2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

ON DECEMBER 7, 2009, I HAD JUST ARRIVED AT MY PARKING APRON IN FRONT OF MY GARAGE AND WAS PUTTING THE CAR IN "PARK" AND HAD DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DO SO. THE ACCELERATOR IMMEDIATELY JAMMED ON "FULL" AND THE CAR WENT THROUGH A WOODEN TWO-CAR GARAGE DOOR TAKING ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT WITH IT AND PROCEEDED EIGHTEEN (18) FEET INTO THE GARAGE AND WAS STOPPED ONLY BY THE STAIRS TO THE CONDO AND THE HOUSE FOUNDATION. THERE WAS $9,000 DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND $4,000 DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE AND STAIRS. TOYOTA HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND CLAIM IT IS NOT ONE OF THE RECALLED AUTOS AND THIS EVENT MUST HAVE BEEN MY FAULT. THIS IS VERY DISTRESSING AS I AM A SENIOR VOLUNTEER DRIVING SENIORS TO THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND AN "AT FAULT" ACCIDENT WOULD PREVENT MY CONTINUING THIS PROJECT. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT SOME DEFECT, PROBABLY ELECTRONIC CONTROLS, CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DO WHAT IT DID AND I AM VERY AFRAID TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT. EVEN IF, TOYOTA'S CLAIM IS CORRECT THAT MY FOOT WEDGED BETWEEN THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL CAUSING ACCELERATION, WOULD THIS NOT ALSO BE A DESIGN DEFECT? PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. *TR

GAS PEDAL IS TOO TIGHT. I WOULD LIKE SOME ONE TO CHECK THE CAR. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE A BIG PROBLEM FOUND WITH THIS MODEL ALSO. PEDAL IS ABNORMALLY TIGHT. *TR

IN AUGUST, I PURCHASED A USED PRE-CERTIFIED 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FROM STEVINSON TOYOTA IN AURORA, CO. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I NOTICED RUST SPOTS FORMING ON THE HOOD AS WELL AS THE TAILGATE. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BEING THAT ALL THREE WARRANTIES WERE STILL IN EFFECT. I ALSO BROUGHT IT TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP AT THE REQUEST OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RUST WAS DUE TO CONTAMINATED PAINT AND THAT THEY SEE A LOT OF THIS DAMAGE ON 2008 TOYOTA MODELS. AFTER TWO DAYS OF ARGUING WITH TOYOTA ABOUT WHETHER THE RUST WAS FROM GRAVEL OR DEFECTIVE PAINT, THEY DECIDED TO COVER THE DAMAGE AND HAVE THE HOOD AND TAILGATE REPAINTED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT WAS BACKING OUT OF THE RESIDENCE DRIVEWAY ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. THE DRIVER STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN THE REVERSE POSITION AND WITHIN THREE SECONDS THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER TOP OF THE DRIVER. THE AMBULANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES TO THE LEFT LEG AND CHEST AREA. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 4/5/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED SHE STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE NOT REALIZING IT WAS IN GEAR. IT STAYED STATIONARY FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE RUNNING HER OVER. UPDATED 05/11/10.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ON DECEMBER 7, 2009 THE CONTACT DROVE INTO HIS PARKING GARAGE AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IMMEDIATELY JAMMED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE GARAGE, APPROXIMATELY 18 FEET. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AT THE STAIRS. THERE WAS $9,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND $4,000 FOR THE GARAGE. TOYOTA HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL YET IT WAS THE CONTACTS FAULT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRONIC FAILURE. TOYOTA ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS FOOT WENT BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE GARAGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS SHE APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AND THERE WAS A POTHOLE THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IT WAS RELATED TO THE COMPUTER ELECTRONICS BUT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THEY WILL NOT REPLACE OR REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) MY FATHER [XXX] WAS KILLED WHILE DRIVING A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. HE HIT ANOTHER CAR SUSTAINING SEVERE INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. HE LEFT MY HOUSE IN GEORGETOWN, TX. DRIVING TO ROCKPORT TX WHEN IT IS REPORTED THAT HE LEFT HIS LANE, NO INDICATION THAT HE TRIED TO SLOW DOWN. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN GOLIAD COUNTY, ABOUT AN HOUR FROM HIS HOUSE. THE AUTOPSY COULD FIND NO MEDICAL OR PHYSICAL CAUSE FOR THIS ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT IS ON FILE WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND USAA INSURANCE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND CHANGING LANES, THE THROTTLE CAUSED THE WHEELS TO LOSE TRACTION CONTROL. AFTER A WHILE, THE THROTTLE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BUT NO ERRORS WERE FOUND AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33000. UPDATED 03/24/10 *BF UPDATED 06/28/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ON FEBRUARY 10, 2008 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHEN SHE PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. SHE LOST CONTROL AND SWERVED THE INTO THE LEFT LANE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLES REAR BUMPER CAUSING THAT VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THEM. SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER RIBS. THE OTHER TWO DRIVERS ALSO SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 13,000. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. UPDATED 03/30/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE MAY HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE STEERING PROBLEMS AS WELL. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST FOR THE ROAD CONDITIONS. UPDATED 06/28/10*JB

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, WITH SMALL CHILD IN BACK, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE IMMINENT DANGER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THEY STATED STOP THE CAR IN THE NEAREST SAFE AREA AND CALL DEALER. I FEARED BACK TO AN ACCELERATION ISSUE IN 1985 WITH AN OLDER CAR AND LOOKED FOR A LESS CROWDED AREA TO PULL OVER. I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. I PHONED THE NEAREST DEALER, THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN OTHER THAN I NEEDED TO GET THERE OR PULL OVER AND STOP. I WAS LESS THAN 15 MILES AWAY SO I CHOSE TO TRY AND GET THERE SINCE I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR WITH BREAKS. I ARRIVED AT THE DEALER AND SAT 3 HOURS BEFORE I HAD ANY DETAIL, WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD. THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THEY ESCALATED THE ISSUE UP THE TOYOTA SERVICE LEVELS. FINALLY, THEY CAME BACK THAT THERE WAS A SMALL (HAIRLINE)BREAK FLUID LEAK IN THE CAR AND THAT PART WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY AT 41,000 MILES AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE PART AND LABOR TO INSTALL. AFTER 5 HOURS, THEY GAVE ME A RIDE HOME AND DID NOT OFFER A RENTAL CAR. THE DETAILS I RECEIVED BACK WERE VERY VAGUE AND TO THIS DAY I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE ISSUE BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AFTER MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ISSUE - TOYOTA AGREED TO PAY FOR THE PART $1500 BUT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR LABOR $600. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY MAY HAVE PAID FOR ALL THE REPAIR (A YEAR AGO) BUT THE FLOOR MAT ISSUE WAS COSTING THEM SO MUCH MONEY THEY WERE NOT PAYING FOR LABOR ANY LONGER. I FEEL A REPAIR THAT WAS NOT COMMON AND NOT CAUSED MY DRIVING OR LACK OF PROPER MAINTENANCE. THEY CALLED IT A FLUKE AND THAT IS EVIDENCED BY THE ONLY PLACE THEY COULD FIND THE PART WAS IN CINCINNATI, OHIO WHEN I LIVE IN CA. IT TOOK MORE THAN A WEEK FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE AND I WAS WITHOUT MY CAR FOR THREE WEEKS AS I HAD NO WAY TO GET BACK THERE. THEY DID NOT OFFER UP A RENTAL CAR AND MY HUSBAND WAS OUT OF TOWN DURING THAT TIME. *TR