2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Complaints

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. ON MONDAY, JAN. 25TH, MY WIFEWAS PARKING OUR HIGHLANDER. SHE PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPACE. HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN SHE WENT TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHOT FORWARD AND HIT A TREE, DAMAGING THE FRONT FENDER. MY WIFE WAS SURE SHE HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. WE BELIEVE THIS ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION OR BRAKING THAT MADE THE CAR GO FORWARD OVERPOWERING THE BRAKE. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO THE TOYOTA ACCELERATION AND ELECTRONIC BRAKING THAT HAS BEEN THE BASIS OF THE RECENT TOYOTA RECALLS. BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE: 1. 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST. 2. SINCE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, WE DO NOT FEEL SAVE DRIVING OUR HIGHLANDER. PLEASE HELP US TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY DO NOT ENGAGE (ESSENTIALLY SKIP) WHEN I APPLY THEM WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP OR A POTHOLE. I HAVE NOTICED THIS FOR A LONG TIME, HOWEVER CONSIDERED IT A 'QUIRK' UNTIL I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ISSUE HAD NOT EXISTED. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHEN COMING TO A STOP FROM LOW SPEEDS, THE CAR OFTEN "SURGES" AND REQUIRES ADDITIONAL BRAKING IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STOP. SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST HYBRID I HAVE OWNED, I THOUGHT IT JUST HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ELECTRIC/GAS ENGINE SWITCHOVER. WITH ALL OF THE CURRENT NEWS, I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER IF THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW AND IT HAS HAD THIS ISSUE SINCE INCEPTION. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO STOP EVENTUALLY, SO IT HASN'T CAUSED ME ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, IT IS AN VERY ODD FEELING. OTHER INDIVIDUALS DRIVING MY VEHICLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY CONSISTENT PATTERN TO WHEN THIS OCCURS SO I HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR

WE HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID THAT IS EXHIBITING THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS THAT ARE BEING REPORTED WITH THE PRIUS. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THE CAR BEGINS TO SLOW THEN IT FEELS THAT THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY RELEASE, CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD, BEFORE THEY RE-ENGAGE AND FINISH STOPPING THE CAR. I HAVEN'T NOTICED IF IT HAPPENS MORE OVER BUMPS BUT IT DOES HAPPEN ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS. WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND EACH TIME HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS WORKING HOW IT SHOULD AND THE PAUSING IN BRAKING IS CAUSED BY THE ENGINE SWITCHING OVER TO ELECTRIC. THIS CANNOT BE THE PROBLEM AS THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED THE ENGINE HAS REMAINED ON DURING THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION EXTENDED TO ENCOMPASS ALL HYBRID MODELS AND NOT JUST THE PRIUS. THE DATE ENTERED BELOW IS THE APPROXIMATE DATE OF THE LAST TIME I NOTICED THIS, HOWEVER IT HAS HAPPENED RELATIVELY REGULARLY SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. *TR

I PURCHASED 4 SUMITOMO TIRES FROM NTB ON WEDNESDAY, 12-15-09. ON FRIDAY, 12-17, JUST 2 DAYS LATER, I PACKED UP FOR A TRIP TO BOSTON FROM DC WITH MY WIFE AND 2 TODDLER CHILDREN FOR A SCHEDULED EVENT THAT I WAS SLATED TO SPEAK AT. BY THE TIME WE REACHED THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, WE PULLED OVER FOR GAS. THE GAS ATTENDANT NOTICED OUR LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. THE AUTOSHOP ATTENDANT THERE INFLATED THE TIRE AND ROLLED IT AROUND IN WATER BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE A LITTLE LONGER AND SEE IF I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM. I PULLED OVER LATER AND SAW NO PROBLEMS, BUT I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED TO BOSTON (3 HOURS BEHIND SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THE TIRES), 3 OF THE TIRES WERE FLAT. THE NEXT DAY, I BROUGHT IT TO THE NTB LOCATION IN DEDHAM, MA. THEY TOLD ME THAT ALL FOUR VALVE STEMS WERE ACTUALLY RECALLED BECAUSE THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO CRACK AND LEAK AIR. UPON MY ARRIVAL BACK TO DC, I WENT TO THE NTB IN ALEXANDRIA AND ASKED THEM TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY SOLD ME THESE RECALLED PARTS. THE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT HE HAS BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR 20 YEARS AND NEVER HEARD OF VALVE STEMS BEING RECALLED. I TOLD HIM THAT I DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND LINKS GOING BACK TO 2007 ABOUT THESE PIECES BEING RECALLED AND ASKED WHY HE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THEM. HE TOLD ME I AM THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER MAKE THIS COMPLAINT. I TOLD HIM I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE # OF PEOPLE WHO COMPLAINED BEFORE ME AND THAT HAD MY FAMILY AND I LEFT A DAY LATER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS AND COULD HAVE CRASHED. HE SAID THE TIRES SEEM TO BE WORKING FINE NOW SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM. I TOLD HIM THE PROBLEM IS THAT HE IS SELLING PIECES THAT COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I ASKED HIM WHY THE NTB IN DEDHAM KNEW ABOUT THE RECALL AND HE DIDN'T AND HE SAID HE CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEM. HE DID NOT EVEN PULL UP MY RECORD TO SEE WHAT THE DEDHAM BRANCH SAID. HE THEN OFFERED ME A FREE OIL CHANGE BUT IF HE THOUGHT THEY DID NOTHING WRONG, WHY MAKE THE OFFER? TO SHUT ME UP? *TR

ON OCTOBER 13, 2009, MY 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WAS PARKED AT A SMALL BUSINESS PARKING LOT, ABOUT 40 FT. AWAY FROM ANOTHER PARKED CAR. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND DRY. DURING THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE,(NECESSARY FOR IGNITION) MY CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AT A VERY HIGH SPEED, AND SMASHED INTO THE PARKED CAR BEHIND ME. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF THIS CAR. IT DAMAGED THE BACK OF THE OTHER CAR SO COMPLETELY THAT IS WAS UNDRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. MY CAR HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER TRUNK/HATCH BACK AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE IS $3500-$4500. THIS IS NOT A FLOOR MAT RELATED PROBLEM. THE HIGHLANDER HAS HOOKS THAT SECURE THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR MATS SO THEY DO NOT COME IN CONTACT WITH THE GAS PEDAL. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. MY CAR HAD JUST HAD ITS 30K SERVICE A WEEK PRIOR TO MY ACCIDENT AND IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED. I AM A VERY SAFE AND CAREFUL DRIVER WITH AN OUTSTANDING DRIVER RECORD AND I KNOW THIS WAS NOT MY FAULT. THIS CAR SPED OUT OF CONTROL BY ITSELF. NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY REVERSE THEIR CAR IN A SMALL PARKING LOT THAT QUICKLY. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY HAD A CORPORATE INVESTIGATOR INSPECT MY CAR FOR POTENTIAL CAUSES. THEY INDICATED THAT NO UNUSUAL ERRORS WERE REPORTED ON THE VEHICLES COMPUTER. I FEEL TOYOTA OWES ME AND POSSIBLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM AN EXPLANATION AND CORRECTIVE ACTION. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND REAL PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH TRACTION CONTROL. ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE TRACTION CONTROL HAS ENGAGED DUE TO AN UNSTABLE TRAVEL SURFACE. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE HAS "SHUT DOWN" AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FORWARD DUE TO THE TRACTION CONTROL NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO DO SO. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL TO "PROTECT" THE CVT FROM DAMAGE ON UNSTABLE SURFACES. THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THIS SITUATION. LIVING IN THE CHICAGO AREA, MY FEAR IS THAT WE MAY COME ACROSS AN ICY WINTER ROADWAY THAT WILL CAUSE THE TRACTION CONTROL TO INITIATE THE "LOSS OF POWER" TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. HAVING NO ACCELERATION CAPABILITY, THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT AN APPROACHING VEHICLE FROM THE REAR WILL STRIKE OUR "DISABLED" VEHICLE. THIS POSES A TREMENDOUS SAFETY RISK. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION AS TOYOTA HAS NO SOLUTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR