2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

DURING A RECENT ROAD TRIP VISITING FAMILY, MY SON WAS RIDING IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT IN OUR TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. SHORTLY BEFORE ARRIVING AT HIS GRANDPARENTS, HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BECOME TWISTED IN HIS SEATBELT. AS WE WERE WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF OUR DESTINATION, I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD HANDLE THE SITUATION WHEN WE ARRIVED. A FEW MINUTES LATER HE SAID THAT THE BELT WAS GETTING TIGHTER AND I ASKED HIM IF I NEEDED TO STOP AND HE SAID THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. BEFORE I COULD GET STOPPED (LESS THAT A BLOCK), HE INDICATED THAT HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING. WHEN I LOOKED BACK, I WAS STARTLED TO FIND THAT THE SEAT BELT HAD BECOME WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK AND HAD RATCHETED BACK IN, PINNING HIS NECK BACK AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE CAR. EVEN AFTER STOPPING, I WAS UNABLE TO PULLED THE SEAT BELT OUT TO GET IT OUT FROM AROUND MY SON'S NECK -- HE WAS STRANGLING IN FRONT OF MY EYES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A CITY WITH RESIDENTS CLOSE BY, ONE OF WHICH HEARD ME SCREAMING AND RUNNING DOOR TO DOOR, WHO BROUGHT OUT A KITCHEN KNIFE TO CUT THE BELT AND RELEASE MY SON. I REALIZE THAT THESE RATCHET-TYPE SEAT BELTS ARE DESIGNED AS A SAFETY FEATURE IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT OF MANY MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER, FEEL THAT THIS DESIGN ALSO PRESENTS A STRANGULATION CONCERN. IN CASES SUCH AS MINE, THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET THE SEAT BELT RELEASED AND IF THIS HAD OCCUR WHILE ON RURAL ROADS OR THE INTERSTATE, THE AVAILABILITY OF A KNIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFICULT TO COME BY. I FEEL THAT EITHER AN EMERGENCY RELEASE BUTTON SHOULD BE DESIGNED FOR THE RATCHET SEAT BELTS OR CONSUMERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR STRANGULATION AND ADVISED TO CARRY SCISSORS FOR THIS POSSIBILITY. I HAVE VOICED MY CONCERNS TO TOYOTA AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE SEAT BELT FREE OF CHARGE, HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT INDIVIDUALS BE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY AND BE PREPARED. *TR

2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER STATES EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, PROBABLY DUE TO SUSPENSION PROBLEM. *TGW

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE GEAR, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE BACKWARDS UNTIL THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,880. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

HAVE THE BRIDGESTONE TIRES STOCK THAT COME WITH THE 2008 HIGHLANDER. THEY DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT 28000 MILES. WHILE LOOKING UP THE TIRE ON THE MANUFACTURERS SITE, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A MILEAGE RATING. WE COMPLAINED TO THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE SITE AND NEVER RECEIVED SO MUCH AS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT. COMPLAINED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THAT TOYOTA SACRIFICES THE MILEAGE OF THEIR TIRE SO THAT WE GET A BETTER RIDING TIRE. IN OTHER WORDS, TOUGH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE. HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE CAM SHAFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE IN THE DEALERS POSSESION FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,250.

MY 2008 HIGHLANDER HYBRID LIMITED HAS ABOUT 16K MILES ON IT. I JUST HAD MY TIRES INSPECTED BY A SHOP THAT CHANGES MY OIL. MY TIRES ARE ALMOST WORN DOWN TO 2/32'S! THEY MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS VERY ABNORMAL AND THESE TIRES WERE NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE ON. *TR

THE 245-55X19 TOYO OPEN COUNTRY A20 TIRES TOYOTA SPECS ON HIGHLANDER LIMITED MODELS ARE UTTERLY TREACHEROUS ON ICE OR SNOW. EDMUNDS.COM DOCUMENTS A HUGE NUMBER OF WINTER TRACTION COMPLAINTS UNDER USED CARS> TOYOTA> 2008> HIGHLANDER LIMITED> CUSTOMER COMMENTS. IN MY OWN CASE, STARTING UNDER 15 MMPH I SLID UNDER 8 LANES OF INTERSTATE VIADUCT, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES PULSING ALL THE WHILE, BEFORE MY CAR STOPPED. THE TOYOS ARE 1 OF ONLY 2 TIRES FROM ANY MFR IN THE SIZE NOTED, THE OTHER BEING A BRIDGESTONE WITH EQUALLY HORRIFIC ICE/SNOW TRACTION RATINGS AT TIRERACK AND DISCOUNT TIRE. TOYOTA REFUSES ANY ASSISTANCE, SAYING THE TIRES ARE TIRE MANUFACTURER WARRANTED. THE PROBLEM? I WOULD BE GETTING EXACTLY THE SAME TIRE AGAIN, AND THE A20 TIRE IS THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH. I REPLACED THE TOYO'S WITH ANOTHER MAKE AND SIZE AT 15,900 MILES (FOR $900) AND THEY TRANSFORMED MY HIGHLANDER COMPLETELY WINTER TRACTION-WISE. THIS TOYO TIRE NEEDS TO BE BANNED ENTIRELY, YET TOYOTA CONTINUES TO SPEC THEM ON NEW VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKES UNTIL HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD FURTHER ASSESS THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED ALSO THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WHILE PARKING CAR. FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE WHOLE TIME, EASED UP ON BRAKE TO COAST INTO PARKING SPACE AND ACCELERATOR ENGAGED. STOMPED ON BRAKE AND CAR STOPPED, BY THEN HAD CLIMBED UP CURB ONTO SIDEWALK. *TR

POOR TIRES ON MY 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SPORT EDITION. EXCESSIVE WEAR AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 22K MILES. THEY ARE THE BRIDGESTONE 245/55/R19. *TR