2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION DURING CITY DRIVING THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY HARD TO PRESS DOWN AND SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON MY VEHICLE DASHBOARD. AT FIRST, THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT BUT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORST OVER CONTINUED DRIVING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MODULE AND THE REPAIR WAS ABOUT $2,600.00. I PARKED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AND TO MANY CLOSE CALLS. LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THIS 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND SEVERAL PROCEEDING MODEL YEARS HAD A VERY EXTENSIVE CONSUMER COMPLAINT NUMBER FOR THIS VERY SAME ABS BRAKE SYSTEM CONCERN. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE SAME LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ABOUT A WARRANTY AT WHICH TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT MY WARRANTY EXPIRED WHICH I NEVER WAS INFORMED. IT SEEMS TO ME PERSONALLY THIS IS HOW THE AIR BAG SAFETY PROBLEM WAS OVER LOOKED ON THESE VEHICLES UNTIL CONSUMERS LOST THEIR LIVES ON FAULTY CONSUMER PRODUCTS THAT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORST OVER TIME. SEVERAL OF THE OTHER IMPORT MANUFACTURE HAVE OFFERED RECALLS ON THE VERY SAME ABS SYSTEM BRAKE CONCERN. TOYOTA HAS YET TO OFFER A RECALL SEVERAL MODEL YEARS INTO THIS SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. IF WE AS CONSUMERS CAN'T STOP OUR VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING ON THE CITY STREETS OR HIGHWAYS ACCIDENTS HAPPEN AND PEOPLE DIE. THIS SAFETY CONCERN HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH WITH THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THE YEARS FOR THE SAME ABS BRAKE SYSTEM CONCERN. THERE MUST BE A MUCH BETTER JOB AT PROTECTING THE CONSUMER SAFETY FROM CONTINUED SAFETY CONCERNS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA. ALL THE OTHER IMPORT MANUFACTURES HAVE STEP UP WITH RECALLS, WHATS TAKING TOYOTA MANUFACTURES SO LONG AFTER YEARS OF THE SAME SAFETY CONCERNS. PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS ABS BRAKE SYSTEM CONCERN.

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN AUGUST 2018. IN JANUARY, WARNING LIGHTS INDICATED A 'VSC SYSTEM' PROBLEM. THE EVENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I RESEARCHED CAR REPAIR WEBSITES AND FORUMS, AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS OFTEN A SIMPLE PROBLEM WITH A SENSOR FOR THE FUEL DOOR, OR A LINKAGE IN THE ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY. I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS, AND THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. OVER THE PAST SIX WEEKS, THE LIGHTS HAVE RETURNED, USUALLY IN ASSOCIATION WITH REFUELING THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TODAY, AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN ABS ACTUATOR WAS FAILING. THE PART IS $1700 FROM TOYOTA, WITH LABOR TOTALING $600. FURTHER RESEARCH REVEALED THE PROBLEM WAS WIDESPREAD, BUT THE ONLY REMEDY WAS A 'WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT' THAT HAS ALREADY EXPIRED. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR, AND I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS ISSUE AT PURCHASE. BECAUSE THIS ISSUE WAS CRITICAL FOR VEHICLE SAFETY, I FELT THE NEED TO ALERT THE NHTSA TO A CONTINUING PROBLEM.

THE BRAKE ACTUATOR PUMP FAILED AND WAS REPLACE UNDER THE WARRANTEE EXTENSION ZG1. THE REPLACEMENT BRAKE ACTUATOR PUMP FAILED BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT COVER IT. IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE DEFECTIVE PART. WHEN THE PART FAILS MANY SYSTEMS ARE IMPACTED ESPECIALLY THE BRAKES.

WHEN IS THERE GOING TO BE A RECALL FOR THE POWER WINDOWS??? THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 2007 HIGHLANDERS- IN 2012, 2 MONTHS BEFORE I COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA, THEY HAD NO COMPLAINTS !!THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, THERE ARE SOOO MANY COMPLAINTS. I CURRENTLY HAVE 2 WINDOWS THAT DON'T WORK,THEY WERE STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION, BOTH OF THE MOTORS HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED. THE 3RD WINDOW WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS @ 88,000 MILES. THE VISORS DON'T STAY UP, ANOTHER SAFETY HAZARD !!! ALSO WAY TOO MANY COMPLAINTS.

INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON, THERE IS A HIGH BEEPING SOUND, AND THE BRAKES STOPPED FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE BRAKES EITHER NEED TO BE MATCHED WITH EXTREME FORCE OR THE BRAKES WILL SLAM BY BARELY TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE AND OFFERED A WARRANTY EXTENSION TO OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE EXTENSION WAS OFFERED AND HAVEN'T HAD ISSUES UNTIL RECENTLY. I AM CONCERNED FOR NOT ONLY MY SAFETY BUT THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. I HAVE BEEN A TOYOTA FAN FOR ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE. HOWEVER, AFTER DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE AND BEING QUOTED $2000 TO FIX IT, I WOULD OFFER ADVICE TO ANYBODY OR NOT TO BUY A TOYOTA OR AT LEAST NOT A TOYOTA HYBRID. BUYER AND DRIVER BEWARE!

I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE MAIN ROAD COMING TO A STOP LIGHT.THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AFTER PRESSING ON THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES. THERE ARE SEVERAL LIGHTS ON THE DASH:BRAKES,TRACTION CONTROL, 2 YELLOW EXCLAMATION MARKS ONE INSIDE A TRIANGLE AND THE ,ABS. THE MECHANIC IS SAYING THE BRAKE ACTUATOR IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO REPLACED.

WHILE DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED TO PROPERLY STOP THE CAR. THIS ISSUE FIRST HAPPENED IN JANUARY 2017. AT THAT TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN AND HAD THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED UNDER A LIMITED SERVICE RECALL BY TOYOTA AND THE REPLACEMENT ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY ALSO FAILED WITHIN 18 MONTHS. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA THE BRAKES AGAIN FAILED TO STOP THE CAR, MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND JERKING TO A HALT AFTER PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. BECAUSE THE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED UNDER THE LIMITED SERVICE RECALL TOYOTA DENIES ANY CULPABILITY IN THE FAILURE OF THE REPLACEMENT PART AND REFUSES TO OFFER FURTHER ASSISTANCE.

I AM GETTING A "CHECK VSC SYSTEM" ON THE DASHBOARD ALONG WITH A RED TRIANGLE, ORANGE ABS LIGHT, ORANGE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, RED BRAKE LIGHT AND ORANGE EXCLAMATION MARK INSIDE A CIRCLE. I HAVE BEEN HEARING WEIRD POPPING NOISES WHEN BRAKING ALSO.

BRAKE ACTUATOR. ON SEPTEMBER 2016 I HAD MY CAR SELF BRAKE AT 45 MPH. NO INJURIES OCCURRED, BUT I HAD CAR TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALER SHIP IN ORLANDO FLORIDA. AFTER LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE INSPECTOR DIAGNOSIS. THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER I RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN JUNE OF 2016 TOYOTA DID ISSUE A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WARRANTY ISSUE WITH MY CARS BRAKING ACTUATOR. I WAS NEVER INFORMED. IN NOVEMBER OF 2018 I REPORTED A ISSUE WITH BRAKES. DEALER CONFIRMED IT WAS ACTUATOR. TOYOTA REFUSED OT ASSIST WITH REPAIR. IN JANUARY OF 2019, MY BRAES FAILED WHILE DRIVING. AGAIN NO INJURIES. IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE ACTUATOR. TOYOTA AGAIN REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY.

THE BRAKE ACTUATOR MODULE FAILED IN 2013 AND THE REPLACEMENT MODULE FAILED AGAIN IN 20018.