2001 TOYOTA Highlander

We were told engine sludge when we took the vehicle in. We are concerned about engine seize and not being a safe family car.

Took the car in to the dealer in March of 2004 with a smoking tailpipe and the engine light was on. Was told that the engine was gelling and they were going to replace a few things and clean the engine. After a week and half the dealership gave me back the car said everything was fine. Two days later the engine light came back on. Took the car back in the technician tinkered with the car and made the light go off. The dealership did not make a record of this visit and I did not ask for any type of receipt for my visit. At 84,000 miles the problem is back. The dealership this time says it\’s due to lack of oil changes. (They did not say this last time) And then demanded receipts. I provided them with the receipts and they still will not fix the problem. So far Toyota headquarters in CA says they are backing the regional office.

This vehicle has developed engine problems as a result of the \’engine sludge\’ issue identified by your organization and others. Repairs are currently being negotiated.

This is the FOURTH catalytic converter that I have had to replace since I bought this car on 12/10/01 with 4 miles on it. The first one was replaced on 6/10/03 and still under the mileage and 3 year warranty. The second one was replaced on 4/10/04 – 9 months later! It too, was still under warranty. The OS2 modulator was replaced on 1/28/05 when the check engine light came on once again. (The only time the check engine light has come on is when I have had a problem with the exhaust/emissions system). I took it to another dealer on 1/28/05 and explained that the dealer I had bought the car from had replaced the catalytic converter twice already and could that be the problem since I was still under warranty. They said the code read OS2 Modulator. Now, the engine light came on again the first of June, 2005 and I took it in 3 weeks later to find out it’s the catalytic converter again. Guess what…….it’s not under warranty this time. I find that this is a real concern that I have expressed to the dealer I bought the car from when they replaced it twice, however, they (Texas Toyota) obviously did not take heed to my concerns. Stewart Toyota has expressed the idea that the OS2 modulator could possibly cause the converter to go out. Whatever the reason, Toyota needs to look into this. There is NO REASON why a 3.5 year old car should be on it’s 4TH catalytic converter even with 175,000 miles on it. That means on the average, it’s breaking down every 43,750 miles and that is unheard of. I could have more luck with a Chevrolet!

This is a typical Toyota oil gel problem. I was not aware that these engines have this problem, nor was I told about it by Toyota at anytime. The engine has been using an excessive amount of oil and even though I have a maintenance log, they won\’t cover the $9k in expenses. I contacted the dealer and Toyota North America (including the 800 #). Toyota\’s position seems to be that if you don\’t have a complete detailed -including all receipts, for every oil change (within 7,500 miles as per the warranty of course) during the lifetime of ownership than they basically tell the vehicle owner that they must pay the entire cost of fixing the problem. Toyota should make sure that they tell all their consumers that this problem exists. Though they deny any culpability, I have numerous questions which are obvious follow-ups, but Toyota won\’t answer them: 1. If it is a consumer lack of properly maintaining the vehicle, than how comes they have set up this program in the first place ONLY for specific vehicles with specific engine types? 2. Why have they changed the engines that go into these vehicles? They no longer sell vehicles with the engine in the car that I purchased.3. How come this problem isn\’t systemic throughout the entire auto industry? I mean I can\’t imagine that Highlander (or Sienna, Camry, etc.) owners are much more negligent in their maintenance of their cars than say a Chevrolet owner.4. I would really like to know what they actual # of problems that are being reported. Toyota says \"it\’s only a small number\". I seriously doubt that. They won\’t tell me.Given the independent analysis of these engines, it is clear there was a design problem. The analysis – easily found on the web, shows that in an attempt to have cleaner exhaust, the engines\’ temperatures are running at larger than usual variances. (i.e. according to GM engine temp. variances shouldn\’t run more than 17degrees but in these engines, the temp. variance from top to bottom of the engine can be as high as 70 degrees). There is other evidence as well.I think Toyota did a little research and decided that this problem is best fought, from their point of view, on a case by case basis. Given the cost to repair $7,500, it would be significant hit to the company to do an outright recall. I will most certainly be willing to help you out in any manner – I have done considerable research.

The oil in my Highlander\’s V6 engine turned to sludge, despite good maintenance and regular oil changes in accordance with the owner\’s manual recommendations. Toyota is indicating that this is a result of poor maintenance on my part even though I have provided proof of 3 oil changes just in the past 7 months (they actually only asked me for proof of 2 oil changes within the past year). They have refused to replace my engine, and in fact have just charged me $350 to blow out the sludge that was in my engine and replace it with some new oil. The engine is probably already severely damaged and is not running well. Simply blowing out the sludge will not fix this obvious defect with the engine. So much for Toyota quality and integrity. I have been told that I will have to pay about $9000 out of my pocket for a new engine if their current fix (which I paid for)does not work. I want Toyota to do what is right and replace my engine at their expense.

On September 3rd 2005 at 11:30pm while traveling at approximately 75 mph on Interstate 5 -15 miles south of Sacramento California I experienced a catastrophic failure (sidewall blowout

Oil Sludge issue. The toyota was in the shop for 1.5 weeks. The final bill did not include any totals, but the service manager indicated parts alone were close to $1600. We were very disturbed with toyota’s position that this problem was a maintenance issue and that they would only repair this issue once within the first eight years. They indicated that we followed the wrong maintenance schedule of normal rather than severe conditions for Florida. Considering the owners manual does not specify this, and that I own a Lexus that has no signs of problem after following the same schedule, we were disappointed with their response. Since the service manager at the dealership could give us no guarantee that this would happen again in the near future, even if they changed the oil every 5000 miles as he directed, we turned around and traded the vehicle in on a Honda the same day. I did contact SW Toyota customer service and they accused us of the same faulty maintenance as the service manager. It was obvious after several conversations that Toyota no longer stands for quality and customer service. As I indicated to them in a recent email and a letter that I am currently drafting, they have lost a Toyota owner forever. Now that we have divested ourselves of the Highlander, I plan to sell the Lexus as well. I know you didn’t need to hear all this, but to answer your questions. Toyota honored its CSP (once in eight years), but I unsure how much the repair cost were.

My Highlander had sludge in the engine. The engine was cleaned out. I was told that if I change my oil every 3,000 miles instead of 7,500.00 that would not happen. The toyota manuel states every 7,500. Remember my car only has 18,202 miles on it. It’s not even 2 yr old yet. The service Advisor assured me that if I change my oil every 3,000 and not every 7,500 like the manual says that if this happen again they would cover the problem.

My 2001 Toyota Highlander has developed an oil sludge (oil gel) problem that Toyota states will require the engine replaced at my expense. The estimated cost is $9,760 plus tax. It started with my wife and kids nearly stalling when trying to accelerate onto the freeway. Luckily the other drivers were able to swerve around her so nobody got hurt. We took the car in to the dealer and they found one of the plugs had failed and replaced them for $250. While the car was in I agreed to do the 45K service for another $250 +tax. Took the car home the next night with a glowing Toyota service checklist. In the morning I saw oil was leaking from under the car and when I started the car a huge cloud of smoke came from the exhaust. I returned the car to Toyota of Kirkland (WA) and did a little research on the web where I was surprised to learn about smoke relating to the engine sludge issue and all of the models of Toyota with V6’s it effected. Toyota service called later to tell me I might need a new engine. I asked about the sludge issue and they stated they had never heard of it, I insisted I had read about it…they then said they had heard about it too, but on other models..not the Highlander. I insisted it included the Highlander and could send them the information…they then said yes they were aware of it and had discussed with their manager what they could do for me [honesty not included].After discussions with the Toyota rep the dealer service wanted me to run a 1500 mile “oil consumption test” with 500 mile checks at the dealership for data points to give to Toyota. That personal embarrassment of smoking up my neighborhood and smoking the kids at school lasted 485 miles before the oil light came on. The car had blown huge clouds of smoke upon starts for the couple week test and had burned up over 3 quarts of oil.I then had to open my wallet again for another $1200 to have the service folks open up the engine and take a look at it. After that I was told I needed a new engine. The service folks had the Toyota rep come out and “see what they could do for me”. The Toyota rep could apparently take some pictures of my ruined engine and offered $750 toward the engine replacement.Anybody want to buy a used 2001 Toyota Highlander with a “glowing 45K” service report? Oh and did Toyota send me their service questionnaire asking about how “excellent” their service was this time….not a chance.

In summer of 2004, I took my car in for routine service at Mostly Toyota, not a dealer, and was told they found sludge,in the oil which they cleaned and flushed. Having received the letter from Toyota regarding the gel problem, I immediately took the car to Jim Barkley Toyota, and was told that there was no gel, and the engine was clean. In March 2005 at a routine service, I was told the dipstick showed no oil, (the oil light hasd come on). It was serviced appropriately. A few weeks ago again the oil light began going on and off. We took the car in to Jim Barkley Toyota, again with concern about the gel problem which seemed tobe at the root of the issue. We were told that there was no oil, and that the engine was damaged and would need to be replaced. The quote was $5800. The regional Manufacturer’s representative denied Toyota responsibililty for the problem. I had the engine replaced at Mostly Toyota for $4600 with a 30,000 mile used engine.

In July 2004, I purchased a 2001 Toyota Highlander with a 3 liter V6 engine from a Chevrolet dealership. The car was used. Prior to purchasing the car I called Toyota\’s 1-800 number requesting information on this vehicle and if there were any concerns with recalls and quality problems. In addition, I also reviewed data from Consumer Reports on this vehicle (make and year). There were no major issues with this car. Shortly after driving the car, I noticed that the car was consuming oil and also the oil was gelling up (as seen on the dip stick) after driving the vehicle for 1,000 miles after an oil change. The oil looked like jello. I immediately contact a Toyota dealership about my problem asking them if this engine had a problem with oil gel. They told me \"no\" and that the original owner must have pulled a large load prior to the engine breaking in. Over the next year, the problem got worse. I am a mechanical engineer at a power plant and work with several engineers who are experts in internal combustion engines. I talked with colleagues about the problem. I switched my oil to a semi-synthetic, which did not work, and later to a synthetic. My problem got worse and I was religiously changing the oil at 3,000 miles. The problem got so bad that I carried a 5 gallon container of oil in the car and I recently broke the hood latch cable as I am popping the hood every day to check the oil. I was going to trade the car in at a Toyota dealership but decided against it as they offered me such a low price for trade in. I could get $8,000 more by selling it on my own. I then contacted another Toyota dealer in another town. I told the service dept about the white smoke from my engine at start-up and how my oil was gelling up. Again they said there was nothing wrong with the engine and they quoted me $2,000 to look at the engine as it may need new seals, etc. I told them I had checked the seals and nothing was leaking from the front or back of the engine.I contacted a local garage, which has a great reputation for diagnosing engine problems, (Siewerts garage in Red Wing, MN). The mechanic look at every possible cause of oil consumption, valve guides, seals, compression testing and spark plugs. He spent one week troubleshooting the car and found nothing wrong with the engine, except for spark plug on valve #4. It was badly corroded. The mechanic told me that the outside engine was clean and could not understand what was going on with the oil consumption. He told me it had to be an internal problem with the engine, most likely a manufacturing defect or design flaw. We decided to run the car for 2 weeks and take pictures of the spark plugs. After two weeks, valve #4 was extremely coated with white residue, while valve #2 was clean and showing no signs of wear. This would indicate a manufacturing defect in the engine. I had believed it to be a clearance issue with the piston rings, but the lack of cooling passages in the cylinder head could also cause the problem. Also because the defect was not showing up in ALL 6 valves of the engine this points to a manufacturing defect. To blame customers on not keeping proper maintenance on their vehicle is wrong.The mechanic from Siewerts called Toyota Customer hotline and talked with a customer rep who told him my vehicle was in the program for a so called \"engine recall\" policy for oil gel/sludge problems. He also told the mechanic that I should try and get resolution through corporate and not through a dealership as they will drag their feet on addressing the problem. I called Toyota in July 2006 and also sent them a letter in August 2006, with pictures of the spark plugs (before and after). After no contact with corporate, I found a dealership 2 hours from my home that said they would look at my oil consumption problem in my vehicle. They switched my oil from synthetic to Mobil 5W 30 and are monitoring the oil consumption. After 4 days I used 2

I bought a Toyota because I needed a reliable car. I am a sales rep and mother who makes a lot of out-of-town trips with my family. On a recent trip, my engine failed. Because I need my car, I take very good care of it- I have had the oil changed THREE times in the last SIX months. My husband checked my oil the morning I left and the dipstick showed full. Later that day, my 12 year old and I were forced to flag down a ride back to Melbourne. My car was towed to Toyota of Melbourne where they say I was driving without oil in the engine and the engine will have to be replaced. After doing research, I found out this year/model of car has an oil sludge problem. I have called Toyota Consumer Affairs and they have assigned me a case number. They say Toyota of Melbourne has up to 3 days to call me. In the meantime, I am unable to do my job. I might lose my job because of this. And of course I still owe on the car!

Engine Oil Sludge. The estimated cost of our engine problem was $7,200 (Canadian) and it started at 38,000 km (24,000 miles). The matter was resolved when we dug up an old oil change slip that my wife and I had forgotten about altogether. Before the discovery we were unable to provide a receipt for each year that we have owned the car so Toyota insisted that it was customer negligence that resulted in the oil sludge. Top engine block was replaced and we got off scott free. When an oil leak was detected after a week of getting the car back from the shop, we brought it back in and they fixed it again – no charge. I feel that this was a bit like David knocking out Goliath.

Engine light started flashing right at 25,000. car gave no sign of failure or anytime of problem. Oil changes was performed every 5000/mi and car was running fine until the light started to flash and we took car to Concord Toyota to check on the engine liht problem. Concord Toyota said the engine was burned in and out due to lack of oil and blamed tha customer for poor maintenance to the car and refuse to fix the car under the warranty. It’s been 3months that Concord Toyota still has possession of the car with the engine opened apart and still refused to cover under the warranty.

Car began to smoke and was going through oil very quickly. Brought it into Toyota and they said there was sludge in the engine and that it was our fault because we must not have changed the oil frequently enough. We are currently looking for receipts as it was recently brought to our attention that there is a Class Action about this exact thing.

burns one quart of oil every 1,000 miles, check engine light is on, Toyota Berkeley wants me to pay $2,600 to inspect the engine for a possible sludge problem. small amounts of smoke coming out of tailpipe. Since it’s amajor ongoing problem they should do this under the warranty but they say “no”. It was bought second hand from a car dealership so I don’t have he original oil change records. Toyota of Berkeley says it’s my problem.

At oil change I was told there was substantial sludge in the engine. After oil change there was smoke from the exhaust system. Several days later my oil light came on and I checked my oil. It was dry. My engine did not seize and I have taken it to the dealership for attention. UPDATE: I received a call this morning. My engine is being replaced under the engine sludge agreement at no cost to me. I have been supplied with a loaner car (nice and new!) at no cost as well. I do not know the cost of the repairs that are being covered yet. I was told they would call if there were any problems during the process. I was told that I would need to get more frequent oil changes than Toyota typically recommends. I have no problem complying with this. I love my Highlander and have so far been pleased with the response from Toyota.

4/16/04 mileage-35652 $305.14 Toyota paid nothing said it was a maaintence problem. I went in because the engine light came on and I went right to the dealer that same day. I had sludge buildup on my engine , the valve was plugged and the sparks plugs where all covered in oil. I had no oil in the car after getting a oil change at 4000 miles which was serviced by toyota. I asked where did all the oil go. They gave me no real answer. I was asked to bring the vehicle back to check the oil level after 1000 miles. I went somewhere else had that done. I dont trust Toyota .I have had two 3 oil changes and am at 40,000. I was 2 quarts short oil at the last oil change. I beleive that a internal engine problem exsist based on some research and talking to mechanics. I know toyota is aware of the engine problems like mine with my make and model and has had problems with oil sludging and yet they refused to tell me the truth and they charged me the money which I should not be responsible for.

2001 Toyota Highlander with onset of rapid oil loss. No external oil leak, just LOTS of blue smoke. I was told that the engine needs to be replaced because oil sludge has ruined it. If I am unable to prove timely oil changes with written receipts my extended warranty will be void and a new engine will cost me approximately 6K.

2001 toyota highlander recall request*cw the consumer stated there have been a number of recalls on her vehicle, but she isn't sure if they have been corrected, because she is not the original owner. the consumer would like to know is there a way to verify recall work?

On 11/17/2015 i hit a parking island in an unlit parking lot. when i tried to stop, my brakes failed. this caused me to lose control of the vehicle and it hit 2 parked cars and a tree. i have lost wages and live in pain every day due to injuries from this accident.

My front tires, (from a set of four), have parts of the tread separating from the tire body. the rubber under the missing pieces of tread has a texture like popcorn. the inner surface of the rubber is shiny and smooth. *dt it is not from gouging, force, or abuse to the tires. it is as if the manufacturing process used two different batches of rubber that was not incorporated together correctly, and is now separating from itself. this is clearly a manufacturing defect and should be recalled immediately! if a tire failure occurs from this defect at speed, it could cause a serious accident, rollover, head-on, serious injury/death. please review his matter as soon as possible. please contact me for pictures of the defect, since the website has no way to upload the pics.*dt*jb *tr

Sunroof glass blew off of the vehicle on the highway yesterday. i see numerous reports of this on the internet. was there ever a tsb or recall for this issue from toyota? dangerous and scary, happened in traffic.

I am sole owner of this vehicle since bought it new and well maintain it. dashboard and steering wheel are peeling and gooey. toyota service dealership told me nothing they can do about it and asked me to call toyota. i called and filed a complaint no. 1709121290 with toyota. they told me they had recalls on other models but not this one so it seems this is not a new issue for them. they don't want to fix it.

Driver side visor will not stay up. it droops approximately 60 degrees when lower to block sun.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. the contact stated while attempting to park, the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently and crashed into a parked vehicle. the contact shifted the vehicle into reverse and crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. the police was contacted, but a report was not filed. the driver sustained whiplash and neck pains that did not require medical attention. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 141,980. ma 10/15/2015 *cn

Faulty stop lights, after several attempts to repair the stop lights. the problem remains unsolved and keeps coming back on both tail lights. what's wrong toyota?

Toyota had a problem with there 4 cylinder engines in camry and highlander with engine mountain threads pulling away for a three or four year period. my car started leaking oil about 90,000 miles when i took in to a dealer he told me about the problem and toyota did not issue a recall. i was told only fix is a new engine. they also had a problem with the catalytic converter also again no recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the spiral cable needed to be replaced; however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 111,000.

Wiring problem with passenger side brake light. kept replacing bulb, then replacing socket, now going to put a whole kit. toyota neglected to tell me this in the first place, even after several tickets and wasted money on different things telling me it would fix the problem. *tr

Another vehicle crossed the line and i swerved to avoid a head on collision. however point of impact was drivers side door and side to rear. no airbag deployed. *tr

Sunvisor drops down about 30 degrees from the up position or just don't stay all the way down. *tr

Anytime car is kept outside in temperature below freezing, the airbag light illuminates and stays on after car is started. it continues to stay on until temperature warms up and car is subsequently restarted. there are reports of a tsb on this known problem stating the airbag is non-operable while light flashes, but toyota has not issued a recall or is willing to repair under warranty. note: this is a safety drive ability issue that should be treated as a recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the brake pedal had to be applied forcefully in order for the vehicle to respond. the failure recurred numerous times. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 01v228000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall. the dealer's records indicated that there was no remedy repair performed. the recall was not honored and the vehicle had not been repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 72,071.

I have a 2001 highlander. the left visor keeps falling down from the weight of the visor. i was traveling on the highway at 65 mph when the visor fell in front of my eyes,causing me to swerve . this is a safety issue. there should be a recall on the visor. *tr

On wed, 4 sep 2013 at approximately 12:00, i parked my car in the driveway and got out of the car to pick up mail. after picking up the mail, i returned to the car and leaned over the car to retrieve my purse from the passenger seat when my suv started rolling backwards. my car which was on an incline in my driveway kept rolling backwards. i fell on my back on the concrete driveway and the front tire of my car rolled over my left thigh. the car rolled back and stopped in the middle of the street. my neighbor across the street called 911. *js

Driver's side sunshade does not stay up when placed in the up position. prior to this, it would stay up for an undetermined amount of time and suddenly fall down, hitting the driver's head and blocking the view.

I am the original owner of our 2001toyota 3.0 highlander. i also own a 2008 toyota tundra pickup and a 2008 lexus es 350. our highlander has been exceptional vehicle. i have performed all the required maintenance on our vehicles since their purchase, oil changes, fluids levels, serpentine and power steering belts replacements, tire rotation, air and fuel filters replacement, wipers, struts, and miscellaneous items. the only service that was performed by technicians was coolant and transmission oil service. on tuesday, december 11, 2012 while my way home from work, i noticed that my check engine light activated. when i got home, i use my obd code reader and obtained the fault code of p1349. it should be noted that my vehicle appeared to be running normally. after reading the possible causes, i took it to a local service center and had an oil change performed. i did this because i had a coupon for an oil change and filter for $14.99. i reset the check engine light and then drove the vehicle work. on the way home, i noticed that my check engine light and my low oil pressure light had activated. as i attempted to make it off the freeway, i noticed that the motor start messing. by the time i got to the off ramp, the engine was emitting loud banging sounds and was struggling. by the time is able to safely park the vehicle, the motor had ceased. as an original owner, i do not recall ever receiving a notice regarding oil jelly. i am requesting that my motor failure be covered the oil gel settlement. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander 4x4 limited. while driving approximately 40 mph, the contact opened both rear windows but was unable to close the windows. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician advised that the power window regulators for both rear windows needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 95,839.

As my wife was slowing the vehicle to a stop in a parking lot, the vehicle seemed to experience an acceleration on its own. she felt as if the accelerator got stuck so she immediately pressed brake with her left foot and accelerator with the right foot in an effort to 'release' the accelerator pedal. this was a reflex move on her part because it happened so fast. the vehicle hopped over the parking lot curb, landed on the grass and came to a stop. i was standing 50 feet from the car when this happened. the only thing i noticed was a braking sound and when i turned around the car had hopped and was on the grass. we took the car to the local dealership who couldn't find the cause or replicate the problem. they said there's no problem with the car. a month has gone by since the incident and there hasn't been anything unusual with the car since. *tr

The driver's seat belt is fraying because it rubs against the slot in the latch. many, many people have complained about this on the internet. i've never had this happen in any other vehicle i've owned over the 50 years i've driven. i have a 1992 camry with almost 200,000 miles on it, and there is no wear at all on the seat belt. we need a recall! *tr

I was backing out of the garage when the car accelerated. i kept hitting the brake and it finally stopped. i put the car back into drive and it accelerated again. i tried hitting the brake and it wouldn't stop until it hit the garage door. i don't know how fast it was going, but it seemed like it was going at an excessive speed. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while stopped at a stop light, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own and crashed into the vehicle stopped in front of the contact. there were no damages to either vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic test, but the manufacturer would not allow a technician to inspect it. the manufacturer stated that they would send an engineer to examine the vehicle. the vehicle was not yet examined or repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 125,000.

This visibility issue is caused by the sunvisor on the driver side, dropping down from the stowed position unexpectedly and repeatedly blocking the driver's vision. dealer indicated not a toyota problem and pricing it at $700 + dollars to replace. when driving, the sunvisor had to be moved to the side at all times and back to forward position just to get it out of way to exit vehicle. ended up buying from the dealer a regular visor (not the limited model visor). the new visor cost $80 + dollars. vehicle sold as a limited model, should not have any hazardous/dangerous problems such as this, not addressed without a national recall. very disappointed with the toyota corp. for not accepting these complaints and denying that problem even exists. nhtsa please take note, and add up all these same visibility issues as showing on your site. not just this model i bet many same visor issues show up for other toyota models. thank you! *tr

I have a 2001 toyota highlander and the passenger brake light will not brighten when you press on the brake, however it will come on when i turn on the lights. apparently this is a common issue i am including a link to a discussion about this issue from several other people:http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/toyota-highlander/t7h7ld934gsqlc6be. *tr

I am experiencing problems with my 2001 toyota highlander. whenever i press on the brake it pulsates,vibrates and it makes a distracting loud ratcheting sound. when the speedometer drops to less than 10mph- it happens. this happens so frequently, that i really hate driving anywhere. i took it to several different mechanics. after being told the problem that i am having is due to warped rotors and warn brake pads- i paid to have new brake pads and rotors installed. that didn't work. (now they say it is an abs problem) i took the highlander to a toyota dealer who without properly performing a computer scan, blamed the mechanics who replaced my rotors and brake pads for the problem that i have been having-and they told me that it was not the abs system. anyway, i am still having the same problem that both professional mechanics disagree on. pulsation, vibration and loud noises. note: neither of the two indicator lights brake/abs has activated since the problem started. finally, i took the highlander to a third mechanic, paid for an inspection of my abs system and received several computer scan abs faults codes:c1271-c1278- abs activates at a lower speed. also, master cylinder pressure sensor malfunction c1281. i want toyota to repair the defects in my toyota highlander. *tr

Driver's side sun visor flops downward when in use, instead of remaining tilted forward (toward windshield), thus partially blocking vision. this is a common problem on a number of toyota vehicles. *tr

When 2001 toyota highlander is started when cold, below 30 degrees f, air bag light blinks until 1) car warms up 2) car is restarted. i have been told by dealer that when light is blinking, air bags are inoperable. ordinarily this car is kept in a garage so it is not very often started when below 30 f. i believe this problem has been with the car since new. i believe this problem is on many other toyota highlanders of this era because a google search for "toyota highlander air bag light blinks cold weather" brings up discussions of people talking about this problem for the first generation highlanders 2001 - 2007. *tr

I was in a car accident in august 2010 in my toyota highlander. the airbags did not deploy on impact even though i was going 45-50 mph. my seat belt did not restrain me from hitting my steering wheel was a hard impact to my chest. i sent pics to toyota and spoke to them several times about my complaint of the failing airbags and seatbelt. they said that the car did what it was designed to do on impact and therefore i had no complaint. my car was totaled in the collision. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. while driving 5 mph in reverse the vehicle accelerated on its own and crashed into a pole. the vehicle previously accelerated on its own while the brakes were applied and crashed into a vehicle. the contact sustained minor injuries to her neck. there was no mention of a police report being filed. the dealer stated that they could not duplicate the failure. the mechanic stated that the failure could be caused due to the accelerator pedal sticking. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 109000.

Noted recent complaint re:sun visors on 2001 highlander- i have the same problem however just passenger side visor involved so far. part cost is $214.00 ! i think it is a ridiculous item to fail. *tr

2001 toyota highlander drivers side sun visor does not stay in place, and falls down into drivers field of vision unexpectedly passenger side visor does the same thing, but to a lesser degree. this began after we owned the car for five years(out of warranty) and is a constant problem, and i feel the dealer should correct this problem. the consumer(s) should not be expected to pay upwards of $800 to fix such a simple problem, one that should not occur in the first place. i have owned more than twelve vehicles, and even the cheapest of those never had such a problem. several highlander owners have told of the same complaint, and it is very frustrating. *tr

The driver side sunvisor of my 2001 toyota highlander limited would not stay up since 2006, which has been a safety hazard. an estimation of replacing the visor at a local dealership was $700.00 in may 2007, which is outrageous and should be recalled for free repair. *tr

2001 toyota highlander purchased new. about once a year it accelerates on its own. reported problem to toyota dealer in 2002 or 2003 - have receipt. we can stop the car with firm pressure on the brake. in most cases when we put the transmission into park the engine continued to race at high rpm. i can't remember all incidents, but believe that in some cases was able to slow the engine down by keeping my foot on the brake and putting the car back into drive. other times i turned off the ignition. when i restart the car it is fine. most recent occurrence was sunday 4/18/2010 in parking lot of a&p on south avenue in clark or westfield, nj. my wife was in the car with me. i had been driving the car for about an hour. the last half hour was on the garden state parkway at 55+ miles per hour. was off the parkway for less than 5 minutes when i made left turn into a&p parking lot and another left in the parking lot. driving less than 15 miles per hour. then was almost stopped as i was about to turn left into parking space. noticed the engine rpm seemed a little higher than normal and i became more cautious and made sure my foot was firmly on the brake pedal. the engine rpm began to increase rapidly. i pressed on the brake pedal as hard as possible and was able to keep the car from moving forward, but the engine would not stop racing. i put the transmission in park and the engine continued to race at full throttle. i turned off the ignition and the engine stopped. restarted the car after a minute and it was fine. don't believe i was pressing on the gas at the same time as the brake because the two pedals are far enough apart that to do so my foot could only be halfway on the brake pedal. in that case when i press hard my ankle starts to twist. i am sure my foot was centered on the brake in this incident because i had time to prepare and it felt firmly in the center. i don't think the gas pedal was stuck because i had been driving very slowly immediately before the incident. *tr

2001 toyota highlander recall request*cw the consumer stated there have been a number of recalls on her vehicle, but she isn't sure if they have been corrected, because she is not the original owner. the consumer would like to know is there a way to verify recall work?

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. while traveling at 35 mph the vehicle had suddenly accelerated without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be serviced. the failure mileage was 25,000. updated 04/27/10. *lj the consumer stated she had to pull the accelerator pedal up, which was stuck. updated 06/25/10.*jb

Car began surging on three occasions. car was parked, in park at the curb, and engine was surging from idle to aprox 2500 rpm. i plugged an obd into the car to look for error codes and there were none. i cycled the obd again and the surging stopped. ?? *tr

My 2001 highlander has caused me so much stress. on june 25, 2006 i brought the highlander in to toyota crystal in greenbrook, nj after having had two episodes in which the car kept accelerating even though my foot was off the gas pedal and the brakes did not help in slowing the car down. on both occasions i had put the car in neutral to slow it down. it is the same exact scenario that has been in the news this past month. the toyota dealer was unable to help us in resolving the problem at that time. i still have a copy of the letter i gave to the dealer on that date describing the problem. when the news broke about the acceleration problem i called crystal toyota. they offered to check the car again but was told we would have to pay for the analysis since it was not under the recall. so i called toyota in morristown nj where i had purchased the car in 2001. the manager told me to call toyota corporate at 800-331-4331. i did so and after describing the car problem, was given case #1001138288 and assured that i would receive a call back within one business day. the call never came so my husband called toyota back. the reason given to us for not calling back was that our car was not in the recall. the toyota representative also told my husband that the parts under recall were not installed in the 2001 highlander and to call customer relations at crystal toyota. this time crystal offered to test drive the car for no charge but said they wouldn't know how to go about repairing it since no substitute piece for the 2001 exists. so the problem remains unresolved. this is a dangerous situation and i am sure that there must be other 2001 highlanders with the same problem. since those two experiences i only drive the car when it is absolutely necessary. please investigate this matter. unfortunately i did not know about nhtsa until this week. otherwise i would have contacted nhtsa at an earlier date. i am looking forward to hearing from you. *tr

I bought a toyota highlander in 2001. i think my car does have a brake problem. when i apply brakes at speed over 50 miles, car is vibrating and hard to stop. i have to stop applying brake. after buying a car, i took it to the dealer, and the sales agent said, "it is not a brake problem, it is because of hard pressure." recently, my husband drove the car and he felt it too.(date for this incident is some where in september 2001) (2) occasionally my car ignition is not working, i have to give gas to start car! i took it to toyota dealer located at buford mall of ga, in the u.s.a. they worked on it twice. i have spent more than $650. the problem is still not resolved. then somebody called me to inform that something is bad (coast is $800)and it might fix the problem! i complained to the people who take survey on customer satisfaction. no body follow up on it. i sent an email. then an agent named "tony" called me and said, "i do not want to spend $800 more and which might fix the problem. i said, "what happened to the first two repairs?" his response was, "it is like you go to doctor. they try one medicine. if you are not cured, they try another medicine!" then he asked me,"what you want to do? do you want to fix the problem?" i said, "yes, but i can't let you keep on trying new repairs, spend money and problem is not fixed!." he said, "if you are thinking that i will fix your problem free, it is not going to happen!." then he hang up the call. yes, toyota should have improve their service and change the attitude. their service price varies with the team/service agent. i do not remember exact date, the following date is approximate. *tr

I own a 2001 toyota highlander and have had the same exact problem happen to me several times in the past seven years. the first time i experienced a serious problem was about four years ago and my son and i could have been killed had it not been for some fast thinking on my part. i was trying to stop at a red light and my car accelerated for no reason. at first, i thought my brakes had failed since when i stomped on the brake, my car would not stop, even though i had both feet pressing down on it. at this point,with cars in front of me that i was going to hit, i swerved into the turn lane and then all i could see was an 18 wheeler coming at me. i was so lucky there were no cars on the side road that i turned onto and all the while i was steadily trying to get my vehicle under control. i ended up throwing it into park as i made the turn. it took turning my car off to bring it to a complete stop. at that time, i thought my floor mat had somehow gotten stuck on the accelerator, so i took all my front floor mats out. unfortunately, i have had the same problem of the car "revving" for no reason while driving it several times and/or upon starting it. it would just idle high in the 6/8 rpm range. we just thought it was cold. however, one day i was driving the car and it kept shooting forward at every stop. i'd have to stomp on the brakes with both feet. i'd pull off, stop my car, turn it off, restart it, and the rpm's who shoot back up to 8. i kept praying that i wouldn't have to stop. it was the most frightening 15 mile ride back home that i ever took and seriously, i wanted to just leave the vehicle on the side of the road. i refused to drive it and i took it to my mechanic who changed an rpm sensor. this has not stopped the problem either. periodically, my car's rpm's will shoot up to 4 or 6 while i am driving it or upon starting the car. *tr

I was starting to slowly drive off the ferry boat as the ferryman was opening the gate. my toyota highlander 2001 sped up out of control. if the man had not jumped aside, he would have been run over. i had no control. my foot was not on the gas. reported to local toyota dealer. "mat problem". i replaced the mat with a heavy rubber mat. *tr

I bought a 2001 toyota highlander in aug 2001. the 1st time i had a problem with the gas pedal was about a month later when i went to pull in at work. i parked up by the building and put on my brakes and the car revved up and i put on the brakes and it did want to stop. i finally got it stopped and sat there and wondered what had just happen. i let it go as i did not have an explanation. everything was find up to the year 2009. i was taking my mom and brother to the grocery and mom is 86 yrs and i parked in a handicap spot that had a pole in front where the handicap sign was. my brother was in the front seat with me and to my amazement when i put on the brakes the car revved up and i had to push on the brake real hard. i did hit the pole and jarred all of us. i feel like this car model should be looked into. *tr

The air conditioner only works when you move the dial around. sometimes it doesn't work at all and only the heat comes on even when you just have the fan on. *tr

The front driver-side and passenger seatbelts no longer retract when unbuckled and frequently the car door is closed onto them while they hang into the door jam area. causing dents to inside of the door frame as well. *tr

About 6 months ago the rear passenger window fell down into the door and was no longer usable. an $800 repair was required. flash forward 6 months, now the rear driver-side window fell down into the door and we're going to be out another $800. we rarely even use the rear windows. so this is from less-than-normal wear. and it happened to both rear windows within a few months of each other. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. the contact was driving approximately 40-50 mph on normal road conditions when pressure was applied to the accelerator pedal. the pedal stuck to the drivers side floor mat and suddenly, there was an unintended increase of acceleration. the driver was able to reposition the floor mat and continue driving. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. the technician recommended that the driver side floor be removed. the failure mileage was unknown.

A design defect can cause the sun visors to randomly and unexpectedly drop down obscuring the driver's vision potentially resulting in a crash. this incident occurs in a 2001 toyota highlander. however, i have seen many, many internet postings of other toyota years and models with the same design defect and same problem. toyota's and their dealers response has been to tell the customer to spend approximately $750 to replace the visor which is likely to fail like the first one after a given amount of time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. while driving 10 mph the vehicle began to rapidly accelerate. after repeated brake application the vehicle would not stop. consequently she crashed into a sign. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and they installed a secondary hook to the floor-mat. also she was advised that in april 2010 they would install a newly designed accelerator pedal. the failure mileage was 169,794.

While my 2001 toyota highlander was in operation the engine bolts pulled loose causing the engine to seize and be destroyed. the car was stopped at a light at the time and had it been in operation on the freeway could have caused a serious accident. the engine is destroyed and a new engine would cost $7000. i believe that there have been numerous incidents involving engine bolts on toyota cars and trucks and that toyota has always blamed other things and not addressed whether the bolts are defective or have not been installed properly. there are various references on the internet of customers having problems with the engine bolts on toyota vehicles..toyota has no explanation for what happened to my car. i believe it may be the installation of the bolts or the quality of them. *tr

This is not a safety complaint. it is an attempt to get toyota motor to admit a defect in many of their engines. oil and coolant leaking from the engine of my 2001 highlander. i was told by toyota service that they found 3 stripped head bolts which cause the leak and it ended up costing me $3,500 to repair the head and block. no guarantee that the bolts would not skip out again. i have read a growing number of complaints from toyota owners who have faced the same problem and toyota refuses to help or admit that this maybe a engine flaw. *tr

Began to fill the toyota highlander with gas, and noticed gasoline pouring out underneath the vehicle. the dealership informed me the rubber hose which connects the filler nozzle to the gas tank had split. they would have to replace this rubber hose. this seems like a major safety issue, since if a non-moving part can split like this, what could happen in an accident, where stress could be applied that would more easily cause failure and a gas leak. *tr

The car accident in which i was involved in had suspicious activities that followed, for example, finance company repossessed my vehicle although my payments were current. recently, while researching vehicle recalls, i found that my 2001 toyota highlander had a hydraulic brake recall. the accident caused injuries as well as totaling out two vehicles. i was driving on fwy when i had to stop suddenly due to construction traffic. my highlander's brakes went to the floor which made it impossible to stop. *tr

Shirene duhaney june 13, 2008 attn: recalls/complaints & investigations dear sir/madam: i am writing because i need assistance with a dangerous matter. my vehicle is a 2001 toyota highlander. i have contacted & visited the dealer. i have had an attorney write toyota motor sales usa, inc. and no resolve. i have pictures if you¿d like to see them. for details please see below: i want them to be aware of the fact that i took my vehicle to plaza auto mall on 3/22/07. i spoke with advisor lonnie. the reason i brought my car in to have their technicians check out my vehicle because i was concerned about a lump in my steering wheel. in addition i was having a recall taken care of. according to the advisor lonnie ¿he said it was not a problem and it was ok. however, the print out that he wanted me to sign said ¿lump in steering wheel ¿tech found air bag distorted ¿needs to be replaced. customer declined repair.¿ that was not true i was never told it needed repair. i refused to sign that and noted that on their copy . that was unsettling to me i returned shortly to the dealership on 4/5/07 and dealt with yet another advisor. he re-examined my vehicle and determined that it was ok. he gave me a new form that said that the car was ok. (attached are 2 copies of toyota print outs both of which show a discrepancy in the information.) however, it is still not sitting well with me. toyota as a corporation needs to be aware of this. this may be a defect in their vehicle. this vehicle was purchased brand new and there have been so many recalls. this may also be a recall that the corporation is not aware of. i would like to have this looked into by the corporation to make sure that the my air bag is not malfunctioning. i need to have this fixed. asap this is a dangerous situation! sincerely, shirene duhaney *tr

Toyota highlander 2001, using the cell phone charger in the power outlet the dashboard clock reset a couple times, the third time all power to the clock and the a/c dashboard controls was rendered inoperative, diagnosis revealed that the a/c amplifier was affected and the engine control module was affected both rendered inoperative, replaced the a/c amplifier but the dealer will replace the engine control module - all new parts. waiting for the ecm. *tr

2.4 (4cyl) engine making noise, sounds like rod knocking. toyota dealer said same thing. engine blew up at 45 mph. oil was always changed at approximately 3000 miles. used on highways and city streets. contacted toyota corporate and they didn't seem to care. out of warranty. never heard of a toyota engine blowing a rod. this highlander was in ex. cond. to sold as junk never buy another toyota again !!!!!! *tr

When shifted to reverse gear from parked condition car accelerated and caused crash to the rear of the car to wall. *cn

Sun visor on my toyota highlander falls down all the time. purchased brand new from the dealership. dealership refuses to fix it since it is out of warranty. a lot of people with this same problem. have a site to prove that a lot of people with the same issue - sun visor driver side falls down when driving - causes a security issue. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. the contact attempted to roll up the two rear windows. she heard a loud noise and was unable to roll up the windows. the vehicle was never inspected to determine the cause of the failure. the current mileage is 53,000 ,and failure mileage was unknown. *ak

We bought our highlander just over a year ago and we have to constantly put oil into vehicle. it only has 80,000 on it, and we have to put about a liter of oil into it every other week. the manufacturer of our area checked it twice, and determined that we need another engine, but the cost was around $7000 in canadian that engine would come from japan, and it would be a used one, and would only warranty that for 1 year. then what am completely disgusted!! we plan on getting rid of this thing as fast as possible and will never buy another toyota again..do yourselves a favor and tell people about this so no one goes this .*ak

Tl* - the contactwas disappointed because she took vehicle to the dealership and they didn't want to repair it based on nhtsa recall campaign id number : 04v181000. the dealership stated that she didn't have an appointment, and thatwas the reason why she couldn't receive service on 12-27-06. *ak

The sun visor on the driver's side will not stay up when placed in the position to block the sun coming into the windshield. it drops down into the straight down position which blocks most of the view through the windshield. we can't use the visor to block the sun, so we have to drive with it shining into our eyes. it isn't safe. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 mph on a street with an infant seat restrained with the lap and shoulder belt in the rear, the child safety seat completely flipped over with the infant inside. although this happened without warning, no injuries were sustained. the manufacturer was not alerted. the infant seat was a graco, snug ride, model # 8643ddh2, date of manufacture 12-03-2005. updated 11/9/2006 - *nm

Wife complained of intermittent gas smell in 2001 toyota highlander,v-6/awd, for 2-3 weeks. i checked it more than once for leaking under hood and under front of engine; could not find source. on 10/27/06 i started car for 2-3 minutes to position in front of garage to install front brake pads. shut off and started to jack when i noticed gas drips on cement, coming from above front differential and dripping down & off still fairly cool exhaust pipe rear bank of v-6 . started engine again, checked for leaks; nothing detected. told my wife it was intermittent, i finally saw leak evidence & for her to take to dealer to find the leak; it was enough to be dangerous. she didn't get in on monday 10/30/06 & was going to drop off on way home 10/31/06 when smell got very bad and it didn't run well. she barely got it to dealer and service writer told her to turn it off immediately when he smelled so much gasoline leakage. dealer found fuel "dampener" leaking & replaced at 52,980 miles. i asked for possession of failed part; damper- p/n 233270-62011. it fits in my closed hand, cost $97 & they said it would take a lot of work to replace. charge was $426.00 but was lowered to $310 when wife reminded them that they better have saved the removed part as i wanted the failed part to examine. with failed part, i checked where it was located and that i could have replaced it myself, without removing anything to get at damper, within 10 minutes. checked for price & availability of part with another local toyota dealer; parts man said "ah, the old gasoline smell in the cabin problem." said he sells them fairly regularly. list was only $80 -$85, i could get over-the-counter for $65 (part probably only $10 to make). may be root-cause of odi #10089800 report of engine catching-on-fire while driving. surprised there haven't been reports of more fires on highlanders and camrys which this engine/drivetrain is common with. actual failure rate & fire risk should be evaluated by toyota. *jb

I own a 2001 toyota highlander, 85000 miles. 3 weeks ago the transmission failed. i called the toyota dealership and was told they could not help me. i had a transmission shop rebuild the transmission and when taking it apart, they found 4 planetary gears that had sustained random breaking and chipping. this appears to be a quality issue. i have reported this to toyota at corporate and dealership levels and requested i be informed of any secret warranties that exist to cover this expense. i have not yet received a response.

Driver's side sun visor won't stay up. drops down, blocking view when brakes are applied. other than regular use, no other root cause identified for failure. *jb replacement visor is available for $600

Dt*: the contact stated, while driving 55 mph a noise was heard coming from the engine. the vehicle was maneuvered off the road where it stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined the engine needed to be replaced due to sludge. the vehicle was taken into the dealer once before for this problem and the engine was cleaned. the manufacturer has been alerted.

Oxygen sensor failed (caused check engine light to go on), within 24 hours of having it replaced check engine light went on again and a second oxygen sensor had failed,which also had to be replaced. check engine light is on again. *nm

On september 3rd 2005 at 11:30 pm while traveling at approximately 75 mph on interstate 5 -15 miles south of sacramento california i experienced a catastrophic failure (sidewall blowout separation of sidewall from tread) on one of my rear bridgestone p22570s16 bsdlrapt30 dueler at tires. this tire had less than 13,000 miles on it and was inflated to 32 psi. the rode-way surface was in good condition. on sunday september 4th 2005 i went to sears where i purchased the set of four tires to have the damaged one replaced. upon examination of the remaining three tires for sidewall damage and in discussions with the installation technician i decided that because of this incident and a statement by the tech that this is a common occurrence with this tire, i replaced all four with another brand. sears offered to give me full credit for two for the four tires towards the purchase of another brand of tire. *jb

Increased pedal stroke lengthen the stopping distance. saw in your website a recall for it. took it to dealer they don't have it in the system so they won't fix the problem. they looked up the vin# your website won't specify vin#, only specify's year.

Purchased the vehicle used at about 42,000 miles. it burned oil (1 quart per 1,000 miles) from the first day i had it. the toyota dealership has been monitoring the oil every 1,000 miles for about 6 months and agreed it has a problem but it will cost me $2,600 for them to tear down the engine to see if they can find out what's wrong. they report there is "sludge" in the engine and i should have changed the oil more often. they won't determine a problem or do anything else for free even though they say i do have a problem and they know the warranty is up in about 2,500 more miles which should cover the engine and drivetrain. please help. *jb

2001 toyota highlander, v6 engine, auto transmission. there is a definite hesitation/lag/delay in shifting and acceleration. this condition happens almost all of the time and creates a real safety concern. moderate acceleration will produce this condition. toyota is aware of this condition but is doing nothing to correct it. *jb

The consumer struck an unidentified road debris. the fuel tank had to be replaced. *nm *sc

Rear windshield wiper chatters across rear window. impossible to clean window. dealer replaced under warranty. (entire arm assembly). *ak

Gasket behind rear hatch logo/keyhole garnish is protruding. dealer replaced under warranty.*ak

Front mud guards torn at mounting bolts. nothing was done to damage the items. dealer states this is normal wear and tear. vehicle only has 28000 miles. note: dealer went ahead and replaced mudguard at their expense.*ak

After pulling off the road onto a side street consumer heard a strange noise from under the hood. upon merging back onto the road steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. vehicle lost power steering. on the way to the dealership, smoke started coming from under the hood, followed by a loud popping noise after driving for less than a block. consumer then pulled into parking lot. the smoke became worse. the consumer popped the hood and noticed flames coming from the engine. the fire department was called. when they arrived the entire engine was on fire. vehicle was towed to the body shop. the service man and the fireman indicated that the vehicle was totaled. a fire report was filed.*ak

Frequently when the brake pedal was depressed the pedal went to the floor, which caused the brakes not to stop immediately in a panic or emergency situation. dealership indicated that this was normal for the brake system for this vehicle. three different mechanics inspected the brake system, and determined that the master cylinder was not functioning correctly. the master cylinder needed to be constantly replenished with brake fluid. also, the brake system had to be bled because air got in it. dealership indicated that the brake system was designed for a passenger vehicle and not an suv. *ak repairs were also performed on vehicle due to premature wear on pads and rotors, and on vehicle's front door weather stripping due to premature wear. *la recall#01v228000. the brake problem had been a problem since purchase. *sc

While driving at 10 mph and moving into a parking space vehicle accelerated and surged ahead. there were no injuries or a collision. *ak

Check engine and abs brake light come on at the same time; after a while upon restarting the abs brake goes off and the check engine stays on for a few hours then goes off upon restarting.*ak

Engine oil sludge. the estimated cost of our engine problem was $7,200 (canadian) and it started at 38,000 km (24,000 miles). the matter was resolved when we dug up an old oil change slip that my wife and i had forgotten about altogether. before the discovery we were unable to provide a receipt for each year that we have owned the car so toyota insisted that it was customer negligence that resulted in the oil sludge. top engine block was replaced and we got off scott free. when an oil leak was detected after a week of getting the car back from the shop, we brought it back in and they fixed it again - no charge. i feel that this was a bit like david knocking out goliath.

Driver was hit on left front side of vehicle by oncoming car in excess of 40 mph and airbags did not deply.*ak

My highlander had sludge in the engine. the engine was cleaned out. i was told that if i change my oil every 3,000 miles instead of 7,500.00 that would not happen. the toyota manuel states every 7,500. remember my car only has 18,202 miles on it. it's not even 2 yr old yet. the service advisor assured me that if i change my oil every 3,000 and not every 7,500 like the manual says that if this happen again they would cover the problem.

Engine light started flashing right at 25,000. car gave no sign of failure or anytime of problem. oil changes was performed every 5000/mi and car was running fine until the light started to flash and we took car to concord toyota to check on the engine liht problem. concord toyota said the engine was burned in and out due to lack of oil and blamed tha customer for poor maintenance to the car and refuse to fix the car under the warranty. it's been 3months that concord toyota still has possession of the car with the engine opened apart and still refused to cover under the warranty.

Oil sludge issue. the toyota was in the shop for 1.5 weeks. the final bill did not include any totals, but the service manager indicated parts alone were close to $1600. we were very disturbed with toyota's position that this problem was a maintenance issue and that they would only repair this issue once within the first eight years. they indicated that we followed the wrong maintenance schedule of normal rather than severe conditions for florida. considering the owners manual does not specify this, and that i own a lexus that has no signs of problem after following the same schedule, we were disappointed with their response. since the service manager at the dealership could give us no guarantee that this would happen again in the near future, even if they changed the oil every 5000 miles as he directed, we turned around and traded the vehicle in on a honda the same day. i did contact sw toyota customer service and they accused us of the same faulty maintenance as the service manager. it was obvious after several conversations that toyota no longer stands for quality and customer service. as i indicated to them in a recent email and a letter that i am currently drafting, they have lost a toyota owner forever. now that we have divested ourselves of the highlander, i plan to sell the lexus as well. i know you didn't need to hear all this, but to answer your questions. toyota honored its csp (once in eight years), but i unsure how much the repair cost were.

Sun roof leaking even with sunroof completely closed. seems to be no drain lines from drain holes in sunroof compartment. water drains into car well on passenger well in front of car. also have had wind noise coming from left area of car- thought it might be the roof rack. dealership check out & could not find noise. they also removed left panel of car around windshield and wheel well to look for noise. *ak

While in a car wash driver released pressure from the brake pedal and the vehicle surged forward, hitting another vehicle. it bounced back and surged forward again, hitting a wall. engine continued to race until the vehicle was shut off by the driver. manufacturer was supposed to investigate the problem, but never informed the consumer of the findings. *ak

The front mudflaps are broken on both sides. i did nothit anything to cause them to fail. as i drive around, i notice that almost all hl's have broken front mudflaps.*ak this is a design defect and they should be replaced at no cost, even if out of warranty.

I have a 2001 toyota highlander vehicle. at times, when speeds exceed 65 mph the rearview side mirrors create a whistling sound. the dealer has been unresponsive and told me he could not test the vehicle at that speed, but several highways around memphis, tn permit speeds of 65 and 70 mph. *nlm

My 2001 toyota highlander is burning approximately 1.5 quarts of oil every 3,000 miles. toyota usa says that the allowable limit is 1 quart every 1,000 miles and will not look at my vehicle even though it is still under warranty. *la

Oil sledging problem in my 2001 toyota highlander. i am concerned that toyota's csp policy will not go far enough to rectify this problem. the dealership and toyota's customer service line both blame faulty maintenance for this issue, but the oil was changed every 7500 miles as indicated in the owner's manual. toyota's csp will only repair the issue once in 8 years, and neither will address what will happen should this arise again. the dealer maintained this was our fault until we presented receipts to show the vehicle had been maintained appropriately. it was at this time that the dealer suggested that it was possible the mechanics that changed our oil never actually changed it. based on the numerous complaints and forums i monitored online, i feel this is toyota's attempt to avoid taking responsibility for a larger problem. i also own a lexus gs300, and the oil was changed at the same time as the highlander and i do not have any issues with it. *la

Consumer stated that when attempting to apply the anti lock brakes, the vehicle experienced heavy vibration and caused a distraction to the consumer. the dealer was notified. *ak at 55 mph when braking, the steering wheel shook, but the consumer was able to the control the vehicle. however at 75-80 mph, when braking (no emergency), the steering shook violently. *scc *jb

When driving my toyota highlander on the highway with the windows rolled down, a piercing high pitch sound elevates and hurts your ear that you cannot hear anything (practically deaf). i've informed toyota customer assistance center (chad) about this problem in january 2003, they claimed there is nothing they can do about it. one of the mechanics at toyota service center, stated that he had complaints from other consumers and apparently this problem is with all their suv. i've also asked several of our friends (highlander owners) to test drive their vehicles with their windows rolled down and they've also experienced the same problem. we basically purchased a vehicle that you cannot be rolled down the window when driving.*ak

Consumer states while traveling 2-3 mph and applying the brakes vehicle went into extended stopping distance, running into garage door. upon impact, air bags did not deploy. *ak

Consumer states while traveling 10 mph rear ended another vehicle, and air bags did not deploy. *ak

Rear passenger's window is inoperative. *ak

Vehicle tire punctured. mr the consumer experienced 5 tire failures on 5 separate occasions. *jb

Unexpected tire failure of a bridgestone h/t p225/70r16.*jb

Failure of deuler tires. vehicle experienced five tire failures at different mileages ( 4500, 12816, 15480, 20000, 29160). *tt *nlm

I bought my 2001 toyota highlander in august 2001..........at 15 months/50,000 miles my transmission started leaking and when it started slipping toyota rapidly replaced my transmission. a leak was determined within weeks of the replacement and the torque converter seal (tcs) had to be replaced. upon replacing the tcs the drive shaft was found to be damaged and had to be replaced. has the highlander required transmission replacements?*jb

The consumer was traveling on the highway when the front tire blew out. regaining control, the consumer stated that when he/she pulled over, they saw two holes, one with a 3" and the other 1" in size (the sidewall). the two right side light metal wheels were damaged as well. scc

When drving 30 mph and over, the right back window on the passenger side was the only window open, driver was subject to a very painful vacuum sound and pressure to left ear, which was alleviated when window was rolled up or when the driver and front passenger window was also open.

The consumer states that when driving at 35 mph or higher, and the rear windows are rolled down about 3-4 inches, its very uncomfortable because it makes a loud air noise. it feels like your ears are going to blow up. the consumer has three kids and is very concerned about this problem. *nlm *scc

Consumer contacted dealer for recall 01v228000 remedy, vehicle was repaired, consumer stated repair did not remedy the problem, please provide further details.*ak

Seat belts in rear of vehicle lock when installing a car seat. contacted dealer. *ak

While traveling at 20 mph driver applied brakes and pedal went to floor, consumer pressed again and vehicle stopped. driver turned to avoid hitting another vheicle. this caused an air release noise and feel before vehicle finally stopped. *jg *ak

Brakes feel spongy whenever they are applied, no extended braking distance has been noticed.*ak *yh

While driving about 65 mph somebody will open rear window, and it will make a tremendous noise, wich will hurt passengers' ears. please provide more information.*ak

While at a stop another vehicle traveling about 45 mph, hit consumer's vehicle in the rear. impact forced consumer into a ditch. vehicle was totalled. upon impact, airbags failed to deploy, and driver sustained some injuries.*ak

01 v 228 000/brake system: recall repairs was done at(ourisman fairfax toyota; fairfax, va; phone# 703/359-1010). after repairs was made, problem with soft pedal and applyed to close to the floor before stopping; dealer notified. feel free to provide any further details concerning this matter.

The driver's side sun visor suddenly dropped down into my field of view when i hit a bump on a three lane 40 mph paved road at rush hour. i nearly rear-ended the vehicle in front of me during the short time (maybe two seconds) required to react and raise the visor. an online search revealed that a replacement visor costs a shocking $791.00, and that many dozens of others were reporting this problem in 2001 - 2009 toyota highlanders. solutions ranged from jury-rigging the visor in the up position to simply removing the visor and using one's hand to block the sun when needed. some of these "solutions" are obviously unsafe, and could easily be avoided if toyota charged a more reasonable price for the replacement visor. replacement can be accomplished by almost anyone with a screwdriver in about 12 minutes. thank you for this opportunity to file a complaint. *tr

While driving at 60 mph. suddenly the vehicle slowed down the speed, at the same consumer heard a noise coming from the engine. as a result, engine caught on fire. vehicle was towed to the dealership, and mechanic determined the need to install a new engine. however, warranty expired. *ak

Vehicle was brand new, and consumer was pushed into cigarette lighter just to test. it. cigarette lighter popped out with force , landing on floor once it was heated. consumer stated it could cause serious harm or a fire. *ak

Recall# 01v228000/ manufacturer's recall ssc10g; consumer got recall notice on jul 30, 2001 and made an appointment for aug 1, 2001. took vehicle in, and dealer didnot have parts. gave dealer phone # to call when parts come in. also, consumer called dealer on aug 16 about parts, and dealer stated had parts, and did not know whether they have anymore. *ak

While attempting to make a u-turn on dry hot road conditions orginal equipment bridgestone, dueler ht tire with one thousand miles on it, size p225/70r16 front passenger side tire had a blowout. bridgestone has been contacted.*ak *jb

Rear window reflected sound. if had one rear window all way down it created wind vaccum that hurt ear drums. can crack right rear window. *ak

While driving about any mph with rear window down will make a lot of vibration and a loud noise that could not be taken by consumer. dealer said that this was not common on this vehicle.*ak *slc

While driving on cobblestone road all you hear is metal clattering beneath the body but once you tap the brakes it becomes silent. and i have went to the dealer to fix this problem but haven't three times. *ak

Front tires cause car to vibrate above 60 mph; sometimes enough to cause me to deccelerate; vibration problem started last year; tires continually go out of balance; firestone dealer says they can't see anything wrong with them; goodyear dealer said the tires wobble on their balancing machine and should be replaced; firestone says they can't do anything for me and say there must be something wrong with the vehicle.*ak

The center cupholders are poorly designed and are a safety hazard. when you are removing a drink from the cupholder, it hits the gearshift lever knocking the drink out of your hand and causing it and its contents to go all over the place. on occasion, it knocks the gearshift lever out of gear causing a rapid deacceleration of the vehicle.e

Harmonic noise from beneath car at 30 mph with power applied, similar noise, of lessened magitude at 60 mph. dealer replaced rear differential and then transmission. noise remains. dealer says lexus rx300, with same transmission, has had same problem. unknown cause as yet. *ak

The recall work subject to campaign 01v228000 was not performed correctly. the vehicle still has excess pedal travel, and the pedal feel is 'mushy,' like the brakes need to be bled, as they were supposed to be during the recall work. the increased pedal stroke lengthens the stopping distance of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. the recall work took 20 minutes - toyota says it should take about 1 hour. bleeding the brakes, according to the toyota highlander service manual, consists of three parts - the master cylinder, the abs/vsc actuator, and the brake lines. there was no evidence that the actuator or the master cylinder were bled. the dealer has since tried to convince me that they're all like that, and this is normal brake operation. there are several posts to the edmunds highlander discussion group about mushy highlander brakes, with some saying the recall work improved their brake feel, others saying it didn't. i fear that many of the recall correction attempts have not been successful.*ak

This is a great vehicle; but trying to read or see the gauges or instruments in the dash cluster is almost impossible. these include the speedometer, odometer, temperature, gas and clock gauges. in fact all gauges are difficult to see on a bright day. note: the d to indicate drive for the shift lever is a bright green which reads easy; if only the others were that good. the night viewing of the dash cluster is great. driving requires full attention to the road and you should not have concentrate on the dash to get information. trying to read this dash can place the driver, passengers andother drivers in jeprody. toyota should have a recall to correct this safety defect in an otherwise excellent vehicle. if i can pull this form off the computer i wiil send a copy to toyota and ask for their comment. i have contacted the dealer and the toyota corporation regarding this matter in the past and as late as 12/18/01 when i spoke to james at 1800 331 4331 who said there were not enough complaints from customers to warrant toyota doing anythig about it.temperature, gas and clock gauges. *ak

Tinny sound from dashboard (like defective speaker) even at low volume. loose component or poorly installed dash is considered normal by toyota. extra $595.00 for "premium" sound system is a questionable investment.

Approximately three weeks after my accident i received a recall from toyota motor sales for brake master cylinder recall ssc10g. i contacted my dealer with this recall while they still had my vehicle making repairs from the accident. they immediately denied any brake failure - before even checking the vehicle. i then contacted toyota motor company. after many weeks of waiting they have also refused to take any responsibility for my brake failure. meanwhile, when my vehicle is finally ready to be picked up i repeatedly ask them if they have checked and fixed the brakes. they insist that they have. 4 weeks later toyota of knoxville gives me a call begging me to bring the vehicle back to them, because they have not yet fixed the problem with the brakes. they assure me once again that the vehicle is safe to drive but i certainly do not feel safe in the vehicle, nor do i trust toyota of knoxville to service the vehicle.

Brake master cylinder failed prior to recall notice 01v-228 resulting in an accident the dealer denied any brake failure and the vehicle was returned to the consumer, a few weeks later the dealer called the consumer to brin the vehicle back to repair the brakes. nlm

This complaint relates to a design defect which makes the instrument cluster and especially the speedometer unreadable a significant amount of the time when the driver is wearing sunglasses. i cant't drive without sunglasses. the problem is that there is not enough light incident on the recessed instruments to make them readable under these conditions. this vehicle like all in the southeast u.s and lots of other areas has the tinted "privacy glass" installed on the rear windows which contributes to less light inside the vehicle. i believe that this is a safety issue in that i depend on the speedometer to know how fast i am going when entering curves, on-ramps, etc. the vehicle is too smooth and quiet to judge speed any other way. this could be inexpensively fixed just by having the instrument cluster lights on all the time.

The design of the automatic shifter places it almost directly over the cup holders of the center console. using the cupholders makes accidential contact with the shift lever very likely, and when this happens the shifter can be easily knocked out of drive and into neutral. there is no detent or other restriction to keep a slight brush with the shifter from allowing the lever to move from drive to neutral. this has happend to me three times, even though i am trying to avoid this accidental contact.*ak

Speedometer stopped (went to zero) while car operating at 65 mph. registered complaint with toyota, who advised it was acceptable defect, and would not fix the problem.

Front tires are wearing out. vehicle is all wheel drive, not 4 wheel, as advertised. alignment may be computer controlled. computer may be defective, as this is the second one since purchased in 02/01.*ak

Air noise (coke bottle effect) at high speed and cross wind. several complaints to toyota ignored. toyota considers this defect acceptable. *ak

Hard gear change, drag when coasting (like gear down), poor acceleration. toyota ignores the problem; they say it is acceptable. *ak

Defective computer at date of purchase. it took toyota 2 months to fix it. i'm not satisfied with toyota service. arbitration was a waste of time. *ak

Defective transmission from date of purchase. it took toyota 2 months to finally fix it. i am not satisfied with the service from toyota. *ak

When the rear window is rolled down the car create varying pressure in the car causing if not careful the ear drum rupture. one can not drive this car with rear winow rolled down.

While driving some road debris punctured the drivers gas tank resulting in fuel leaking from the vehicle, the plastic shield around the tank was replaced along with the tank, the consumer feels that plastic is not a sufficient material to use for a tank shield and is requesting that toyota replace the shield with a metal one. nlm

Prior to recall notice 01v-228 the consumer noticed when braking hard the car would shudders along with a loud noise and the vehicle did not stop as well as it should. nlm

When opening the back window the entire vehicle began to vibrate wildly and there was terrible pressure in the drivers ears along with a loud noise, the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and after some trial and error the driver discovered that the problem could be alleviated by opening the front windows first, the dealer was notified and told the consumer that all highlanders experience this problem due to the aerodynamics. nlm *slc

A/c works high speed on recirculating only. defective computer?*ak