2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK HYBRID AND VRC SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TEST RESULT SHOWED A DEFECT IN THE HYBRID BATTERY. THE CONTACT DID NOT AUTHORIZE THE DEALER TO PERFORM ANY MORE TESTS OR REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND THE HYBRID COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

WHEN RUNNING AND DECELARATING WHEN ARRIVING AT A STOP, I APPLIED A REGULAR PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES. AT SOME POINT IN THE BREAKING THE SYSTEM STOP BRAKING AND TRUCK KEEPS RUNNING. AFTER FEW SECONDS AND EXTRA PRESSUR THE TRUCK STAR BRAKING AGAIN. TWO MONTHS LATER I HAVE TO CHANGE BOTH BEARINGS ON MY TRUCK. AS A PROFESSIONNAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, I WOULD SAY THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM SEEMS DEFECTIVE AND SOME CURRENT IS FLOWING TO THE GROUND. THIS RESULT IN BEARING DISCHARGE. THIS NON-BRAKING BEHAVIOR IS OCCURING FREQUENTLY AROUND 3 TO 4 TIMES A WEEK. *TR

THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALER SERVICE NOTES THAT INVERTER FAILED ALONG WITH COMPONENT THAT GOES WITH IT. VEHICLE NON-FUNCTIONAL. *KB

TOYOTA IS NOT FOLLOWING CRA (CORRECTIVE REPAIR ACTION) FOR PRE-NOTIFICATION REMEDIES. ACCORDING TO THE DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT DATED JUNE 29, 2011 REGARDING INVERTER FAILURE RECALL, ITEM 7 "THE OWNER LETTER WILL INSTRUCT VEHICLE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THIS CONDITION REMEDIED PRIOR TO THIS CAMPAIGN TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT PURSUANT TO TOYOTA'S GENERAL REIMBURSEMENT PLAN." HOWEVER, THE 'INTERIM' RECALL NOTIFICATION LETTER TO OWNERS DID NOT SUPPLY INSTRUCTIONS TO VEHICLE OWNERS WHO PAID TO HAVE THE CONDITION REMEDIED. THE INVERTER IN MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID FAILED. I REPLACED THE INVERTER AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTORS CORP CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY REQUESTED THAT I HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DOCUMENT THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED, MAIL OR FAX THE PAID INVOICE FOR THE INVERTER, PROOF OF OWNERSHIP AND THE INSPECTION REPORT IN FOR PAYMENT. THIS INFORMATION WAS FAXED AND SENT VIA US MAIL ON OCTOBER 19, 2011. I WAS CONTACTED VIA PHONE BY TOYOTA MOTORS CORP ON 11/10/11 AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE "TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL" ON THE INVERTER . I REFERRED THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I WAS TOLD MY CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE LETTER WAS AN 'INTERIM LETTER" AND NOT A RECALL. I WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THE PART IS NOT OFFICIALLY RECALLED, I WOULD NEED TO WAIT UNTIL IT WAS OFFICIAL BECAUSE TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE 'INTERIM' LETTER IS ALMOST 4 MONTHS OLD AND TOYOTA DOES NOT OFFER RELIEF TO OWNERS. FURTHER, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME REPEATEDLY THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PART. *TR

I WAS PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR STOPPED AND BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS. ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH A WARNING ON THE LCD PANEL THAT STATED "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" AND "CHECK VSC". IT WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY INDICATED THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER AND ESU HAD FAILED AND THEY REPLACED THEM. THE VEHICLE STILL DISPLAYED SEVERAL WARNINGS AND AFTER SEARCHING FOR ALMOST 1 WEEK, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING ESU WAS ALSO BAD ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT THE CASE PRIOR TO THE HYBRID FAILURE. THEY SAID THAT THE 12 VOLT BATTERY ALSO NEEDED REPLACING ALTHOUGH IT WAS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD AND WAS PURCHASED AT THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE MUST HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING! OCTOBER 1, 2011 IN OUR STATE WAS A BEAUTIFUL, CLEAR DAY AS IT HAD BEEN FOR A WHILE. I SUGGESTED THAT THE INVERTER AND ESU FAILURE CAUSED THE POWER STEERING ESU FAILURE, NOT A PHANTOM LIGHTNING STRIKE. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP AS I AWAIT THEIR REPLY. HYBRID COMPONENTS ARE COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED HYBRID WARRANTY BUT THE STEERING ESU IS NOT AND WILL COST $1,000 TO REPLACE UNLESS TOYOTA WILL ACCEPT THAT THE FAILURE OF THE HYBRID COMPONENTS COULD HAVE CAUSED A POWERFUL ELECTRICAL SURGE THAT DAMAGED THE POWER STEERING ECU AS WELL AS THE 12 VOLT BATTERY. *KB

DRIVING THE UPPER ROADWAY OF THE QUEENSBORO 59TH ST BRIDGE THE CAR JUST DIED. FLASHING ON THE PANEL READ CHECK THE VSC SYSTEM WAITED FOR A TOW AROUND A DANGEROUS CURVE, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. OTW TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WILL HONOR THE RECALLED INVERTER PART. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS USED ON STANDARD SUBURBAN AND HIGHWAY PAVED ROADS. NO DIRT OR SPECIAL CONDITION DRIVING. IN MARCH 2011 AT ABOUT 82,000 MILES, THE FRONT WHEELS STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHICH WAS NOTICEABLE AT SPEEDS OF 35MPH OR GREATER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THEN AT 87,943 MILES IN SEPTEMBER 2011, THE SAME GRINDING NOISE HAPPENED TO THE REAR WHEELS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR HUB ASSEMBLIES AND BEARINGS. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR THAT HAD 3 OUT OF 4 WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES AND BEARINGS BREAK. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE. WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIANS PERFORMED THE REPAIR UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V253000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL). THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FAILURE. THE INSPECTOR DETERMINED THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL FAILURE AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR INCIDENTS WITH THIS VEHICLE IN WHICH THE HYBRID SYSTEM SHUTTING DOWN. THE FIRST THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS FINE WHEN I TURNED IT OFF, BUT WOULD NOT RESTART. WITH ALL THREE OF THESE INCIDENTS THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART WITH NO ISSUES AFTER A FEW HOURS. THE CSV AND THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM LIGHTS AS WELL AS MOST OF THE PANEL LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED IT TWO TIMES AND SAID IT WAS FINE. IN THE MOST RECENT EVENT, I WAS WAITING AT THE BOTTOM OF A DRIVEWAY. WHEN I WENT TO PROCEED I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD SOUND THAT SEEMED EQUIVALENT TO IT RUNNING AT A HIGH RPM. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, IT MADE THE SAME SOUND AND AGAIN DID NOT MOVE. THE CSV AND THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" LIGHTS AS WELL AS THE PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON. I ROLLED THE CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND TURNED IT OFF AGAIN. DUE TO THE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED HISTORY OF THE CAR, I CHOSE TO WAIT AN HOUR BEFORE TRYING TO RESTART IT. AFTER WAITING AN HOUR, I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND THE EXACT SAME THINGS HAPPENED. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR ON THE SCOPE THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. I WAS CALLED AFTER TWO DAYS OF THE DEALER RUNNING MANY TESTS AND TOLD IT WAS THE INVERTER. THE PRICE QUOTED TO ME WAS $8000. I INSISTED THAT THEY NEEDED TO LOOK INTO THE TOYOTA RECALL OF THE HYBRID INVERTERS. I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 15,2011, AND IT WAS "CLEARED." I ASKED THEM TO RECHECK THIS RECALL TO SEE IF MY CAR FIT INTO THE CATEGORY. I WAS INFORMED THEY WERE NOT GOING TO RECHECK IT, BUT THEY WOULD INSTEAD CONTACT TOYOTA. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING UP OR DOWN MY DRIVEWAY, I WOULD MOST CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE GONE OVER THE 50 FOOT EMBANKMENT ON MY DRIVEWAY OR THE CLIFF DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE. *TR