THIS OFFER, AS IT STILL LEFT ME WITH A BILL OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A PART THAT FAILED IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS AFTER THE RECALL. AT THIS TIME, I HAVE NOT ACCEPTED THE OFFER. I WAS TOLD TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THE REGIONAL MANAGER HAD MADE ME AN OFFER, THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE SHE COULD DO. MY FRUSTRATION IS THAT TOYOTA RECALLED MY VEHICLE FOR THE INVERTER. AND I BELIEVE A BAD INVERTER WAS PUT IT THE CAR INSTEAD. THIS CURRENT INVERTER, THAT TOYOTA TOLD ME TO PUT IN THE CAR, LASTED APPROXIMATELY 29,000 MILES AND 22 MONTHS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A FAR CRY FROM THE EXPECTED LIFE OF AN INVERTER.

WHILE TRYING TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY, THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE ABS SYSTEM, THE VSB SYSTEM, THE 4WD SYSTEM AND ANTI-SKID SYSTEM CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL DRIVE POWER. IT DEFAULTED TO FAILSAFE/LIMP MODE EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE CAR WILL START AND MOVE BUT WITHIN 60 SECONDS REVERTS TO FAIL SAFE MODE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. AFTER THE CONTACT PLACED THE 7 MONTH OLD CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT WITH THE SMART KEY INSIDE THE VEHICLE, ALL THE DOORS ERRONEOUSLY LOCKED. THE CHILD BECAME TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE WINDOW HAD TO BE BROKEN IN ORDER TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SMART KEY SAFETY FEATURE DID NOT PREVENT THE DOORS FROM BECOMING LOCKED WHILE THE SMART KEY WAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

I WAS DRIVING THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WHEN I GOT STRUCK ON MY FRONT LEFT SIDE . I WAS HIT PRETTY HARD MY HEAD WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE WINDSHIELD . AND THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED I WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL ALONG WITH 2 OTHER PEOPLE . AND ON THE SCREEN IT SAID CHECK SYSTEM AIR BAG FAILURE .

WE WERE DRIVING AND THE VSC SYSTEM LIGHT, BRAKE MALFUNCTION LIGHT, AND CHECK ABS SYSTEM LIGHTS CAME ON AND NOW WE NEED TO REPAIR A $2000 PART IN OUR VEHICLE THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD DANGEROUS FAILURE TO STOP INCIDENTS AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH. TOYOTA NEEDS A RECALL IN THESE ABS ACCUMULATOR AND PUMP PARTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SRS WARNING LIGHT FLASHED RANDOMLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. ALSO, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V168000 (AIR BAGS) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V245000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

ABS ACTUATOR FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FOR THE HIGHLANDER HYBRID, THIS IS A $3000 PART. THE HIGHLANDER IS BUILT ON THE CAMRY PLATFORM. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM ( ZE1 ) FOR THE ABS ACTUATOR ON THE CAMRY HYBRID YEARS 2007-2011. TOYOTA MOTOR USA REFUSES TO REIMBURSE ANYTHING FOR THE SAME PART ON THE HIGHLANDER HYBRID, BUILT ON THE SAME PLATFORM AS THE CAMRY HYBRID. CONSUMER REPORTS, WRITING ABOUT THE CAMRY HYBRID ABS ACTUATOR, HAS SAID THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, NOT A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT.