2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING, A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE NOISE GREW LOUDER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,493.

WE RECENTLY HAD OUR HIGHLANDER COMPLETELY TOTALED BY OUR INSURANCE AFTER A FAILURE TO HAVE OUR AIR CONDITIONING DRAIN PROPERLY. THE CLOG CAUSED WATER TO BACK UP INTO THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND FLOOD OUR FLOOR CARPETING. THE DRAINAGE ISSUE ALSO CAUSED THE HEADLINERS TO BECOME WET AND DRIP ONTO THE LEATHER UPHOLSTERY. WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP ADVANTAGE TOYOTA VALLEY STREAM AND THEY FIRST SUGGESTED CLEARING THE MOON ROOF BUT THAT WASN'T THE ISSUE. WHEN WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THEM THEY KNEW IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE A/C DRAIN. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM IT'S NOT PART OF THEIR STANDARD MAINTENANCE PROCESS. WE COULD HAVE SAVED OURSELVES A HEADACHE BY HAVING THEM "ADD" THIS TO THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE.

SIMILAR TO OTHER COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ VIA THIS SITE, WATER HAS COLLECTED BENEATH MY FLOORMATS FROM THE DRAINAGE TUBES RUNNING FROM SUNROOF. THE DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CLOGGED WITH DIRT AND THEY HAVE "UNCLOGGED" THEM 3 TIMES IN 10 MONTHS. FOLLOWING THE THIRD VISIT, THEY ARE NOW SAYING THERE'S NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO, THIS IS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. MY CAR NOW SMELLS OF MOLD TO WHICH I AM ALLERGIC, AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. I WAS FIRST TOLD TO WASH MY CAR AND BLOW THE DRAINAGE HOLES CLEAR IN THE SUNROOF, BUT I HAVE DONE SO REGULARLY AND HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM TWICE IN 6 WEEKS. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT DIRT IS ENTERING THROUGH THE UNDERBELLY OF THE CAR AND THAT NO ONE ELSE SEEMS TO BE HAVING THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS HERE AND A HUNDRED OTHERS ONLINE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OTHER ISSUES COULD BE CAUSED AS A RESULT OF THIS WATER (RUST, ELECTRICAL ISSUES, DAMAGE TO AIRBAGS, ETC.) OR WHERE THE TUBING BEGINS LEAKING AND WATER REDIRECTS TO THE FLOORBOARD RESERVOIR. I SEEM TO GET A DIFFERENT ANSWER EACH TIME IT IS SERVICED. 3 SEPARATE TOYOTA SERVICEMEN HAVE AGREED THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW BUT RETRACT THAT ANY TIME I ATTEMPT TO MAKE MY CASE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT END WHEN TURNING WHEELS, APPEARED AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. TOOK TO SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS SO LOOSE HE COULD MANIPULATE IT WITH HIS HAND AND WAS CLOSE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

RE: INVESTIGATION EA18006. MY CAR HAS BEEN MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN DURING SLOW TURNS TO THE RIGHT SO I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS AND ARTICLES TALKING ABOUT A 'KNOWN' ISSUE WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. ONE ARTICLE LED ME TO YOUR INVESTIGATION. WHILE AT THE DEALER YESTERDAY, I EXPLAINED THE ISSUE AND ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE. THEY SAID FOR $70 THEY CAN LOOK INTO IT. GIVEN I CONSIDER STEERING A CRITICAL SYSTEM, I PROTESTED THE SERVICE CHARGE AND THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS THEY COULD DO A 'VISUAL' INSPECTION FOR FREE BUT IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT DEEPLY TO DIAGNOSE PROPERLY. I HAD THEM PROCEED AND THEY CAME BACK WITH A SUGGESTION THAT THE STEERING COLUMN BE REPLACED. I ASKED IF IT WAS A SAFETY CONCERN AND WAS TOLD 'YES IT WILL BE AT SOME POINT'. OBVIOUSLY, I HAD THEM REPLACE IT BUT FEEL THAT IF THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE, THEY SHOULD BE PROACTIVE AND REPLACE THESE STEERING COLUMNS ON ALL AFFECTED PRODUCTS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I SENT A CONCERN TO TOYOTA AS WELL BUT WANTED TO ADD THIS TO YOUR ACTIVE INVESTIGATION RECORD.

I AM THE FIRST OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND BOUGHT IT NEW FROM A TOYOTA DEALER. MY 2013 HIGHLANDER HAS 54,700 MILES. FOR ALMOST ONE YEAR (STARTING MAY, 2018), I AM EXPERIENCING A CLUNK AND KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. NOW MORE RECENTLY, I AM EXPERIENCING IT MORE OFTEN, AND WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE FOUND AFTER A RESEARCH THAT THIS STEERING COLUMN ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD AND TOYOTA HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, AND RECOMMENDING TO CHANGE WITH THIS REVISED PART TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. THE OLD PART# WAS 45220-48170, WHICH HAS BEEN RE-DESIGNED BY TOYOTA AS NEW PART# 45220-48171. IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND REQUIRED TO CHANGE THE DESIGN, THEN TOYOTA MUST CHANGE THIS PART AND RECTIFY THE ISSUE FREE OF COST.

OUR 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS HAD 3 OF THE 4 DOOR ACTUATORS FAIL IN A 26 MONTH PERIOD. THE FIRST ACTUATOR FAILED IN IN MARCH 2017 (CAR WAS ONLY 3 YEARS, 8 MONTHS OLD), THE SECOND ACTUATOR FAILED IN FEBRUARY 2018 (CAR WAS 4 YEARS, 7 MONTHS OLD) AND THE THIRD ACTUATOR FAILED IN MAY 2019 (CAR WAS ONLY 5 YEARS 10 MONTHS OLD). BECAUSE THE DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED, THE DOOR DID NOT LOCK WHEN PLACING THE CAR IN DRIVE WHICH INCREASED THE CHANCES THE DOOR WOULD OPEN IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH; THEREBY, REDUCING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE IN A CRASH. SINCE THE ACTUATORS ALSO FAILED TO AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK WHEN THE CAR WAS PLACED IN PARK, THE ACTUATORS WOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT; THEREBY, POSSIBLY IMPEDING THE ABILITY TO ENTER/EXIT THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. A COMPLAINT WAS LODGED WITH TOYOTA AND A CASE NUMBER WAS ESTABLISHED. HOWEVER, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO DOOR ACTUATORS AT THIS TIME AND THERE IS NOTHING THE COULD DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM.

CAR HAS ONLY 53K MILES AND I AM BEING TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE MY INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. DUE TO KNOCKING SOUNDS. I AM WORRIED IF IT WILL RESULT IN THE STEERING WHEEL FALLING OFF OR WORSE

BACK DOOR LOCKS AND PASSENGER FRONT DOOR LOCKS QUIT WORKING WITH UNLOCK/LOCK SWITCH AND REMOTE. I HAD THE FRONT LOCKS REPLACED BEFORE WARRANTY WAS UP. THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR DIED RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP. HOWEVER THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK IS DEAD AGAIN. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK IS ON THE FRITZ TOO. USING THE REMOTE OR USING REMOTELESS(TOUCHING THE HANDLE ON PASSENGER FRONT SIDE) ENTRY DOESN'T LOCK OR UNLOCK THE 3 DOORS, THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE 3 DOORS DON'T WORK. FROM WHAT I HAD READ TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THESE LOCKS SINCE 2004 BUT CONTINUE TO USE THEM. THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS IS PUSHING THE LOCK SWITCH INSIDE THE DOOR OR USING THE KEY THAT COMES WITH REMOTE ENTRY.** THE FRONT DOORS HAPPENED BEFORE TOYOTA WARRANTY WAS UP AND WERE REPLACE. THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP. THEN THE BACK DRIVER SIDE HAPPENED APRIL 2018. IF THE DOORS AREN'T LOCK AND YOU PUSH THE LOCK BUTTON, IT DOESN'T BEEP TO SAY IT IS SECURED. YOU HAVE TO GO LOCK ALL THE DOORS MANUAL THEN SET THE REMOTE FOR SECURING THE CAR.

I HAVE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING MY VEHICLE EITHER WAYFOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WHILE IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE TODAY, I ASKED DEALER TO CHECK THE NOISE. THIS IS A 2013 WITH 60K MILES ON IT; PURCHASED CERTIFIED USED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. SERVICE TECH TELLS ME IT IS RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH WILL COST OVER $2000 TO REPAIR. HE CAN'T/ WON'T TELL ME THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ISSUE, SAYING MAYBE IT IS "JUST A NOISE". WHEN I QUESTION THAT THIS SEEMS LIKE AN UNUSUALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AT 60K MILES, HE DOES NOT REALLY RESPOND. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS THAT THIS IS AN EXTENSIVE ISSUE IMPACTING MANY 2008-2013 HIGHLANDERS. TOYOTA HAS GONE SO FAR AS TO HAVE PUT OUT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT ALSO APPEARS THIS ISSUE IS BEING "INVESTIGATED" BY SAFETY BOARD. STEERING IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE (OBVIOUSLY). NOT ONLY HAS THIS NOT BEEN MADE AN OFFICIAL RECALL BY TOYOTA, I WAS NOT INFORMED AT TIME OF PURCHASING THIS CERTIFIED VEHICLE OF THIS ISSUE, NOR WAS I TOLD TODAY BY SERVICE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.