2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Complaints

I OWN A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WITH 43058 MILES. ON OCTOBER 6, 2008, AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ONE HOUR, I DECIDED TO VISIT MY PARENTS, WHILE BACKING-UP TO PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET, I LOSS ALL THE POWER STEERING. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE, FINALLY I REACH A SAVE AREA. A SIGNAL WAS LIGHTED ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL, AFTER READING THE OWNERS MANUAL, I FIND A PAGE WERE STATES THAT THE EPS SYSTEM CAN PROTECT ITSELF FROM OVERHEATING CAUSING THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. IN A HIGHLIGHTED SECTION OF THE OWNERS MANUAL, IT ASK THE OWNER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER IF A EPS FAILURE HAPPENS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AS RECOMMENDED BY THE OWNERS MANUAL. THEY ARE AWARE THAT THE EPS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING BUT WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. BY THE SIMILAR CASES FOUND IN THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME EPS ISSUE I CAN FORECAST THAT THE COST OF THE REPAIR WILL BE ANYWHERE FROM $2,000 TO $3,000 PLUS THE FACT THAT SPARE PARTS ARE ABOUT 20% HIGHER COST IN PUERTO RICO THAN THE REST OF THE US, IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE.I DO NOT AGREE THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND QUALITY ISSUE THAT IS THE MANUFACTURERS (TOYOTA) RESPONSIBILITY. WHY DO I NEED TO PAY FOR A REPAIR THAT IS A MANUFACTURERS RESPONSIBILITY? NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP OR THE TOYOTA DISTRIBUTOR ON PUERTO RICO HAS BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY OR PROVIDE SUPPORT TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE EPS FAILURE. APPARENTLY, TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE EPS FAILURE IN THE 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID.

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID (43,058 MILES) - LOSS OF ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST AFTER DRIVING ONE HOUR IN THE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED AT MY PARENTS HOUSE, WHEN I WAS MANEUVERING TO PARK THE SUV IN THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I LOST THE EPS ASSIST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT IN THE HIGHWAY AND THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE SUV TO A SAVE SPOT AFTER THE LOSS OF THE EPS ASSIST. I TOOK MY HIGHLANDER TO TOYOTA AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEALER, AT THE BEGINNING THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUED AN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE ISSUE, EVEN WHEN I HAVE FOUND INFORMATION IN THIS SITE THAT MORE THAN 109 SIMILAR CASES HAS BEEN REPORTED (INVESTIGATION#PE 06-055). IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIR THAT IS CLEARLY IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED ASAP. THERE IS PEOPLE'S LIVES AT RISK. *TR

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. POWER STEERING FAILED PULLING AWAY FROM HOUSE. IMMEDIATE FAILURE WITH NO WARNING SIGNS. I THINK THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY WIFE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE IS SO HARD TO STEER, I WOULD HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF MY WIFE WERE DRIVING ANYWHERE. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 52,000 MILES. I TYPICALLY KEEP A VEHICLE UNTIL IT HAS 250, 000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER SUFFERED A FAILURE LIKE THIS IN THE 32 YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING. *TR

UPON ACCELERATION THE 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2 WD SUDDENLY AND RAPIDLY ACCELERATED. THIS HAPPENED ONCE IN REVERSE AND ONCE IN DRIVE BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT ONSET. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN THUS FAR (2 DAYS AGO). THE SUV WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY WHERE THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I AM NOW AWARE THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA'S, ESP THE CAMRY, UPON WHICH THE HIGHLANDER IS BASED. *TR

MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID SUDDENLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE CAR WAS LATER TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN HANFORD,CA. THE CAR HAS 140 MILES OVER 100,000 MILES AND THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM WAS LATER POINTED OUT TO THE INVERTER AND IT WILL COST ME ROUGHLY $5,000. *TR

DASH BOARD DWSCRIPTION: CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. CHECK VSC SYSTEM THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2006 HYBRID FAILURE. SUV JUST STOPPED CAUSING ME TO HAVE WHIP LASH. VERY DANGEROUS. EMAIL BELOW EXPLAINS MORE... EMAIL: YESTERDAY 08/04/08 AROUND 05:17 PM, MY HIGHLANDER HYBRID SUV HYBRID SYSTEM FAILED. IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AROUND 30 MPH. THE CAR JUST HALTED. IT ACTED LIKE IF YOU WENT FROM 5TH GEAR TO 2ND GEAR, A BIG JOLT; CAUSING ME TO HAVE A WHIP LASH. MY LEFT SIDE OF MY NECK REALLY HURTS AND I CANNOT TURN MY HEAD TO MY RIGHT....MY QUESTION TO TOYOTA IS WHY DIDN'T THE SYSTEM DEFAULT TO THE GAS ENGINE INSTEAD OF JUST STOPPING? YOU KNOW IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON THE HIGHWAY, I MAY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR EVEN KILLED. I THINK THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE. WHAT WILL TOYOTA DO TO MAKE ME FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR WITH MY FAMILY? I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS IF I WILL SURVIVE IT OR NOT. *TR

I BOUGHT AN '06 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID IN JUNE OF '07. FOR THE LAST 9 MONTHS I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. MY MAIN CONCERN IS IT STALLS OUT IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE, HIGHWAYS, WAITING TO MAKE TURNS AND SITTING IN TRAFFIC. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN IS TO TURN IT OFF AND RESTART IT. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REGARDING THIS BUT BECAUSE IT IS NOT REGISTERING AN "ERROR" CODE THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS "NOTHING THEY CAN DO." IT HAS BECOME SO BAD THAT I FEAR FOR MY FAMILY, MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS SURROUNDING ME. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES AT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS HE BELIEVES THAT THERE IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE GETTING HURT OR KILLED BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! WHY SHOULD IT COST MY FAMILY OR THE SURROUNDING PUBLIC THEIR LIFE OR INJURY FOR DEALERSHIPS TO REALLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO WORK ON A VEHICLE? I PUT THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT DOWN AS THE INCIDENT DATE BUT IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. *TR

I OWN A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WITH OVER 50K MILES ON IT. ON 1 JULY, 2008 I STARTED MY CAR IN THE MORNING TO DRIVE TO MY COMMUTER LOCATION AND FOUND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING HAD BEEN FINE WHEN I PULLED IN THE EVENING BEFORE AND SOMEHOW JUST FAILED SITTING STILL OVER NIGHT. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND RESORTED TO CALLING TOYOTA TECHNICIAN'S IN CALIFORNIA. THEY'VE NOW TOLD ME TODAY THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK AND SINCE MY CAR IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY TERMS (OVER 36K) IT WILL COST $1,840. IN MY INTERNET RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS OCCURRING ON BOTH THE 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND THE 2006 LEXUS RX400 HYBRID. YOUR AGENCY EVEN INVESTIGATED THE ISSUE (#PE06055) BUT UNFORTUNATELY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT SINCE IT ONLY SEEMED TO OCCUR AT LOW OR NO SPEED AND NO ONE HAD BEEN HURT OR KILLED THAT IT DIDN'T WARRANT A RECALL. I THINK THAT TOYOTA AND YOUR AGENCY HAVE JUST BEEN FORTUNATE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES UP TO THIS POINT. YOU RISK SERIOUS PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT IF TOYOTA IS NOT FORCED TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. *TR

WE DROVE OUR 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID HOME FROM TOWN AT ABOUT 7:00 P.M. ON A COOL EVENING, (SIX MILES) 1/2 MILE IS A FAIRLY STEEP HILL TO CLIMB. ON PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND STOPPING I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND TOLD MY HUSBAND I THOUGHT THE BRAKES WERE HOT. AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM AROUND THE HOOD. HE OPENED IT AND THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE LOWER CENTER AREA OF THE ENGINE UNDER THE RADIATOR HOSE. HE GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE GARAGE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER IN UKIAH. THEY HAD THE CAR FOR 22 DAYS. AFTER THE FIRST DAY THEY REPORTED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD SET THE MOTOR MOUNT ON FIRE AND THAT TOYOTA WAS SENDING A TEAM OF ENGINEERS TO LOOK INTO THE CAUSE. THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNT, THE RADIATOR HOSE, AIR FUEL SENSOR, FRONT WIRING HARNESS, SEALS AND GASKETS WERE REPLACED. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERS SERVICE SUMMARY, "THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. NO MANUFACTURERS DEFECTS WERE FOUND. " WE FIND IT STRANGE THAT A TWO YEAR OLD TOYOTA WITH 24,000 MILES AND HAVING BEEN SERVICED ONE WEEK BEFORE THE INCIDENT SHOULD CATCH ON FIRE AFTER DRIVING 6 MILES. THEY CLAIM THE CAR IS RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION BUT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE WE DON'T KNOW IF IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE BRAKE PRESSURE WHEN GOING DOWN HILL OR MOVING AHEAD SLOWLY AS IN A FAST FOOD REST LINE. THE BRAKES WOULD HOLD AT FIRST THEN LOOSE PRESSURE TO A POINT WERE YOU HAD TO PUSH HARDER ON THE PEDAL TO MAKE THEM WORK. THIS WOULD HAPPEN ON A HILL WHICH WOULD TAKE YOU BY SURPRISE AND CAUSE THE CAR TO BE OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL YOU PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE. IF A CAR WAS COMING FROM ANOTHER INTERSECTION YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TIME TO STOP YOUR CAR AND COULD CAUSE A ACCIDENT. WHILE IN A LINE AT THE DRIVE THRU THE BRAKE PRESSURE LET GO AND MY CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE AND THE OTHER DRIVER WAS NICE ENOUGH TO FORGIVE ME BUT THAT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE THE WAY. THE CAR WAS GOING IN FOR SERVICE THE NEXT DAY OR SO AND I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION OF THE HYBRID. THIS WAS AFTER THE TECH. PERSON DROVE THE CAR AND SAID HE FELT IT, HE ALSO DROVE ANOTHER HYBRID AND HE SAID THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHICH TO ME PROVES MY POINT. I CALLED TOYOTA THEY AND THE DEALER SAY THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I TOLD THEM IT DID NOT DO THIS WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR IT ONLY STARTED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO WHICH PROVES IT IS NOT A NORMAL CONDITION. *TR