2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Complaints

I OWN TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS, 2006. ONE WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2005, THE OTHER IN SEPTEMBER 2006. ON THE OLDER OF THE TWO, IN FRONT OF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS I HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME MELTED PLASTIC SHOWN IN MULTIPLE PICTURES I FOUND ONLINE. ON THE NEWER ONE, YOU CAN SEE IMPERFECTIONS FORMING ON ONE SIDE, AND A SMALLER FULLY MELTED AREA IN THE OTHER. I AM IN TOUCH WITH TOYOTA AND THEY ARE OFFERING NEW LENS PARTS AND I MUST PAY LABOR. I PUSHED BACK AND TOLD THEM I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, AND THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY BOTH MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND THE NEARLY $2000 TOYOTA ASSURANCE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS DEFECT WILL ULTIMATELY OBSCURE THE LIGHT AND MAKE MY VEHICLE HARDER TO SEE ON THE ROAD, WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD. AS THE PROBLEM PROGRESSES, A HOLE WILL FORM IN THE LENS ALLOWING CHILDREN TO TOUCH THE EXTREMELY HOT HALOGEN LIGHTS, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS BURNS. IT WILL ALSO EXPOSE THE HEADLAMPS TO DAMAGE FROM ROCKS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE MELTED PART. FROM THE TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2006'S I HAVE, IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA'S MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM BECOMES APPARENT BETWEEN 40,000 AND 60,000 MILES. RELATED ODI NUMBERS FOR MY OTHER 2006 HIGHLANDER, WHICH IS A YEAR OLDER AND HAS A MORE PRONOUNCED PROBLEM DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL TIME WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON: 10292093 MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST ON THE HIGHLANDER 2005 MODEL COMPLAINT FILED 20070816, CROWNSVILLE, MD (RESULTED IN FIRE IN HEADLAMP) COMPLAINT FILED 20060712, SETAUKET, NY. *TR MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST ON THE HIGHLANDER 2004 MODEL COMPLAINT FILED 20050409, MEDWAY MA COMPLAINT FILED 20081222, QUINCY, WA COMPLAINT FILED 20071203, SPARKS, MD

I OWN TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS, 2006. ONE WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2005, THE OTHER IN SEPTEMBER 2006. ON THE OLDER OF THE TWO, IN FRONT OF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS I HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME MELTED PLASTIC SHOWN IN MULTIPLE PICTURES I FOUND ONLINE. ON THE NEWER ONE, YOU CAN SEE IMPERFECTIONS FORMING ON ONE SIDE, AND A SMALLER FULLY MELTED AREA IN THE OTHER. I AM IN TOUCH WITH TOYOTA AND THEY ARE OFFERING NEW LENS PARTS AND I MUST PAY LABOR. I PUSHED BACK AND TOLD THEM I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, AND THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY BOTH MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND THE NEARLY $2000 TOYOTA ASSURANCE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS DEFECT WILL ULTIMATELY OBSCURE THE LIGHT AND MAKE MY VEHICLE HARDER TO SEE ON THE ROAD, WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD. AS THE PROBLEM PROGRESSES, A HOLE WILL FORM IN THE LENS ALLOWING CHILDREN TO TOUCH THE EXTREMELY HOT HALOGEN LIGHTS, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS BURNS. IT WILL ALSO EXPOSE THE HEADLAMPS TO DAMAGE FROM ROCKS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE MELTED PART. FROM THE TWO HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2006'S I HAVE, IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA'S MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM BECOMES APPARENT BETWEEN 40,000 AND 60,000 MILES. *TR

4 RO'S; 3 REPAIRS; AND 25 DAYS DOWN AIR BAG LIGHT TOYOTA HAS REPAIRED ALL WARRANTY CONDITIONS WE SUMMITED A HEARING WITH THE CALIFORNIA DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROGRAM (CDSP) AND TOYOTA "SEEKS FOR CUSTOMER'S REQUEST OF A BUYBACK/REPLACEMENT BE DENIED. *TR

COMMENTS: DEAR SIR OR MADAM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH OUR 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. IN AUGUST OF 2008 WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY I SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER & CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO BRAKE NOR STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS DONE. MY HUSBAND WRESTLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ALLEYWAY & THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE "ELECTRIC LINK ASSEMBLY" & THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. YESTERDAY MORNING AT 6AM I GOT INTO THE CAR & TURNED THE KEY, THE "READY" LIGHT CAME ON & I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE & PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, AS SOON AS I PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, THE GAS ENGINE CAME ON FULL POWER & THE CAR FLEW BACKWARD. I TRIED FRANTICALLY TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR & STEER THE CAR WHILE CAREENING IN REVERSE. THE CAR SLAMMED INTO OUR REAR NEIGHBORS VEHICLE (WHICH IS TO THE BACK & RIGHT OF OUR GARAGE ACROSS THE ALLEY) OUR CAR PUSHED THEIRS OVER 4-6 FEET & CONTINUED TRYING TO REVERSE FULL POWER OVER THEIR BUSHES I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SO I SLAMMED THE CAR INTO THE "PARK" POSITION. THE CAR STOPPED BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. I SHUT IT OFF & JUMPED OUT. I WAS NOT INJURED, HOWEVER OUR CAR & OUR NEIGHBORS WAS DAMAGED. THE CAR WAS AGAIN TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I CONVEYED TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED & THE CAR IS THERE NOW GETTING CHECKED. I CALLED THEM IN THE EVENING TO ASK WHAT THEY HAD FOUND & THEY STATED THEY WERE TRYING TO "REENACT" WHAT HAPPENED. THEY MUST FIND WHAT IT IS IN THIS CARS COMPUTER THAT CONTINUES TO CAUSE THESE CATASTROPHIC MALFUNCTIONS. HAD I BEEN AT A SCHOOL OR SHOPPING LOT SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I AM A PERSON WHO BELIEVES IN ACCOUNTABILITY & OWNERSHIP OF RESPONSIBILITY & IF THIS WERE MY FAULT IN ANY WAY I WOULD NOT BE WRITING YOU TODAY. I FEEL YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SO NO ONE IN THE FUTURE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, 54,248 MILES I BROUGHT MY 2006 HIGHLANDER INTO A DEALER FACILITY FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND TO INVESTIGATE A V.S.C. WARNING LIGHT INDICATION THAT HAD APPEARED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE OBD TEST REVEALED A C1241 CODE. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY. I FOLLOWED THE SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPLACED THE BATTERY. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED THE V.S.C /ABS/CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WERE ON. RETURNED TO DEALER WHERE OBD TEST INDICATEDC1300 FAILED SKID CONTROL ECU. VEHICLE APPEARS TO OPERATE WITHOUT ANTI-LOCK BRAKE, VEHICLE SKID CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL FUNCTIONALITY. VEHICLE HANDLING IS VERY UNSTABLE. NEAR CRASH ON FREEWAY WHEN LEFT FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP. *TR

AFTER 10,000 MILE SERVICE AND NEW BATTERY AND ABOUT TWO WEEKS USE THE CAR'S STEERING FAILED TO RESPOND IN STORE PARKING LOT . I HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. THE CAR'S THREE YEAR WARRANTY ENDED IN SEPT. AND I DID NOT PURCHASE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER ADVISED AFTER 3 DAYS THAT PARTS FOR RACK & PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE ORDERED THEY WERE $1500 AN A DEPOSIT WAS REQUIRED. IN 3 WEEKS THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED REQUESTED SOME TYPE ASSISTANCE SO DEALER TOOK OFF $200.00 THE BILL. *TR

I WAS PULLING UP TO SUBWAY AND I NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WAS A LITTLE TIGHT. I WENT AND ATE AND THEN HEADED TO MY FRIENDS HOUSE IN ORLANDO. WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY I ALMOST HIT A CAR BECAUSE THE STEERING STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND LEFT. I MADE IT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN ORLANDO BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME, BUT AS I WAS PARKED AND THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING THE WHEEL WOULDN'T STOP MOVING BACK-IN-FORTH. THAT IS WHEN I FOUND OUT TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS FOR FREE, EVEN THOUGH I COULD OF KILLED OR INJURED MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE AROUND ME. TOYOTA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AND FIX IT!!! *TR

PULLING AWAY FROM PARKED POSITION. STEERING SYSTEM FAILED,MAKING VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT TOWN&COUNTRY TOYOTA IN CHARLOTTE NC. HAD THIS FAILURE HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEED A FATAL ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. *TR

HI, THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID BRAKING, THE BRAKING SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY AND AND VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD AND THIS IS INTERMITTENT. IT BEEN RECURRING FOR SOME TIME AND THE DEALERSHIP(TOYOTA OF HACKENSACK) WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE AD ARE DISMISSIVE TO DOWNRIGHT DISRESPECTFUL . WHEN YOU BRAKE ST TIMES THE VEHICLE CONTINUES FORWARD LIKE THE BRAKES ARE NOT HOLDING OR NO BRAKES BEING APPLIED. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE LINKS BELOW ITS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. HTTP://WWW.HYBRIDCARS.COM/FORUMS/TOYOTA-HIGHLANDER-HYBRID-T404.HTML HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0D8058/3 HTTP://WWW.HYBRIDCARS.COM/FORUMS/BRAKE-FAILURE-2007-T1013.HTML HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/2007/09/PRIUS_ACCELERATE.HTML THANKS MANOJ DAS *TR

THE STEERING JUST STOPPED WORKING, DIDN'T LOCK, BUT IT TOOK RAW MUSCLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE TO AVOID HITTING A TREE. NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING THAT WAS WRONG PRIOR LOSS OF STEERING. MY WIFE WAS ON A WINDING ROAD AND SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN (THE PREVIOUS TURN ON THE ROAD WAS A LEFT) AND THE WHEEL STARTED TO, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, BUCK BACK AND FORTH. SHE HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO STOP BEFORE THE NEXT TURN IN THE ROAD. NO CRASH AND NO INJURY, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. RIGHT NOW THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED. *TR