2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

ELECTRONIC PEDAL POSITION SENSOR DOES NOT RESPOND TO DRIVER INPUT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT RESPONSE BECOMES DELAYED FOR 2 OR MORE SECONDS, AND IN CERTAIN DRIVER SITUATIONS POSES A DANGER TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. A SHIFT AND/OR ACCELERATION DELAY OCCURS WHEN FULL RAPID THROTTLE RESPONSE IS REQUIRED OR NEEDED IN CERTAIN TYPES OF TRAFFIC SCENARIOS SUCH AS ENTERING FREEWAYS , NEGOTIATING TRAFFIC , CHANGING LANES, STOP AND GO AND EMERGENCY TYPE BRAKING/ACCELERATION MANEUVERS. THE DEALER AND TOYOTA USA HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS BEHAVIOR, AND NO SUCH FIX HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. I HAVE RECEIVED MANY DEALER/MFR.OPINIONS ON THIS . THE DEALER JUST SAYS THAT THERE IS NO INFORMATION FROM TOYOTA ON HOW TO ADJUST OR FIX THIS COMMON COMPLAINT. I AM NOT ALONE ON THIS. AND COMPLAINTS REGARDING DRIVEABILITY OF VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED BY OWNERS OF MY2004-2007 HIGHLANDERS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE VEHICLE'S CORRECT TIRE INFORMATION IS GOODYEAR INTEGRITY 101 S TIRES, SIZE 225/65 R-17. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO A SERVICE STATION. APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS BEFORE THE TIRE FAILED, HE HEARD A RUMBLING SOUND. THE TOW SERVICE ARRIVED AND PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE WHEEL WELL WAS FOUND TO BE DAMAGED. THE FUEL SYSTEM AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 12,043. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH DRAINS THE BATTERY. *MC THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED 6 TIMES AND THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE DEALER DID FIND AN INTERNAL SHORT BY THE ENGINE AND THE THEFT DETERRENT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE STALLING PROBLEM.*JB

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 3-3V-6 5 SPEED AUTO. VERY ERRATIC SHIFTING AND HESITATION WHEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. HAPPENED MOSTLY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND BRAKES NEEDED TO BE APPLIED MUCH HARDER THAN ONE WOULD LIKE. COULD NEVER BE SURE WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC HOW THE CAR WILL RESPOND. VERY DANGEROUS. HAD A 2002 HIGHLANDER BEFORE THIS ONE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE IN JULY 2006. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR HAS TO ADJUST TO MY DRIVING STYLE. UNLESS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON THEY WON'T EVEN TRY TO FIX ANYTHING. I EVEN HAD THE REGIONAL REP DRIVE IT (5 MILES) AND PROCLAIM THE CAR TO BE NORMAL. IF THIS IS NORMAL, YOU CAN KEEP IT. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR. TOYOTA IS WAITING FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO OCCUR. I INTEND TO FILE A CLAIM WITH THE NJ LEMON LAW. *AK

ERRATIC SHIFTING OF TRANSMISSION,HESITATION,SEARCHING FOR GEARS .TRANSMISSION DOES NOT IDLE DOWN WHEN COMING TO A STOP, CAUSING HARD BRAKING WHEN IT SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY.TOYOTA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 9,500 MILES, IT IS HAVING SOME ISSUES JUST NOT AS SEVERE AS THE OLD TRANSMISSION. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS CAR 6 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM. THERE IS A UNPREDICTABLE 2-3 SECOND HESITATION ON ACCELERATION WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC STREAM FROM A PARKING LOT OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN I AM DRIVING RELATIVELY SLOW AND WANT TO ACCELERATE. WHEN I HAVE TO SCOOT IT STUMBLES BEFORE PICKING UP SPEED SO I AM NOT SCOOTING AS WELL AS I SHOULD BE TO KEEP FROM INTERFERING WITH OTHER ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT ACTS AS IF THE IGNITION HAS BEEN TURNED OFF FOR AN INSTANT CAUSING ME TO LURCH FORWARD MOMENTARILY AS THE CAR DECELERATES BEFORE THE ENGINE CATCHES AND LUNGES FORWARD IN ACCELERATION. THIS HESITATION THROWS OFF MY BALANCE AND TIMING CAUSING A SENSATION OF STALLING IN TRAFFIC AND BECOMING A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND IS A PROBLEM. TODAY I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AS THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE INVOICE STATES: "CUSTOMER STATES THERE IS A HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AS IF THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF AND THEN IT LUNGES ?????????" THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AS THIS IS AN INHERENT TOYOTA DESIGN FEATURE BECAUSE IT HAS ELECTRONIC THROTTLE AND THEY COULD HAVE SAVED ME A TRIP TO SEE THEM IF I HAD CALLED AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE INVOICE STATES: "TEST DROVE VEHICLE, PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TEST. NO DEFECT OF PARTS OR CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE." THEY SAID I HAVE JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES ON THE CAR AND THE COMPUTER IS LEARNING MY DRIVING HABITS AND MAY SETTLE DOWN AFTER A WHILE. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS OVER THE YEARS AND THINK I AM AWARE OF WHEN A CAR TENDS TO HESITATE ON ACCELERATION. I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WILL TELL ME WHEN I COME BACK IN A FEW WEEKS AND TELL THEM I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THEY WILL TELL ME THE SAME THING. IF WHAT THEY SAY IS TRUE THEN ALL TOYOTAS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECALLED AS A SAFETY HAZARD. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

I NOTICED HESITATION IN GEAR SHIFTING AND SOME LUNGING WHEN MY FOOT WAS OFF THE BRAKE AFTER I PURCHASED A NEW 2006 HIGHLANDER IN JULY 2006 AND MADE A MENTAL NOTE TO HAVE IT CHECKED AT THE FIRST FOLLOW-UP SERVICE. IN OCTOBER 2006, I WAS PULLING OUT OF A POST OFFICE PARKING LOT WHILE AWARE OF 2 CARS AT A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY. WHEN IN THE INTERSECTION, 1 OF THE 2 CARS WAS TRAVELING MUCH FASTER THAN ANTICIPATED. WHEN I ACCELERATED QUICKLY, THE CAR JUST SEEMED TO CHOKE, AND THE CAR COLLIDED INTO MY REAR SIDE (DRIVER'S SIDE). I AND THE OTHER DRIVER HAD ONLY MINOR INJURIES, BUT THE COLLISION WAS VERY FRIGHTENING AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I ALSO FELT THAT SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR THAN I HAD THOUGHT. AFTER I GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE BODY REPAIR SHOP (7 WEEKS LATER), I TOOK IT INTO TO THE DEALER AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD ALL OF THE HIGHLANDERS HAVE THAT HESITATION IF THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED HARD. I WAS TOLD TO PRESS DOWN ONLY GRADUALLY. SINCE THEN, I CONTINUE TO NOTICE THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. IT MAKES ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE AND AM NOT SURE HOW TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE OTHER THAN TO SELL THE CAR. I AM WORRIED HOWEVER THAT OTHERS MAY BE AT RISK BECAUSE OF THIS FEATURE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *NM

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES AND STEERING GOING OUT AT THE SAME TIME**NAR** THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN THE CONSUMER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES THERE WAS NO PULSATING SENSATION, AS EXPECTED WHEN THE ABS ACTIVATES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE COASTED ABOUT 150 FEET UNTIL IT IMPACTED ANOTHER VEHICLE.

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LOST POWER WHEN HE USED THE VEHICLE FOR TOWING. WEATHER CONDITIONS VARIED, ROAD CONDITIONS WERE PRIMARILY ICY, GRAVEL, AND DIRT. THE ONLY WAY HE COULD GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE WAS BY UN-HITCHING THE TRAILER. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED, AND IT WILL LOSE POWER TO PROTECT THE VEHICLE IF THE LOAD WAS TOO HEAVY. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AT 3,500 MILES AND AT 17,500 MILES. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS BEFORE OR AFTER POWER LOSS. THE VEHICLE STARTED UP AND DROVE NORMALLY ONCE THE TRAILER WAS UNHITCHED. AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO. UPDATED 01/29/07. *JB

HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKING PROBLEMS ... DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP FAIRLY QUICKLY (I.E. STOP SIGN), THE BRAKE ENGAGES ... LETS GO FOR A SECOND... CATCHES, CAR STOPS. THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, BUT IT BEGAN HAPPENING QUITE FREQUENTLY ... TOOK IT TO TOYOTA. THEY CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ON THE FRONT ... SINCE THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THE NEWER MODEL, BUT NOT MINE. RIVING ON A SERVICE ROAD ... 55-60 MPH ... THE CAR STARTS SLOWING DOWN BY ITSELF ... CONSTANTLY.. KEPT SPEEDING UP AND IT KEPT SLOWING DOWN, AS IF BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED... NO BRAKE LIGHTS THOUGH. TODAY I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ... GOING DOWN A GRADUAL SLOPE ... ON A TURN ... BRAKED ... THE CAR SPED UP .. WENT FROM 30 MPH TO ABOUT 35 MPH, WHILE BRAKING ... CAR SKIDED OFF THE ROAD, SKID LIGHT CAME ON, BEEPING NON STOP ... HIT A POLE... SHATTERED MY MIRROR AND SCRATCHED THE SIDE ... CAR WOULDN'T STOP ... THREW IT INTO PARK AND FINALLY SKIDDED TO A STOP. DRIVING ON THURSDAY, ABOUT TO COME TO A STOP AND .... IT DOES THIS SHORT STOP THING RECENTLY.. WHERE IT BRAKES RATHER FORCEFULLY AND ABRUPTLY WHEN IT IS COLD... SO AFTER THAT HAPPENS ...THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF... AND COMES TO A FULL STOP. NO LIGHTS. NO ENGINE. BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CAR IS STILL IN DRIVE, KEY STILL IN IGNITION ...PUSH IT INTO PARK, TAKE OUT KEY... RESTART.... DRIVING AGAIN. THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LIGHT DOESN'T TURN ON ANYMORE NOW. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES SINCE LAST THURSDAY NOW. THERE ARE ALOT MORE INCIDENCES AND DIFFERENT FAILURES. *JB