2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD LEAK ANTIFREEZE AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN CARTWRIGHT ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE TOYOTA CONCERNS. *SMD 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO TRADE THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE FEDERAL CASH FOR CLUNKER PROGRAM, AND THERE WAS POTENTIAL ODOMETER FRAUD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE DISCONNECTED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED IN TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WRONG CABLE WAS PLACED IN VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BECAME DEFECTIVE AS A RESULT OF ENGAGING THE BRAKES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR WOULD CONTINUE TO FALL. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE SUN VISOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AS A STRONG ODOR OF ENGINE OIL AND FUEL EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,800.

SUBMISSION FROM CONSTITUENT RE DEFECTIVE VISOR/ SAFETY PROBLEMS 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ( FULL DOCUMENT NOT IMAGED). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO, THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR WOULD NOT REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION, AND APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.

WHEN DRIVING THE 2002 HIGHLANDER, THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR DROPPED DOWN AND HIT THE DRIVER ON THE NOSE AND OBSTRUCTED VISION OF THE ROAD. TOYOTA REPLACED THE VISOR ONCE YEARS BEFORE, BUT WILL NOT DO SO AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. NO REPAIR IS POSSIBLE, SO IT MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF MORE THAN $800.00 FOR THE VISOR (WITH GARAGE DOOR OPENER) PART ONLY. THE VISOR IS NOW FALLING DOWN DUE TO A POOR HINGE, AND IS A CONSTANT HAZARD. MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME TOYOTA REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, CAUSING THE NEED TO PULL OVER. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS AT ITS MAXIMUM AND WAS LOOSING COOLANT. AFTER SEVERAL INSPECTIONS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AT SUCH LOW OVERALL VEHICLE MILEAGE DUE TO THE ENGINE HEAD BEING MADE OF ALUMINUM AND THE BLOCK BEING MADE OF STEEL. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE VEHICLE HEAD BOLT THREADS TO BE STRIPPED, RESULTING IN THE NEED FOR A NEW ENGINE. *TR

I PLACED CAR INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF PARKING SPOT. WHEN I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE CAR REMAINED STUCK IN REVERSE. THE SHIFT LINKAGE WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. I BACKED THE CAR INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE CORNER OF THE PARKING LOT. WHEN I STOPPED THE ENGINE I COULD NO LONGER START THE ENGINE AS IT WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE TRANMISSION INTO NEUTRAL (USING A WRENCH ON THE TRANSMISSION) ENABLING THE CAR TO BE PUSHED FORWARD. THE CAR WAS THEN PLACED ON THE TOW TRUCK AND TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CABLE AND SHIFT MECHANISM REQUIRED REPLACEMENT.