2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TOYOTA IS NOT FOLLOWING CRA (CORRECTIVE REPAIR ACTION) FOR PRE-NOTIFICATION REMEDIES. ACCORDING TO THE DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT DATED JUNE 29, 2011 REGARDING INVERTER FAILURE RECALL, ITEM 7 "THE OWNER LETTER WILL INSTRUCT VEHICLE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THIS CONDITION REMEDIED PRIOR TO THIS CAMPAIGN TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT PURSUANT TO TOYOTA'S GENERAL REIMBURSEMENT PLAN." HOWEVER, THE 'INTERIM' RECALL NOTIFICATION LETTER TO OWNERS DID NOT SUPPLY INSTRUCTIONS TO VEHICLE OWNERS WHO PAID TO HAVE THE CONDITION REMEDIED. THE INVERTER IN MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID FAILED. I REPLACED THE INVERTER AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTORS CORP CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY REQUESTED THAT I HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DOCUMENT THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED, MAIL OR FAX THE PAID INVOICE FOR THE INVERTER, PROOF OF OWNERSHIP AND THE INSPECTION REPORT IN FOR PAYMENT. THIS INFORMATION WAS FAXED AND SENT VIA US MAIL ON OCTOBER 19, 2011. I WAS CONTACTED VIA PHONE BY TOYOTA MOTORS CORP ON 11/10/11 AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE "TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL" ON THE INVERTER . I REFERRED THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I WAS TOLD MY CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE LETTER WAS AN 'INTERIM LETTER" AND NOT A RECALL. I WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THE PART IS NOT OFFICIALLY RECALLED, I WOULD NEED TO WAIT UNTIL IT WAS OFFICIAL BECAUSE TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE 'INTERIM' LETTER IS ALMOST 4 MONTHS OLD AND TOYOTA DOES NOT OFFER RELIEF TO OWNERS. FURTHER, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME REPEATEDLY THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PART. *TR

THE DRIVER SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP AND FALLS DOWN OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW WHILE DRIVING. WHILE DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THERE SEEMS TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME DEFAULT OF TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS SUN VISORS FALLING DOWNING AND NOT REMAINING SEATED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THERE IS NOT ANY GARAGE DOOR OPENERS OR ANY OTHER DEVICES ON THE VISOR TO CAUSE EXTRA HEAVINESS THAT WOULD LEAD TO THE FAILING OF THE VISOR. I HAVE TO PUT TAPE ON THE VISOR TO PROVIDE MYSELF WITH AN UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW TO SAFELY DRIVE. *TR

I BROUGHT 2006-1007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID VEHICLE IN 2005 FROM THE BEGINNING I AM HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH THE STEERING I TOLD DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES, TOYOTA COMPANY MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT THE STEERING PROBLEM. AS SOON AS I DRIVE ABOVE 25 MPH MY CAR PULLS TOWARDS RIGHT VERY BADLY I HAVE TO APPLY LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE STEERING TO PUT ON THE ROAD. DUE TO THIS I SPENT 1000S OF DOLLARS TO DO WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND STEERING CHECK DUE TO THIS I SPENT 1000S OF DOLLARS ON MY TIRES I HAVE TO CHANGE MY TIRES EVERY TWO YEARS EVEN THOUGH THE MANUFACTURER GIVES WARRANTY FOR 6 YEARS 65K MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BECAME EXCESSIVELY HOT AND MELTED THE COVER. THE DEALER NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF THE PARTS NEEDED FOR REPAIRS BUT NOT THE LABOR COSTS. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,900.

I WAS PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR STOPPED AND BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS. ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH A WARNING ON THE LCD PANEL THAT STATED "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" AND "CHECK VSC". IT WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY INDICATED THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER AND ESU HAD FAILED AND THEY REPLACED THEM. THE VEHICLE STILL DISPLAYED SEVERAL WARNINGS AND AFTER SEARCHING FOR ALMOST 1 WEEK, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING ESU WAS ALSO BAD ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT THE CASE PRIOR TO THE HYBRID FAILURE. THEY SAID THAT THE 12 VOLT BATTERY ALSO NEEDED REPLACING ALTHOUGH IT WAS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD AND WAS PURCHASED AT THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE MUST HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING! OCTOBER 1, 2011 IN OUR STATE WAS A BEAUTIFUL, CLEAR DAY AS IT HAD BEEN FOR A WHILE. I SUGGESTED THAT THE INVERTER AND ESU FAILURE CAUSED THE POWER STEERING ESU FAILURE, NOT A PHANTOM LIGHTNING STRIKE. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP AS I AWAIT THEIR REPLY. HYBRID COMPONENTS ARE COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED HYBRID WARRANTY BUT THE STEERING ESU IS NOT AND WILL COST $1,000 TO REPLACE UNLESS TOYOTA WILL ACCEPT THAT THE FAILURE OF THE HYBRID COMPONENTS COULD HAVE CAUSED A POWERFUL ELECTRICAL SURGE THAT DAMAGED THE POWER STEERING ECU AS WELL AS THE 12 VOLT BATTERY. *KB

DRIVING THE UPPER ROADWAY OF THE QUEENSBORO 59TH ST BRIDGE THE CAR JUST DIED. FLASHING ON THE PANEL READ CHECK THE VSC SYSTEM WAITED FOR A TOW AROUND A DANGEROUS CURVE, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. OTW TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WILL HONOR THE RECALLED INVERTER PART. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS USED ON STANDARD SUBURBAN AND HIGHWAY PAVED ROADS. NO DIRT OR SPECIAL CONDITION DRIVING. IN MARCH 2011 AT ABOUT 82,000 MILES, THE FRONT WHEELS STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHICH WAS NOTICEABLE AT SPEEDS OF 35MPH OR GREATER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THEN AT 87,943 MILES IN SEPTEMBER 2011, THE SAME GRINDING NOISE HAPPENED TO THE REAR WHEELS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR HUB ASSEMBLIES AND BEARINGS. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR THAT HAD 3 OUT OF 4 WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES AND BEARINGS BREAK. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE. WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIANS PERFORMED THE REPAIR UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V253000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL). THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FAILURE. THE INSPECTOR DETERMINED THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL FAILURE AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

I WENT TO THE DEALER RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V34200. THE DEALER CHECK THE HIGHLANDER AND SAID THAT THE RECALL NOT APPLY AND DID NOT NEED TO BE INSTALLED OR REPAIR THE INVERTER. THE NEXT WEEK LL THE PANEL WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON(BRAKE, SLIP, VCS WARNING, EXCLAMATION SING AND ABS). THEN A RETURN TO DEALER, THEY CHECK THE HIGHLANDER. NOW THEY SAID THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE ABS MODULE. HOW I CAN CORROBORATE THAT MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY RECALL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN MY HIGHLANDER WITH MY DAUGHTERS IN THE BACK SEAT WHEN SUDDENLY OUT OF NO WHERE ALL THE ALERT LIGHTS CAME ON AND THERE WAS NO POWER AT ALL - THE GAS PEDAL WAS NON FUNCTIONAL - I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OF A AN INTERSTATE AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND PULL THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC AS IT ROLLED TO A STOP. I WAITED ON THE CROWDED INTERSTATE FOR TWO HOURS FOR A TOW. I WAS TOLD THAT THE HIGHLANDER HYBRID INVERTER HAD FAILED - THE DEALER REPLACED THE PART THAT WEEK AND THE CAR DRIVES NORMALLY NOW. I WAS ADVISED THAT IN FACT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. ONE MONTH LATER IRONICALLY I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA THAT MY MODEL OF HIGHLANDER IS BEING RECALLED FOR THE INVERTER REPLACEMENT THAT HAD JUST CAUSED THIS EXTREMELY UNSAFE VEHICLE FAILURE JUST ONE MONTH PRIOR. *TR