2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Complaints

DRIVING MY BELOVED 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID (HH) HOME FROM WORK, I WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN THE SLOW LANE AND HEARD A LOUD "POP" SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY SAW NUMEROUS WARNING MESSAGES FLASH ON THE DASHBOARD - "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM", "CHECK VCS SYSTEM", AND "CHECK POWER STEERING." THANKFULLY MY CAR DID NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY ON THE FREEWAY AS OTHERS HAVE BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND TO MY TRUSTED MECHANIC BEFORE THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT NOW HAS MY CAR, THE INVERTER HAS FAILED BUT THIS VIN NUMBER WAS NOT IN THE TOYOTA RECALL OF 2006/2007 HH CARS. I HAVE 146,000 MILES AND THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. THOUGH I PURCHASED THE CAR USED JUST 2 YEARS AGO, I HAVE MAINTAINED IT EXACTLY AS DIRECTED AND THE CARFAX ON THE CAR SHOWED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD ALL OF THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE AT A DEALERSHIP USING THE TOYOTA MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. THOUGH THE FULL EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE WILL NOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL AFTER THE INVERTER IS REPLACED (IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR OTHER DAMAGE AS WELL), THE INVERTER ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES CONTINUE TO PLACE PEOPLE IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT IN ONE OF THE FAST LANES AND THAT THE CAR DIDN'T STOP WORKING; I WAS FORTUNATE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND TO A SAFE LOCATION. I KNOW THAT THE NHTSB HAD A HAND IN THE 2011 RECALL OF THE 2006/2007 HH VEHICLES AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE STILL VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL THAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN (MINE INCLUDED.) PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SITUATION AND HOLD TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE POOR DESIGN/MANUFACTURING OF THEIR HYBRID TECHNOLOGY. *TR

NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE11005 EXACT SAME SITUATION. THIS ISSUE KILLS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY WITH NO TIME TO PREPARE. I WAS VERY LUCKY AS I WAS JUST ENTERING ONTO THE FREEWAY. I DRIFTED OVER TO THE RIGHT MEDIAN. IF I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OR FAR LEFT LANE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. THERE ARE MORE HIGHLANDERS HYBRIDS IN MY VIN RANGE THAT ARE COMING OF AGE AND SHOULD HAVE THESE DEFECTIVE INVERTER ASSEMBLY PARTS REPLACED ASAP. *TR

THE HYBRID ABRUPTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING, LIGHT AND ALARMS ALL AROUND. DEALER STATES ITS THE POWER INVERTER, HE MENTIONED IT WAS A RECALL, BUT NOT COVERING MY CAR. THE SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL. *TR

THE VEHICLE DID NOT START WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED. THE DASHBOARD FLICKERED, MANY LIGHTS WERE LIT AND THEN THE FLICKERING STOPPED AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *TR

I WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT ONTO THE STREET. I SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE I WAS WAITING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. MY CAR WAS IN DRIVE BUT I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN MY CAR WENT DEAD. THERE WERE WARNINGS FLASHING AT ME FROM MY DASHBOARD. I PUT MY CAR IN PARK. TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED MY CAR BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED PLUS I BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS DO TO THE SLIGHT INCLINE IN THE PARKING LOT EXIT. I QUICKLY PUT MY CAR IN PARK AGAIN, TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS, AND WAIVED THE CARS BEHIND ME TO GO AROUND. I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE AND BACK IT UP TO A SAFE AREA IN THE PARKING LOT. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN CHARLOTTE WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AT AND CONTINUED HAVING IT SERVICED. THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT TEAM TOYOTA MALL OF GA TO LET THEM KNOW I WAS BRINGING IT IN. AFTER THEIR MECHANIC DETERMINED IT WAS THE FAULTY INVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION, I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME $8,000 TO FIX IT. I STILL OWED $15,000 ON THE CAR. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL ON 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS FOR THE SAME FAULTY INVERTER. THE DEALERSHIP SAID MY CAR WAS INELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL SINCE THE VIN WAS NOT LISTED. I CALLED TOYOTA AS ADVISED AND OPENED A CASE NUMBER. I RECEIVED THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CONSTANT RUN AROUND FROM TOYOTA. THEY OFFERED TO GIVE ME $1,000 TOWARDS THE REPAIRS OR $2,500 FOR A NEW OR TOYOTA CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. I'M STILL WAITING TO FIND OUT WHY MY CAR WASN'T INCLUDED ON THE LIST THOUGH IT MET THE CRITERIA. I AM TRULY SHOCKED BY THE DISMISSIVE ATTITUDE I'M CURRENTLY GETTING FROM TOYOTA AS IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE FAULTY INVERTER. MY CAR BROKE DOWN ON MY WAY HOME TO NORTH CAROLINA. NOW I'M TRAPPED IN GEORGIA WITH NO WAY OF GETTING HOME TO MY HUSBAND AND CHILDREN. I'M STILL WAITING ON TOYOTA'S DECISION ABOUT MY CASE, IN GA. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE LIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE ALL BEGAN FLASHING TO CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. I WAS UNABLE TO USE ANYTHING BUT THE BRAKES AS THE GAS PEDAL WOULD NOT EVEN WORK TO DECELERATE OR ACCELERATE. I WAS ABLE TO VEER OUT OF TRAFFIC TO SAFETY. I HAD ONE OTHER PASSENGER IN THE CAR AND WE WERE SCARED FOR OUR LIVES AS THE WHOLE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN AND COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. EVENTUALLY THE BATTERY ALSO DIED AND WE WERE STUCK ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT WAITING ON A TOW TRUCK. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH TOYOTA AND CORPORATE TOYOTA FOR THE PAST 6 WEEKS ON A RESOLUTION. WE WERE TOLD THE INVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE COST IS $9000. WE WERE ALSO TOLD BY THE SERVICEMAN AT TOYOTA THAT THE CAR IS NOT WORTH FIXING AS IT STILL WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY AFTER THE PART IS REPLACED AS IT COULD HAVE LEAD TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THIS IS A FAULTY PART THAT WAS RECALLED IN SOME OF THEIR 06 AND 07 HIGHLANDERS BUT NOT OTHERS. WE WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND AM STILL WAITING FOR HELP. THIS PART SHOULD BE FIXED BY TOYOTA COMPLETELY AS IT IS FAULTY OR TOYOTA SHOULD AT LEAST REIMBURSE FOR WHAT THE CAR WAS WORTH BEFORE THE INCIDENT. *TR

WHEN STARTING AFTER STOP AT THE END OF A FREEWAY EXIT RAMP A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN LOST ALL POWER AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM AND CHECK VSC SYSTEM ERROR LIGHTS WERE DISPLAYED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND DIAGNOSED WITH FAILURE OF THE INVERTER. MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2011 RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE COST OF REPAIR WAS QUOTED AS $8000 AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE THEY OFFERED A $1500 CUSTOMER APPRECIATION REBATE. BASED ON ONLINE RESEARCH THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. ANOTHER LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SAID THEY HAVE REPAIRED 4 OF THESE IN THE PAST WEEK. TOYOTA CAN NOT ASSURE US THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS INVERTER HAS BEEN SOLVED OR IF THE NEW ONE WILL BE MORE RELIABLE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. THE CAR HAD ALWAYS PERFORMED WELL AND GAVE NO WARNING BEFORE THIS COMPLETE FAILURE. IF MY CAR HAD FAILED 60 SECONDS EARLIER I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON I-81 GOING 70 MPH SURROUNDED BY TRACTOR TRAILERS AND WOULD PROBABLY BE DEAD. HAVE NOT DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE REPAIR. *TR

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 55 MPH THE CAR, WITHOUT WARNING, DIED. NO POWER, LIGHTS, BRAKES, STEERING, NOTHING WORKED. AT SIDE OF ROAD TRIED TO RESTART. ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, WOULD NOT RESTART, EVERYTHING THEN WENT DEAD. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. IT WAS CLAIMED TO BE A COIL PACK, HOWEVER UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND OUT IT WAS ACTUALLY THE POWER INVERTER THAT CONVERTS 12VDC TO AC TO POWER THE ELECTRIC MOTORS ON THE CAR. WHEN THE INVERTER SHORTED OUT, IT KILLED THE ENTIRE ELECTRIC BATTERY SYSTEM, THE HYBRID BATTERIES AND THE GAS ENGINE BATTERY CAUSING ALL SYSTEMS TO SHUT DOWN. THE CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. TOYOTA KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THEY SOLD ME THE CAR AND DID NOT TELL ME. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF HIGHLANDER HYBRID OWNERS, MOSTLY 2006, 2007 AND SOME 2008. IF THE CAR IS OVER 7 YEAR/100,000 WARRANTY TOYOTA WILL NOT FIX IT. IT COST OWNERS $10,000 TO $15,000 TO FIX. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT WILL, MAY HAVE, KILLED THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. THE PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS OVER 40MPH, WHICH IS USUALLY HIGHWAY DRIVING. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO MY WIFE. ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH IN THE CENTER LANE. CAR DIES WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WAS FORTUNATE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. NO BRAKES AND NO STEERING. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CARS; THEY HAVE A DESIGN FLAW THAT WILL KILL SOMEONE IF IT HASN'T ALREADY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAULTY SPARK PLUG COIL PACK CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE SERVICE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,162. UPDATED 10/19/12 *CN UPDATED 10/23/2012 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INVERTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 107,000.