Toyota Highlander Complaints

958 consumer complaints on file.

#11602864July 17, 2024
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a whining sound coming from the transmission while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 54,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11602741July 16, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving on the highway when I heard a very loud bang. I felt like the car had been hit by something and immediately looked for a large truck around me. With such a loud noise I figured something that loud had to be kicked up by something large. No trucks were around me of any size. Just a few cars. I looked at all my windows to see if I had a crack. Nothing. I assumed whatever hit me must have hit the car and not glass. Once I pulled over I walked the perimeter of the car and found nothing. With how loud it was I knew something must have happened. I assumed maybe it hit underneath and turned my car back on to see if any malfunction lights came on. All was good so I continued to drive. I could hear a wind noise like a window was open but no windows were. A loud air sounding noise with a broken glass like noise as of I had a hole in my car made me pull over again. This time I looked at the roof which I didn’t the first time. I was shocked to find a huge hole in my sunroof. Fortunately I had my shade cover closed or all that glass would have potentially fallen on me while driving on the highway. I drove at a low speed with my hazards on to get me home where I parked my car in the garage where it sits. I did notice that the remaining glass shards point outward as if something exploded from my car. If something hit the car wouldn’t the glass point inward? Is there an issue with sunroofs? I am seeing some stories online but no recalls.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11602454July 15, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
Loss of brake sensation when slowing down through 20-25mph. Brake pedal takes a sudden plunge and car surges forward, forcing the driver to suddenly have to push hard on the brakes in order to stop. Usually happens under moderate braking, especially when there is a slight downhill grade. Toyota dealer confirms that it happens but says there are no codes and there is nothing they can do. Toyota dealer service advisor has had it happen to him while driving. This happens regularly, as often as 2-3 times per week, and can be reproduced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11602432July 15, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This is my new car certified
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11600831July 10, 2024
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11600119July 8, 2024
STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11600087July 8, 2024
STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11598566July 3, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Hesitation/Non-linear Acceleration From a Stop. Reprogramming the ECM completely resolved the issue. This needs to be sent out to affected vehicles but I had to investigate and pretty much demand a resolution. I fear what this could later do to our engines, etc.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11598542July 3, 2024
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
When 87 octane fuel is put into the vehicle, the 2023 highlander is sluggish to start and make jump at times as well. After reading other complaints online, the current fix was putting 93 octane in the vehicle to remedy the issue. Putting 93 octane fuel in the vehicle does help although the vehicle jumps around RPM's when going from ECO mode to normal. All of these issues pose a risk to the car jumping from a start to cause a rear-end accident. I've complained to the dealer and they've stated everything is normal. Folks online stated their dealerships said Toyota was working on a fix.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11598207July 2, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
I received the first recall notice about 7 months ago and have made the intent to set appointments with Kendall Toyota and West Kendall Toyota many times, but they stated that they don't have the fix available yet. They stated that they put me down in a waiting list and I will be called for an appointment according to the person on the phone the recall for my car is not a life-threatening recall. I stated that how come is not serious if the bumper gets detach while driving. I can cause an accident. I can I asked to speak to a supervisor in my last two intents to get appointments, but they stated that supervisors were not available at the moment, but a supervisor will call me back. NEVER GET A CALL BACK. I received the second recall showing in records that it is pending, however I have done the due diligence to fix it but not Toyota West Kendal and/or Kendall Toyota.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11597940July 1, 2024
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
THE ENGINE COVER ASSEMBLY DETACHED FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR WHILE DRIVING. SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING RECALL FOR THE FRONT LOWER BUMPER COVER ASSEMBLY. While pulling out of a parking lot, I noticed that there was a scraping noise under my car. Prior to parking at Jones Beach State Park, I was traveling on Ocean Parkway at a high rate of speed (50-60MPH) and it was a very windy day. I did not hit any obstructions or scrape the bottom of my car on anything. There was nowhere for me to pull over and as I sped up, the noise went away. When I got off the highway, the noise returned. When I got home, I looked under my car and there was a plastic piece dragging just in front of my front tires. I remembered I had received a notice about a Toyota recall related to the lower front bumper cover assembly and looked that up - it felt very similar to what I had experienced. When I got to the dealer, they told me it was not subject to the recall and the repairs on this would be $200 diagnostic plus $529.88 parts and labor. I was told I must have hit something to make it detach. I did not hit or scrape anything. My car has pretty good clearance, it would have had to be HUGE for me to hit or scrape it. I would have known.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11596926June 26, 2024
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11596425June 25, 2024
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's vehicle was involved in a crash. The contact stated that the other vehicle that crashed into the contact stated the vehicle's speed was about 75 MPH. The contact stated that when the contact's vehicle was impacted, the contact's vehicle air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated that after the crash, the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact's vehicle was occupied by the contact's husband, who was seated in the front passenger's seat. The contact's two children, ages [XXX] and [XXX] old, were seated in the rear seat. The Police and Fire departments arrived on the scene. The contact stated that medical attention was provided at the scene. The contact sustained injuries included a concussion, a sprained left ankle, and a sprained right wrist. The contact's husband sustained injuries, including a sprained right wrist and a sprained left ankle. In addition, the contact's children sustained cuts and bruises. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and later towed to an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 70,765. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
4
Deaths:
0
#11595873June 22, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
There are two problems with our 2023 Toyota Highlander. 1) We only have 25k miles on our vehicle and the brake rotors became warped, to the point of causing severe chatter while downhill braking. Toyota stated that the warranty does not cover brakes. My argument was that the brake rotors should not be failing at 25k miles! They then stated that they would inspect the rotors and resurface them, if necessary. They did find that they needed to resurface the rotors. My contention is that this will be a recurring issue, especially since there is even less metal on the rotors now. I believe the original rotors are faulty to have failed prematurely. 2) We had a receiver hitch installed by a third party, which caused the kick sensor for the back hatch to be inoperable. This is expected and no big deal to us. However, when we put the bike rack in the receiver hitch, the backup warning sensors engage the brakes and cause the vehicle to not back up. The only way to back up with the bike rack on is to disable the backup sensors! Now we have lost that backup safety feature! The backup sensors see the bike rack and engage the brakes. Additionally, this issue also caused all other sensors to malfunction by stating that the sensors were dirty and needed cleaning, with the backup sensor engaged. Toyota inspected the vehicle multiple times and finally reached the conclusion that there is no fix for the sensors to allow our bike rack to be installed. Toyota sells this vehicle with the option of having a hitch and bike rack installed, yet their safety sensors don’t allow this to happen. Now, we are unable to use the bike rack, unless we disable the sensors. The safety features we paid for are now useless!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11595662June 21, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Car fire (total loss of vehicle) after hybrid malfunction. My family and I were traveling west bound on [XXX] near Crawfordsville Indiana on [XXX]. Trooper Chelsey Smith from the Indiana State Police (CAD # [XXX] ) came to the scene. Our car was traveling westbound at about 70 mph when I got a notification of "a malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected" - I acknowledged the alert and kept driving, then it showed again 30 seconds later and acknowledged again. About 30 seconds later I received a "Hybrid System Alert" stating "A malfunction in the Hybrid System has been detected. Stop in a save location and contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected". The vehicle then notified me that it was reducing power output and we went from 70 to 20 mph in a few minutes. Then while we were going about 20 mph, the vehicle notified me that its going to come to a stop and shut off its power. I engaged the brakes and before coming to a full stop, thick brown smoke came out from the hood on the drivers side. Vehicle cam to a stop and we all jumped out of the vehicle. Within 30 seconds, the car had flames coming out of hood and front drivers side quarter panel. The fire then moved through the vehicle. Fire department came about 10 min later, but worked on it for 30+ mins to put out. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11595651June 21, 2024
TIRES
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V419000 (Tires) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11594324June 14, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
Undershield came loose and was dragging on the ground
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11594018June 12, 2024
AIR BAGS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. I am VERY concerned that Toyota hasn’t taken this more seriously. I notice in the NTSB website it has injuries and fatalities listed to the left of the complains. Does someone have to be injured or killed before Toyota gets their act together??? Thinking we may need to trade this for another SAFER, RELIABLE vehicle. I have also had many people flash me due to the headlights being too high and in their face-another SAFETY concern.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11593367June 10, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
When driving the vehicle will hesitate and pause when trying to accelerate. This normally occurs when trying to make a turn. The delay is a safety concern since the lack of acceleration frequently causes near accident with oncoming traffic. The dealership recreated once but said there is nothing they can find/ do about it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11592160June 3, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was in the drive thru at a fast food restaurant and after I placed my order I was about 5 cars from the pay window. As I went forward where there was a curve I stopped and then when the car in front of me moved forward to the pay window I let up on the brake and accelated slowly. When I put my foot on the brake pedal it went to the floor and the car would not stop. I served to the right of the car in front of me ( I did not hit it) and rolled to the parking space to the right. The car hit the curb and bounced up a little and hit the sign and then rolled backwards and I swerved the car so as to not hit the cars in line. I tried to put the car in drive but it wouldn't go. I then put the car into park which stopped the car with a jerk. After a few minutes I turned the car off as the brakes had not come back. I sat in the driveway blocking it. As I sat there I checked the screen for any error messages or warnings and saw none. After about 10 or 15 minutes I tried the pedal again and got pressure. I was able to start the car and pulled it into the parking spot. I then called Totota roadside service and had the car towed to my house. Today as instructed by Toyota service they sent a tow truck to my house to tow it to the dealership service department. The service manager checked something and said nothing showed up but would have the tech check everything out.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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