2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLAND HYBRID. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH, THE HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO DETECTED AN ACCUMULATION OF WATER WITHIN THE HYBRID BATTERY. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE WATER ORIGINATED FROM THE REAR SUB FRAME AREA AND AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE FRAME EXHIBITED TWO CRACKS AND TWO HOLES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH IN REVERSE AND AS HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE REAR BRAKES EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL CLANKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE SOUND WAS NORMAL AND DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

I OWN 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 4WD CAR WOULD NOT START 56,300. MLS VSC LITE ON -PUT IN PARK (WAS IN PARK) 12V BATTERY DEAD WHEN RESEARCHING HAVE FOUND KNOWN PROBLEM,MY CAR HAS LEXUS ENGINE, KNOWN PROBLEMS, MOST PEOPLE TOLD BATTERY DEAD..REAL PROBLEM BAD INVERTER,SOME HAVE ALMOST DIED HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING SOME MAY HAVE TOYOTA LOOKING OTHER WAY, TELL PEOPLE BAD BATTERY ..HM LAST TOYOTA BATTERY I HAD IN DIF CAR LASTED 7 YRS,PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW I WILL BE IN AFIGHT WITH LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER , PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT I AM A NURSE AND PEOPLE COULD DIE WITH THIS DEFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

WHILE CHANGING TIRES, ONE OF THE FIVE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL STUDS BROKE OFF. INSPECTION REVEALS A FAULTY VOID (AIR BUBBLE) IN THE CENTER OF THE STUD WHERE IT BROKE OFF. I HAVE THAT PIECE. I BOUGHT A NEW REPLACEMENT STUD AND WHEEL NUT FROM BIGHORN TOYOTA IN GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO. THEY WILL REPLACE IT FOR ME IN APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS UNLESS I CAN FIND ANOTHER AUTO SHOP THAT CAN REPLACE IT BEFORE THEN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HV. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THREE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. ON 1/26/2009 I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT, BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE. I HADN'T BEEN DOING ANYTHING BUT SITTING THERE, WAITING FOR THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TO START MOVING, WHEN MY VEHICLE WENT FORWARD (LURCHED) AND I REAR-ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME! I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT IN MY LIFE. MY CAR HIT THE VEHICLE - A MINIVAN, IN FRONT OF ME VERY HARD, (FELT LIKE 10-15 MPH) CAUSING A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE REAR CARGO DOOR. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE EVENT WAS SO ODD, AND HAPPENED SO FAST, (AND THIS HAPPENED BEFORE TOYOTA EVER RECALLED ANYTHING EXCEPT THE PRIUS), I ASSUMED I MUST'VE DONE SOMETHING TO CAUSE IT. SO WHEN THE POLICE GOT THERE, I TOLD THEM MAYBE I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION, AND MAYBE I ACCELERATED BEFORE THE LIGHT CHANGED (BUT EVEN AT THE TIME, IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME, BECAUSE I WASN'T FIRST IN LINE AT THE LIGHT, I WAS WAITING, PATIENTLY, BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE). IN FACT, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER LOOKING AT THE LIGHT, I WAS JUST WAITING FOR THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME TO MOVE, AS I USUALLY DO - DID. I WENT IN TO MY TOYOTA DEALER A FEW MONTH AGO (MARCH 2010) AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED, AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS A HYBRID, SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU'RE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, IT SWITCHES FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR TO GAS, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE PETAL HARD ENOUGH, IT CAN LURCH FORWARD. PLEASE CAN YOU LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER, IT WAS QUITE SCARY. I BET ALLSTATE AND OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE MANY CLAIMS WHERE A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER REAR-ENDS OTHER VEHICLES, AND PEOPLE ASSUME IT'S THEIR FAULT, NOT ASSUMING THE VEHICLE MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM. *TR

RE. TOYOTA 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID BRAKING FAILURE RESULTING IN A HIGH SPEED COLLISION. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON THRUWAY 87 IN THE STATE OF NY WHICH WAS LARGELY THE RESULT OF THE BRAKES ON MY HIGHLANDER HYBRID NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHAT HAPPENED: I WAS HEADING NORTHBOUND TRAVELING 65 MPH WITH TRAFFIC ON THE THRUWAY A LITTLE MORE TOWARDS THE HEAVY SIDE BUT TRAFFIC WAS MOVING SMOOTHLY. APPARENTLY, SEVERAL VEHICLES A HEAD OF ME, A GOAT RAN ONTO THE THRUWAY AND A TRACTOR TRAILER LOCKED HIS BRAKES UP AND CAME TO A STOP. THERE WERE PROBABLY THREE VEHICLES BETWEEN THE TRUCK AND MYSELF AND FIRST TWO VEHICLES QUICKLY MOVED INTO THE LEFT LANE WITH THE LAST VEHICLE PRACTICALLY SWERVING INTO A SPACE THAT HARDLY FIT HIS VEHICLE AT THE LAST MOMENT. THIS QUICK MOVEMENT ALERTED ME TO BE ON GUARD AND I MOVED MY FOOT OVER TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE TRUCK DIDN'T HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS OR FLASHERS ON NOR HAD THERE BEEN ANY BRAKE LIGHTS VISIBLE TO ME TO INDICATE SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC AHEAD SO I WAS STILL TRAVELING AT 65 MPH BEFORE REALIZING AFTER A SHORT DELAY THAT THE TRUCK WAS AT A STAND STILL. I QUICKLY DECIDED THAT THE LEFT LANE WAS FULL SO I COULDN'T SWERVE LEFT, THE RIGHT LANE HAD A GUARD RAIL THERE BUT LOOKED LIKE THERE MIGHT BE ENOUGH ROOM TO SQUEEZE BY ON THE SHOULDER ALBEIT WITH A HIGH RISK OF FLIPPING, SO I CHOSE TO BRAKE AND SQUARE UP ON THE TRUCK'S BUMPER. I WAS ABOUT 90 TO 100 YARDS OUT WHEN I STARTED BRAKING. I FELT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES PULSING HARD AND THE VEHICLE WAS SHUDDERING HARD. AFTER ABOUT 5 TO 10 PULSES, THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND THE VEHICLE COASTED BUT DOING THIS AT 50 MPH+ AND THIS GOES ON FOR 40 YARDS OR SO UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE IMPACT. I FELT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES START KICKING IN AGAIN BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. I HIT THE REAR OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER AT AROUND 50 MPH AND STOPPED DEAD. I HAD CALLED MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES OF THE BRAKING PROBLEM (I.E., INCONSISTENT OPERATION ON ROUGH SURFACE) AND ALSO I LOGGED IT ON DOT'S WEBSITE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. UPDATED IVOQ 09/15/10 *TR

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE TOYOTA COMPLAINT RE FORT'S TOYOTA OF PEKIN FM OWNER OF A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. *TGW 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HV. THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT LEATHER SEAT CRACKS ON THE DRIVERS SEAT. AFTER A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE CRACKS WERE FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND WAS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

A MONTH OR TWO AFTER I BOUGHT MY 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID IN MARCH OF 2007, I HAD TWO INCIDENTS WHERE MY CAR ACCELERATED FOR ME. BOTH TIMES I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. BOTH TIMES, I FELT A SURGE OF POWER FOR ABOUT 7 - 8 SECONDS. THE TWO INCIDENTS HAPPENED MAYBE A MONTH APART. I TOLD MY HUSBAND ABOUT IT AT THE TIME AND HE ASSURED ME IT WAS JUST BECAUSE I WASN'T USED TO MY NEW CAR. I KNOW FOR SURE THAT WASN'T THE REASON. ALMOST THREE YEARS LATER I HAVEN'T HAD ANY MORE SURGES BUT I DO HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN. I AM HYPER AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES AND THEY HAVE YET TO FIGURE IT OUT. IF WE COULD AFFORD IT, WE'D GET RID OF THIS CAR IMMEDIATELY AND GET A NEW ONE. BUT WE CAN'T. *TR

COPY OF A NOTE SENT TO TOYOTA VIA THEIR WEBSITE REGARDING SUDDEN, SHORT-LIVED DECREASE IN BRAKING POWER IN A HIGHLANDER HYBRID: "ON MONDAY FEB. 8, I STOPPED BY LIA TOYOTA OF NORTHAMPTON, MA TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT -- 25,000 MILE SERVICE AND REQUESTED THEY CHECK THE BRAKES, AS I HAD EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, SHORT-LIVED (A SECOND OR SO) DECREASE IN BRAKING POWER ON RANDOM OCCASIONS. I KNOW ZIP ABOUT CARS, BUT I SAID IT FELT LIKE AN AIR BUBBLE OR SOME SUCH IN THE BRAKE LINES. IT APPEARED ENTIRELY RANDOM, HAPPENING AT IN-TOWN AS WELL AS HIGHWAY SPEEDS (ONCE). A DAY OR TWO LATER TOYOTA ANNOUNCED THE RECALL FOR 2010 PRIUS'S. WHEN I HEARD ABOUT IT AND THE REASON I THOUGHT, "AH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE HIGHLANDER DOES, AND IT'S A HYBRID." SO, TODAY I WENT IN FOR SERVICE, DISCUSSED THE BRAKES, AND WAS TOLD THAT UNLESS FELLAS IN THE SHOP CAN DRIVE THE CAR AND EXPERIENCE THE BRAKING ISSUE, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO -- THEY CANNOT EVEN FILE A REPORT WITH TOYOTA, IE. THEY CANNOT GET INFORMATION UP THE CHAIN TO FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY MAKE THE CARS. THAT IS A LUDICROUS POLICY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT) A KNOWN PROBLEM EXISTS IN A HYBRID BRAKING SYSTEM AND B) (AND I ASSUME A BIT HERE) THE HIGHLANDER BRAKING SYSTEM IS PROBABLY A NEAR COUSIN OF THE PRIUS'S. IN ANY EVENT, HERE'S A REPORT FROM A CONSUMER -- A HIGHLANDER HYBRID OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED ON MULTIPLE, RANDOM OCCASIONS A SUDDEN, SHORT LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHEN APPLY THE BRAKES. IT'S NOT LED TO ANY ACCIDENTS; IT IS SIMPLY DISQUIETING (THOUGH THE HIGHWAY SPEED INCIDENT WAS A BIT THRILLING). AS A MATTER OF COURSE, I'D CHECK YOUR OTHER HYBRIDS GANG. *TR