2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ABOVE THE HALF WAY MARK AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF STOPPING AND STARTING IT APPROACHED THE RED BUT NEVER ACTUALLY WENT INTO THE RED ZONE. NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS EVER WENT ON TO ALERT ME TO AN ENGINE PROBLEM. WHEN STOPPED, IT WENT ABOVE THE HALF WAY MARK AND WHEN DRIVING IT WENT DOWN TO THE HALFWAY MARK. I GOT HOME ( 20 MINUTES LATER), I PARKED THE CAR AND DROVE IT THE NEXT DAY TO THE TOYOTA DEALER ( 8 MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE). IT DID NOT GO ABOVE THE HALFWAY MARK AT THIS TIME.FYI, ALL MAINTENANCE AND CHECK UPS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON TIME AND DONE AT THIS DEALER. THE DEALER CALLED LATER THAT DAY AND INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD AND IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT ELSE MAY BE DAMAGED, IT WOULD COST $550. JUST TO INVESTIGATE INTO TO HEAD CYLINDER AND THE ENGINE. THE $550.WOULD BE APPLIED TO ANY REPAIRS. THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY, THE DEALER CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THE BOLTS OF THE HEAD CYLINDER WERE STRIPPED AND THE THREADS WERE IN THE BLOCK. I WOULD NEED A NEW SHORT BLOCK AT THE COST OF $6,375.00 PLUS TAX. ALL DUE TO THE OVERHEATING INCIDENT, WHICH HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. *TR

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A FAMILY ROAD TRIP FROM CHICAGO, IL TO HAMILTON, ON, CANADA. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 7 HOURS INTO THE 8.5 HOUR TRIP, I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEAR AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISE TO THE VERY TOP. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND ASSUMED THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH COOLANT TO KEEP THE ENGINE COOL, AS IT WAS A HOT DAY. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAD RETURNED TO ITS NORMAL POSITION. I RE-ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE I NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGIN TO RISE ONCE AGAIN. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND FOUND A CANADIAN TIRE STORE IN LONDON, ON, CANADA WHERE A MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF LEAK IN THE ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE ONE OF TWO VERY UNCOMMON PROBLEMS THAT WOULD BOTH COST A GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX AND WOULD MOST LIKELY EXTEND MY FAMILY'S STAY IN CANADA. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD STAY IN LONDON AND HAVE A MECHANIC BEGIN WORKING ON THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY OR CONTINUE ON TO HAMILTON BY STOPPING EVERY FEW MILES TO REFILL THE COOLANT, AS WE WERE ONLY ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY. WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO HAMILTON AND STOPPED AROUND 5 TIMES TO REFILL THE COOLANT LEVEL. UPON REACHING HAMILTON, ON, CANADA WE FOUND A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND ITS ENGINE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIM ON FRIDAY, JULY 6, 2012 AND HE TOLD US THAT IT LOOKED LIKE AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. ON SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012 THE MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT THE LEAK WAS IN FACT COMING FROM ONE OF THE 4 CYLINDER HEADS AS THE BOLTS ON THE ENGINE WERE STRIPPED. OUR ONLY OPTION WAS TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO FIND A MATCHING ENGINE NEARBY AND COMPLETED THE REPLACEMENT BY TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2012. WE RETURNED HOME TO CHICAGO THE VERY SAME DAY WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS ALONG THE WAY. *TR

I SAW A SMALL POOL OF A RED-BROWN LIQUID ON THE GARAGE FLOOR, UNDER THE ENGINE. I DROVE IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC CALLED THE NEXT DAY TO SAY THE HEAD BOLTS IN THE ENGINE BLOCK WERE STRIPPED AND THE CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. THIS REQUIRED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE MECHANIC HAD CHECKED ONLINE AND CALLED HIS ENGINE FRIENDS AND IT APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. WWW.CARCOMPLAINT.COM DETAILS THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS BEEN VERY RELIABLE UP TO THIS POINT. WHEN I REPORTED IT TO TOYOTA, THEY STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THEY WILL LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS. I UNDERSTAND THE CAR IS OLDER AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND AM LETTING YOU KNOW BECAUSE THIS APPEARS TO BE A "DEFECT", RATHER THAN NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON A VEHICLE. THE TOTAL BILL FOR THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT, WITH GETTING A FEW OTHER PARTS REPLACED WAS $6,272.86. *TT

2003 HIGHLANDER , 2.4 ENGINE STARTED LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ON DRIVEWAY. PRESSURE TESTED OK. HEAD GASKET LEAKING DUE TO STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS. MECHANIC STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2.4 ENGINE. USUALLY BETWEEN 80,000 & 120,000 MILES. *TR REPAIR ESTIMATED AT $2000.

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER - 109, 032 MILES I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE SUB-FRAME WAS ROTTED/RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY REASONS. I WAS TOLD THE COST TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE $1,865.00. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER TO SEE IF TOYOTA WOULD HELP OR COVER THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT. I'M WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWER BLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115,000.

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (4 CYL. ENGINE) DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $600. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND IMMEDIATELY FOUND TO STILL HAVE A COOLANT LEAK. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND OWNER ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. DEALERSHIP CHECKED AND ADVISED THAT CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS WERE STRIPPED OUT AND THAT ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $5400. THE ENGINE NEVER LOST ENOUGH COOLANT TO OVERHEAT BUT THE ONLY REPAIR OPTION GIVEN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE RATHER THAN REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET AND REPAIRING THE STRIPPED OUT THREADS TO HEAD BOLTS. SERVICE MANAGER SLIPPED UP BY SAYING THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE BUT WHEN QUESTIONED FURTHER ABOUT THE PROBLEM HE STATED HE ONLY SEES IT "ONCE IN A BLUE MOON". THIS SEEMS TO BE A CONTRADICTION TO ALL THE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. TOYOTA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN MARCH 2, 2011 FOR THE HIGHLANDER, RAV4, CAMRY, AND SOLARA WHICH STATES: THERE MAY BE DAMAGED CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO STATED HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT (AND WILL GIVE A 2 YEAR 24000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE REPAIR). WHY DOES A VEHICLE DEFECT HAVE TO KILL SOMEONE BEFORE IT PROMPTS A RECALL. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VEHICLE DEFECT AND IS STILL HAZARDOUS TO CONSUMERS IF THEY ARE SICK, ELDERLY, OR LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR WHEN THEY ARE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STRUCK BY ANOTHER MOTORIST. (TOO MANY!) COME ON TOYOTA, DOES IT TAKE A LAWSUIT OVER SOMEONE'S DEATH FOR YOU TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? *JS

THERE ARE TWO SPEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. IT WAS ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING BACK HOME WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT ABOUT 65 MPH. LATER, AFTER EXITING THE FREEWAY AND DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, THE RADIATOR HOSE BLEW OFF FROM THE PRESSURE, SHOOTING COOLANT AND CONTENTS OF THE RADIATOR BACK ONTO THE ENGINE (4 CYLINDER). I WAS GOING 40 MPH AT THE TIME. THE THERMOSTAT MUST NOT HAVE BEEN WORKING BECAUSE I WASN'T READING ANY OVERHEATING GOING ON, THOUGH THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS. AFTER GETTING IT DIAGNOSED, APPARENTLY THE BOLTS WERE STRIPPED, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW, AND THE ENGINE GOT TOO HOT. I AM NOW ASKED TO PAY ALMOST $3,000 TO REBUILD THE ENGINE (RETHREAD, ETC.). THIS THING WITH THE HEAD GASKET AND THE BOLTS FAILING AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE (114,000 IN MY CASE) SEEMS TO BE A RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL. I HAD BEEN DRIVING IT AND KEEPING IT WELL MAINTAINED FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS WITH RELATIVELY FEW PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS HAPPENED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND BLOCKED HER VISIBILITY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VISOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 05/24/12*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE HEAD GASKET. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE BOLTS WERE STRIPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND THE BOLTS THREAD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.