Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2007

• Recall 110285 [USA]: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
  Southeast toyota distributors, llc (set) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4runner, highlander, sequoia, and sienna, 2005-2010 avalon and tundra, 2006-2008 camry solara, 2006-2010 highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 rav4 and tacoma, 2007-2010 fj cruiser, 2007-2011 camry hybrid, 2009-2010 venza, 2010-2012 prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
  set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on july 14, 2016. Owners may contact set customer service at 1-866-405-4226. Set number for this recall is set16b.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 107230 [USA]: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
  Southeast toyota distributors, llc (set) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 prius and corolla, 2009-2011 venza, 2006-2010 avalon, 2007-2010 fj cruiser, 2005-2011 sienna and sequoia, 2006-2011 tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, camry, highlander, tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 rav4 and 4runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
  set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in january 2015. Owners may contact set customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 97811 [USA]: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. it is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
  Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured february 16, 2005, through july 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured february 23, 2005, through december 2, 2008. The intelligent power module (ipm) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.
  toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ipm free of charge. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their ipm replaced under recall 11v-342 are not affected by this campaign.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 79801 [USA]: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. it is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
  Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 highlander hybrid and lexus rx400h passenger cars manufactured from february 16, 2005, through august 30, 2006. A module inside the inverter module may contain inadequately soldered transistors that during high-load driving, may be damaged by heat caused by the large current. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.
  toyota/lexus mailed an interim owner notification on july 19, 2011 to advise owners of this recall and the fact that they will receive a future notice when parts become available to complete repairs. Toyota dealers will inspect the hybrid inverter production number to determine whether the inverter contains suspect transistors and replace the module free of charge. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov .

• Recall 73529 [USA]: A driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash.
  Southeast toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
  dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov .

• Recall 82766 [USA]: This does not meet the standard requirements.
  Gulf states toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
  dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact gulf states toyota at 713-580-3300.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov .

• Recall R/2015/206 [UK]: Risk of fire
  Affected vehicles are equipped with a driver?S side power window master switch (pwms) containing sliding electrical contact modules. These modules may not have been incorrectly coated during the manufacturing process. This may cause a short circuit which could cause the switch to overheat and melt
  inspect switch and apply coating. If switch indicates signs of malfunction it should be replaced.

• Recall 2013296 [Canada]: Other
  On certain vehicles, a control board for the intelligent power module (ipm), part of the hybrid system inverter assembly, could fail while the vehicle is underway. This could cause various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator lamp, brake system warning lamp, and master warning lamp, to illuminate on the instrument panel. If this occurred, in most cases, the vehicle would enter fail-safe driving mode, resulting in reduced motive power in which the vehicle could still be driven for short distances. In some instances, the fuse of the power supply circuit could blow, causing the hybrid system to stop functioning. The resultant loss of vehicle propulsion, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, and the driver's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the intelligent power module.

To ensure accuracy and for your safety, it is recommended to do a free VIN recall check here or here [USA] - UK - Canada.

Bulletins are notices put out by manufacturers in conjunction with the NHTSA to notify the public of manufacturing issues or changes.

• Pedestrian alert sounds investigation as of 20230127

  Nhtsa received a petition on or about july 18, 2022, requesting that federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the united states. The petition can be reviewed at nhtsa.Gov under odi number 11486072.Fmvss 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after march 1, 2021.The petitioner asserts that hybrid and electric vehicles to which the standard does not apply should be found to contain a safety defect. In support of the petition, the petitioner includes findings contained in a bill introduced in the house of representatives in 2009, the pedestrian safety enhancement act of 2009, h.R. 734, 111th cong. (2009). A related bill, the pedestrian safety enhancement act of 2010, became law in january 2011 (pub. L. 111-373). The petitioner requests that nhtsa require all electric and hybrid vehicles comply with fmvss 141, regardless of production date.The defect petition has been opened to evaluate the issue and determine whether to grant or deny the petition.The associated product list is not exhaustive and may contain vehicles that are equipped with pedestrian alert sounds.
  

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• Hybrid inverter failure - vehicle stall investigation as of 20110215

  In a june 29, 2011 letter to nhtsa, toyota submitted a defect information report regarding a safety recall of certain toyota highlander hybrid and lexus rx400h vehicles to address a defect condition with the hybrid inverter assembly (nhtsa recall no. 11v-342).Toyotas letter identified a defect related to inadequately soldered transistors on the intelligent power module (ipm) of some of the subject vehicles that could result in sudden loss of power while driving.Toyotas remedy procedure instructs dealers to inspect the hybrid inverter production number to determine if the inverter contains suspect transistors.If so, the dealer will replace the ipm.The recall covers approximately 45,528 model year (my) 2006 and 2007 toyota highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured from february 16, 2005 through august 29, 2006 and approximately 36,745 my 2006 and 2007 lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from february 23, 2005 through august 30, 2006.This preliminary evaluation is closed.
  

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Common OBD Error codes specific to this vehicle.

• C1391 [5] C1391
• P0335 [1] Crankshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Malfunction
• P0A80 [1] Replace Hybrid Battery Pack
• P1AC0 [1] P1AC0
• P0A40 [2] Drive Motor "A" Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance
• P3020 [1] P3020
• C1241 [1] ABS Hydraulic Pressure Differential Switch Input Short Circuit To Ground
• C1252 [1] ABS Inlet Valve Coil LR Circuit Short To Battery
• C1253 [1] ABS Inlet Valve Coil LR Circuit Short To Ground
• C1256 [1] ABS Inlet Valve Coil RR Circuit Short To Battery
• C1345 [1] C1345
• C1368 [1] C1368
• P0A7A [1] Generator Inverter Performance

Was driving on highway and check hybrid system, check abs system and check vsc system flashed on dash, lost all power. Had to manage my way and pull over on the side as i could not accelerate anymore. Sent vehicle to 3 shops/dealerships, nobody can figure out what is wrong and all saying it cannot be fixed. Help please! Car starts up on battery but when engine tries to fire up it sputters and dies and gives the check hybrid, check vsc system messages. Codes scanned showed all 6 coils were bad, replaced them all and still saying all 6 are bad. New coils, new plugs, nobody knows what is the issue. I'm already into this for thousands of dollars, i really, really cannot afford any more money into this! Someone please help me. Thank you so much.

My vcs light,abs,brake,traction control light is on. Plus a horrible buzzing noise always on. Brakes are hard to press down on. It happened when we were driving it.

My vcs light,abs,brake,traction control light is on. Plus a horrible buzzing noise always on. Brakes are hard to press down on. It happened when we were driving it.

C1391 ' abnormal leak of accumulator pressure while driving

C1391 ' abnormal leak of accumulator pressure while driving

All motor mounts are rotted. While driving when take foot off the gas, the car sways and pulls. It happens at all speeds.

All motor mounts are rotted. While driving when take foot off the gas, the car sways and pulls. It happens at all speeds.

About a month ago, my wife called me from far away telling me that she suddenly had brake-related warming lights. I quickly read up on the abs system failures in this car, and since she did not yet have symptoms, i told her to drive back carefully. I then reviewed my files on the car and saw that they had sent me an extended warranty notice about this problem, and suggested that we bring the car in if we have these warning lights. But we never had the warning lights previously, so i missed the boat on the extended warranty. We did, however, almost from the time the car was just a few years old, have a loud clunking noise from under the hood on startup or shutdown. According to various highlander forums, this is a classic symptom of abs actuator failure and if toyota had just mentioned this in the their extended warranty notice, i would have brought the car in immediately. I had the same sound from my 2007 prius; i mentioned the noise to the toyota service people and they told me it was the coolant thermos bottle and was of no concern. To fix my highlander, toyota wanted around three thousand dollars; i told them that was not reasonable since replacing it is simple: 2 bolts, 1 electrical connector, 6 brake lines, and a brake bleed. They wanted about $2000 just for the part. The toyota service manager told me i could still drive the car since it is not a safety concern: if it fails the abs system will stop working but not the brakes. Based on the experiences of other hh owners that i am reading about at the nhtsa web site, however, i find this hard to believe. Also, the brakes are now grabbing strangely and pulsating when they don't need to be. There should be a recall since 1.) the part should last the life of the car, 2. It is a safety concern, and 3. Toyota did not give accurate information in their notice to allow me to spot the problem in time.

About a month ago, my wife called me from far away telling me that she suddenly had brake-related warming lights. I quickly read up on the abs system failures in this car, and since she did not yet have symptoms, i told her to drive back carefully. I then reviewed my files on the car and saw that they had sent me an extended warranty notice about this problem, and suggested that we bring the car in if we have these warning lights. But we never had the warning lights previously, so i missed the boat on the extended warranty. We did, however, almost from the time the car was just a few years old, have a loud clunking noise from under the hood on startup or shutdown. According to various highlander forums, this is a classic symptom of abs actuator failure and if toyota had just mentioned this in the their extended warranty notice, i would have brought the car in immediately. I had the same sound from my 2007 prius; i mentioned the noise to the toyota service people and they told me it was the coolant thermos bottle and was of no concern. To fix my highlander, toyota wanted around three thousand dollars; i told them that was not reasonable since replacing it is simple: 2 bolts, 1 electrical connector, 6 brake lines, and a brake bleed. They wanted about $2000 just for the part. The toyota service manager told me i could still drive the car since it is not a safety concern: if it fails the abs system will stop working but not the brakes. Based on the experiences of other hh owners that i am reading about at the nhtsa web site, however, i find this hard to believe. Also, the brakes are now grabbing strangely and pulsating when they don't need to be. There should be a recall since 1.) the part should last the life of the car, 2. It is a safety concern, and 3. Toyota did not give accurate information in their notice to allow me to spot the problem in time.

The straps supporting the fuel tank broke. Both straps broke on the passenger side of vehicle, rendering it undrivable as the tank was on the ground. Wife heard a clunk when at a stop, started to move, heard scraping. Stopped, checked, found right side of fuel tank on ground.

The straps supporting the fuel tank broke. Both straps broke on the passenger side of vehicle, rendering it undrivable as the tank was on the ground. Wife heard a clunk when at a stop, started to move, heard scraping. Stopped, checked, found right side of fuel tank on ground.

We have a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid limited with approximately 150k miles. In october 2017 we began to experience breaking pulsing and squeaking issues. Upon inspection at precision toyota of tucson, az, it was determined to be the break actuator. The break actuator failure is a very common problem for toyota vehicles beginning as early as 2004 and this can be easily searched online. This break failure can result in complete break failure while driving (and reports of this occurring are easily searched online). In 2017, the break actuator replacement was fully covered by the warranty enhancement program, but it was verbally estimated at $2200 to repair at that time. As the owners of this vehicle for since 2009, it was odd that we were never notified of this recall/extended warranty- but just 'fortunate' enough to have ours fail in a timely manner to be fully covered by the extended warranty. In november 2020, our 2007 toyota hybrid highlander began demonstrating the same break actuator failure 'symptoms' as in october 2017 (pulsing breaks, reduced response to increased break pressure, squeaking noise when break depressed while parked or driving). This repair/replacement is no longer covered under the warranty enhancement program, even though the 2008- 2010 models of our vehicle had an extension until 12/31/2020. The estimate for this second repair in 3 years is ~$2500-$2800... For a widely-known and dangerous break engineering error that toyota is well aware of and has been for years.

We have a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid limited with approximately 150k miles. In october 2017 we began to experience breaking pulsing and squeaking issues. Upon inspection at precision toyota of tucson, az, it was determined to be the break actuator. The break actuator failure is a very common problem for toyota vehicles beginning as early as 2004 and this can be easily searched online. This break failure can result in complete break failure while driving (and reports of this occurring are easily searched online). In 2017, the break actuator replacement was fully covered by the warranty enhancement program, but it was verbally estimated at $2200 to repair at that time. As the owners of this vehicle for since 2009, it was odd that we were never notified of this recall/extended warranty- but just 'fortunate' enough to have ours fail in a timely manner to be fully covered by the extended warranty. In november 2020, our 2007 toyota hybrid highlander began demonstrating the same break actuator failure 'symptoms' as in october 2017 (pulsing breaks, reduced response to increased break pressure, squeaking noise when break depressed while parked or driving). This repair/replacement is no longer covered under the warranty enhancement program, even though the 2008- 2010 models of our vehicle had an extension until 12/31/2020. The estimate for this second repair in 3 years is ~$2500-$2800... For a widely-known and dangerous break engineering error that toyota is well aware of and has been for years.

2007 toyota highlander hybrid with 100,000 miles stalled and died while driving on interstate at approx 65-70mph, illuminating multiple warning and safety lights on dash before becoming inoperable. Car was towed to local repair shop. Local repair shop states the hybrid system failed.

2007 toyota highlander hybrid with 100,000 miles stalled and died while driving on interstate at approx 65-70mph, illuminating multiple warning and safety lights on dash before becoming inoperable. Car was towed to local repair shop. Local repair shop states the hybrid system failed.

While we were driving, going around a corner the antilock system decided to do it itself... And make my vehicle slip sideways. It was very dangerous as it took me from side to side. I have never had this happen before and i don't want it happening again. How do we fix this as fast as possible?

While we were driving, going around a corner the antilock system decided to do it itself... And make my vehicle slip sideways. It was very dangerous as it took me from side to side. I have never had this happen before and i don't want it happening again. How do we fix this as fast as possible?

Starts without using a key and cannot be shut off.

Starts without using a key and cannot be shut off.

While driving i got error codes check vsc system, brakes light. I took it to the dealership and the car needed brake actuator assembly replaced, the cost is 2900$ . This should be a recall as the car became unsafe to drive and this is my second hybrid toyota car with the same problem with huge cost of repair for a defective part installed by the company

While stopped at a light or driving, our 2007 toyota highlander hybrid (246,000 miles) will stall, lighting various warning lights on the dash. The vehicle will (coast to a stop if being driven and) have to be restarted. Toyota did recall d0m to address code P0A40 to address this issue. The recall on my vehicle was done in 2014. The code which came up then is the very same code which is showing now when scanned. The recall issue needs to be addressed again. The recall provides a new intelligent power module (part # 04001-29148 transistor, pwr module intelligent. No2) and specific grease (part # 08887-02409) to complete the project. I checked and parts alone cost the consumer around $2600 (columbus oh), not counting labor costs. Toyota said they will not do the recall again because they have not had enough complaints to justify one and it is not a safety issue. I called back multiple times to verify this was their stance on the issue. The vehicle is not trustworthy to maintain power while being driven and it will stall multiple times while stopped at lights during the day. *tr

While driving i got error codes check vsc system, brakes light. I took it to the dealership and the car needed brake actuator assembly replaced, the cost is 2900$ . This should be a recall as the car became unsafe to drive and this is my second hybrid toyota car with the same problem with huge cost of repair for a defective part installed by the company

While stopped at a light or driving, our 2007 toyota highlander hybrid (246,000 miles) will stall, lighting various warning lights on the dash. The vehicle will (coast to a stop if being driven and) have to be restarted. Toyota did recall d0m to address code P0A40 to address this issue. The recall on my vehicle was done in 2014. The code which came up then is the very same code which is showing now when scanned. The recall issue needs to be addressed again. The recall provides a new intelligent power module (part # 04001-29148 transistor, pwr module intelligent. No2) and specific grease (part # 08887-02409) to complete the project. I checked and parts alone cost the consumer around $2600 (columbus oh), not counting labor costs. Toyota said they will not do the recall again because they have not had enough complaints to justify one and it is not a safety issue. I called back multiple times to verify this was their stance on the issue. The vehicle is not trustworthy to maintain power while being driven and it will stall multiple times while stopped at lights during the day. *tr

Warning light - possible inverter malfunction. Just appeared for the first time.

Warning light - possible inverter malfunction. Just appeared for the first time.

My brakes failed abs anita breaking system failed because if that sb's failed my hybrid battery is not charging and my car is failed to stop

My brakes failed abs anita breaking system failed because if that sb's failed my hybrid battery is not charging and my car is failed to stop

I had a wheel bearing replaced in my 2007 toyota highlander and as soon as it was fixed all the warning lights came on in the car, including the vsc light, abs light, brake light, and several others. It was not showing any codes when checked so they turned them off. Over a period of about a year the lights came on and off but with no affect to my braking system. I had brought the car into toyota (tallahassee, fl) for a recall on the hybrid system they told me that it was reading a code for the recall and that was why the lights were on and once they fixed the recall they were off until the next day following picking the car up and they all came back on and now they are saying the abs control module which would cost $3000+ to fix. The brakes are not working properly at all and sometimes not at all. This is extremely unsafe and should be a recall! I have heard several other people with the same toyota have experienced the same issue.

My 2007 highlander hybrid lost it's power brakes last week and i had to limp home, then have it towed to a dealer. They said my abs actuator needs to be replaced and it will cost me $2600! My car has 127,000 miles on it, and is in good shape, i have it serviced regularly. Why isn't my car part of the actuator recall?

Toyota had previously recalled the abs brake module on several toyota highlanders. The same part that they recalled in other modules has now failed in my vehicle which has less than 130k miles on it. Per my mechanics instruction i have not driven the vehicle in months because it's not safe. The brakes aren't functioning properly and the vehicle will not completely stop when the brake pedal is fully engaged. It kind of grabs, and slips allowing the vehicle to roll forward or back depending on the gear the transmission is in. The abs module refurbished is $2500, not including installation.

Toyota had previously recalled the abs brake module on several toyota highlanders. The same part that they recalled in other modules has now failed in my vehicle which has less than 130k miles on it. Per my mechanics instruction i have not driven the vehicle in months because it's not safe. The brakes aren't functioning properly and the vehicle will not completely stop when the brake pedal is fully engaged. It kind of grabs, and slips allowing the vehicle to roll forward or back depending on the gear the transmission is in. The abs module refurbished is $2500, not including installation.

Abs actuator failed causing erratic vehicle behavior and uncontrollable braking. Abs actuator was replaced by toyota in 2017 as part of an extended warranty program on a part that they realized was defective. In 2019 we experienced the same issues causing a very dangerous situation on the freeway and again took to toyota were they found that the abs actuator failed again. This part is typically one that doesn't fail over the lifetime of a vehicle. This part is now needing to be replaced for the third time. I presume that the original abs actuator was replaced with old inventory of the same defective part which is why it quickly failed again. Toyota wants to charge $3k to have repaired. There are a multitude of online complaints and reviews of customers experiencing the same dangerous situation in the same year make/model vehicle. I've contacted corporate and the best they are willing to do is provide a credit for $1k of the repair. For a part that typically never fails on a vehicle, no one should be expected to spend $3k every couple years continually replacing a known defective part that is a crucial safety concern. Toyota admitted there was a safety issue by initially declaring an extended warranty on the part, now that the replacements are failing in the exact same way toyota wants to brush the issue under the rug. This is an urgent safety concern.

Abs actuator failed causing erratic vehicle behavior and uncontrollable braking. Abs actuator was replaced by toyota in 2017 as part of an extended warranty program on a part that they realized was defective. In 2019 we experienced the same issues causing a very dangerous situation on the freeway and again took to toyota were they found that the abs actuator failed again. This part is typically one that doesn't fail over the lifetime of a vehicle. This part is now needing to be replaced for the third time. I presume that the original abs actuator was replaced with old inventory of the same defective part which is why it quickly failed again. Toyota wants to charge $3k to have repaired. There are a multitude of online complaints and reviews of customers experiencing the same dangerous situation in the same year make/model vehicle. I've contacted corporate and the best they are willing to do is provide a credit for $1k of the repair. For a part that typically never fails on a vehicle, no one should be expected to spend $3k every couple years continually replacing a known defective part that is a crucial safety concern. Toyota admitted there was a safety issue by initially declaring an extended warranty on the part, now that the replacements are failing in the exact same way toyota wants to brush the issue under the rug. This is an urgent safety concern.

The abs brake modulator began exhibiting very loud and continuous pumping/priming sounds for several weeks. During this time period upon hard braking the brake system would fail to respond immediately - there was a delay between the instant the brake pedal was depressed, and when the brakes were actually engaged to slow the vehicle. Today, all the instrument warning lights illuminated, including: master warning light, brake warning light, electronically controlled brake warning, anti-lock brake system, and slip indicator. All this indicates a failure of the abs brake modular component. Toyota motor sales, usa, inc. Published warranty enhancement program - zg1 to address this issue. The warranty is only valid for up to 10 years or 150,000 miles and has recently expired for my vehicle. Toyota motors, knowing this component is prone to failure and could have catastrophic consequences, should take a more proactive approach to ensure the safe operation of all affected models. At present there is no warranty coverage, and toyota will not repair the faulty brake system. I am left with an inoperable vehicle with an unsafe braking system, unless i bear the full cost of replacement myself.

This complaint is in regards to the toyota warranty enchancement program zg1. This warranty was applicable for 10 years after first use or 150,000 miles whichever comes first. In order to get the abs actuator replaced a set of symptoms was required. I own a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid fwd with 128,000 miles. Last week the abs actuator started making these loud noises and the abs, brake, check vsc, and master warning light all came on. The braking function has definitely changed and now does a sudden jolt forward when the car is turned on while also hearing the abs actuator making unusual noises. It turns out that the abs actuator has an internal malfunction. Toyota has told me that because it has been 10 years(even though my mileage is less than 150k), my vehicle would not be covered. Toyota has also stated that this issue is a safety hazard. I do not understand why this issue is not listed as a recall as it is related to the braking system making this issue a safety hazard. Instead i am stuck with many others having to pay $3000 to get the part replaced even though my specific vehicle is affected by this abs actuator issue. I use this vehicle as my main transportation for my family. If anyone can help me or explain why this is not a recall please contact me at [xxx]. I am left with an unusable vehicle because my abs actuator decided to malfunction on the 11th year after first use even though it only has 128,000 miles. It seems to me that this should be a safety recall because of the consequences of a malfunctioning abs actuator. I am reporting the sudden failing of brakes and more importantly, the sudden forward jolt the car makes when the car engine starts. I believe that the issues i am experiencing is directly correlated to the malfunctioning abs actuator. Again, please feel free to contact me at [xxx] regarding my complaint. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr *tt

I replaced my brakes after several warning lights and codes kept popping up on my dash. Had the rotors turned. But when i returned to driving my car after i thought it was fixed the brakes would all of a sudden just go out the hydraulic part would go completely to the floor. The car would make a high pitched noise and then no brakes. Took it to toyota in clinton tn. Said my abs brake actuator was failing. Would cost me 2200 dollars to fix. This certain part on your car is supposed to last you a lifetime. I dont have money like that now it was take me a lifetime to save up for the repairs. Very scary. This would happen to me randomly as i was driving no matter where or how far the trip i was taking. Didn't know if i was going to be able to make it home sometimes. You just never knew when. Sometimes it would be fine and others it would be absolutely scary.

The vsdc warning came on with code C1391, which means the abs pump accumulator assembly has gone bad, which costs thousands of dollars to fix. When i contacted toyota, they said they extended the warranty on this and that extension ran out a couple of years ago. However, this makes no sense to extend a warranty on a part you have admitted is bad and a safety hazard, as the brakes will fail after this faulty part remains in the dysfunctional state. It appears to me that toyota, was trying to appease as few as people as possible by extending a warranty on something as dangerous as this. They refuse to fix the problem, even though it will cause death to many. The mechanic said this has happened to many toyota highlanders, per his information too. *js *js

A sound of squeaking/pumping air occurs sometimes when i depress the brakes. This sometimes continues to happen even with the car is stopped completely. If the brake is depressed less, the sound occurs less frequently. I had it inspected by an independent mechanic and a dealership mechanic and was told the abs assembly has a leak and needs to be completely replaced for a fee of roughly $2,300. This first occurred with mileage around 152,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled and "vehicle stability control" and "hybrid system" displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to hudson toyota (599 nj-440, jersey city, new jersey) where it was diagnosed that the inverter was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 119,000.

Buying new car, potential buyer of this car had a mechanic check it out. Found extensive rust involving frame and suspension. Not safe to drive. I live in nc mountains with extensive snow and ice and salted roads. Toyota has had previous rust issues and mechanic said he's seeing this more with local highlanders

I purchased a used 2007 toyota highlander hybrid less than 2 years ago and because i was not the original owner, i did not receive and recall notices or extended warranty coverage notices. Now my brakes are failing and it has to do with the brake actuator assembly that toyota offered to repair free under their "enhancement" program. I was unaware of this because i am not the original owner and now the enhancement program has expired. Average cost of this repair is $2,500-$3,000 and i do not have that type of money and yet i need my car daily to work. At some point the brakes, as currently indicated on the dashboard and from the sound they are making, are going to fail, resulting in an accident. Their enhancement program was good for 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever came first so i am past the 10 year period. Why do they put limits on life and death safety issues with their cars ? I need the nhtsa's help. Thank you.

In 2015 i was told by the toyota dealer that my abs pump and accumulator needed to be replaced. That was done and i immediately starting having problems with the brakes. Two things: (1) per the service rep, this replacement needed to be done due to a pumping sound being emitted from the abs pump after the suv was turned off. The exact same noise started up within a few days of the replacement. I took it back to the dealer and pointed the noise out and was told that that noise was "normal" (sic) (2) immediately after the new abs system was installed, a serious defect in the brakes appeared: as i pulled to a stop the car would speed up or suddenly move forward as if i had stopped braking. I would have to readjust my braking instantly to keep from having an accident. This has been scary for years. For years because each time i had the car serviced and brought this up to toyota and test drives were performed, i was always told that they didn't experience it or didn't see it or some such. Twice they did other brake work which did nothing to solve the problem. Lastly, i was recently driving on highway us 19 and all the abs and brake warnings came on and a loud screech started and continued -- absolutely ear splitting. I put my foot on the brakes and the pedal went way down and with effort i was able to get the cfar to slow down. The power assist had disappeared along with the abs. The message in the readout states something like "vcs problem" or error -- i don't remember sitting here writing this, but it is a vcs problem. I called toyota and was told that 6 months after my abs system was overhauled, a service bulletin was issued stating that the older (mine) abs pumps have cracks or a crack in them. I believe any auto with an abs system with a crack in the pump body should be recalled and those abs systems replaced at the cost of the toyota.

The brake actuator for the abs system failed and needed to be replaced. This was and is a known potential problem by the toyota company as a result of many toyota owners replacing their vehicle actuators due to failure but no recalls have been activated and available for my vehicle as of this current date. I fortunately did not get into an accident as a result but stop use of the vehicle and had it repaired immediately by a toyota dealership at my own expense. This was a very costly expense i incurred both in the actuator part and the labor to replace it. The actuator affected the brake system of my vehicle and is a major safety issue.

When braking at any speed, the brake pedal vibrates and makes a "chirping" sound. After researching i've discovered it's a brake actuator issue. Toyota did extend the warranty briefly, but no recall was issued. My toyota certified mechanic said brake failure could definitely occur when the actuator fails completely. When braking over bumps, the brakes seem to give out briefly as well which is quite startling. The replacement part is $1800 plus labor, which is ridiculous considering this is definitely a safety issue.

While driving under normal conditions, all dash lights went on saying check vsc system, abs, brake lights, warnings and traction. Took vehicle to service at toyota dealer and was told the abs actuator assembly has to be replaced, for nearly $2500. This is a vehicle with under 65,000 miles on it and the actuator should last for the life of the vehicle. I just had the radiator replaced and brakes replaced two months ago. This problem was not detected. Brakes have always been soft on this vehicle. Now the battery is not charging and the brakes only seem to work off and on. I have to pump the brakes to make them work right. This is a huge safety problem as all of my driving is in the city in traffic. From reading online this is a problem that occurs frequently with this type of toyota highlander and other models. I don't feel safe driving it and i can't afford to fix it. It's barely worth the cost of repairing it. If this is a known public safety issue why doesn't toyota recall this part? The service person told me the brakes may now fail at any time, in a day or in two weeks. He told me to avoid other vehicles on the road!

Check engine light came on yesterday while driving. We were told this morning that we must replace the fuel system charcoal canister. This item is under recall for many toyota vehicles 2006-2015, but they did not tell me that it is covered on mine. He said there is a crack and when they replace the canister they need to replace the fuel containment valve as well. Can you please confirm if my vehicle is covered under the recall? My vehicle is acting perfectly fine.

The abs brake pump leaks. It's a $2000 repair. There was a recall, but i never got the recall letter. The recall expired 8 months ago and toyota won't honor it, even though they confirmed they sent the recall letter to the former owner, 17 months after i purchased the car. They did not send the letter to the registered owner on file with the state, they sent it to the address they had on file with toyota.

Vsc light came on and the car would not drive. Towed to toyota and had it diagnosed. The poa80, P3020 hv battery inoperative/shorted. The vehicle was in motion on the highway when it happened.

I have owned a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid for several years. I bought the car used and was never notified of a safety recall warranty extension for the antilock braking system (abs module). The known defective part failed 6 months after the extension expired and was never notified of the recall. Local dealer now states the repair will cost $2500 which is about what the car is actually worth. This is my highschool daughter's car and the liability of the abs module & brakes failing could be significant. The car is otherwise drivable and the brakes work although the abs module continues to light up the vsc warning light on the led monitor in the dash. My hope is to find some goodwill through toyota or possibly the part manufacturer, however have been unable to do so to this point.

Horn stopped working, in motion, on a city street while turning.

The brake actuators make weird sound only when you hit the brakes. The car may be in a turned on or off position. All you have to do is press the brakes and there is a weird sucking and chirping sound coming from the brake actuator assembly. Talked to dealer and they did a brake fluid flush but that did not help. Toyota reimbursed the service charges but i think they did that to shut me up. The brake actuators can fail anytime and i am worried that toyota has known this problem for a while now and is not fixing them. This is a serious issue and the faulty brake actuator assembly needs to be replaced by toyota.

Brake actuator assembly enhancer/abs module went out in 11/2017. Toyota had a warranty enhancement on this that ended in 12/31/2017. This went out in 11/2017, but was not diagnosed at a toyota service department, but the svc dept was called about it.. It was diagnosed at midas. A case was opened with toyota on 1/8/2018. Toyota is saying they will not honor the warranty because it is past the 12/31/2017 date. This is a known issue with these type of vehicles and should be fixed by toyota.

"brake actuator assembly warranty enhancement" which can cause the abs and vsc warning lights to illuminate with codes C1391, C1252, C1253 and/or C1256 may be found in the abs ecu. Toyota had two warranty enhancements for this one 6/12/2007 - 6/12/2017 and the second ended 12/31/2017. We had midas auto service experts do a brake evaluation on 11/25/2017, which showed codes C1241, C1256 and C1391. We had the evaluation done because after breaking the check vsc system and abs and brake light came on. We have the paperwork from midas. It was also brought to the attention of the toyota dealership salesperson that sold us the car on 12/20/17 and he documented it on his toyota laptop. The service department was also contacted but did not reveal there was a warranty enhancement for this problem only quoted to replace it would be approximately $2500.00. This is still a known problem and there have been multiple cases opened for this problem. I opened case 1801083723 on 1/8/2017 and another 1804032206. Toyota told me because the case was opened after 12/31/2017 and the service department did not run a diagnostic on it there is nothing they can do under the warranty enhancement even though we have proof from midas (a third party) there was an issue on 11/25/2017 and the toyota sales associate has notes in reference to it as well on 12/20/17. This is very dangerous due to not being able to stop and since it is a known problem toyota should open up another warranty enhancement and be liable to repair these vehicles as they are brought in. Toyota did run a diagnostic on it 3/28/2017 and had the same problem as it did on 11/25/2017 when midas ran the evaluation on it.

Car was parked in driveway and was stationary. Warming car up to get rid of frost on windshield. The car started on fire - total lost. 3 to 4 feet flames coming out of engine.

The gas tank fell partially off and dragged on the road. I was driving on city streets, turning right at 5 mph when i heard a loud pop/snap sound and then a terrible sound of something dragging under the car. Fortunately, i could pull over and stop within 50 feet. The gas tank was not damaged significantly (it passed a pressure test at the dealership). The gas tank is attached with two straps, fore and aft. The right sides of both straps snapped very close to where the straps are bolted to the main body in a place that could not have possibly been damaged. The flat bed truck driver who delivered the vehicle to berkeley toyota noted that there were no signs that the vehicle had been abused in any way. He also argued that had this happened on the freeway at high speed, it could have been quite dangerous.

Faulty break system this would be 2 time to get fix in less than 1 and 3 months

My brake actuator began making noises and vibrating while still covered by the secondary warranty. I took it into local toyota dealership, and was told that despite the sound and vibration the car has to throw the proper warning codes to be covered. When my rear window motor overloaded and failed, immediately the vsc/brake/abs warning lights all came on the dashboard. I believe that the brake actuator has been bad for awhile, but only an unrelated electrical surge caused the ecu to trip the brake actuator error codes. I'm grateful that toyota responded to previous complaints by extending the warranty -but the delay in tripping the error code cost me 6 months of driving with the pulsating and pounding brake noise and allowed my secondary warranty to expire.

Received temperature warning for hybrid system while driving on highway and pulled over. Vehicle locked up after pulling over, made very loud noise and could not drive. Towed to dealer and was told that the hybrid inverter assembly failed and requires replacement. There is a recall for defect in this assembly on my model year, but my vin is not included in the current recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving approximately 50 mph, the engine stalled, the vehicle shut off, and the check hybrid indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the hybrid inverter malfunctioned. The hybrid system needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. The vin was not provided.

I bought four goodyear assurance triple tread tires on jan. 29, 2013. After about a year i started having problems with maintaining air pressure in the tires. I took the vehicle back to where i bought the tires and they would do maintenance such as remounting or replacing valve stems. I still would have air pressure issues. On dec. 9, 2016 while driving on the highway i noticed a thumping noise. It got progressively louder and made the vehicle sway. I pulled to the emergency berm and saw that i had a flat tire. I took the tire back to conrad's tire express & total care which where i bought the tires from. The service technician put air in the tire and said that there were broken belts in the side wall. He laid the blame to a road hazard problem and laid the blame of losing air to defective toyota rims, even though with the original tires on the vehicle i never experienced a problem of losing air from the tires. My opinion is that the tires must be defective since they can not maintain air pressure. This is a real concern since the possibility of someone being injured or killed because of a tire blow out. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the rims on the vehicle were very rusty. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the details of the diagnosis could not be provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 136,210. The consumer requested a status update. Updated 10/04/2017*js

Driving about 70 mph on the highway, heard an extremely loud bang. Checked windows and windshields, at that time, but didn't think to check the moon roof. A few days later (yesterday), i tried to open the moonroof and discovered that it had shattered.

I returned home in the late afternoon to find my rear windshield completely shattered and with a basketball sized hole. Glass was all over the driveway. There was no glass nor object of destruction in the trunk. The truck was locked and there wasn't any other damage. The windshield appeared to be bowed outward a bit. It was a warm day but cooler compared to temps the past few weeks.

Tl* the contact owned a 2007 toyota highlander. After the contact returned home and parked the vehicle, the horn started to beep. The contact walked outside and observed sparks under the vehicle. The contact attempted to extinguish the fire with the hose, but the vehicle became engulfed in flames. A fire report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

Issue with abs actuator causing loss of vsc function

Hazardous safety issue. Possible manufacturer defect to electrical system on 2001-2007 toyota highlanders. While driving at high or low rate of speed, there has been many close calls of being hit from behind due to the manufacturer defect to their electrical components or wiring in specific to rear braking lights. When depressing the brake pedal the rear passenger brake lights do not come on. Light bulbs changed, fuse was checked and connectors checked. There has been multiple identical related issues reported by consumers on many blogs and forums online. Only remedy mentioned was to have the toyota dealer to replace the electrical braking component or circuitry. This should be a recall for the toyota highlander 2001-2007 on the critical braking systems on these vehicles. Why do consumers have to pay upwards of $400 to replace what appears to be a manufacturer issue. This is a accident made to happen. Also due to their poor design, the vehicle can't pass the state's vehicle safety inspection.

Brake actuator makes very loud clicking sound for several minutes after exiting vehicle. When braking over bumpy roads, brakes "skip" as if releasing and then grabbing again. Also, brakes grab intermittently when slowing down on a hill when nearly stopped. All appears related to abs braking system.

Driving on an interstate received a check hybrid light then the engine powered down and then shut down. Was able to pull off interstate without crashing. Had to have it towed to toyota dealer where they said it was the ivs, inverter system, which overheated and shut engine down. The vehicle was recalled in 2014 for bad soldering in the ivs system. Car has only 72,000 miles on it, but over 8 years on warranty. So i am waiting on toyota to decide if they are going to assume responsibility for $9,500 repair. I am now aware of lawsuits and complaints on the inverter system of the hybrid highlander.

"sun visor failure!" - driver's side. Just another to add to the numerous other concerned families. No help through toyota main safety number at 1-800-331-4331case #1604262701. Verified with the representative that i am not the first to report this problem. While there is a recall on 2010-2013 highlanders, all prior have been left out. As of the time of this complaint, a large air bag recall, among many manufacturers, is taking place. Which is more dangerous: the remote possibility of an air bag deployment? (or) driver's loss of vision in heavy traffic due to a faulty sun visor, which may cause an air bag deployment? There are hundreds of complaints found online across all models. I also found that many of the complaints on this site were regarding "sun visor failure." in my opinion, someone maybe "asleep at the wheel. Toyota you're better than this.

Abs actuator is pumping to prime brakes every 15 secs. Defective and needs to be replaced. Toyota says $2300

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at 5 mph and coming to a stop, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle could not be restarted and it had multiple unknown warning lights illuminated including the check hybrid system, the check engine and the check csv warning lights. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the inverter assembly with converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000.

My airbag on the drivers side has just stopped working. I called toyota and they just say its a 10 year old car and airbags stop working. This is a huge safety concern. Also my horn is affected by it too, because that has stopped also. These things have stopped over a year ago. Being that my vehicle is a battery powered car, people do not hear the engine much and the probability of a accident is higher.

On my way home, check engine light comes on, then starts blinking. Got home and find out the oils all gone and dead car. My mechanic says the oil line has a recall and that it broke letting all oil out.

The vsc system warning appears and it smell like the brake is imgage of attached like a burning metal smell.

2007 toyota highlander hybrid limited was experiencing concerning brakes beginning to lurch forward, brake pedal stiffness, and associated noise. In short, the issue is a critical loss of assisted braking. Took it to the dealership in texas and was instructed that the abs actuator had failed. Mechanic indicated that this failure is fairly common in toyota hybirds from 07 (both highlander and camry). The highlander abs actuator component is identical to the abs actuator in the 2007 camry hybrid that was the subject of a nhtsa investigation which culminated in 2014 with toyota issuing an enhanced warranty program covering the 2007 camry hybrid (nhtsa investigation pe 14-001, conducted by kareem habib). Was informed that other owners of 2007 highlander hybrids had experienced the same problems. A quick search online shows that these issues are quite ubiquitous in the 07 hybrid models. This presents a significant safety issue. I subsequently relocated for work to the washington, dc area and called toyota to see if they would offer a fix or cover the repair. Was instructed to bring the car into a different dealership. Dealership confirmed that the issue is a faulty abs actuator (design defect) and the cost of repair/replacement would be $3506.02. Dealership sent toyota corporate the information and requested that they repair be covered. Toyota corporate denied coverage of the repair. Was also instructed by toyota corporate that despite the fact they had requested that i take the car into the dealership, i owed $129.95 for the mechanical inspection. The failure of assisted braking presents a significant safety issue. This issue was recognized by nhtsa in it's aforementioned investigation of identical failures in the 2007 toyota camry hybrid. I respectfully request that nhtsa initiate an investigation into the 07 highlander hybrid abs actuator.

Starting in october of 2015 and continuing to this day, the sun visor on the driver's side refuses to stay in the fully upright/tucked to the headliner position presenting a visibility problem when the car is in motion. When turning left, it gets dramatically worse and completely blocks my view, requiring me to remove my left hand from the wheel to lift the visor out of the way and complete the turn one handed. This is situation is unsafe on a multitude of levels and needs to be addressed by toyota.

I took my car in for a flat tire repair and an alignment. After the services were performed the mechanic was unable to reset the computer as it kept showing an error. All lights on the dashboard were lighted. I drove the car to a toyota service center. When driving i noticed that the brakes did not feel quite right. It didn't feel like they would brake quickly if need be. The ultimate diagnosis was the car had a C1345 linear valve offset undone and C1368 linear valve offset malfunction. A new brake actuator was installed at a cost of $3200. Per my research, this has been reported for the toyota camry hybrid as an issue. Perhaps the highlander should also be looked into.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. While the vehicle was undergoing scheduled maintenance, the mechanic pointed out that the abs actuator was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.

I was travelling 45 mph, when a car in front of me suddenly stopped. I had to brake hard and my car stalled. I felt a thud, went to accelerate and realized my car had no power. I had to put it in park and restart the car. My car had a recall in 2013 regarding possible stall due to heat possibly causing a defect in the hybrid computer board. I took it in and this was supposedly fixed. This is the one and only time my car has stalled, but it was scary because i had multiple cars behind me and i could have rear-ended. I have taken my car into toyota to be examined.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. While driving 40 mph, the brake pedal was depressed but it took a longer distance to stop the vehicle. The vsc warning light illuminated. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the brake actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

On my 2007 toyota high lander the horn has stopped working i have no horn , when i press the horn button it does not sound the horn. I took it to the dealer and they check the horn and the dealer said it was working after i left the dealer it did not work , i askedthe service adviser and he said its an intermittent problem, , the horn still does not work i still have no working horn, something is grounding out in the steering column. I still have no working horn and the dealer cant find the problem.

We are the original owners of this car. We have changed the oil and oil filter as required by toyota. Never had a problem until the last few months. All of a sudden we are going through multiple quarts of oil between oil changes. We never had to add oil previously. Searching online i see this is a known problem. I also read that toyota won't fix it. Wanted to add my name to the list of complaints in the hope that toyota will be forced to fix this issue.

Told by toyota dealer that the brake actuator accumulator pump assembly has internal pressure loss. Statement followed by "shouldn't normally do that" and "$3200.00 to repair". Next, i was informed that the issue effects anti-lock braking system. While driving and coming to a stop the braking becomes difficult. It feels as if the power is lost in the brakes and takes much more force on the pedal to make stop. However this problem is not consistent, at times the breaking is normal, but after driving for a while the hard to brake issue arises.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact spoke with the manufacturer regarding nhtsa campaign number: 13v396000 (hybrid propulsion system). Even though the vehicle was made between 2/16/05 and 7/29/10, the contact was informed that the vin was not included and the vehicle would not be repaired. The contact experienced the failure listed in the recall twice. The failure mileage was 128,000.

I am reporting two issues with my highlander. The first is in regards to the brake system. While looking at another complaint that had been filed, i realized that my car did the same thing. Brakes become momentarily unresponsive when stopping. Car lurches forward and additional force is needed on pedal to regain control. I copied word for word what the other person wrote, as that describes it perfectly. My second complaint regards the windshield wipers. The wiper on the left has stopped working well, and will not wipe back and forth properly on the window. It stops or gets stuck mid-wipe, obscuring my vision. It is very dangerous, and i am having them repaired tomorrow. Thank you. *js

Failed. Car not safe to drive per toyota service technician, and requires replacement costing $3700. The fault was a failed abs brake actuator (?Same as in '07 hybrid camry?). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 13v396000 (hybrid propulsion system); however, the remedy was insufficient. The vehicle was repaired for the second time by the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

After getting off the highway (not in my town) lights came on my dashboard for the abs braking and vsc system. There were also additional characters like (!) in a circle. The manual said for all of these contact dealer immediately, which i did. I was told the abs accumulator needed to be replaced and it was approximately a $3,000 job. I had the repair completed and paid $2,700.00. (the dealer discounted the job). I am aware that toyota is aware of this problem and has extended the warranty on that same part in the camry hybrid. Further the internet is replete with instances of this happening in 2006 and 2007 highlander hybrid models. Toyota has no credit, extended warranty, or other benefit to highlander hybrid owners. I called toyota and have a case number with them (#1412081681). I feel there should be a recall or extension of warranty on this known defective part. Is there any investigation into this issue? *tr

Rheostat on vehicle hvac control panel n longer controls temperature setting... Vehicle will usually start at setting - respond to desired heat or a/c - cut-out to a neutral (cabin or outside depending on vent setting) temperature. Hitting a road surface bump or sharply turning on a curve will re-actuate the rheostat setting until the next erratic interruption begins. *tr

While entering into a driveway at a very slow speed, i stepped on the brake to slow down further. But instead of braking, the car lunged forward. I felt i was not in control of the vehicle. I continued to hit the brakes, but the vehicle continued to go forward. It slammed into the car that was parked in the driveway and caused major damage. It also shoved the car into their garage, split the frame in half and ripped off brick from their home. The surface was slippery with wet leaves and there was a slight incline going up the driveway, but i just had brand new top of the line winter tires put on and i was probably only going 5 mph. It did not make any sense. From reading the forums on line, i believe this is a major defect with the hybrid and toyota is not doing anything about it. They need to do a recall. Lives are at stake. Thank god no one was hurt, but it could have been fatal. *tr

The passenger side sun visor dropped from the up or stored position to the down position while making a turn, partially and unexpectedly obstructing the driver's view. The visor now will not stay in the stored position.The driver's side visor is beginning to show signs of the same failure. *tr

When going around curves at varying speeds, traction control light comes on and wheels shake. Happens once or twice a week. Happens when roads completely dry. Seems like a flaw and i'm worried of catastrophic failure while driving. *tr

My car had been making a chirping noise when i brake so i took it to a brake place and they put on new brake pads and rotors, about a week late all the lights on my dash came on saying everything was wrong, i called the brake place they said it was just a loose connection. About 2 months later i was slowing down to make a stop at a light approximately a half a football field away and my brakes just stopped working and i slid into the car in front of me.. I took it back to the brake place they said it was the hybrid system, from which there was a recall for my car. I took it to the toyota dealer and they fixed the recall but then said my problem is the brake hydraulic actuator, a 2500.00 part! From what i understand it is the sensor that tells your brakes to operate when you press the brake pedal!!! Then i started researching and it looks like others are having the same problem in the hybrid highlander in 2006 and 2007 makes!!! I put my car in my garage for the last 2 months because i simply do not have the money to fix this and now the battery is completely dead! When i drove it home from the dealership after they fixed the recall and told me the news about the actuator, it felt like i was driving on ice and really had no control of the brakes at all... I would think with the complaints i have seen about this, that this would be a recall issue, i mean when you press on the brake pedal and your brakes actually work, your car should stop!! This could really end up hurting someone! *tr

First noticed on date above, but occurs at least once a week. When slowing down, and brakes are applied, if a bump, pothole, and traction is lost for a split second the brakes stop working and the car surges,coasts, disengage. Firm pressure on brakes is used to compensate for the loss of braking power. As a result stopping distance is increased. This loss of breaking power lasts for 1/2 to 1 second. Perhaps its related to the hybrid regenerating system. Never the less it is very disconcerting to lose brakes, even for a split second

Water pump broke, suspension leaking, bearings broken, engine head bolts are stripped. *tr

Brakes become momentarily unresponsive when stopping. Car lurches forward and additional force is needed on pedal to regain control. Appears to happen when braking system switches over from regenerative to friction. Happens at various speeds when trying to stop. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the rear window failed to close or open. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 90,000.

I was driving down the road and lost power of my vehicle. Toyota dealership said it was my #6 coil but i have a feeling it was the inverter with everything that happened to it. I googled it and everything that happened was exactly what happened when the inverter goes on the vehicle. I don't really trust them. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that the hybrid system shut down and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 13v396000 (hybrid propulsion system), but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

On the approximate date written above, i received a notice of recall from toyota related to the replacement of the part noted above [ipm]. The notice instructed me to contact my toyota dealer and indicated that the ipm "would be replace." the notice went on to say "...It is possible that the fuse of the power supply circuit could blow, causing the hybrid system to shut down and resulting in the vehicle stopping while being driven. This can increase the risk of a crash." being somewhat risk adverse, i immediately called and schedule an appointment which occurred earlier today. At that appointment, i was told "the part would be inspected to determine if it needed to be replaced." clearly, this information was different than that provided by the notice. Worse, however, is the fact that the dealer, having determined that the part did indeed need to be replaced, then informed me that the part would need to be ordered and since they were on backorder there was no way they could tell me when the promised repair might actually occur. As a result of the above, this highly dangerous situation is being allowed to continue until toyota gets its act together. Somehow, that doesn't seem quite right and i thought you might like to know. *tr

Faulty 2007 toyota highlander sun visor. My driver side sun visor has fallen down, and wont tighten. The sun visor is too heavy for the rod it is suspended from. Currently, the visor has fallen in front of my line of vision which obstructs my view while driving. My wife as well as my young teen daughter has also complained and also states someday it may make them crash due to no visibility when it happens. This is definitely a safety hazard. There are numerous complaints that have been posted concerning toyotas defective sun visors on 2007 highlanders. How many more comments are needed before toyota will issue a safety recall on these sun visors? I hope it will be sooner rather than later, and before there is a tragic accident. *tr

Sun visor drops at any given time due to poor design. Problem started way before warranty period expired.

I try to start the car and it did not start. All light was on including vsc/hybrid system car was towed to toyota dealer. They bleed the brake and erased the code. Drive the car for the next 2 days. Car failed to start again all light on vsc/hybrid car was towed to toyota dealer. Diagnosis is failed inverter ask $8357.82 for repair because the recall is not launched and i call toyota motors canada tell me they will not repair recall for usa vehicle . Toyota motors usa will not authorize for repair in canada of safety defect (toyota safety recall 13v-396) also refusing to repair in the usa if i bring the car to toyota car dealer in new york state because recall not launched. The car have been towed to my house. *tr

On sept 5, 2013, i put my toyota highlander hybrid in reverse to straighten it up in a parking space, before i could even breathe, it took off in reverse going over 60 mi. An hour and i had no control over the car. It finally hit a garage from behind and took down the whole side of the garage and the front of the garage. Air bags never deployed. I was not injured except for a sore neck and right shoulder. They are just now pulling the black box from my car. No response from toyota yet.[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

At slow speed, entering my driveway, brakes failed, resulting in slight acceleration, causing an accident with our other vehicle in driveway. *tr

The driver's door power window switch is defective and dangerous. The driver window will surprise by rolling itself down at any time. Also, white smoke has come out of it once. It's happened overnight lately, at first i was surprised, i couldn't remember leaving the window down. So i put a piece of scotch tape at the top of the window joining the door frame as proof i left the window up.. The tape proved itself 5 times so far. Toyota has recalled 7.4 million other vehicles for this exact same problem, they insist that the issue isn't covered by recall for my vehicle. I don't understand this since the vehicle's behavior exactly fits the description of the recall. I called toyota at 18003314331, spoke at length with [xxx] for issue number [xxx]. They have no reason or explanation that makes any sense to me. Please advise. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

I was driving with my family on board on 680-s between walnut creek and san ramon. I was going around 65-70 mph in the fast lane when there was a loud pop sound from the front and all the power from engine died down. I had to switch lanes with the emergency lights on as the speed kept decreasing with no acceleration. This was on a busy freeway with high speeds. We were lucky to pull over without being hit. I pulled off to the shoulder and tried to accelerate but could only go another 10 feet to a safer location. I had to get my vehicle towed to the dealership. There was no service available until today. I got a phone call from the dealership telling me that the inverter is the cause of this and will cost over $8,000 to replace. They also told me that even though there is a recall for the inverters of the 2006 and some 2007 highlander hybrids, mine was not on the list. I purchased my 2007 highlander in october 2006. I think the recall should extend to all 2007 highlanders as there is a growing number of these cars having the same issues this year as well as previous years. *tr

I was leaving my condo driving up hill when my car lost power and rolled backwards . I panicked didn't know what was happening and rolled into another car . I had to roll downhill and call aaa to tow to hooman toyota long beach. Toyota knowingly sold a car with a defective hybrid system but want me to pay $8000 for repair .Never was informed about recall. *tr

I was driving on i15 near lake elsinore on the way home from a trip and the car lost power on the freeway in rush hour and big rig traffic. We were lucky to roll off to the right and escape death by a 40 wheeler crash. The car was towed to toyota carlsbad where all maintenance was performed per schedule since the car was purchased. The last service was at 108,800 on june 23, 2013. The cost of the repair is $8200 for the part plus labor. Toyota would only offer to pay 1/2 of the inverter cost but the car was not worth putting that kind of money into and i was forced to buy a new car. Toyota corporate has my case and they are terrible. They are offering $1000 "good will" and $500 for the towing. This is a highly danger defect and there should be government action against toyota. *tr

Driving approximately 65 mph on a busy southern california freeway when i hear a popping sound and my car died. Was in the fast lane and had to move over to the right shoulder. Dangerous!!! Could have gotten in a accident, but made it ok. Had to have the car towed. Was told that the hybrid inverter needed replacing. Never knew that toyota was having a problem with the inverter, and have now been told that there was a recall on some 2007's, but my vin number was not included in the recall and therefore not covered. Cost to replace inverter $9,000 to $11,000. Why wasn't my car included in the recall!! Very obvious that the recall should have gone further to include mine. My problem is the same as everyone else is having. Please consider extending the recall. *tr

The visor on the driver side hangs down creating a distraction while driving. *tr

Vehicle was traveling out of state when it suddenly stalled and loss all power. Fortunately was able to pull into a rest stop which was 100 miles from my home. Had the vehicle towed to toyota dealership in hattiesburg, ms and they stated the problem was with the inverter and it would cost approx. $8000 to fix. Toyota has had a recall on the exact same inverter for model years 2006 and 2007. I contacted toyota headquarters and they stated that the recall does not apply to my vin number although in reading complaints by others online, my vehicle and description of the problem and diagnosis by the dealer all fit. Toyota knew it had a problem with the inverter system and i was never alerted to a potential problem with the system as i was not the original owner. I am lucky that my child was not in the vehicle at the time and also lucky that i was not involved in a crash as a result of this problem. They refuse to address my concerns or pay for the repairs for this defective system which they knew was defective when i purchased the vehicle. *tr

While accelerating from a stoplight and driving in a 45mph zone, our 2007 highlander hybrid began to accelerate on its own. The engine revved as if someone were flooring the gas pedal. Neither my husband nor i knew what was happening. Then we heard a loud thud sound from the back seat and we lost power steering, power brakes, and we started to decelerate. Traffic was averaging 45-50mph around us. Thankfully, my husband was able to safely coast us into the right lane, then into a parking lot, and then into a parking spot. After that we were not able to start the vehicle and we had multiple error messages flash across the instrument panel: "check hybrid system" & "check vehicle stability". We were told by toyota that our error codes indicated that the inverter "blew up" & needs replacement. They did not mention anything about the recall which i found while researching. We are 13 vin numbers after the recall for this same issue. We were told the part costs $10,000 before taxes & installation. Toyota won't honor the earlier recall and so i've towed the vehicle home. :( *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the hybrid inverter needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 100,000. *tr

Nhtsa action number : pe11005 exact same situation. This issue kills the car immediately with no time to prepare. I was very lucky as i was just entering onto the freeway. I drifted over to the right median. If i was in the middle or far left lane this would have been a major safety concern. There are more highlanders hybrids in my vin range that are coming of age and should have these defective inverter assembly parts replaced asap. *tr

Driving my beloved 2007 highlander hybrid (hh) home from work, i was on the freeway in the slow lane and heard a loud "pop" sound. I immediately saw numerous warning messages flash on the dashboard - "check hybrid system", "check vcs system", and "check power steering." thankfully my car did not stop immediately on the freeway as others have but i was able to get off the freeway and to my trusted mechanic before the system completely failed. According to the dealership that now has my car, the inverter has failed but this vin number was not in the toyota recall of 2006/2007 hh cars. I have 146,000 miles and this part should not have failed. Though i purchased the car used just 2 years ago, i have maintained it exactly as directed and the carfax on the car showed that the previous owner had all of the required maintenance done at a dealership using the toyota maintenance schedule. Though the full extent of the damage will not be determined until after the inverter is replaced (it is believed that the power steering went out at the same time and there is the potential for other damage as well), the inverter issue on these vehicles continue to place people in very dangerous situations. I feel very fortunate that i was not in one of the fast lanes and that the car didn't stop working; i was fortunate to get off the freeway and to a safe location. I know that the nhtsb had a hand in the 2011 recall of the 2006/2007 hh vehicles and i believe that there are still vehicles on the road that were not included in the recall that probably should have been (mine included.) please continue to monitor this situation and hold toyota accountable for the poor design/manufacturing of their hybrid technology. *tr

I was in a head-on collision proceeding through an intersection when a toyota camry turned left in front of me and at the last minute tried to correct back to avoid me; but was unable to and hit me with the passenger's front corner of their vehicle directly into the front bumper of my toyota highlander hybrid, more towards the drivers side. Both cars were totaled and all of the camry's air bags deployed but none of mine deployed. Both myself and my passenger were badly injured and are still in treatment 5 months later (at the time of making this report). I just received new information regarding my injuries and some might be permanent including a closed head injury and spinal injuries. Based on speaking with many people about this accident they are all shocked my airbags did not deploy based on the type and severity of the accident and all of my doctors have questioned why they did not deploy and were also surprised. I still have ownership of the car and the insurance company has placed a hold on it until an inspection can be completed to determine if there was a malfunction. Please advise on how to get this inspection done and how to ensure the airbags were working properly and for some reason they were just not suppose to deploy. *tr

I am writing concerning my 2007 toyota highlander sun visor. My driver side sun visor has fallen down, and i see no way to tighten it up. It appears the sun visor is too heavy for the rod it is suspended from. Currently, the visor has fallen to right in front of my line of vision which obstructed my view while driving on several occasions, which was rather frightening. This is definitely a safety hazard. I saw online where over 2.4 million toyota owners have posted comments concerning their defective sun visors. How many more comments are needed before toyota will issue a safety recall on these sun visors? I hope it will be sooner rather than later, and before there is a tragic accident. *tr

While driving on the highway, left rear axle snapped off and fell off vehicle. The transfer assembly has been found to be defective. There is no explanation as to how this happened and if there are other defective parts in the drive train.

The hybrid abruptly stalled while driving, light and alarms all around. Dealer states its the power inverter, he mentioned it was a recall, but not covering my car. The symptoms are identical. *tr

The vehicle did not start when the key was turned. The dashboard flickered, many lights were lit and then the flickering stopped after a few seconds and the check engine light came on. *tr

I was driving and without any warning the car shutdown down, the car controls would not respond. The car continued till it lost momentum stopped, there was no/or very little braking and steering assistance/control. ***i called toyota and reported the problem, no assistance was provided*** the dashboard flashed lights, the vsc, awd and other lights came on. Fyi - the car has been regularly maintained. There are numerous controls on these similar issues, vsc awd ecu etc, but there seems to be no acknowledgement from toyota. *tr

During driving, abruptly without warning - the highlander hybrid during driving, without warning, just went dead - car did not respond to driver control. The dashboard started flashing lights and the vsc check, awd check, skid light, brake lights came on. The car, and power steering stopped responding to control. Upon contacting the dealers, everyone has given us a different reason, some don't even make sense. *tr

I was exiting a parking lot onto the street. I suddenly lost power while i was waiting to merge into traffic. My car was in drive but i had my foot on the brake when my car went dead. There were warnings flashing at me from my dashboard. I put my car in park. Turned off the engine and restarted my car but the same thing happened plus i began to roll backwards do to the slight incline in the parking lot exit. I quickly put my car in park again, turned on my hazard lights, and waived the cars behind me to go around. I was able to put my car in reverse and back it up to a safe area in the parking lot. I called the toyota dealership in charlotte where i purchased the car at and continued having it serviced. They told me to have it towed to the nearest dealership immediately. I called the service department at team toyota mall of ga to let them know i was bringing it in. After their mechanic determined it was the faulty inverter in the transmission, i was told it would cost me $8,000 to fix it. I still owed $15,000 on the car. I found out about the recall on 2006-2007 highlander hybrids for the same faulty inverter. The dealership said my car was ineligible for the recall since the vin was not listed. I called toyota as advised and opened a case number. I received the worst customer service and constant run around from toyota. They offered to give me $1,000 towards the repairs or $2,500 for a new or toyota certified used vehicle. I'm still waiting to find out why my car wasn't included on the list though it met the criteria. I am truly shocked by the dismissive attitude i'm currently getting from toyota as if they didn't know about the faulty inverter. My car broke down on my way home to north carolina. Now i'm trapped in georgia with no way of getting home to my husband and children. I'm still waiting on toyota's decision about my case, in ga. *tr

The driver side sun visor has started to droop down, unable to be put in full upward position. This has been getting increasingly worse over the past few months. A website i visited for help suggested reporting it to nhtsa. It is a safety hazard because it hangs down at forehead level when driving and causes a serious distraction. The website contained numerous complaints of other highlander owners for the same problem and indicated that replacing it for several hundred dollars does not prevent a frequent recurrence of the problem. On the 2007 model, a lighted mirror is the only equipment contained in the visor itself. *tr

After parking on an incline, in cold weather, with the emergency brake on, then starting up the car and driving slowly, the rear tires make a grinding noise. I have taken the car in to the dealer twice to address the issue, and they have completely replaced all the brake equipment and still the issue continues. They have suggested that i don't need to use my emergency brake when parking the car. *tr

While driving on the highway, the lights in the vehicle all began flashing to check hybrid system. I was unable to use anything but the brakes as the gas pedal would not even work to decelerate or accelerate. I was able to veer out of traffic to safety. I had one other passenger in the car and we were scared for our lives as the whole car just shut down and could have been involved in a serious accident. Eventually the battery also died and we were stuck on the road at night waiting on a tow truck. We had the car towed to a toyota dealership and have been working with toyota and corporate toyota for the past 6 weeks on a resolution. We were told the inverter needs to be replaced and the cost is $9000. We were also told by the serviceman at toyota that the car is not worth fixing as it still will not work properly after the part is replaced as it could have lead to transmission problems. This is a faulty part that was recalled in some of their 06 and 07 highlanders but not others. We were not part of the recall. I am without a vehicle and am still waiting for help. This part should be fixed by toyota completely as it is faulty or toyota should at least reimburse for what the car was worth before the incident. *tr

When starting after stop at the end of a freeway exit ramp a loud noise was heard in the front of the vehicle. The vehicle then lost all power and i was able to coast to the side of the road. The check hybrid system and check vsc system error lights were displayed and the car would not restart. The car was towed to a toyota dealership and diagnosed with failure of the inverter. My car was not included in the 2011 recall for this problem. The cost of repair was quoted as $8000 and after speaking with toyota corporate they offered a $1500 customer appreciation rebate. Based on online research this seems to be a known problem with this model. Another local toyota dealer said they have repaired 4 of these in the past week. Toyota can not assure us that the problem with this inverter has been solved or if the new one will be more reliable. This is a major safety concern. The car had always performed well and gave no warning before this complete failure. If my car had failed 60 seconds earlier i would have been on i-81 going 70 mph surrounded by tractor trailers and would probably be dead. Have not decided whether or not to proceed with the repair. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle accelerated without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact crashed into a wall as a result. The contact sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital via ambulance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician advised that there were no failures with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 43,299.

I was driving on double r boulevard in reno at about 35 mph when suddenly loss brakes. I had to push very hard on the brake pedal and the brake pedal stumped and the brake light came on. The emergency brake was not in use and the brake will for a few seconds and then not work. This happened repeatedly. I manage to park the car at a nearby smith's. My husband took the car to the reno toyota (dealer) , where they told us it was the master cylinder and that had to be replaced. The next day they told us the replacement didn't solved the problem and the booster had to be replaced, this problem sounds very familiar to the recall of toyota on 2004-2006 models but toyota won't assist us with the repairs. We are just thankful that were not on the freeway with our kids. This was a very scary situation when you realize there are no brakes to stop the car. I would like toyota to be responsible for the repairs of the defective parts ($1,750). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving approximately 55 mph, the engine stalled without any prior warning. The engine failed to restart and was towed to an authorized dealer who stated that the faulty spark plug coil pack contributed to the engine malfunction. The vehicle was repaired under the service warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 40,162. Updated 10/19/12 *cn updated 10/23/2012 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact was driving 50 mph when the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the inverter failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. The vin was unavailable. The failure and current mileages were 107,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph she engaged the brakes but the vehicle would not decelerate or stop. The contact then engaged the emergency brake and was able to stop the vehicle, which was then towed to the dealer for diagnosis. The contact was informed that the brake booster and the master cylinder would need to be repaired. In addition, there was a leak in the master cylinder. The manufacturer was notified and agreed that the failure was not normal wear. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 73,933.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the hybrid inverter failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages was 106,000.

My 2007 toyota higlander was diagnosed with engine sludge even though the oil has been changed at the recommended service intervals. *tr

While driving sun visor continues to drop down partially obstructing view. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that all the warning light illuminated on the instrument panel as the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the contact was told that the intelligent power module (ipm) needed to be replaced. The mechanic advised the contact of a recall associated with nhtsa recall campaign id number: 11v342000 (electrical system), but the manufacturer advised that the vehicle was not included in the recall campaign. The failure and the current mileages were 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. While driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle the began to decelerate independently. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician replaced the transmission however, the contact noticed that the vehicle would continue to decelerate independently. Three weeks after the repair the contact was driving approximately 65 mph when she heard a loud explosion from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician stated that the differential would have to be replaced. The contact believed that the transmission initially did not require replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated while driving 5 mph the vehicle stalled. The check vsc warning and power steering warning lamps illuminated immediately after the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the inverter was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 113,990 and the current mileage was 114,000.

While driving this vehicle on rt 138 in newport ri, i was accelerating and suddenly experienced a complete loss of power and was able to coast the vehicle out of the travel portion of the roadway. Vehicle required a flatbed tow truck to bring it to balise toyota in warwick ri. Service department informed me that the inverter had failed and that the repair estimate would be approximately $9400. After researching on the internet i found that this was a fairly common problem with the 2006 and 2007 models and that there had been a recall for certain models. My vehicle's vin does not fall under the recall and the inverter. I have contacted toyota's corporate office regarding this problem, neither corporate nor the dealer offered up the information that nearly 100,000 of these vehicles had been recalled for this issue. I asked the people in service if there was a chance that my vehicle was affected by the recall. They looked up the part number for my inverter p/n g9200-48031 s/n ph09ym084 and told me that it was not a recall item. The failure mode resembles the multitude of failures that were covered under the recall which leads me to believe that the recall was not broad enough in its scope. I have yet to hear back from toyota on what if anything they are going to do to absorb this out of control repair cost. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid . The contact stated that braking at 5 mph, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact was finally able to stop the vehicle by applying extreme pressure to the brake pedal. The vehicle was then taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 41,866 and the current mileage was 41,883. Updated 05/09/12 *bf updated 05/14/12

At 68,000 miles, my toyota highlander steering has become very loose. The steering wheel play is about two inches. Dealer tells me no recalls, but, after making hundreds of thousands of these units, one bad one is bound to occur. Unfortunately, i got the bad one. Dealer admits the vehicle has been very well taken care of. It is otherwise in excellent condition. I am 73 years old and drive very carefully. No accidents or abuse of the vehicle. No tickets or accidents in 55years. Why would a vehicle i have maintained well and taken care of suddenly develop a bad steering rack? Especially since toyota claims to have excellent reliability. I do not feel this vehicle is safe. It wonders allover the road. *tr

Driver side sun visor dropped into field of vision. Dealer says this happens a lot with highlander models. Visor will not stay up or down but rests in between, which defeats its intended use and interferes with driver vision. Dealer refused to repair as defect. *tr

Vehicle became unstable and wobbling, almost caused accident with loss of control, while in motion and displayed warning messages for brake and vehicle stability control with code P0A7A and possible other codes. Vehicle was taken to tyson's toyota where it was diagnosed as having a defective hybrid inverter and requires $8000+ in repairs. We contacted toyota and 2 days later they concluded that this is not a defect and no assistance will br provided for the repairs. This issue is similar/identical to another toyota recall number 11v342000. *tr

2007 toyota highlander hybrid, v6, 4x4 --- on november 23rd, 2011, at approximately 10:00am, i was driving with my family on i-5 south in the central valley of california. The cruise control was on, but not engaged because the traffic was too heavy. My speed was approximately 65 miles-per-hour, going uphill. Unexpectedly, the engine began to race. I applied the brakes to keep the car at the speed of traffic and examined my cabin for clues of the problem. The transmission lever was still in "d". I turned off the cruise control, but that made no difference. I momentarily released the brake and used my right foot to ensure that the accelerator was not stuck. It was not. During that time the engine power meter jumped up to full power around 200 kw. I re-applied the brakes to decelerate and brought the car to a stop on the right shoulder of the highway. As soon as the car was completely stopped, i shifted to "p" and turned the key to the off position. Some smoke appeared for about two seconds, which i presumed was from the brakes. I then examined the floor mat, but it was not out of position. I waited about 30 seconds and turned the key back to the on position and the "ready" signal illuminated on the dash. The acceleration problem was gone. I drove about 15 miles to the next exit and stopped for gas. I checked the oil, coolant, and brake fluid levels, which were all good. The problem did not re-occur during the additional 250 miles that i drove during that day. There were no injuries. I called "crown toyota", where i had purchased the vehicle new and spoke to a representative there. He told me that he did not know of any other acceleration problems other than those that were floor mat related. *tr

To the best of my knowledge, the highlander hybrid inverter, electronic unit, electrical wiring, circuit boards and other components have or may have malfunctioned (burned out/overheated). I was preparing to back out of a parking space when i heard a loud noise or "pop" from under my car. I smelled something burning and immediately asked my daughter to get my grand daughter out of the back seat and wait until i could determine what was wrong with the car. I attempted to re-start it but it would not go into gear, yet the engine remained running. The electric motor would not engage. Several error codes flashed on the dashboard display before i turned it off. A friend and i pushed the car back into the parking space where i attempted to re-start it unsuccessfully. When the aaa tow truck arrived, the driver attempted to start the car with similar results. He immediately turned off the car and refused to try to start it again. After towing the car to poway toyota, it was determined, via error codes, that the inverter had malfunctioned and must be replaced. Inverter service done jan 02,2010. Car has remained at poway toyota for 6 weeks. The inverter part costs $4,000.00 and the labor charges total an $6,000-$8,000, i'm told. It is not determined if the eu needs replacement or what other parts may also be adversely affected. Total repairs estimated between 10,000 - 15,000 if the hybrid battery system is also damaged. Toyota corp. Has offered to "participate" in 50% replacement cost of the part. 1 yr warranty on parts only. The dealership has offered to buy my car for 6,000.00 and will either repair / sell it or sell it at auction. It is a 2007, purchased in jan 2008 - 125,000 miles, in excellent condition otherwise. Was black book valued at $12,000 before the inverter malfunction. Seeking to be added to recall-dealer stated my car's vin is 2 weeks out from the 2006 recall. *tr

While driving on a highway at 65mph, the vehicle suddenly lost all power. I managed to steer car off to side of road, narrowly avoiding accident. The car did restart, but this stalling and power shut off reoccurred once more. Dealership examined car; test drove it; and said nothing was wrong. I indicated that there was a real problem and safety concern. After my prodding, they admintted that there was, in fact, a voluntary recall, but the needed parts were unavailable. It is one thing to postpone treating a car for a voluntary recall when that car has not experienced the problem. My car, however, has had this problem and i feel the manufacturer should find the needed part to repair the car to ensure its safety. I asked to have the service manager call me back but i have not yet received that call. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6) *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact was driving 65 mph when the vehicle stalled. The vehicle did not restart and was towed to the dealer for diagnosis where the contact was advised that the power inverter would need replacing. The manufacturer was contacted, but the vehicle was not repaired. The vin was unavailable. The failure and current mileages were 123,000.

Driving on the 94 freeway west, the "check hybrid system" warning light came on. Car suddenly died unexpectedly. Was able to coast to the nearby exit - nearly hit by numerous vehicles. At the exit, the car was blocking traffic. People helped push the highlander to the side, where i called aaa. The highlander was towed to the toyota el cajon dealership for repair. Toyota informed me the inverter had died. It would cost $9600.00 to repair because out of warranty. Toyota head office refuses to help. At 3.5 years old, the repair is worth more than the car. Other highlander hybrids from 2007 were recalled for the same problem. The car cost $40,000.00 new at purchase in 2007. It should last more than 3.5 years. The inverter problem could have had deadly consequences. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, he heard a loud noise and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed that the inverter was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but did not offer any assistance because the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 119,500.

While accelerating to approximately 40 mph from a standing stop at a traffic light in a zone merging 2 lanes to 1, my 2007 toyota highlander hybrid (`48,000 miles on odometer, i am original owner) experienced sudden and total power loss. I was able to pull off the road and had vehicle towed to dealer. They reported a failed inverter in the hybrid system and i am awaiting the part and repair. From my online research i understand this has been a problem with the 2006 and early 2007 models and that nhtsa may be investigating. Although no accident ensued this failure at speed in a lane merge was frightening, occurred without warning and could easily have resulted in a crash. *tr

The driver's side sun visor drops and remains down at all times preventing driver full visability. The mechanism to keep the sun visor propped against car ceiling has failed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highland hybrid. While the contact was driving 20 mph, the hybrid system warning indicator illuminated with a sudden loss of power. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer who detected an accumulation of water within the hybrid battery. The technician stated the water originated from the rear sub frame area and as a result of the failure, the frame exhibited two cracks and two holes. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the defect. The failure mileage was 55,000.

2007 toyota highlander. Consumer writes in regards to the government having a stipulated definition and specific requirements before any automobile can be classified as a certified pre- owned vehicle *tgw the consumer stated the left front tire split open down the tread, due to the tire being dry rotted. When the consumer turned on the windshield wipers, the driver's side wiper blade flew off the vehicle. *jb

I own 2007 toyota highlander hybrid 4wd car would not start 56,300. Mls vsc lite on -put in park (was in park) 12v battery dead when researching have found known problem,my car has lexus engine, known problems, most people told battery dead..Real problem bad inverter,some have almost died happened when driving some may have toyota looking other way, tell people bad battery ..Hm last toyota battery i had in dif car lasted 7 yrs,people need to know i will be in afight with local toyota dealer , please check this out i am a nurse and people could die with this defect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. While driving approximately 20 mph, the brake light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician stated he would need to bleed the brakes and change the oil. The brake light illuminated again after the repairs were made and the brake pedal extended to the floor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was waiting for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who stated they were unable to assist, and the contact would have to repair the vehicle at her expense. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

The visor on the driver side "lost" it's spring and hangs down creating a distraction while driving. *tr

While changing tires, one of the five right front wheel studs broke off. Inspection reveals a faulty void (air bubble) in the center of the stud where it broke off. I have that piece. I bought a new replacement stud and wheel nut from bighorn toyota in glenwood springs, co. They will replace it for me in approximately two weeks unless i can find another auto shop that can replace it before then. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hv. While driving 10 mph, the vehicle stalled. Three warning lights on the instrument panel illuminated. The contact was unable to identify the warning lights. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileage was 24,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle began to jerk with slight hesitation. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician informed that the failure was related to the master cylinder. The vehicle remained at the dealer for one week to replace the master cylinder. There was a recall related to the defect on the model years 2004-2006 under nhtsa campaign id number 10v499000 (service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder). The manufacturer was made aware of the problem and was unable to provide assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000. Updated 06/16/11*lj updated 06/27/11

I purchased a 2007 toyota highlander, hybrid in sep of 2009. I have noticed an interruption in engaging the brakes every time i press the brake pedal. Toyota says this it a normal delay between the mechanical and abs engaging. I am a long time driver and this is very unsettling. *tr

Sudden loss of brakes on a 2007 toyota highlander. Car rear ended a truck. Driver broke right braking ankle. No skid marks. Driver's head hit steering wheel even though air bag deployed. Believe air bag only partially deployed. *tr

When new i had no difficulty with the brakes on my vehicle. They performed well, and i never felt anxiety that my brakes "wouldn't be there" when needed. But over the past year this has changed. At first i noticed the brake pedal felt soft, and was lower to the floor. I brought my car in to westbury (ny) toyota. They made some adjustments which appeared to correct the problem at that time. Then, about two months ago, the brake pedal again began to feel soft. In addition, it would intermittently sink all the way to the floor while depressed. This would happen main;y while stopped at a traffic control device (stop sign or light), but occasionally also happened while using moderate breaking to control vehicle speed while driving down an incline. I brought the vehicle in to marietta (ga) toyota. They made some adjustments, which seemed to correct the problem. However, a few weeks later the brakes began again to exhibit the same symptoms. This became extremely alarming when, while driving down an incline, i was unable to fully stop before my vehicle traveled into the near lane of cross traffic. I again brought the vehicle to marietta toyota. They found nothing wrong, and told me the master cylinder is designed to release pressure while the pedal is held. I opened a ticket with toyota (#1003232005), but i am concerned they may say the brakes are working correctly, even though they clearly seem unsafe to me.

Abs system on 2007 toyota highlander failed. Resulting cost from dealer will be over 1500 and that is with a friend in the service department helping us out. *tr

I parked the car at my work and locked my toyota 2007 highlander. Every time there is a rain , i see the water leaking into interiors. This happened few times. *tr

Toyota highlander hybrid 2007. The brakes had a complete failure. I was driving on ice, hit the brakes, and the brake calipers did nothing. I drove straight into a vehicle in front of me and forced another one to hit me. *tr

I own a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. I purchased it used 6 months ago. Since purchase i have noted that when i am braking over uneven surfaces sometimes the car actually accelerates rather than decelerate. It is particularly noticeable when turning at the time of braking such as when i am exiting the highway. I have adjusted my driving habits so that i drive much slower in roadways where this has happened and it helps minimize the issue; however, given the news over braking issues with some other hybrid vehicles, i thought it was worth bringing this issue to your attention. It is unclear if this is a function of the abs or traction control. *tr

Acceleration & de-acceleration problem: when the vehicle is in forward motion, on a highway, and i press on the accelerator to rapidly speed up, there is an approximately one second time delay in the vehicles response to my request to accelerate. Frequently, this delay has almost caused an accident. On the occasions that i want to speed up to pass a vehicle, or to change lanes or to avoid a potentially serious situation, this delay is very startling. Because of the vehicles response delay, i then sometimes suddenly take my foot of the accelerator to cancel my accelerate request. However, the vehicle, after its initial acceleration delay, will then accelerate for just a moment even though i have now just taken my foot off the accelerator. In my almost 50 years of driving many vehicles, accelerators always responded instantly. That's because there was a linkage cable that mechanically connected the gas pedal to the carburetor. Now, in this toyota, it is computer controlled. When i complained about this delay to my local toyota dealer, they tested the vehicle and advised me that everything is operating normally. However, they explained to me that the acceleration is now computer controlled and the computer is operating as intended. I insisted that this was a design flaw and that the computer should not question my decision to accelerate when ==> i <== want to accelerate. I was advised that there is no fix for this and that this is how it is. I purchased this vehicle new from a toyota dealer. This problem has always existed. *tr

2007 toyota highlander 6-cyl limited running under cruise control will slowly begin to accelerate when "resume" is pressed in order to get back up to the cruising speed. However as the speed nears (within 4-5 mph) the cruising speed, the transmission downshifts resulting in a hazardous quick acceleration that requires braking or quickly turning off the cruise control. This occurs regularly during high speed highway driving. The problem can only be avoided by manually returning the vehicle to cruising speed before pressing resume. The dealer states they have no knowledge of this problem. *tr

I own a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. On monday, jan. 25th, my wifewas parking our highlander. She pulled into the parking space. Her foot was on the brake pedal. When she went to put the transmission into park, the car suddenly shot forward and hit a tree, damaging the front fender. My wife was sure she had the brake pedal depressed. We believe this accident was caused by a problem of sudden acceleration or braking that made the car go forward overpowering the brake. We also believe that this problem may be related to the toyota acceleration and electronic braking that has been the basis of the recent toyota recalls. Based on our experience: 1. 2007 toyota highlander hybrids should be added to the recall list. 2. Since we don't know when this will happen again, we do not feel save driving our highlander. Please help us to resolve this problem. *tr

We have a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid that is exhibiting the same braking problems that are being reported with the prius. When pressing the brakes the car begins to slow then it feels that the brakes momentarily release, causing the car to lurch forward, before they re-engage and finish stopping the car. I haven't noticed if it happens more over bumps but it does happen on a fairly regular basis. We have spoken with the toyota dealership about this multiple times and each time have been told that it is working how it should and the pausing in braking is caused by the engine switching over to electric. This cannot be the problem as the majority of the time when this has happened the engine has remained on during the problem. I would like to get the current investigation extended to encompass all hybrid models and not just the prius. The date entered below is the approximate date of the last time i noticed this, however it has happened relatively regularly since we have owned the vehicle. *tr

I own a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The brakes momentarily do not engage (essentially skip) when i apply them while going over a bump or a pothole. I have noticed this for a long time, however considered it a 'quirk' until i was in an accident which would have been avoided if the issue had not existed. *tr

Since the purchase of our 2007 toyota highlander hybrid we have had brake deceleration issues. The brakes seem to occasionally skip, then lurch forward as soon as the braking system initiates. While i have not gotten into any accident, i have become accustomed to braking early in preparation for stopping. It happens at low speeds (between 5-45mph) although that is when i'm most likely to come to a full stop. Not sure what would happen at full highway speed. Called the dealership and was told that this has not been reported to them, though they would take a look. After reading posts of identical braking issues, and with the acceleration issues in consideration i feel it best to file a complaint for the safety of my family. *tr

Copy of a note sent to toyota via their website regarding sudden, short-lived decrease in braking power in a highlander hybrid: "on monday feb. 8, i stopped by lia toyota of northampton, ma to schedule a service appointment -- 25,000 mile service and requested they check the brakes, as i had experienced a sudden, short-lived (a second or so) decrease in braking power on random occasions. I know zip about cars, but i said it felt like an air bubble or some such in the brake lines. It appeared entirely random, happening at in-town as well as highway speeds (once). A day or two later toyota announced the recall for 2010 prius's. When i heard about it and the reason i thought, "ah, that's exactly what the highlander does, and it's a hybrid." so, today i went in for service, discussed the brakes, and was told that unless fellas in the shop can drive the car and experience the braking issue, there is nothing they can do -- they cannot even file a report with toyota, ie. They cannot get information up the chain to folks who actually make the cars. That is a ludicrous policy, especially given that) a known problem exists in a hybrid braking system and b) (and i assume a bit here) the highlander braking system is probably a near cousin of the prius's. In any event, here's a report from a consumer -- a highlander hybrid owner has experienced on multiple, random occasions a sudden, short loss of braking power when apply the brakes. It's not led to any accidents; it is simply disquieting (though the highway speed incident was a bit thrilling). As a matter of course, i'd check your other hybrids gang. *tr

I have a 2007 toyota highlander that had mat entrapment--i had after market mats as none were given to me when i bought the vehicle--i reported this to toyota corporation and had vehicle inspected at dealership and rep said there was no defect in my accelerator--the vehicle had accelerated and i hit a picnic table and 2 bird feeder and a fence in my yard before i got the vehicle to stop. I would like to know what is different about my accelerator as the 2007 is not on recall but i feel it should be--they did not explain that to me just told me that my floor mat caused this to happen--i realize that but i would like an answer to my question--i blew a michelin tire and have damage to my bumper--total cost--about $600 according to toyota garage--no answer from them except to say this was my fault. *tr

I have a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. When coming to a stop from low speeds, the car often "surges" and requires additional braking in order to make it stop. Since this is the first hybrid i have owned, i thought it just had something to do with the electric/gas engine switchover. With all of the current news, i'm beginning to wonder if there is a design flaw. I have had the car since it was new and it has had this issue since inception. I have always been able to stop eventually, so it hasn't caused me any major problems. However, it is an very odd feeling. Other individuals driving my vehicle have experienced the same thing. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any consistent pattern to when this occurs so i have never taken it to the dealer for this issue. *tr

Every time i apply my brakes from a speed of roughly 10mph or more, they apply, release, and reapply. I was told by the dealer that the delay has to do with communication between the brakes and the hybrid computer controller. It does not happen if i decelerate in neutral. *tr

I have a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. When braking over bumpy roads or potholes (even small bumps), the sensation i get is that the brakes are no longer engaged. The car feels temporarily out of control. This sensation is stronger if the bumps are encountered during a turn or if there are multiple bumps about a foot or two apart (as often left by buses repeatedly stopping in the same areas on city streets). On familiar roads, i know where the bumps are and can drive/brake accordingly. Unfamiliar roads make this problem less predictable and more dangerous. This problems sounds very similar to the problems with toyota prius' braking. My vehicle is not currently part of the recall and i wonder if toyota is being evasive about how extensive the problem truly is. Temporary loss of braking over bumpy roads has existed since i took possession of my new highlander in june 2007. I can predict occurrence with near 100% accuracy on certain familiarly bumpy roads. I see on this form that i must pick a date for "the" incident (there have been many). I'll pick a date of recent particularly memorable/scary occurrence. Note: this online reporting system requires me to choose "electric brakes" or "hydraulic brakes." i don't know which to choose: i think it is a hybrid of both, so neither choice is accurate. Nhtsa: you can do better! *tr

Re. Toyota 2007 highlander hybrid braking failure resulting in a high speed collision. I was involved in an accident that occurred on thruway 87 in the state of ny which was largely the result of the brakes on my highlander hybrid not functioning properly. What happened: i was heading northbound traveling 65 mph with traffic on the thruway a little more towards the heavy side but traffic was moving smoothly. Apparently, several vehicles a head of me, a goat ran onto the thruway and a tractor trailer locked his brakes up and came to a stop. There were probably three vehicles between the truck and myself and first two vehicles quickly moved into the left lane with the last vehicle practically swerving into a space that hardly fit his vehicle at the last moment. This quick movement alerted me to be on guard and i moved my foot over to the brake pedal. The truck didn't have brake lights or flashers on nor had there been any brake lights visible to me to indicate slow moving traffic ahead so i was still traveling at 65 mph before realizing after a short delay that the truck was at a stand still. I quickly decided that the left lane was full so i couldn't swerve left, the right lane had a guard rail there but looked like there might be enough room to squeeze by on the shoulder albeit with a high risk of flipping, so i chose to brake and square up on the truck's bumper. I was about 90 to 100 yards out when i started braking. I felt the anti-lock brakes pulsing hard and the vehicle was shuddering hard. After about 5 to 10 pulses, the brakes stopped working and the vehicle coasted but doing this at 50 mph+ and this goes on for 40 yards or so until right before impact. I felt the anti-lock brakes start kicking in again but it was too late. I hit the rear of the tractor trailer at around 50 mph and stopped dead. I had called my toyota dealership several times of the braking problem (i.E., inconsistent operation on rough surface) and also i logged it on dot's website before the accident. Updated ivoq 09/15/10 *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. While he was attempting to apply the brakes at 5 mph the pedal fell to the floor. The vehicle lurched forward over a stone ledge. The vehicle was taken to the dealership , but the technicians could not duplicate the failure, therefore they could not provide a remedy. The current and failure mileages were 18000.

I have a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. On 1/26/2009 i was stopped at a light, behind another vehicle, waiting for the light to change. I hadn't been doing anything but sitting there, waiting for the car in front of me to start moving, when my vehicle went forward (lurched) and i rear-ended the car in front of me! I have never done that in my life. My car hit the vehicle - a minivan, in front of me very hard, (felt like 10-15 mph) causing a lot of damage to the rear cargo door. However, because the event was so odd, and happened so fast, (and this happened before toyota ever recalled anything except the prius), i assumed i must've done something to cause it. So when the police got there, i told them maybe i wasn't paying attention, and maybe i accelerated before the light changed (but even at the time, it didn't make sense to me, because i wasn't first in line at the light, i was waiting, patiently, behind another vehicle). In fact, i don't even remember looking at the light, i was just waiting for the vehicle in front of me to move, as i usually do - did. I went in to my toyota dealer a few month ago (march 2010) and told them what happened, and the service advisor told me that because my vehicle is a hybrid, sometimes, when you're stopped at a light, it switches from the electric motor to gas, and if you don't have your foot on the brake petal hard enough, it can lurch forward. Please can you look into this further, it was quite scary. I bet allstate and other insurance companies have many claims where a toyota highlander rear-ends other vehicles, and people assume it's their fault, not assuming the vehicle might have a problem. *tr

On october 13, 2009, my 2007 toyota highlander hybrid was parked at a small business parking lot, about 40 ft. Away from another parked car. The weather was clear and dry. During the process of putting the car in reverse, with my foot on the brake,(necessary for ignition) my car accelerated on its own at a very high speed, and smashed into the parked car behind me. I had absolutely no control of this car. It damaged the back of the other car so completely that is was undrivable and had to be towed. My car had substantial damage to the rear bumper trunk/hatch back and exhaust system. The estimated damage is $3500-$4500. This is not a floor mat related problem. The highlander has hooks that secure the drivers side floor mats so they do not come in contact with the gas pedal. I am very concerned about the safety of this car. My car had just had its 30k service a week prior to my accident and is very well maintained. I am a very safe and careful driver with an outstanding driver record and i know this was not my fault. This car sped out of control by itself. No one could possibly reverse their car in a small parking lot that quickly. I have contacted toyota and they had a corporate investigator inspect my car for potential causes. They indicated that no unusual errors were reported on the vehicles computer. I feel toyota owes me and possibly hundreds of other toyota owners that have experienced the sudden acceleration problem an explanation and corrective action. This is a very dangerous and real problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. When applying pressure to the brake pedal, the engine would occasionally rev making braking more forceful. He speculated that the engine control system failed. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. The technician stated there was no diagnostic testing equipment available to detect the malfunction. The failure mileage was 40,000. The current mileage is 42,000. Updated 02/1710 *bf updated 02/19/10 updated 03/02/10 the consumer believed the problem was engine idle, not accelerating or braking. Updated 03/22/10.*jb the consumer stated the problem he experienced was not due to a stuck accelerator, because the accelerator pedal also runs the hybrid motor. The hybrid motor is not accelerating the vehicle like the gas engine. If the gas pedal was the problem, the vehicle would still run away in electric motor. Therefore, it is definitely an engine problem, not an electric motor or electric generator. And it is something that controls the engine and the hybrid electric motor. Updated 04/09/10.*jb the consumer stated he experienced sudden acceleration again. Updated 05/03/10

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact was driving approximately 55 mph on normal road conditions. There was pressure applied to the accelerator pedal in which an increase of unintended acceleration occurred without warning. The vehicle was able to continue in normal operation. This was a one time failure occurrence and the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be inspected. The failure mileage was 18,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated that when attempting to exit a parking space, the all weather floor mats that he purchased in 2007 caused the accelerator pedal to stick. As a consequence he crashed into several trees. The vehicle was completely destroyed. He and three other occupants were injuried. The manufacturer and the dealer were both notified. The current and failure mileages were 41,212.

Parking my 2007 toyota highlander in my parking space at work. I go to park and my gas pedal is stuck and accelerated into two other vehicles resulting in $3000 to my vehicle and unknown amount to the other two vehicles. Nothing has been done so far to correct the problem. It has only occurred once so far. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated when traveling over slight road bumps, the drivers side sun visor would fall down, obstructing his line of vision. The dealer advised repairs to the visor would not be covered under warranty and would only be repaired at the owners expense. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000 and the current mileage was 67,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. When entering a parking space the vehicle accelerated forward without intention. Consequently she crashed into a sign. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician installed a secondary hook to secure the floor-mat. The failure mileage was 50398. The current mileage was 50998.

My toyota highlander 2007 (7 seats) stalls since the day i bought it. I thought it was normal but it is becoming very dangerous since it stalls for a sec or 2 everytime you slow and try to accelerate afterward. It stall mainly at yield sign, when slowly trying to cruise intersections and when you try to pass on highways. I read many story on the internet with the same problem. *tr

My accelerator pedal got caught between my toes and bottom of my foot and the bottom of an open-toed shoe and i could not pull myself free to stop my car and i ran into a stopped car in front of me at an intersection, which was pushed into another car. I was traveling very slowly, but my activity in trying to free my foot caused my car to accelerate some. This had never happened to me before. When i told a neighbor she said the same thing had happened to her, but that she was not out in traffic at the time. I noticed that both of our vehicles have very narrow accelerator pedals, and that this could have happened to anyone. I have not been driving with sandals since then, but a great many people do. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. He was informed that the rotors were rusting and the pads were worn due to the winter weather. The brake pads, rotors, and calipers had rust on them and they were stuck together due to the inclement weather. When engaging the brake pedal there was a pulsating and uneven feeling. The manufacturer was stated that they were waiting for a response from the dealer to see what the outcome would be. There were related recalls directly related to the failure for other year, make and model toyota's. The vehicle will be repaired; however, he doesn't know who will assume the repair cost. The contact is aware of the safety risk involved. The failure and current mileages were 28000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated the vehicle hood design is defective. She wasn't able to see the distance of objects in front of the vehicle was caused her to crash into a telephone pole, a parked vehicle, and a fence. The dealer was aware of the front hood design because of vehicles they received with front end damaged. The manufacturer will be contacted. The failure mileage was 5,500 and the current mileage was 81,000.

2007 highlander wheels are rusting so bad that 2 of 4 tires are losing air pressure. This 2007 was purchased new from toyota. We had previously purchased a 2002 highlander with the exact same issue. I search online and see other people have had same issue with toyota wheels. Wheels should not rust this bad in this short a period of time and mileage. Luckily we had no safety issue because i monitor our vehicles closely. Low tire pressure could definitely cause a safety concern for people who do not monitor their cars as closely as i do. I feel toyota has a quality and a safety issue with these wheels. *tr

I have a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid with front wheel drive which is equipped with traction control. On two occasions i have been in situations where the traction control has engaged due to an unstable travel surface. In both instances, the vehicle has "shut down" and would not accelerate forward due to the traction control not allowing the vehicle to do so. I contacted my local toyota dealer. They indicated that this was normal to "protect" the cvt from damage on unstable surfaces. They could not provide a remedy for this situation. Living in the chicago area, my fear is that we may come across an icy winter roadway that will cause the traction control to initiate the "loss of power" to the drive train. Having no acceleration capability, the possibility exists that an approaching vehicle from the rear will strike our "disabled" vehicle. This poses a tremendous safety risk. Please help me with this situation as toyota has no solution. Thank you for your time. *tr

Tl-while pulling into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The vehicle jumped the median and hit another vehicle in another parking space. The failure miles are not available. The current miles are 45,000 miles. Aa

I bought new a 2007 highlander hybrid . The brakes have continually performed spongy and the accelerator would stick . I have had to drive with exaggerarted braking space to compensate . My wife has had three small accidents ( rear end due sudden stops in urban traffic setting . Over the years we have pressed darcars toyota dealership in rockville md for assistance but they claimed no problem . Calls to toyota usa were greeted with no help. Our insurance has been drastically increased we have tried to get the insurer, geico . To assist us in the defective braking problem and sticky accelerator. We are nearing the 5 year write off of those accidents . We have sideline the suv and had to perchase a another toyota ( prius )for my wife , a nurse . We have not had problems with accidents and braking ever before . We see the legal wrangling with the attorney general and toyota but see no relief. We are two combat veterans of the gulf war and iraq war . We feels abandoned . A friend said to file the claim with your agency . We are not hopeful. Sincerely lieutenant colonel [xxx], us army retired. And major[xxx], us army reserves. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6) *js

My toyota highlander limited [2007] has a problem with acceleration. It is not in the current recall. I reported the problem 6/5/08. When i am in cruise control, then brake, then press the cruise control mechanism to return to cruise control, the car sometimes surges ahead at speeds much faster than the set cruise control speed. I do not touch the accelerator pedal at all when this happens. Has happened 10 - 15 times. The car currently has about 19,500 miles. The toyota dealer went on a test drive with me in june 2008 but the surging did not happen on the test drive. I mentioned it to the dealer again but since it was not happening at the time i brought the car in for service, i was not written up. Has only happened when i use cruise control to resume speed. All instances have been in highway driving at highway speeds. It seems electronic to me. |occurrence is erratic. *tr

2007 toyota highlander hybrid with 45,000 mile on it. Unprotected air conditioning condenser damaged by road debris - cost me $1300 to fix at dealer. I found other highlander owners on internet with identical problem. Also appears to be problem on toyota corolla (toyota issued tsb ac002-06 on this). Clearly defective design - absolutely no protection in front of a/c condenser which is mounted very low with big open holes in shroud in front of it. Almost forms a funnel for collecting rocks, broken tire chunk's, etc. From roadways and having this debris puncture air conditioning condenser. Complained to toyota customer service. Response abysmal. And we were a toyota family - currently own two other toyotas. Shame on toyota. *tr

Slow throttle response upon take-offs. Can be hazardous in a need to quickly get out of a situation from a standing stop or slow rolling take off. *tr

First event-pulling into a parking space-applied the brake-car accelerated and went over the bumper guard. Ongoing issue-when applying the brake and hitting a bump in the road at the same time, the car lunges forward and the brake appears to fail. Reported to dealer-said it was possibly the abs brake system. Have had the brakes checked numerous times with no trouble found. *tw

Transmission seems to shift at random times. At a stop it will not engage immediately and the highlander will coast to speed, at other times i touch the accelerator and the car launch off like a race car. When coasting it seems to shift at random times and some times speed up when i want to slow down by hitting brakes. This seems to risk a collision. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. While driving 5 mph when stopping the vehicle with her foot on the brake pedal the brakes malfunctioned. Within a few minutes, they began operating normally. The failure has occurred 20 to 30 times . The dealer has not been notified of the failure. No repairs were made to the vehicle. The failure mileage was 150. The current mileage was 17,859. Updated 3/30/2010 the consumer stated occasionally while stepping on the brake at low speeds, it would feel like the vehicle was in neutral. But, just a fraction of a second it happened so quickly. Updated 05/10/10*jb

Slow intermittent drain on toyota highlander hybrid 2007 auxiliary battery. Since april 2007, the battery has died 5 times. Dealer replaced with new battery, new dvd player but still cannot identify the source of the battery draw. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota camry. The contact was driving approximately 75 mph uphill when the vehicle became unresponsive to the contacts attempts to accelerate. The contact was able to drive at a lower speed and the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician test drove the vehicle and advised the contact that there was not a failure within the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure only occurred when driving uphill. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that she was driving approximately 1 mph, when the vehicle accelerated and crashed into the garage and a bedroom. She then shifted the vehicle into reverse it accelerated in reverse. She depressed the brake pedal to avoid an additional incident, shifted into neutral gear to stop the vehicle from accelerating. There were no injuries and no police report was taken. She called the dealership but no one inspected the vehicle to find out why the failure occurred. She had not spoken with the manufacturer to-date. She had not experienced any more acceleration failures when the complaint was filed. The current mileage was approximately 19,000. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.

This car is nothing but a joke when it comes to tires!!!! It should be called toyota tire eater! I just got my 5th (that's right) 5th set of tires for this vehicle since i purchased it new in '07. I found out through other owners of the same type of vehicle that they're experiencing the same problem... I also have done some research and found out that this vehicle's tires are not spec. Out correctly! It doesn't matter what company you buy your tire from though it came with good year integrity's on it - 18k before they were gone! The tire size for this vehicle is only made by certain manufacturer's i finally said that this would be the last time i buy a toyota! They don't care apparently and there excuse is they don't warranty tires! But they spec them out and put the crap on there cars! Makes you think doesn't it! Who payed off who here! I have michelin's new defender tire on the vehicle now a 90k tire... So i hope to get at least 30 to 35 k out of these! I have complained once before about this as well.... Thanks, for looking out for the next firestone and ford tire issue... I guess this will be the next serious problem with tires! The garbage that we have to deal with as consumers over corporate greed and gov't pay off's! Prove me and others wrong! Do something about it! I will finally be starting a chat and site were others can view and comment of this issue!

Notified by fellow traveler that tire was low. Checked dash for warning light - no warning. Took auto to tire dealership. Made me replace tire - told it was unsafe. Said sensors were required in auto as of 2006. Had sensor in previous highlander. Called toyota. Told by two different people that hybrid had sensor. Took auto to dealership. Had checked. No sensor!! Was told by them that it was not required. *tr

Was pulling into parking space under 5 mph and there was a sudden surge forward and the brakes did not work. Went over curb through bushes off another curb hitting underneath of car and brakes then worked again. Car was towed to dealer where they drove it put it on a machine and found nothing wrong with the car! *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact was driving 5 mph in reverse and as he applied the brakes, the rear brakes exhibited an abnormal clanking noise. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician advised that the sound was normal and did not diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.

When traveling down hill for extended periods of time the batteries charge and then start to emit noxious fumes into the cab of the vehicle. (ozone i think.) on several occasions we have had to roll the windows down or stop and exit the vehicle to allow the fumes to clear. The local dealer says that there is nothing wrong with the vehicle, and that there is nothing they can do about our complaints. *tr

When braking, if a pothole or bump in the road is hit, the car seemingly jerks forward/accelerates. This occurs every time when braking on a bumpy surface. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. The contact stated that he cannot see the speedometer on the instrument panel during the daytime. He stated that the lenses on the instrument panel are tinted, which he believes is the reason for the poor visibility. The dealer stated that they would be unable to repair the vehicle and advised him to call toyota. A complaint was filed with toyota and the contact was issued complaint number 200707203477. The current mileage was 1,000 and failure mileage was 50. Updated 09/05/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. While driving in the sunlight, the instrument panel lights are difficult to read. The manufacturer informed the contact to have the dealer test the vehicle. The dealer stated that they would be unable to repair the vehicle because that is how it was manufactured. The contact stated that the failure only occurs during the daytime. The current mileage is 100 and failure mileage was 37.

On may 9, 2007 we purchased a new 2007 toyota highlander. About a month later it unexpectedly accelerated and ran through the end of our carport while being driven in to park. Luckily no one was in front of it. The auto sustained about $650 in damages and the carport received similar monetary damages. About a month later we had a similar incident while parking in a parking lot. At first we attributed the incidents to my wife's foot someway slipping off the brakes and on to the accelerator. Now, after the recent national publicity, we are not so sure. Perhaps the accelerator mechanisim or software in this vehicle is defective in this model toyota also. In the mean time, i now wonder if this model vehicle is safe to drive. I will bring this issue up to our toyota dealer in the near future. I hope this information will be useful in helping the government and toyota to solve this important issue. *tr

I believe my 2007 toyota highlander hybrid has the same braking problems as described with the toyota prius. I had this problem since day one of purchase and i was told it was normal. Here is my description of my braking problem. When i am traveling on the highway or city driving, whenever i push on the brake pedal you can feel normal braking also you can see the dash gauge needle pointing to the blue as it recharges the batteries and then the vehicle comes to a stop. Ever so often, when i am braking i can feel the vehicle letting up on the braking, however i have not decreased my foot pressure and the needle on the dash goes from the blue to normal and the vehicle moves forward with momentum and i must increase my foot pressure on the brake pedal very quickly to re-gain my original braking pressure. This happens to me about once a week, and i have looked a the battery status and it seems to me that the battery still needs more charging. It was very scary at first but now i am use to it. I have no idea if this is normal or not, however the description of the prius problems sounds just like mine. *tr

A month or two after i bought my 2007 highlander hybrid in march of 2007, i had two incidents where my car accelerated for me. Both times i was on the freeway, traveling at approximately 65 mph. Both times, i felt a surge of power for about 7 - 8 seconds. The two incidents happened maybe a month apart. I told my husband about it at the time and he assured me it was just because i wasn't used to my new car. I know for sure that wasn't the reason. Almost three years later i haven't had any more surges but i do have two small children. I am hyper aware of the fact that there is something wrong with toyota vehicles and they have yet to figure it out. If we could afford it, we'd get rid of this car immediately and get a new one. But we can't. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. When purchasing the vehicle the contact also purchased a towing package which includes a hitch. The dealer did not have the hitch in stock and the contact was sent to another store to retrieve the part. The contact received a bill for the hitch. The current mileage is 500 and failure mileage was 41. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that there was an issue with the 12-volt battery in her vehicle. On at least ten occasions, the 12-volt battery would not start. The contact would attempt to start the vehicle, but the ignition would not turn over. She heard of instances where other people's vehicles completely shut down while driving; therefore, she was concerned that it could eventually happen to her. She took the vehicle to the dealer four different times, but they could not duplicate the failure. The dealer charged the battery and released the vehicle back to the contact. The manufacturer stated that because the failure could not be duplicated, they could not assist. The current mileage was approximately 38,500 and failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

I cannot believe toyota is finally being held to task. In 2007 i sent you a complaint about transmission hesitation problems in the toyota highlander. It was so severe, my wife refused to drive it, fearing a collision on highway entry as the car held back and then lurched forward. Despite hundreds of complaints on the internet under transmission hesitation for toyota, toyota refused to admit there was a problem and still does! With other problems now coming to light, i hope you will re-look at this issue before someone is killed because of it, since that seems to be the only thing that generates these investigations as are now going on. Please look into this. A simple internet search will show you hundreds of complaints and they are all exactly the same- not likely if the problem isn't real. *tr

Hybrid inverter failure. *nm

2007 toyota highlander - uncontrolled transmission surges cause vehicle to move forward unexpectedly. Transmission always shifting down to 5th gear at very slow speeds, pushing car forward unexpectedly when not desired. Taking foot off gas pedal, car maintains speed (like on cruise control). Car will drive and maintain speeds without gas pedal input. Driver must fight to slow vehicle down. Slowing down, coming to a stop sign, car still always wants to shift down into 5th gear, pushing car forward faster just before full stop, risking rear end collision with another vehicle. Fighting with car to slow down. Toyota dealer says car is working as designed. *jb

2007 toyota highlander limited with stalling concerns customer states that the cars idle speed control valve and idle air control valve had to be replaced**cc

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander. Mice entered the vehicle engine and chewed the wire relay. As a consequence, while driving the engine it was in limp mode; which caused sudden vehicle deceleration. The manufacturer was notified, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 500. The current mileage 29,000. The vehicle identification number was available.

S10 appropriate handling re toyota complaint re fort's toyota of pekin fm owner of a 2007 toyota highlander. *tgw 2007 toyota highlander hv. The consumer complained about leather seat cracks on the drivers seat. After a toyota representative inspected the vehicle, the consumer was told the cracks were from normal wear and tear and was not going to be covered under warranty.