2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

I OWN TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS, 2006. ONE WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2005, THE OTHER IN SEPTEMBER 2006. ON THE OLDER OF THE TWO, IN FRONT OF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS I HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME MELTED PLASTIC SHOWN IN MULTIPLE PICTURES I FOUND ONLINE. ON THE NEWER ONE, YOU CAN SEE IMPERFECTIONS FORMING ON ONE SIDE, AND A SMALLER FULLY MELTED AREA IN THE OTHER. I AM IN TOUCH WITH TOYOTA AND THEY ARE OFFERING NEW LENS PARTS AND I MUST PAY LABOR. I PUSHED BACK AND TOLD THEM I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, AND THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY BOTH MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND THE NEARLY $2000 TOYOTA ASSURANCE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS DEFECT WILL ULTIMATELY OBSCURE THE LIGHT AND MAKE MY VEHICLE HARDER TO SEE ON THE ROAD, WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD. AS THE PROBLEM PROGRESSES, A HOLE WILL FORM IN THE LENS ALLOWING CHILDREN TO TOUCH THE EXTREMELY HOT HALOGEN LIGHTS, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS BURNS. IT WILL ALSO EXPOSE THE HEADLAMPS TO DAMAGE FROM ROCKS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE MELTED PART. FROM THE TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2006'S I HAVE, IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA'S MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM BECOMES APPARENT BETWEEN 40,000 AND 60,000 MILES. RELATED ODI NUMBERS FOR MY OTHER 2006 HIGHLANDER, WHICH IS A YEAR OLDER AND HAS A MORE PRONOUNCED PROBLEM DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL TIME WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON: 10292093 MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST ON THE HIGHLANDER 2005 MODEL COMPLAINT FILED 20070816, CROWNSVILLE, MD (RESULTED IN FIRE IN HEADLAMP) COMPLAINT FILED 20060712, SETAUKET, NY. *TR MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST ON THE HIGHLANDER 2004 MODEL COMPLAINT FILED 20050409, MEDWAY MA COMPLAINT FILED 20081222, QUINCY, WA COMPLAINT FILED 20071203, SPARKS, MD

I OWN TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS, 2006. ONE WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2005, THE OTHER IN SEPTEMBER 2006. ON THE OLDER OF THE TWO, IN FRONT OF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS I HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME MELTED PLASTIC SHOWN IN MULTIPLE PICTURES I FOUND ONLINE. ON THE NEWER ONE, YOU CAN SEE IMPERFECTIONS FORMING ON ONE SIDE, AND A SMALLER FULLY MELTED AREA IN THE OTHER. I AM IN TOUCH WITH TOYOTA AND THEY ARE OFFERING NEW LENS PARTS AND I MUST PAY LABOR. I PUSHED BACK AND TOLD THEM I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, AND THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY BOTH MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND THE NEARLY $2000 TOYOTA ASSURANCE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS DEFECT WILL ULTIMATELY OBSCURE THE LIGHT AND MAKE MY VEHICLE HARDER TO SEE ON THE ROAD, WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD. AS THE PROBLEM PROGRESSES, A HOLE WILL FORM IN THE LENS ALLOWING CHILDREN TO TOUCH THE EXTREMELY HOT HALOGEN LIGHTS, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS BURNS. IT WILL ALSO EXPOSE THE HEADLAMPS TO DAMAGE FROM ROCKS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE MELTED PART. FROM THE TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2006'S I HAVE, IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA'S MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM BECOMES APPARENT BETWEEN 40,000 AND 60,000 MILES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH HE LOST POWER STEERING. AS A CONSEQUENCE, IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE RACK AND PINION, AND ELECTRICAL MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 61,000.

TODAY, ANOTHER LEXUS /TOYOTA HAS AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM WHICH FINALLY CAUSED 4 DEATHS. MANY OF US HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. YOU HAVE 3 AT LEAST ALREADY LISTED IN YOUR COMPLAINTS. 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS (3) JUST TOOK OFF AND DRIVERS COULDN'T STOP THEM (I AM ONE) UNTIL THE CAR HIT SOMETHING. LEXUS TOO, MADE BY TOYOTA. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. I WROTE TOYOTA TO EXPLAIN THAT I DID NOT PUT MY FOOT ON ACCELERATOR. I GOT A GENERIC LETTER BACK, WITHOUT HELP OR EXPLANATION. WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS , SOMEONE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THESE UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATIONS.. MY CAR FLEW THROUGH THE AIR WITH ME SCREAMING , TRYING TO STOP IT. I HIT HEADON INTO A CEMENT SIDE OF AN IRRIGATION DITCH. PASSENGER IS STILL IN REHAB SINCE MARCH OF THIS YEAR. IS IT JUST THE MATS, AS THE SAN DIEGO PRESS IS SUGGESTING WITH THE DEATH OF THE CHP AND HIS 3 FAMILY MEMBERS? I THINK NOT. SOMETHING IN ONE OF THE SYSTEMS, CODES, CRUISE CONTROL, COMPUTER OR ??? PLEASE CHECK THESE OUT. TOYOTA HAS KEPT QUIET LONG ENOUGH. FARMERS INSURANCE IS CODING MY ACCIDENT AS MY FAULT, YET I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND DID NOT CAUSE THIS ONE. *TR

4 RO'S; 3 REPAIRS; AND 25 DAYS DOWN AIR BAG LIGHT TOYOTA HAS REPAIRED ALL WARRANTY CONDITIONS WE SUMMITED A HEARING WITH THE CALIFORNIA DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROGRAM (CDSP) AND TOYOTA "SEEKS FOR CUSTOMER'S REQUEST OF A BUYBACK/REPLACEMENT BE DENIED. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER W/ 3.4 LITER ENGINE HAS HESITATION WHEN SHIFTING DOWN TO 2ND OR 1ST GEAR, E.G., STEPPING ON THE GAS FROM A COMPLETE STOP TO TURN AGAINST ON-COMING TRAFFIC. THERE IS A DISCONCERTING MOMENT OF HESITATION BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO ENGAGE. DEALER TOLD ME IT IS NORMAL DUE TO THE FLY-BY-WIRE TECHNOLOGY. I DON'T BELIEVE IT AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IT'S SAFETY. I AM ALSO WORRIED THAT I WAITED THIS LONG TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE THE CAR HAS 35,550 MILES ON IT AND THE WARRANTY IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT. I HAVE HEARD THIS FROM OTHER HIGHLANDER OWNERS TOO. *TR

WE OWN A 2006 HIGHLANDER WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW. IT HAS 18,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN GOING DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY (185 FEET AT 35 DEGREE SLOPE) WHEN THE BRAKES ARE ACTIVATED TO STOP BEFORE ENTERING A CROSS STREET, ON OCCASION THERE IS LITTLE TO NO BRAKING. IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO QUICKLY PUMP THE BRAKE TO ACCOMPLISH BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TOYOTA DEALER RESULTED IN NO RESOLUTION. THE EXPLANATION WAS THAT THE VEHICLE'S COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM OR ABS WAS SENSING THE SLOPE AS A DECELERATION AND WAS REACTING ACCORDINGLY. THEY SAID THERE WERE NO REPORTED PROBLEMS (RECALLS) PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE AND WE SHOULD JUST CONTINUE TO BE READY TO PUMP THE BRAKE OR PUMP THEM BEFORE WE START DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. *TR

FROM A PARKED POSITION, I STARTED ENGINE ON 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CAR MOVED FORWARD FOR A FEW SECONDS AT SLOW SPEED, THEN VERY RAPIDLY ACCELERATED SO THAT I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. SERIOUS INJURIES OCCURRED. CAR FLEW THROUGH AIR AND ONLOOKERS HEARD ENGINE REV UP.WE LANDED IN A WATER CANAL. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID PERIODICALLY LUNGES FORWARD UPON BRAKING AND WHEN STOPPED. *TR

COMMENTS: DEAR SIR OR MADAM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH OUR 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. IN AUGUST OF 2008 WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY I SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER & CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO BRAKE NOR STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS DONE. MY HUSBAND WRESTLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ALLEYWAY & THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE "ELECTRIC LINK ASSEMBLY" & THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. YESTERDAY MORNING AT 6AM I GOT INTO THE CAR & TURNED THE KEY, THE "READY" LIGHT CAME ON & I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE & PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, AS SOON AS I PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, THE GAS ENGINE CAME ON FULL POWER & THE CAR FLEW BACKWARD. I TRIED FRANTICALLY TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR & STEER THE CAR WHILE CAREENING IN REVERSE. THE CAR SLAMMED INTO OUR REAR NEIGHBORS VEHICLE (WHICH IS TO THE BACK & RIGHT OF OUR GARAGE ACROSS THE ALLEY) OUR CAR PUSHED THEIRS OVER 4-6 FEET & CONTINUED TRYING TO REVERSE FULL POWER OVER THEIR BUSHES I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SO I SLAMMED THE CAR INTO THE "PARK" POSITION. THE CAR STOPPED BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. I SHUT IT OFF & JUMPED OUT. I WAS NOT INJURED, HOWEVER OUR CAR & OUR NEIGHBORS WAS DAMAGED. THE CAR WAS AGAIN TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I CONVEYED TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED & THE CAR IS THERE NOW GETTING CHECKED. I CALLED THEM IN THE EVENING TO ASK WHAT THEY HAD FOUND & THEY STATED THEY WERE TRYING TO "REENACT" WHAT HAPPENED. THEY MUST FIND WHAT IT IS IN THIS CARS COMPUTER THAT CONTINUES TO CAUSE THESE CATASTROPHIC MALFUNCTIONS. HAD I BEEN AT A SCHOOL OR SHOPPING LOT SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I AM A PERSON WHO BELIEVES IN ACCOUNTABILITY & OWNERSHIP OF RESPONSIBILITY & IF THIS WERE MY FAULT IN ANY WAY I WOULD NOT BE WRITING YOU TODAY. I FEEL YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SO NO ONE IN THE FUTURE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR