2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR BOLTS WERE STRIPPED, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO LEAK. AS A RESULT, THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,000. UPDATED 11/12/13*CN

THE ENGINE WAS POURING ANTI FREEZE ON THE ROAD FROM THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE'S HEAD BOLTS WERE STRIPED CAUSING THE HEAD GASKET TO LEAK. THIS WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND EVEN SENT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY OF OTHER CARS ON THE ROADWAY. THE EPA SHOULD ALSO BE INVOLVED DUE TO THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL BEING PLACED IN THE GROUND. *TR

ON 7-11-13, GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON ROUTE 52 IN NORTH CAROLINA, THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK WIDE OPEN CAUSING MY CAR TO ACCELERATE BEYOND MY CONTROL. I SLOWED DOWN TO GET OFF ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, BUT I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR, ONLY SLOW IT DOWN, TO APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH. GOT BACK ON THE ROAD AND TOOK THE NEXT EXIT. AGAIN I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR, AND THOUGH I SLOWED AGAIN TO ABOUT 10-15 MPH, I DRIFTED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AT THE STOP SIGN, WITH TRAFFIC APPROACHING FROM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT! I TURNED SHARPLY LEFT, GOT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TURNED THE KEY OFF TO STOP THE CAR. GOD WAS WATCHING, BECAUSE NO COLLISION OCCURRED. WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE AGAIN, IT ROARED LIKE I'VE NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE. SOMEHOW, I DON'T REMEMBER HOW, I GOT THE CAR ABOUT 100 YARDS DOWN THE ROAD TO A MARATHON GAS STATION, TO GET COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD AND OUT OF THE WAY. A MAN STOPPED AND WALKED OVER TO ME, TELLING ME THAT MY THROTTLE WAS STUCK BECAUSE OF A FAULTY TPS (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR). HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS A MECHANIC, WHO FORMERLY WORKED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND SAID THAT WAS A ?KNOWN? PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS. HE TOWED ME TO HIS HOUSE, REPLACED THE TPS, AND WE TESTED THE CAR, TO THE SATISFACTION OF BOTH OF US. IT RAN JUST FINE, SO I FOLLOWED HIM TO THE PNC BANK TO GET MONEY TO PAY HIM. WHILE THERE, THE LADY HELPING ME, IN RESPONSE TO MY STORY, TOLD ME THAT HER TOYOTA PARKED OUTSIDE HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEM! EXCEPT IT COST HER A LOT MORE THAN MY TOW & REPAIR DID. MY INCIDENT WAS MOST DEFINITELY A PART FAILURE, NOT AN OPERATOR ERROR, OR A PROBLEM DUE TO FLOOR MATS, AS IS ALLEGED IN THE PENDING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION? LITIGATION AGAINST TOYOTA, AND MY 2003 HIGHLANDER IS NOT SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN THAT LITIGATION INFORMATION ON-LINE. I AM SENDING A LETTER TO TOYOTA, THE NTSB AND OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR.

I WAS BACKING MY CAR FROM ACROSS THE STREET. AFTER SHIFTING TO DRIVE, MY CAR JUMPED BACK IN REVERSED FULL SPEED CRASH IN TO MY GARAGE. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT WOULDN'T STOP TILL IT HIT MY GARAGE WALL. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 HIGHLANDER. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE, ONLY THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE TAIL/BRAKE LIGHT BECOMES BRIGHTER. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON, THE BULBS ILLUMINATE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BUT THEY DO NOT GET BRIGHTER WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OFF, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I SAW THE SAME PROBLEM TODAY ON A HIGHLANDER JUST LIKE MINE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUN VISOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PUT THE VISOR UP BUT IT FELL SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

LEAK AT REAR OF ENGINE, UNDER INTAKE MANIFOLD. HEAD GASKET, OR WARPED HEAD. CYLINDER HEAD BOLT THREADS DAMAGED . TOYOTA SAID SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2AZ-FE ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT DAMAGED CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS. *TR

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

I TOOK MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER TO THE GARAGE AFTER I NOTICED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK. IT HAD JUST GONE OVER 100,000 MILES AND WE BOUGHT IT NEW. I WAS TOLD THAT A HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN WHICH WAS DUE TO A DEFECT SINCE THE ENGINE DIDN'T OVERHEAT. THERE WEREN'T ANY ISSUES OTHER THAN THE FLUID LEAKING. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER HIGHLANDER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE (HEAD GASKET BLOWN, LEAKING COOLANT, AND STRIPPED BOLTS ON THE BLOCK). I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING THAT THEY ARE NOT TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR

ENGINE STARTED TO LEAK COOLANT FROM THE HEAD GASKET, AND AFTER A COUPLE DAYS WAS LEAKING ABOUT A GALLON A DAY. AT THAT POINT I STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THEY SAID IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKET BECAUSE THE HEAD BOLTS ARE STRIPED OUT. COST WOULD BE AROUND $5000 BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE STRIPED DOWN AND TAKEN TO A MACHINE SHOP TO BE FIXED. AND MORE THEN LIKELY IT WOULD NEED A NEW MOTOR BLOCK. I STILL HAVEN'T HAD THE CAR FIXED BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY RIGHT NOW. I HAVE DONE ALOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS AND SEEMS MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2003 HIGHLANDER. THIS FOR SURE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE HIGHLANDER AND TOYOTA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND HELP RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. I WROTE SEVERAL LETTERS TO TOYOTA AND THAT IS BASICALLY THE SAME ANSWER I GOT EVERY TIME. *TR