2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

ON MONDAY OCT.4 I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WHEN I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. I LET OF THE ACCELERATOR AND STARTED TO STOP. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP ON ITS OWN AND CONTINUED TO REV UP HIGHER AND HIGHER. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT CONTINUED TO RACE TO OVER 6000 RPM BEFORE IT FINALLY KICKED OUT. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. IT HAS 50,000 MILES . THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN TOYOTAS ACCELERATOR RECALL AND I NEVER GAVE IT ANY THOUGHT ON MINE. I ALWAYS ASSUMED MINE WAS O.K. BUT THIS EXPERIENCE HAS REALLY SHOOK ME UP. NOW I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN CASE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID (N/A). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ROUTINELY MAINTENANCED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 37,000. UPDATED 02/17/11*LJ UPDATED 05/02/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE PUTS THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT SEVERAL MOMENTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD FINALLY RESPOND AND MOVE IN REVERSE. ON OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE WHEN IN REVERSE WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT HE WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

MY WIFE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR APARTMENT BUILDING, IDLING WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN OUR 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A GATE. BEFORE THE CAR CRASHED, SHE REPEATEDLY APPLIED THE BRAKE AND EVEN PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE CAR DID NOT STOP. AFTER THE IMPACT, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AND ACCELERATE BEFORE FINALLY STOPPING. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. THE BODY HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT PER TOYOTA, NOTHING MECHANICAL OR ELECTRONIC HAS BEEN TOUCHED. LAST WEEK TOYOTA SENT A SPECIALIST OUT TO INSPECT THE CAR AND DOWNLOAD DATA. WE WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME, AND 5 DTC CODES DISPLAYED. THE DESCRIPTIONS DISPLAYED ON THE INVESTIGATOR'S LAP TOP MENTIONED VEHICLE SPEED SENSORS ON RIGHT WHEEL AND LEFT WHEEL, THE EMPS, BODY ECU SWITCH CIRCUIT AND "LOW OR HIGH POWER SUPPLY VOLTAGE". THE CAR WAS TEST DRIVEN, AND NO ERRORS OR CODES WERE REPORTED. THE CAR IS NOW WAITING TO BE TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE REVIEWED AND FIXED. *TR

HAVE A TOYOTA 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND WAS DRIVING THE CAR LESS THAN A WEEK AGO AND WAS ON THE PARKWAY DOING 65 IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND CAR STARTED TO DECELERATE, LOST THE POWER STEERING, COULD NOT BRAKE NOR WAS I ABLE TO PUSH THE PEDAL FOR THE GAS. ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER AND CAR STOPPED. PUT IT IN DRIVE AND WENT TO RESTART CAR, WOULD NOT TURN ON THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, CHECK VSH, BRAKE LIGHT ETC..... BROUGHT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THURSDAY, STILL NO WORD. STATES IT MIGHT BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM PART IS APPROXIMATE. 1500 TO START. THEYCANNOT EVEN EVALUATE THE CAR TILL THEY PLACE THIS PART IN. SOUNDS COSTLY TO ME . WENT ON ANOTHER WEBSITE, APPEARS THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHEN THEY ARE OVER 100,000 MILES. OCTOBER 4 EMAIL:"FINALLY GOT MY CAR BACK AFTER 3 WEEKS. THEY PUT IN A NEW CONTROL PANEL AND INVERTER, I PAID $1400 FOR THE CONTROL PANEL AND WAS COMPENSATED FOR THE $8800 INVERTER. PLUS THEY FIXED A STEERING WHEEL RECALL AND THE REAR BRAKES WERE SHOT (MY FAULT). [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. SHE DROVE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND CALLED A TOW COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER HOME, THEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED HER THAT THE INVERTER FOR THE HYBRID FAILED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER 10 DAYS BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,231.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ALL WARNING LIGHTS HAD APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A REPLACEMENT OF THE HYBRID INVERTER ASSEMBLY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

IN FEBRUARY 2010, I NOTICED MY DRIVER LEATHER SEAT WAS TORN ON ITS SIDE, I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS DEFECT, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2006. THIS IS A FULLY UPGRADE LIMITED VEHICLE. ALL I DO IS SLIP IN AND OUT OF THE SEAT AND I TAKE EXTREMELY EXCELLENT CARE OF MY VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THE LEATHER MATERIAL USED IN THE VEHICLE IS OF POOR QUALITY. ON 4/28/10 TOYOTA EVENTUALLY RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINT, STATING THE WARRANTY FOR THE SEAT IS 3-YEARS OR 36,000 MILES: THEIR FILE # 1003280070; INCIDENT 100426-000166. THEY SUGGESTED I CONTACT A DEALER, WHICH I DID:ON 7/27/10 I HAD A TOYOTA DEALER LOOK AT THE SEAT AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRE. I AM OBVIOUSLY NOT SATISFIED WITH TOYOTA'S RESPONSE; THEIR ESTIMATE FOR ME TO REPLACE THE SEAT CUSHION COVER IS $1123.36 INCL TAXES. I BELIEVE SUCH AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE SHOULD BE OUTFITTED WITH A HIGHER GRADE LEATHER SEAT COVER. I HAVE HAD CHEAPER VEHICLES WITH LEATHER SEATS WHICH LASTED MANY MORE YEARS THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA HAS DONE AN INJUSTICE WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THIS POOR QUALITY LEATHER AND I FEEL CHEATED BY SUCH ACTION. THERE MUST BE OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE WITH THE SEAT. THE SEAT WAS NOT DELIBERATELY TORN OR CUT AND WE ARE QUITE PETITE PEOPLE. WHEN I VIEW THE LEATHER IN MY OTHER CAR THE CORNERS WHERE THE DRIVER SLIDES IN SEEMS TO BE STRONGER AND POSSIBLY RE-ENFORCED TO FACILITATE THE DRIVER'S INITIAL WEIGHT. TOYOTA HAS NOT DONE A GOOD JOB TO ENSURE THE LASTING WEAR AND TEAR OF THE SEAT. IS THIS DELIBERATE? HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH A 3YEAR, 36000 WARRANTY? WHAT TESTING DID THEY PERFORM TO DECIDE THE SEAT WILL ONLY LAST UP TO THAT PERIOD, THEREFORE THEY WERE SURE TO MAKE A LOT OF MONIES ON REPLACEMENT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED? THIS IS UNFAIR. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I HAVE ANY RECOURSE TO GET TOYOTA TO REPLACE THE SEAT. THANK YOU. *TR

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID BRAKING PROBLEMS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE BRAKES WOULD MOMENTARILY FAIL WHILE BRAKING AT 35 TO 40 MPH. *TR