2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

srs light stays on. have seen many comp;aints on this with 2008 highlander. many say its a wiring problem in steering column.

MAY 2021 UPDATE: 2008 HIGHLANDER HYBRID 184,XXXMI I OWN A 2008 HIGHLANDER HYBRID IN GREAT SHAPE, MINUS INTERNAL LEAKAGE IN MY BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. MY CAR THREW THE DEATH CODE [C1391] WHICH IS THE INDICATION THAT THIS IS THE ISSUE. THE SCREEN INSIDE THE CAR FLASHED ABS // VSC // CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A DEALERSHIP AND HAS BEEN IN THE FAMILY EVER SINCE. THE "RECALL" ON THE ACTUATOR IS NOT ACTUALLY A RECALL, IT IS A "WARRANTY EXTENSION."AFTER RECEIVING A QUOTE FOR REPLACEMENT OF $4200CAD, I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT MY ISSUE. MY HIGHLANDER HAS 184,XXXMI AND IS A 2008 SO IT IS BEYOND THE MILAGE OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY (150,000MI) AND BEYOND THE END DATE OF THE INFINITY MILEAGE REPLACEMENT (NEW WARRANTY ENDED DEC 2020, OF COURSE). I CALLED TOYOTA, MADE A CLAIM, AND 24HRS LATER I CALLED BACK IN AND WAS DIRECTED TO SPEAK WITH THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT MANAGER. ALTHOUGH MY APPROACH WAS DIRECT, THOROUGH, AND CALM, HE REALLY DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. HE DEFENDED TOYOTA STATING THAT THEY "ALREADY WERE BEING VERY GRACIOUS BY EXTENDING THE CLAIM TO BEGIN WITH" AND THAT "THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO." I FIND THE FACT THAT TOYOTA RECOGNIZES THEY HAVE USED A FAULTY PART IN THEIR HIGHLANDERS, AND DID NOT LIST IT AS A "RECALL" (SO YOU COULD GET IT SWAPPED OUT BEFORE IT CAUSED PROBLEMS) IS RIDICULOUS. I MISSED THE CUT-OFF BY 5MO AND HIS ONLY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO CALL MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS AND "SHOP AROUND" FOR A CHEAPER PART. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST: $4,200CAD

ON MARCH 26, 2021 WHEN WE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THERE WERE SEVERAL INDICATORS AND MESSAGES THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE SERVICED BY A TOYOTA DEALER IMMEDIATELY. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH IT BECAME CLEAR THAT TOYOTA IS FULLY AWARE OF MALFUNCTIONS OF THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY AND BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP ON THIS VEHICLE AND COMMUNICATED IT TO OWNERS IN A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM NOTIFICATION-ZKC IN 2019. IN THAT VOLUNTARY COMMUNICATION, TOYOTA IDENTIFIED THE MALFUNCTIONS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND STATED THAT THE COST OF REPAIRS WAS COVERED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS PROBLEM DID NOT BECOME APPARENT UNTIL MARCH 26, 2021 TOYOTA DID NOT FULLY COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS. IT IS UNCLEAR WHY THIS KNOWN DEFECT AND MALFUNCTION HAVE NOT BEEN TREATED AS A RECALL. THERE ARE NUMEROUS CASES THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED ONLINE OF BRAKE FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE MALFUNCTIONS OF THE BRAKE ACTUATOR AND BOOSTER PUMP SOME WITH CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES. NO ONE AT TOYOTA HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY REPAIRS ARE NOT COVERED AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND INDICATE THAT IT WAS APPARENTLY AN ARBITRARY DATE. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THIS WAS A DELIBERATE EFFORT BY TOYOTA TO LIMIT THEIR FINANCIAL EXPOSURE WITH NO REGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. HOPEFULLY THE NHTSA WILL INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND REQUIRE TOYOTA TO NOTIFY ALL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE OF THE DEFECT AND POTENTIAL DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE AND HAVE TOYOTA RECALL THE VEHICLE AND MAKE THE APPROPRIATE REPAIRS. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE REPAIR IS $2,700.

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

THE ABS ON OUR 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID LIMITED WENT OUT SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE WE HAD PLANNED A LONG TRIP. WE HEARD A NOISE AND TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED IT. THANKFULLY WE WERE NOT HURT OR IN AN ACCIDENT.THE 2006 AND 2007 HIGHLANDERS HAVE RECALLS ON THEM FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE 2008 HAS THE SAME BRAKE COMPONENTS, PER OUR MECHANIC, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 2008. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY, AS IT USES THE SAME PARTS THAT ALREADY HAVE A RECALL ON THEM.

MY 2008 HIGHLANDER HYBRID CAME UP WITH THE FOLLOWING LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD AND INFORMATION DISPLAY: BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, CHECK ABS AND CHECK VSC SYSTEM. THE BRAKES GOT HARD TO PRESS ALL THE SUDDEN AFTER THE LIGHTS CAME ON, I WAS LUCKY I WASN'T DRIVING THE CAR WHEN IT HAPPENED. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA BACK IN 2019 STATING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY MODEL'S BRAKE ACTUATOR AND THAT IF MY VEHICLE HAD THESE SYMPTOMS, THEY WOULD REPAIR IT FOR FREE, BUT I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE PROBLEM PRESENTED ITSELF. THE PRIMARY COVERAGE FOR THIS WAS UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2020 AND THE SECONDARY COVERAGE WAS UNTIL THE CAR HAD 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES ON IT. THEY TOLD ME I DON'T QUALIFY FOR EITHER COVERAGES SINCE THE WARRANTY EXTENSION WAS UNTIL 2020 AND MY CAR ALREADY HAS 12 YEARS (FIRST DATE OF USE MAY, 2009), EVEN THOUGH IT ONLY HAS 80,280 MILES ON IT. MY LOCAL DEALER'S ESTIMATE FOR THIS PROBLEM TOTALS $3,873.55 WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS FOR A PROBLEM THEY RECOGNIZED HAPPENS TO EVERY MODEL IN MY CATEGORY, AND A PROBLEM THEY WOULD'VE FIXED FOR FREE LESS THAN 4 MONTHS AGO. EVEN MY SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL AND NOT DRIVE THE CAR AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS SHOULD'VE BEEN A RECALL, NOT A WARRANTY EXTENSION.

VEHICLE DRAINED THE NEW 12 VOLT BATTERY RECENTLY INSTALLED. I DELIVERED THE BATTERY TO THE VENDOR WHO CHARGED IT AND RAN AN ANALYSIS AND FOUND THAT THE BATTERY WAS IN PROPER WORKING ORDER. THEY INDICATED SOMETHING IN THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE DRAIN. UPON REPLACING THE FULLY CHARGED BATTERY THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. THERE WERE THREE WARNING MESSAGES: CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, CHECK VSC SYSTEM, AND CHECK 4WD SYSTEM. THE BRAKING SYSTEM ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ONE IN THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR AND I RECEIVED A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM NOTIFICATION LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER INDICATING COVERAGE FOR THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY WHICH CAUSES THESE WARNINGS. WHEN I HAD THIS CHECKED PRIOR TO THE COVERAGE EXPIRATION DATE OF DECEMBER 31, 2020, THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE ISSUE. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE SEEMS PROHIBITIVE AT OVER $3,000.00.

THE CAR KEEPS LUNGING FORWARD AS THE BRAKE IS BEING PRESSED AT TIMES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS IN SNOWY AND SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. I WAS FORCED ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A STOP. THE CAR BRAKE STOPPED WORKING BRIEFLY AND THE CAR INSTEAD JERK FORWARD. I CALLED TOYOTA ON 3/1/2021 WHO CLAIMED IT IS PART A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM TO REPAIR AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021 AND NOT CLASSIFIED AS A RECALL AND WILL THEY WILL NOT MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THIS IS A DEFINITE RECALL AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED ASAP. I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, SNOWY CONDITIONS, AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP GOING DOWNHILL WHEN THE CAR JERKED FORWARD AS THE BRAKE WAS BEING APPLIED.

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A SHORT TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY EIGHT YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHEN A HOSE ON THE ENGINE OIL COOLING ASSEMBLY BURST. THIS RESULTED IN ALL OF THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE BEING DRAINED IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AS A RESULT OF THIS. I DIDN'T DISCOVER THE ISSUE UNTIL PULLING BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY IN WHICH THERE IS AN INCLINE. THEN THE LIGHT INDICATING LOW OIL PRESSURE FINALLY CAME ON. I OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND THE DIPSTICK TO BE COMPLETELY DRY. I ALSO FOUND A SLOW DRIP OF OIL UNDER THE CAR (ONLY SLOW SINCE IT WAS ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL REMAINING). I THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE BACK HATCH OF THE VEHICLE WERE COVERED WITH OIL. MY DAUGHTER AND I ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE OIL THAT COVERED THE VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH FIRE AND AS FAR AS I KNOW THE OIL SLICK ON THE HIGHWAY DID NOT CAUSE ANY ACCIDENTS. I AM NOW BEING TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT IT IS NOT LISTED AS A RECALL. NOT ONLY DID THEIR KNOWN ENGINEERING ISSUE PUT MY FAMILY AND OTHER FAMILIES' LIVES IN DANGER, THEY ARE ALSO NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THAT THEIR KNOWN DEFECT CAUSED. THERE IS A "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT" THAT WAS ISSUED BY TOYOTA FOR THIS DEFECT. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA THE WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTICE WAS ISSUED TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF MY VEHICLE AND I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE ALSO HAD OTHER WORK PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THEN AND WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT OR WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT. I AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW A MANUFACTURER CAN KNOW A DEFECT EXISTS THAT CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE ENGINE SEIZURE, FIRE AND ACCIDENTS, BUT NOT ISSUE A RECALL. INSTEAD THEY LIMIT THE NOTICE TO A "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT" WHICH ISN'T CAUGHT BY THE DEALERSHIP FROM A VIN CHECK.

STEERING WENT OUT ALL OF ASUDDEN WITHOUT NOTICE,ALMOST CAUSING ME TO CRASH,,MY SPEED WAS LEGAL SPEED IN TEXAS 80MPH,,,ALSO A THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND FELT LIKE BRAKES WERE GOING TO BE APPLIED,,TURNED ENGINE OFF, RESTARTED CAR AND ABS BRAKE LIGHT WENT OFF