2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT, GOING LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR. AS I TURNED INTO THE SPOT, THE CAR LURCHED AHEAD, SO QUICKLY, THAT SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES STILL CAUSED ME TO SLIDE A BIT. I ENDED UP HITTING A CAR PARKED IN THE SPOT IN FRONT OF ME, AND CAUSING $1400 WORTH OF DAMAGE (TO MY FRONT BUMPER AND THE OTHER CARS REAR BUMPER). I HAD A FRIEND IN THE CAR WITH ME WHO VOUCHED FOR THIS. I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT BEFORE, AND WAS COMPLETELY BAFFLED BY WHAT HAPPENED. AFTER GOOGLING THIS, I SEE THAT THIS CAR HAS HAD SEVERAL SIMILAR INCIDENTS, AND I AM NOW WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY CAR. I AM UNSURE HOW TO PROCEED, AS I HAVE READ THAT MECHANICS SEEM UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE EVENT THAT OCCURS WHERE IT SEEMS TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. VERY EMBARRASSING- I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR ACCIDENT BEFORE! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND VOC WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE PULLEY THAT COULD CAUSE THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO BECOME COMPROMISED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V539000, (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO ALSO INFORMED HER THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

MY 7 YEAR OLD GOT TRAPPED IN THE SEATBELT AND HE HAD TO BE CUT OUT. HE WAS SITTING IN HIS HIGH BACK BOOSTER WITH THE SEATBELT PULLED OVER AND BUCKLED. BEFORE UNBUCKLING, HE PUT HIS HEAD THROUGH AND UNDER THE SHOULDER BELT PORTION. AFTER DISENGAGING THE BUCKLE, THE BELT STARTED TO RETRACT, AND GOT CAUGHT ON THE ARMREST OF THE BOOSTER SEAT AND STARTED TIGHTENING AROUND MY CHILD. EVERYTIME HE WIGGLED OR MOVED TO GET OUT, IT TIGHTENED FURTHER TO THE POINT WHERE HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING. THERE WAS NO WAY TO MANUALLY LOOSEN THE BELT AS IT CONSTRICTED AROUND HIM FURTHER AND FURTHER LIKE A BOA CONSTRICTOR. I HAD TO SCREAM FOR HELP AT THE CAR WASH I WAS AT AND THE WORKERS BROUGHT SCISSORS TO CUT THE BELT AND GET HIM OUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL WAS EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION OIL BEARING SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,250. UPDATED 08/08/2012 *JS

SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V6 IT HAS VERY ROUGH SHIFTS. THE TRANSMISSIONS SEEMS TO HESITATE AND LAG WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE DURING NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS, (I FEEL LIKE I AM ON A CARNIVAL RIDE). I HAVE HAD IT TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP IN FLORIDA & THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING ("THAT THIS MODEL DRIVES LIKE THAT" & IT'S THE WAY YOU DRIVE") FUNNY THOUGH WHEN THE MECHANIC DROVE IT, WITH ME IN THE CAR HE SAID THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THE UNDERWRITERS IN SERVICE THINK BECAUSE I'M A WOMEN, IT'S THE WAY I DRIVE. I LOVE MY CAR BUT, THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA & FIXED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *JS

INTERMITTENT LOSS OF AC WHEN HITS BUMPS. ON 06/23/11 I TOOK IN MY WIFE'S 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER TO ALAMO TOYOTA WHERE THEY CHARGE ME $92.72 TO TIGHTEN OR AS THEY PUT IT RETORQUE BOLTS BEHIND AC PANEL IN WHICH LOOKING AT IT NOW THERE ARE NO BOLTS BEHIND PANEL THERE IS ONE UNDERNEATH THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB AND SCREW ON THE SIDE . THEY TIGHTEN THAT NUT DOWN ON THE CONTROL/TEMP KNOB AND WHAT IT DID IT PULLED AWAY THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE THREE CONDUCTOR ON THAT RIBBON CABLE BEHIND THE KNOB. WHICH WAS A QUICK FIX WHICH ESSENTIALLY STOPPED WORKING (THEY BROKE OFF ) . I TAKE IT IN AGAIN TO ALAMO TOYOTA AND NOW THEY SAY ITS MY COMPRESSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR $1460.00 PLUS TAX I HAD ALREADY READ THE ONLINE FIX , I EXPLAIN TO THEM AND SHOWED THEM PICTURES OF THE ONLINE FIX. THEY SAID ITS THE COMPRESSOR. SO I CAME HOME TOOK IT APART AND FOUND TWO OF THE WIRE ON THE RIBBON CABLE BROKEN OFF .I INSTALLED THREE NEW WIRE BY SOLDERING THEM REPLACING THE RIBBON CABLE. AC IS WORKING AGAIN THANKS TO THE THAT ONE PERSON THAT PUT THOSE PICTURES ONLINE OF THE FIX THIS PERSON HE SAVED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE. I THANK HIM, AND I WILL NEVER DEAL WITH TOYOTA AGAIN I ALSO OWN A TUNDRA AND AS SOON AS I CAN I WILL TRADE BOTH IN FOR SOMETHING OTHER THEN TOYOTA. THEY ARE PART OF AMERICAN GREED. *JS

HESITATION DURING AUTO TRANSMISSION GEAR CHANGES. ENGINE REVS VERY HIGH THEN CHANGES GEARS. *TR

COOLANT LOSS DUE TO STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. NO SMOKE OR HEAT OR WARNING ON DASH. HAVE TO CHANGE ENGINE BLOCK COSTING $6,000 FOR PARTS AND REPAIR. DEALER NOT RESPONDING. ALWAYS HAVE RECEIVED MAINTENANCE WITH THE SAME DEALER/SERVICE CENTER. *TR

MY CAR STARTED HEATING UP AS I ACCELERATED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I SAW THE DIAL GOING INTO THE RED ZONE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS TOWED AT MY EXPENSE TO HILLTOP RICHMOND TOYOTA. I WAS TOLD THAT AFTERNOON THAT THE HEAD GASKET AND THE WATER PUMP BOTH BLEW OUT. I NOW HAVE A $2,500 REPAIR ON MY HANDS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS I FOUND THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY TOYOTA OWNERS AND THAT WAS VERIFIED BY THE DEALERSHIP PERSON AS WELL. TOYOTA IS USING BOLTS THAT STRIP WHICH CAUSE THE HEAD GASKET TO FAIL. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL REPORTS ABOUT A FOAM PIECE IN THE BLOCK THAT ALSO FAILS AS IT IS FAULTY AS WELL. *TR

BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL AND FILTER REPLACEMENT. AS DEALERS NORMALLY DO, THEY ALSO DID SPOT CHECKS ON BRAKES, HOSES, ETC. THE TWO FRONT WHEELS HAD BEEN REMOVED SUPPOSEDLY TO CHECK THE WEAR ON THE BRAKE PADS. AS THE MECHANIC WAS REINSTALLING THE WHEELS, TWO OF THE LUGS BROKE OFF. THE SERVICE REP SHOWED ME ONE AS HE EXPLAINED WHY THE OIL AND FILTER JOB WAS TAKING MUCH LONGER THAN EXPECTED. I STUDIED THE FRACTURE FACE AND SAW TYPICAL FATIGUE FAILURE WITH ORIGIN AND PROGRESSION FEATURES. IT WAS QUITE EVIDENT THE PROBLEM STARTED MUCH EARLIER THAN TODAY. I ONLY SAW ONE BROKEN LUG, BUT THE SERVICE REP SAID THAT THERE WERE TWO LUGS THAT BROKE PREMATURELY WHEN THEY WERE REINSTALLING ONE WHEEL. THIS CONCERNS ME SO I AM GIVING THIS INFORMATION TO NHTSA. I HAVE TAKEN CLOSE-UP PICTURES OF THE FRACTURE FACE IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEM SUBMITTED. TO BE SAFE, I AM HAVING ALL THE FRONT WHEEL LUGS REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE. AGREED, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A TOYOTA PROBLEM. IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY OVERTORQUE WHEN I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED. IF IT IS A TOYOTA PROBLEM, YOU'LL HAVE OTHER REPORTS SIMILAR TO MINE. (I AM A RETIRED SR. QUALITY ENGINEER FAMILIAR WITH ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, FAILURE MODES, METALLURGY, METALLOGRAPHY, MACHINING PRACTICES, THREADS, ETC.) *TR