2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

WHEN I USE THE A/C AND TURN IT OFF A BAD ODOR COMES FROM THE VENT . THIS IS A NEW 2006 HIGHLANDER, THE NEXT DAY I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER HE SAID TAKE FOR SERVICE , THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT FOR A FEW MORE DAYS . I PUT 1500 MILES AND THE ODOR IS STILL THERE . I TOOK IT FOR SERVICE AGAIN . THE MECHANIC SAID TO USE A DEODORIZER ON THE VENT. I AM NOT A SATISFIED CUSTOMER. I WANT THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. I PAID FOR THE HIGHLANDER NOT THE SMELL THAT CAME WITH IT. *NM

NEW 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID 7200 MILES, WELL UNDER BOTH FACTORY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY. NO A/C -AIR CONDITIONING NOT WORKING- FOUND THAT SMALL PEBBLE/ROCK HAD DAMAGED AC CONDENSER ASSEMBLY, AND ALL COOLANT LOST. UNLIKE GAS VERSION OF HIGHLANDER, HYBRID HIGHLANDER HAS ZERO PROTECTION FROM ANY ROCK/BUG/ OBJECTS FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE -- THERE IS NO MESH OR PROTECTION AT ALL. IT IS VERY ACCESSIBLE, BEING LESS THAN 1 FOOT AWAY FROM GROUND, AND COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO FRONT AIR TRAFFIC DEALER IS CHARGING ME OVER 950$ TO REPLACE ENTIRE SYSTEM. THEY WILL NOT COVER THIS UNDER ANY WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM CAN/WILL EASILY HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAVE NOT/DO NOT TRAVEL DIRT ROADS, MOSTLY HIGHWAY -- SO THIS PROBLEM WILL MOST LIKELY REOCCUR UNLESS MESH/GRATE PROTECTION IS FITTED TO FRONT OF LOWER ASSEMBLY. TOYOTA HAS NO FRONT-BRA PARTS AVAILABLE. I HAVE CONTACTED CUSTOMER CARE AT TOYOTA AND THEY ONLY SYMPATHIZE. *NM

2006-TOYOTA HIGHLANDER-3.3V-6 WITH 5-SPEED AUTO-ERRATIC SHIFTING AND HESITATION AT SLOW SPEED WHEN LETTING OFF ACCELERATOR AND THEN REAPPLYING TRANSMISSION IS IN BETWEEN GEARS AND HESITATES THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR AND TAKES OFF,GENERALLY A LOT FASTER THAN YOU WANTED TO. ALSO UNDER ACCELERATION IT SOMETIMES ACTS LIKE IT DON'T KNOW WHAT GEAR IT WANTS TO BE IN. FROM COMPLAINTS OF OTHER CUSTOMERS AND AFTER TALKING TO TECH. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS ENGINE AND TRANS. PACKAGE SINCE 2004 AND STILL NO FIX. I WAS TOLD TOYOTA PROGRAMMED IT THIS WAY CAUSE THEY GOT THE BEST MPG, HECK WITH THE DRIVER HAVING COMPLETE CONTROL AND FEELING CONFIDENT THAT WHEN YOU PUSH THE ACCELERATOR IT'S GOING TO GO. *JB

FIRST STARTUP IN MORNINGS. SOMETIMES VEHICLE FAILS TO START ON FIRST ATTEMPT. SECOND ATTEMPT IT STARTS BUT FOR SEVERAL MILES AFTER, A STRONG ODOR OF GAS IN CABIN AREA. MUST ROLL WINDOW DOWN TO ALLOW VENTILATION. WIFE FIRST COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I ASSUMED IT WAS BECAUSE SHE WAS DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WHILE TRYING TO START VEHICLE. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I ATTEMPTED ON SEVERAL OCCASION AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. *NM

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4WD HYBRID STALLED DURING LEFT TURN (IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC) WHEN TRAVELING TO WORK. BOTH THE GAS AND ELECTRIC ENGINE STALLED - I.E. I PUSHED THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENED. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED, AND EVERYTHING HAS WORKED WELL SINCE (4 DAYS). *NM

DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG HAS TO BE REPLACED IN 3 MONTH OLD TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WARNING LIGHT DID ACTIVATE INDICATING PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP INDICATED UNTIL REPAIR IS DONE AIR BAG SHOULDN'T DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY BUT PROBABLY WON'T DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *NM

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID-I HAVE LOST ABS BRAKES, STABILITY CONTROL AND POWER STEERING ALONG WITH THE HYBRID ENGINE ON TWO OCCASIONS WITH MY 2 WEEK OLD 2006 HIGHLANDER. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TWICE-THE FIRST TIME THEY FOUND "MALFUNCTION CODES" AND "REBOOTED" THE COMPUTER AND TOLD ME IT WAS OPERATING AS "DESIGNED," ONLY TO HAPPEN AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE REPLACING A COMPUTER. DATE OF INCIDENT AND PURCHASE OF VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY 2006 BUT IS NOT AN OPTION BELOW. I AM CONCERNED IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE. *JB

DT: CONSUMER WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 17, 2005 AND SIDE/CURTAIN AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IT WAS SIDE IMPACT AT 45 MPH. HAD NOT CONTACTED TOYOTA AT THIS POINT. *AK