2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2.4 L 4-CYLINDER ENGINE, 108,000 MILES, PERFECT SERVICE, UNTIL IT DEVELOPED COOLANT LEAK ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, ADJACENT TO AN INSULATOR PAD AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE BACK 3 HEAD BOLTS ARE COMPLETELY STRIPPED, ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. *TR

CAR ACCELERATED AND CHASED INTO HOUSE IN NOV 20011. CAR ACCELERATED IN PARKING LOT DEC. 2012. NO DAMAGE THIS TIME BUT IN 2011 THERE WAS 14,000 $ DAMAGE TO HOUSE AND CAR. CAR WAS CHECKED OUT AT TOYOTA TWICE ,NO PROBLEM FOUND. WIFE WILL NEVER DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN. SHE IS INFEAR OF HURTING SOMEONE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT SEE ANY SMOKE OR STEAM COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COOL BEFORE RESUMING OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE BOLTS WERE STRIPPED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM THE FIRE WALL. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT THE CONTACT COULD NOT GET A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT THEN CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND COOLANT ABNORMALLY LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACING DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET NOT BEING ABLE TO BE REMOVED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED RED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD BOLT ON THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I WAS TAKING A SHORT DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AND FIRST MY A/C STARTED BLOWING HOT AIR AND THEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. MY TODDLER WAS IN THE CAR AND I HAD TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD QUICKLY AND WAS STRANDED. IT WAS DANGEROUS AND SCARY. THE MECHANIC SAID THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND THAT I HAVE TO GET A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE MATERIALS IN 2003 TOYOTAS THAT MEANS THE SCREWS WON'T STAY IN THE BLOCK. MY CAR WAS CAREFULLY MAINTAINED, SERVICED AND OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES. THIS WAS A TOYOTA!, AND I WAS JUST GETTING BACK ON MY FEET WITH NEW JOB AFTER LOSING MY JOB, AND NOW I CAN'T DRIVE TO MY DIFFERENT JOB SITES -- AND BUSES CAN'T COVER WHAT I NEED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW WHEN I WAS DOING BETTER FINANCIALLY AND THOUGHT THAT AS LONG AS I KEPT IT MAINTAINED, I'D HAVE 6 YEARS OR MORE LEFT OF A RUNNING VEHICLE. I AM JUST SHOCKED THAT TOYOTA WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT, NOR WILL THE SERVICE MANAGER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW EVEN OFFER ME A DISCOUNT ON THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE OR LABOR. HE SAYS THERE MUST BE A RECALL ORDERED FIRST. I'M A SINGLE MOM HOPING THAT TOYOTA IS MADE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ERROR, AND THAT I'M NOT LEFT WITHOUT A CAR UNTIL I CAN SAVE TO BUY A CHEAP USED ONE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 65 AND 70 MPH WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED EMITTING COOL AIR AND STARTED EMITTING HOT AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115,000. UPDATED 08/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE COMPLAINT DELETED. UPDATED 08/21/12

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP, IT HANGS DOWN INTERFERING WITH VISION AND FALLS DOWN AS I DRIVE. I FEEL THIS IS A HAZARD TO VISION WHILE DRIVING. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP ALL OF THE WAY, IT HANGS DOWN AND AS I DRIVE IT FALLS ALL OF THE WAY DOWN. I FEEL THIS IS A HAZARD AS IT INTERFERES WITH VISION WHILE DRIVING. *TR