2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 HIGHLANDER ON NOVEMBER 11, 2012 AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE FOLLOWING DAY I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TOYOTA WEBSITE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG SYSTEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK DONE ON NOVEMBER 14. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS STILL ON AFTER THE RECALL WORK. I LEFT THEM THE VEHICLE SO THEY COULD DO FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS. THEY SAID THE SQUIB CIRCUIT ON THE SPIRAL CABLE FOR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM ON THE STEERING COLUMN HAD A SHORT IN IT. TOYOTA PART NUMBER 84306-22010. IT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IF A REPAIR WAS NOT DONE THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WOULD NOT WORK IN AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD LIGHT UP INTERMITTENTLY IF I DIDN'T REPAIR IT AND THAT THEY WERE PRETTY SURE THE AIRBAG WOULDN'T GO OFF ON ITS OWN. MY CHOICE WAS FIX IT OR PARK IT. I HAD THEM DO THE REPAIR, $276.63 FOR THE SPIRAL CABLE AND $150.00 FOR THE LABOR, $443.22 TOTAL WITH SALES TAX. I HAVE OVER 122,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN PERFORMING THE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TWO OTHER VEHICLES (NOT TOYOTA) AND NEITHER HAS EVER HAD AN AIRBAG SYSTEM PROBLEM AND EACH ONE HAS OVER 100,000 MILES. THE WIRING FOR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SHOULD NEVER GO BAD. PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

MY WIFE WENT TO MOVE THE CAR AND BACKED IT UP WHERE IT DIED. CAR STARTED ROLLING BACK THE DRIVE AND STOPPED HALF ON HALF OFF THE DROP OFF OF OUR DRIVEWAY. SHE HAD NO STEERING AND NO BRAKES. I CHECKED OUT THE CAR AND IT SAID HYBRID ERROR CALL DEALER. THE CAR WOULD NOT RUN. I HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND HE CALLED ME TO TELL US THE POWER INVERTER NEEDS TO REPLACED AT THE COST OF 8,600.00. I UNDERSTAND TOYOTA HAD A PROBLEM WITH THEIR 06 - 07 HIGHLANDERS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. NOTHING ON A CAR SHOULD COST $8,600 TO FIX WITHOUT BEING IN A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD UP FRONT HOW MUCH THIS WOULD COST TO FIX IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE. LUCKILY SHE WASN'T ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE IGNITION COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC STOP, SHE NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ALLOW A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN HER AND THE VEHICLE AS IT QUICKLY BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,100.

THE SPIRAL CABLE WENT BAD CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON MAKING THE AIRBAGS INOPERABLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASED ACCELERATION. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WHICH RESULTED TO THE VEHICLE CRASHING INTO A CEMENT WALL. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO THE BODY AND INJURED THE LEFT LEG. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PLANNED TO LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND A REPAIR WAS MADE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE NATURE OF THE REPAIR. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AT LEAST THREE TIMES WHO THEN ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNSURE OF WHAT WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CARPET ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD HAD BECOME WET. THE CONTACT FURTHER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THAN WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE AIR CONDITIONER LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,184.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT LENS WERE FOGGED AND THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY AND BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHTS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAL FOR THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO FILED A REPORT AND DID NOT OFFER ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, THE BRAKES SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER AND A PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AWAY FROM THE SCENE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 11/01/12*LJ UPDATED 11/02/12