Toyota Highlander 2009

• Recall 110318 [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 116469 [USA]: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
  Toyota motor company (toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 tundra, sequoia, corolla, corolla matrix and scion xb, 2008-2011 highlander and highlander hybrid, 2007 camry and camry hybrid, 2009 camry and camry hybrid, 2006-2011 rav4, 2006-2010 yaris, and 2009-2010 scion xd and pontiac vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the power window master switch (pwms), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
  toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the pwms circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin december 20, 2015. Owners may contact toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is c0m.
  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 107253 [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 102687 [USA]: If the ffc is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. the failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically necessitates deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver.
  Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 rav4, 2006-2010 yaris, 2008-2010 highlander, and 2009-2010 tacoma, corolla, corolla matrix and general motors pontiac vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical connections to the driver's airbag module housed in a spiral cable assembly, which includes a flexible flat cable (ffc). Due to the shape and location of the ffc's retainer, the ffc could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned.
  toyota will notify the toyota vehicle owners, and general motors will notify the pontiac vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in may 2014 to advise owners of the recall. Toyota will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. General motors sent pontiac vibe owners an interim letter on june 20, 2014 notifying them that parts are currently unavailable. General motors sent notices to the pontiac vibe owners on september 15, 2014, that a remedy is available. The recall began on october 27, 2014. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Owners may contact general motors at 1-800-762-2737.
  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 97810 [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 96061 [USA]: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. this could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
  Southeast toyota distributors, llc (set) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 tacoma, 4runner, camry, camry hybrid, prius, and rav4; model year 2009-2010 avalon, fj cruiser, and highlander hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year corolla, sienna and tundra; model year 2009-2013 highlander and venza; model year 2012 prius v; and model year 2010-2012 sequoia. During modification by set to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest dvd systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
  southeast toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on march 21, 2013. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
  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 73572 [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 82806 [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 82972 [USA]: A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
  Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 highlander, model year 2009-2010 corolla, venza and matrix passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. This recall is an expansion of a campaign of 3.8 million other toyota vehicles announced in 2009 for the same issue (see 09v-388).
  toyota will modify or replace the accelerator pedals on the subject vehicles. Floor surface modifications are also being considered and will be included for any model for which it is deemed appropriate. Initially, dealers will be instructed on how to reshape the accelerator pedal for the repair. As replacement parts with the same shape as the modified pedal become available, they will be made available to the dealers for the repair. Customers who have had the pedal reshape remedy completed will have the opportunity to receive a new pedal if they desire, after replacement pedals become available. In addition, toyota will replace any toyota all-weather floor mat in a subject vehicle with a newly designed mat, free of charge. For those customers who have the previous design all-weather floor mat but do not need or want the newly designed all-weather floor mat, toyota will recover the previous design all-weather floor mat and reimburse its price. The safety recall began march 30, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
  toyota recall no. 9lg/90l.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 82400 [USA]: Incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
  Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from september 1, 2005 to may 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
  toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall began on august 18, 2009. Owners may contact toyota at 1-888-270-9371.
  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 2021723 [Canada]: Accessories
  Issue: this recall is for certain block heater kits installed on certain vehicles or sold as accessories at toyota or lexus dealerships. On certain vehicles, the engine block heater cable may not have enough heat protection and could be damaged by high temperatures. If this happens, the cable could short circuit while plugged in, and cause the wiring to overheat or melt. Note: this recall only affects the following block heater/cord part numbers: C014003034 pk5a408j09 pU14000904 C014003151 pk5a408j13 pU14000905 C014000885 pk5a489j11 pU14000907 C014000888 pk5a489j22 pU14000909 C014000907 pk5a410h00 pU14000911 C014100904 pU14000900 pU14000913 C014100907 pU14000901 pU14003571 C014100911 pU14000902 pk5a408j05 pU14000903 safety risk: engine block heater wiring that overheats or melts could create the risk of a fire. Corrective actions: toyota recommends that you should stop using the engine block heater immediately. Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to disable the engine block heater. For some vehicles, the corrective actions for this recall are under development. For others, a new engine block heater cannot be installed, and the owner will receive a refund of the purchase price of the engine block heater.

• Recall 2015493 [Canada]: Electrical
  On certain vehicles, inconsistent application of grease during the manufacturing process could cause the driver's side power window master switch to stick or become inoperative due to electrical contact point wear. This could cause debris to accumulate between the contact points, potentially resulting in an electrical short circuit. If a short circuit occurs, the switch assembly may overheat, produce smoke, melt and/or potentially lead to a fire causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: dealers will inspect the driver's power window master switch and apply a specialized grease that inhibits heat build-up, or replace the power window master switch circuit board, as necessary. Note: this is an expansion of recall 2012-338.

• Recall 2014124 [Canada]: Airbag
  On certain vehicles, electrical circuitry in the steering wheel assembly may become damaged. As a result, the driver's airbag may not function as intended, causing the instrument panel airbag warning lamp to illuminate. Failure of the driver's airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the seat occupant. Correction: dealers will replace the spiral cable assembly.

• Recall 2010124 [Canada]: Accessories
  On certain vehicles, if the toyota optional accessory "tray-type" floor mat is not secured by the retaining hooks, or if it is placed on top of an existing floor mat, the "tray-type" floor mat could move forward and interfere with the accelerator pedal. This could result in a crash causing property damage, personal injury or death. Correction: the manufacturer will notify owners to remove the "tray-type" floor mat and provide instructions on how to obtain a reimbursement.

• Recall 2009290 [Canada]: Other
  On certain vehicles, the accelerator pedal may become stuck in the wide open position due to an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. Correction: dealers will reconfigure the shape of the accelerator pedal. Certain models will also have the shape of the floor underneath the accelerator pedal modified and/or a brake override system installed.

• Recall 2015493 [Canada]: Electrical
  On certain vehicles, inconsistent application of grease during the manufacturing process could cause the driver's side power window master switch to stick or become inoperative due to electrical contact point wear. This could cause debris to accumulate between the contact points, potentially resulting in an electrical short circuit. If a short circuit occurs, the switch assembly may overheat, produce smoke, melt and/or potentially lead to a fire causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: dealers will inspect the driver's power window master switch and apply a specialized grease that inhibits heat build-up, or replace the power window master switch circuit board, as necessary. Note: this is an expansion of recall 2012-338.

• 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.

• Recall 2010124 [Canada]: Accessories
  On certain vehicles, if the toyota optional accessory "tray-type" floor mat is not secured by the retaining hooks, or if it is placed on top of an existing floor mat, the "tray-type" floor mat could move forward and interfere with the accelerator pedal. This could result in a crash causing property damage, personal injury or death. Correction: the manufacturer will notify owners to remove the "tray-type" floor mat and provide instructions on how to obtain a reimbursement.

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.On january 27, 2023, nhtsa opened defect petition (dp) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On june 24, 2023 and as supplemented on june 25, 2023, the petitioner notified nhtsa he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioners withdrawal, dp22-005 is closed. Closure of this dp does not represent a determination by nhtsa regarding the subject matter of the petition.
  

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• Upper steering column separation investigation as of 20181116

  On may 4, 2018, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation pe18-005 to investigate three allegations of steering column separation for model year (my) 2008 through 2013 toyota highlander vehicles. Two (2) of the 3 complaints were received by odi in april 2018 and occurred while the vehicle was in motion. As part of pe18-005, odi analyzed additional incidents reported through the vehicle owner questionnaire (voq) process and examined the field data, warranty data, and relevant technical information submitted by toyota in response to the pe18-005 information request letter. During pe18-005, odi confirmed that the steering columns in the subject vehicles are equipped with breakaway capsules that are designed to collapse/shear during certain types of vehicle collisions. This design feature aims to reduce driver injury severity from impact with the steering wheel in frontal vehicle collisions. There is no direct method for detecting when the capsules in the subject vehicles have sheared. If the driver operates the tilt/telescoping feature after the breakaway capsules have separated, the steering column may drop out of position and could subsequently detach entirely from the rest of the steering assembly. Loss of steering while driving may cause a loss of vehicle control, which could lead to a vehicle crash. To date, odi has identified 14 incidents involving complete steering column separation, 6 of which occurred while driving. One of these incidents involved a minor crash. Additionally, there have been 16 events where the steering column dropped from the dashboard mounting brackets, but column separation did not occur. Four of these incidents happened while driving. Of these 30 total separation/drop incidents, 5 of the vehicles have evidence of minor collision repairs months or years prior to the steering column failure.This investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis in order to 1) conduct a more detailed analysis of the conditions that may cause the steering column breakaway capsules to separate and 2) assess factors that may contribute to the problem of failing to detect and repairbreakaway capsules after they have separated. Toyota has recently revised their repair manual and issued a collision repair information bulletin to help address the second concern.The voqs associated with the opening of this investigation can be viewed at www.Nhtsa.Gov under the following odi complaint numbers: 11141761, 11083623, 11083280, 10888043.
  

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• Steering column separation investigation as of 20181116

  On november 16, 2018, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened an engineering analysis (ea18-006) as an upgrade to a preliminary evaluation (pe18-005).  the investigation focused on allegations of steering wheel separation from the lower steering column after using the tilt and/or telescoping mechanism. Given the separation occurring when operating the tilt and/or telescoping function and failure of both shear capsules to maintain the lower steering column mounting position, potential for shear capsule damage in the known failures due to collisions, the overall low rate of occurrence, and the updated manufacturer documentation, this investigation is closed.  the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.  the agency reserves right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. A detailed summary of the investigation is attached to this closing resume. To review the odi reports cited in the closing resume odi report identification number document, go to nhtsa.Gov.
  

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• Upper steering column separation investigation as of 20181116

  There is no summary currently available
  

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• Steering column separation investigation as of 20181116

  On november 16, 2018, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened an engineering analysis (ea18-006) as an upgrade to a preliminary evaluation (pe18-005).  the investigation focused on allegations of steering wheel separation from the lower steering column after using the tilt and/or telescoping mechanism. Given the separation occurring when operating the tilt and/or telescoping function and failure of both shear capsules to maintain the lower steering column mounting position, potential for shear capsule damage in the known failures due to collisions, the overall low rate of occurrence, and the updated manufacturer documentation, this investigation is closed.  the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.  the agency reserves right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. A detailed summary of the investigation is attached to this closing resume. To review the odi reports cited in the closing resume odi report identification number document, go to nhtsa.Gov.
  

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• Upper steering column separation investigation as of 20181116

  There is no summary currently available
  

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Common OBD Error codes specific to this vehicle.

• C0140 [1] C0140
• C0141 [1] C0141
• U1400 [1] U1400
• C1252 [1] ABS Inlet Valve Coil LR Circuit Short To Battery
• C1253 [1] ABS Inlet Valve Coil LR Circuit Short To Ground
• C1391 [3] C1391
• P0335 [1] Crankshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Malfunction
• P2195 [1] O2 Sensor Signal Stuck Lean Bank 1 Sensor 1
• P2197 [1] O2 Sensor Signal Stuck Lean Bank 2 Sensor 1
• P0138 [1] 02 Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank I Sensor 2)
• P0158 [1] 02 Sensor Circuit High Voltage (Bank 2 Sensor 2)
• P0A80 [1] Replace Hybrid Battery Pack
• P1AC0 [1] P1AC0
• P0606 [1] PCM Processor Fault
• P0505 [1] Idle Control System Malfunction
• U0001 [2] High Speed CAN Communication Bus
• U0100 [2] Lost Communication With ECM/PCM "A"
• C1241 [1] ABS Hydraulic Pressure Differential Switch Input Short Circuit To Ground
• B0091 [1] Left Side Restraints Sensor 1 (Subfault)

I have owned my 2009 highlander hybrid since i purchased new from dealer in july 2009. In mid december 2020 i noticed on two separate occasions that with my foot firmly on the brake pedal the vehicle would still be moving a few feet before stopping. No warning lights so i figured no big problem. In january 2021 a warning light flashed on for maybe 5 seconds regarding brake problem. On february 2nd i brought it to my local toyota dealer to assess. They scanned it and didn't receive any dtc codes. I was advised that my front brake pads were at 4mm and should be replaced soon. I did that. Vehicle drove without incident until june 20th when several warning lights lit up. Abs, tire pressure, brakes and traction. The warning lights stayed on so i brought my highlander back to my local toyota dealer. This time i was told that dtc C1391 came up. Abnormal leak in accumulator, replace brake actuator and pump assembly. That would come out to $2901.24. Toyota had issued a customer support program bulletin regarding the brake actuator and brake booster pump assembly. But for some unknown reason, given the dangerous condition a failure would present, that 100% coverage of replacement expired on december 31, 2020. Toyota is not making any exceptions on this matter. It appears that toyota is putting their reputation as well as dollars and cents ahead of their customers.

Several warning lights illuminated, tire pressure, brakes, abs, traction, they all stayed on for a few minutes and then went off. The car seemed to be driving normally. This happened a couple times, it was not alarming, the first time the light illuminated was approximately november 12th, the lights stayed off for weeks and it happened again around december 11th, the third time, jan 14th, i got the vehicle to the dealership. It turned out to be that the brake actuator was leaking and the whole brake system could fail. It seems hazardous and extremely dangerous that the lights did not stay illuminated to reflect the severity of the situation and not a loose fuse or tire pressure issue. I assumed that since the lights went off, there was no issue with the vehicle. It is a very costly part and repair and toyota is aware that the part has been problematic. They have not notified customers of the issue so to look out for this dangerous issue. They had extended the warranty on the part yet gave no notice that the part was problematic and to be aware of the issue and take it in at once if the light ever comes on. It is a serious issue and it seems that more should be done on toyota's part to ensure drivers safety. To top it all off the warranty expired december 31st, 2020. I got the vehicle to the dealership jan 14th 2021. Toyota is making no exceptions to delays warranty coverage caused by the pandemic. It seems like they are putting money ahead of safety on more than one level and ahead of customers.

Several warning lights illuminated, tire pressure, brakes, abs, traction, they all stayed on for a few minutes and then went off. The car seemed to be driving normally. This happened a couple times, it was not alarming, the first time the light illuminated was approximately november 12th, the lights stayed off for weeks and it happened again around december 11th, the third time, jan 14th, i got the vehicle to the dealership. It turned out to be that the brake actuator was leaking and the whole brake system could fail. It seems hazardous and extremely dangerous that the lights did not stay illuminated to reflect the severity of the situation and not a loose fuse or tire pressure issue. I assumed that since the lights went off, there was no issue with the vehicle. It is a very costly part and repair and toyota is aware that the part has been problematic. They have not notified customers of the issue so to look out for this dangerous issue. They had extended the warranty on the part yet gave no notice that the part was problematic and to be aware of the issue and take it in at once if the light ever comes on. It is a serious issue and it seems that more should be done on toyota's part to ensure drivers safety. To top it all off the warranty expired december 31st, 2020. I got the vehicle to the dealership jan 14th 2021. Toyota is making no exceptions to delays warranty coverage caused by the pandemic. It seems like they are putting money ahead of safety on more than one level and ahead of customers.

3 times over the last month, while i was driving my vehicle, the car suddenly lost power while i was driving on the highway. All the dashboard lights flashed on, check engine light and warning lights illuminated. The vehicle lost power, the accelerator was not working, and i was just barely able to pull the car over to the side of the road. Car turned off and was able to turn back on, now with illuminated check engine light and check hybrid system warning light illuminated. This is a big safety issue as the car is losing power in the middle of the road while my foot is on the accelerator. The first time this happened i was able to pull a couple codes from the code reader. Codes were: U0001 & U0100 the second and 3rd time this happened there were no codes coming up on the code reader.

3 times over the last month, while i was driving my vehicle, the car suddenly lost power while i was driving on the highway. All the dashboard lights flashed on, check engine light and warning lights illuminated. The vehicle lost power, the accelerator was not working, and i was just barely able to pull the car over to the side of the road. Car turned off and was able to turn back on, now with illuminated check engine light and check hybrid system warning light illuminated. This is a big safety issue as the car is losing power in the middle of the road while my foot is on the accelerator. The first time this happened i was able to pull a couple codes from the code reader. Codes were: U0001 & U0100 the second and 3rd time this happened there were no codes coming up on the code reader.

Brief engine knock/rattle noise at cold startup (1ar2ar) vds(s):da41a,za3eh wm(s)5td

Brief engine knock/rattle noise at cold startup (1ar2ar) vds(s):da41a,za3eh wm(s)5td

Oil cooler connected to engine block with a rubber hose. Hose failed with oil leak which caused loss of engine oil. Car towed and repaired before engine seized. It appears rubber hose was not protected from heat of catalytic converter and rubber degraded. Vehicle was in motion on interstate highway when first noticed loss of oil pressure. Added oil but oil loss continued. When warning light went on second time stopped vehicle and towed to service. Event occurred on may 15, 2020.

Oil cooler connected to engine block with a rubber hose. Hose failed with oil leak which caused loss of engine oil. Car towed and repaired before engine seized. It appears rubber hose was not protected from heat of catalytic converter and rubber degraded. Vehicle was in motion on interstate highway when first noticed loss of oil pressure. Added oil but oil loss continued. When warning light went on second time stopped vehicle and towed to service. Event occurred on may 15, 2020.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the steering ceased. The contact stated that added effort was needed to turn the steering wheel. The contact stated that there was no evidence of a power steering fluid leak. Toyota of ashland (3503 winchester ave, ashland, ky 41101 606-744-2727) was contacted and the contact was informed that the vehicle was equipped with an electronic power steering. The contact was informed that the wiring harness and steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000. *bf*tp

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the steering ceased. The contact stated that added effort was needed to turn the steering wheel. The contact stated that there was no evidence of a power steering fluid leak. Toyota of ashland (3503 winchester ave, ashland, ky 41101 606-744-2727) was contacted and the contact was informed that the vehicle was equipped with an electronic power steering. The contact was informed that the wiring harness and steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000. *bf*tp

Abs, traction control, brake malfunction light on in dash due to the abs brake pump and actuator not having enough power and a abnormal leak. The lights stay on for a day or 2 and go off for about the same time first time lights came on i hit pounding water on interstate on my way home from work at around 7pm an lost control of the vehicle. Luckily i didnt hit anything. The traction control, abs is not working. I have seen where the 2008 models have been recalled for the same issue.

Abs, traction control, brake malfunction light on in dash due to the abs brake pump and actuator not having enough power and a abnormal leak. The lights stay on for a day or 2 and go off for about the same time first time lights came on i hit pounding water on interstate on my way home from work at around 7pm an lost control of the vehicle. Luckily i didnt hit anything. The traction control, abs is not working. I have seen where the 2008 models have been recalled for the same issue.

I keep my car very good in my life . Recently my limited highlander 09 with 42.000 miles start clunking noise when i make a slow turning right , left to parking lot and every where when i make a turn slowly it have a clunking sound. I think that i can pay the part and toyota have to have recall and help me to fix it . It is defect from toyota.

Faulty brake actuator. This is causing the vehicle calibers to engage without touching the brake pedal..The brake stays stuck causing one of the four tires to drag.This is a very dangerous malfunction and could cause death or bodily injury.

I keep my car very good in my life . Recently my limited highlander 09 with 42.000 miles start clunking noise when i make a slow turning right , left to parking lot and every where when i make a turn slowly it have a clunking sound. I think that i can pay the part and toyota have to have recall and help me to fix it . It is defect from toyota.

Faulty brake actuator. This is causing the vehicle calibers to engage without touching the brake pedal..The brake stays stuck causing one of the four tires to drag.This is a very dangerous malfunction and could cause death or bodily injury.

A clunking or thumping noise comes from the lower steering column as you make a left or right hand turn. The thumping noise has been steadily increasing over the past weeks.

This is for a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid limited with about 142000 miles. The vehicle has not been in any accidents and is not abused in any way. All maintenance are up to date with the major timing kit replaced most recently at about 140000. While driving the vehicle on normal roads (sometimes highway, sometime city roads), i get three warnings that pop up at the center screen between the air vents; 1) check abs, 2) check brake system, and 3) brake malfunction. For the first two warnings, it is followed by "have your vehicle checked by dealer." but, for the third warning, it is accompanied by "stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact dealer." these warnings also correspond to three lights that pop up by the speedometer; 1) vsc, 2) abs, and 3) brake. The lights stay on for two to three days at a time and then will go away without any reasonable explaination. This happens about every other week. I was unable to bring it to a dealership when the light is on as i live very far away from the dealership. When i call and describe the warnings, i am told that this may be a problem with the actuator and it is common. The dealer estimated the cost to be around $3500. I did a quick search online and find that this is a common problem among same generation highlanders. I should not have to pay for this and the manufacturer needs to get the vehicle right. I feel unsafe driving this vehicle with the uncertainty of being able to stop safely when necessary. I understand that toyota had a recall on the brake system for the prius and camry, but did not include the highlander. They should have since this is a safety problem that is common with the first and second generation highlanders. Please get toyota to take responsibility before an accidents occurs. Brakes are an important safety feature that should not be compromised.

Tl* the contact owned a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated while parking the vehicle in a parking, the vehicle accelerated independently, went over a cement barrier, and continued accelerating with speed. The contact was not able to control the vehicle. The contact then entered another parking lot, the contact attempted to turn the steering wheel, as a result the contact crashed into a corner dunkin donut store. The air bag failed to deploy. The contact sustained minor face injuries due to the glass, neck injured from the steering wheel and back that required medical attention; the contact was hospitalized for two days. The front passenger, sustained chest injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact mention that the vehicle was previously taken for service at millennium toyota dealer (267 n franklin st, hempstead, ny 11550, (516) 874-2581) and was informed the service was completed and all was good. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 34,784. *tr consumer stated bags failed to deploy.*jb

Steering wheel is clicking very bad when making turns. Car shop checked everything out and decided it was coming from the steering column. Car was in a prior car accident in 2012 with no reported frame damage. Taking car to local toyota dealership, as recommended from regular car shop.

Oil coolant line bursts which causes immediate loss of all oil. Problem happens while vehicle is in motion, and in this case while in motion on a high trafficked freeway. Fix cost about $1,000 out of pocket. This is a very large leak which covers the ground, engine, and undercarriage. If the oil line ruptures while driving, the low engine oil message and engine oil pressure warnings will illuminate. Continued use after these warnings will result in complete engine failure due to oil starvation. The line is known to be defective, and a revised part has been issued by toyota but recall has not been issued. Covered under a warranty issued by toyota but covers under a short time frame.

I was driving down the interstate in wisconsin during rush hour when i took off my cruise control to slow down to take the next exit. I noticed an abnormal down shift when i took off the cruise control. Almost immediately the oil and traction control lights came on. As i slowed to the stop sign at the end of the exit the display screen began dinging and read low oil pressure and immediately stop the car and turn off the engine. I immediately pulled over once out of the way of traffic and shut down the car. Upon checking the oil there was none on the dipstick. There was oil dripping down from the grill all underneath the car including in the front tire wheel wells. I also heard knocking from the engine, so i am concerned that the lifters and the top end of the engine may be compromised. This a known issue with toyota, who has refused to issue a recall for faulty oil lines and seals. Luckily, i was at an exit where i could safely pull over before more major damage was done to the vehicle. My personal safety, the safety of my family as well as other drivers could have compromised by the neglect that toyota has shown by continuing to ignore this issue.

Vvti cam gear issue, making grinding noise.Vehicle just hit 60,000 and out of warranty. Earlier tsb from toyota didn't cover this since the vehicle didn't show any signs.

I was turning into a parking lot and i started getting "low oil pressure" alerts on my dashboard. I was worried if it was a sensor issue and kept moving till i parked my vehicle. Upon further investigation, i saw that oil had started to drip from where i had turned, and when i parked the car the oil drip got bigger and had pooled under the vehicle. Based on the information i got from the toyota dealership, this was a known issue which starts as a small leak but due to pressure, the oil cooler pipe bursts open. This known problem is documented here: https://www.Toyoheadquarters.Com/threads/2007-2011-toyota-sienna-highlander-and-venza-engine-oil-cooler-pipe-leak-lsc-ze2.358/ toyota refused to pay my repair bill as i was over the mileage requirement by 2700 miles. I cannot understand why toyota did not consider this a safety issue/recall. If this had happened while i was driving on the highway, my engine could have been completely damaged and the heavily leaking oil could have contributed to an accident(s). The toyota dealership also agreed with me that this should have been a safety recall. Toyota claims they sent out a letter for this warranty enhancement (ze2) which i never received. Toyota has refused to escalate this issue within the company.

There has been a latching issue with the rear power hatch since we have owned the car. Toyota issued a repair recall in 2017 to fix the issue but it is broken once again. Either they are using defective parts or a design flaw, but it is very dangerous as we have had the rear door open while driving several times. They do not want to repair because they do not think it is a safety issue.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while attempting to park, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle crashed between a building and pylon. The contact stated that it was difficult to exit the vehicle. The vehicle had to be winched out of where it was lodged. There was damage to the vehicle and the building. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a bruise to the right arm however, medical attention was not sought. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. Geico insurance company and a representative from thompson toyota (1101 business center way, edgewood, md 21040, (410) 679-1500) was scheduled to inspect and investigate the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 10v023000 (vehicle speed control). The manufacturer was contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 189,000. *bf consumer stated accelerator pedal malfunctioned or got stuck and there was no brkae override.*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving up a hill at 20 mph, the vehicle stalled and the abs, traction control, steering system, and battery warning indicators illuminated. In addition, "stop vehicle in a safe place immediately" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had to depress the brake pedal with excessive force to stop the vehicle. The contact coasted the vehicle over to the side of the road and had it towed home. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to royal south toyota (located at 3115 s walnut st, bloomington, in 47401, (812) 331-1100) where it was diagnosed, but no failure code was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 124,842.

When vehicle is stationary, engine always makes strange noise upon initial start.

Brakes failed shortly after the abs warning light went off. Dealer diagnosed this as a break actuator assembly failure. It looks like toyota had a warranty enhancement program for vehicle years 2006-2007. However, my 2009 appears to be having exactly the same issue, yet it's not covered by the program. Given the severity of the part failure, it's not clear why this is not a recall... We were lucky that no accident resulted from this failure.

While driving, the battery light on the dash illuminated, while the power assist steering no longer worked. The car could still drive and steer, but it was very difficult to turn. The power steering assist would intermittently come back on, and then go off again, making it extremely difficult to operate the car safely. In this condition, if there were a need to tuner the car suddenly, it would not be possible.

Once car was sitting in a lot and another time, running on highway. Abs, brake,traction control, vsc lights came on also message display said abs message and brake message. Codes from abs dtc,s are all a c-0371, 1271 through 1278, 1281, 1346, & 1391. Seems to be same issue as the '06-'07 highlander hybrids and the '04-'09 prius. There was an extended coverage for the brake actuator on those vehicles. I have been reading many other complaints, same things, with the '09 highlanders. Looks like repairs range from $2500-$5000,which is ridiculous.

Takata recall- when fuiling from the pump, nuzzles keep shuting off itself like the tank is already full. Its been happening recently. At the same time, check break system by deler start appering. It takes 3 to 4 push to start the car after this error message. Sometimes it takes longer and especially it happens in the morning. Took to deler but they did not find a code to check but this is still happening.

The brake system completely went out of order suddenly, during the motion in the street. Although the brake system liquid was renewed in toyota center just few days ago, few days prior to required scheduled maintenance date. Now the price of the brake system repair is catastrophic. As i am asking for advice, all the other highlander owners complain about the same. This is a big shame for toyota

2009 vehicle (manufactured 9/2008) only has 83k miles on it. Croaking sound for week or so and then one morning abs failure warning on display. Codes are C1241 and C1391. Same problem as others. Needs new abs pump and actuator. The parts are #44050-48320 and #44070-48020and cost over $3k for parts alone. Very disappointed in toyota, i thought toyota quality was better than this.

August 4,2018 backing on of garage and power steering complexly quit working. You can still steer but with great effort , mileage 134,521. In march 1, 2015 power steering quit working while driving on a city street at about 25mph making it very difficult to turn .It had 88644 miles. The toyota dealer replaced the steering column part # 45250-48181 & computer part # 89650-48060. Two steering failures in 134,000 seems rather high in a system that important.. There was no prior warning and had they occurred at highway speeds on a winding rroad one could have lost control on the vehicle.08

The life span of my headlights and high beam is very short. I change the bulbs and after 2-3 weeks, they stop working.

The life span of my headlights and high beam is very short. I change the bulbs and after 2-3 weeks, they stop working.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. While the vehicle was stationary and while driving various speeds, the air bag warning indicator illuminated intermittently, which was a safety concern. In addition, the horn and cruise control became completely inoperative. The dealer (royal moore toyota, 1415 southeast river road, hillsboro, oregon 97124) diagnosed that the spiral cable in the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the dealer (beaverton toyota, 4300 southwest murray blvd, beaverton, oregon 97705) serviced the vehicle for nhtsa campaign number: 14v168000 (air bags). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided the contact with case number: 1807132735. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. The vin was not available.

The sunroof, in it's entirety flew off in the middle of the interstate. The sunroof was open, so we closed it and it began making a weird noise, so we began to re-open the roof, and the entire piece of glass flew off. We were on an interstate, going about 70mph, and have had no problems with the sunroof until it flew off. Thankfully, we did not see it effect any cars and landed in the middle of the interstate.

The steering wheel came loose while driving on a 4 lane city street at approximately 30 mph. I was adjusting the telescoping steering wheel when the steering wheel came loose from the car and a loud rapid beeping noise was emitted from the vehicle. I crossed into the oncoming lane before i was able to get the steering wheel back onto the car enough to steer back into my lane. I drove the car 6 blocks home and it has not been started or driven since.

Abs and brake malfunction light comes on. Auto repair shop told me the abs actuator needs to be replaced at a cost of $3,500

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the driver's window intermittently ceased to function. The failure occurred without warning. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 103,659. The vin was not provided.

Abs vsc and brake lights are on - as per hartford dealer need to replace these parts 44050-48320 and 47070-48020

Lock actuators mal-function when using the remote or when using the power locks. Unable to lock doors except manually with key or by hand. At times, certain locks will work and seem impacted by weather conditions, i.E. Humidity or rainy day vs. Fair weather day. This causes the owner to believe the doors are locked when they are not and the inconvenience they are unlocked when leaving your car parked in a public lot.

I was sold over internet by vandergrift toyota of arlington,tx a falsely advertised 2009 toyota highlander,that was delivered to me in san antonio, tx in enclimate weather and while i was in a full body brace, i had told them of weather, and was in down pour when they delivered, i was unable to examine car in my condition and weather till next morning. Car had been wrecked, had silt in rear tail lights, i tried to have dealership fix it, by taking car back to them, i did not hv another car. The conditions of the car were never disclosed, i did not received a buyers guide, only a blank sales contract with my name, car make and model and vin with price paid. I hv repeatedly tried to resolve matter, dealer has lied repeatedly and billigerent. I have called owners of dealership, berkshire hathaway, they defer to dealer, dealer has done nothing, i have tried to tell people at berkshire hathaway this is something a dealer has dropped on me, who are and represent the berkshire hathaway brand, i told bh, i would persue and seek to expose to authoritative entities, and press,they have done nothing. I have also filed a pending complaint with texas dmv. I also have according to use title 18 2511 (2)(d), recorded conversations with dlrships used sales mngr, general mngr/partner, and berkshire hathaway, and previous owner who told me when car traded in, dlr sd wold not keep do to miles and age, wd go to wholes auction. I also hv screen shot where dealer continued to advertise car for sale at reduced price 12 days after initial deposit and over a week after wire trnsfer, and 5 days after delivery. Other, problems included components advertised or options not included. Toyota tow pkg, turned out to be uhaul hitch bolted on, no wiring to even coonect to brakes, and no additional radiator/fans/ to aid in hauling /towing, and no stellite radio as advertised. Original ad photos faked

When applying the brakes, a "croaking" noise can be heard and vibration felt through the brake pedal. Dealer says the abs actuator is failing. If it fails, the abs will be inactive and brake performance will be diminished. Apparently toyota is aware if this issue on 2006-2007 models as they have extended the warranty for the abs actuator replacement.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that the abs failed. The vehicle was taken to robbins toyota of texarkana (6233 mall dr, nash, tx 75569 (903) 794-5121) where it was diagnosed that the accumulator part failed and the accumulator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 146,000. *ln the consumer stated an independent diagnostic test found the actuator to be the cause of the failure. *js 5 warning lights are illuminated on my vehicle. 1) master warning light 2) brake system warning light in red 3) brake system warning in yellow 4) abs warning light 5) light above abs in yellow, i can be contacted at 903-280-0111 updated 9/12/18*jb

At roughly 80k miles, every time i started the car, a "brake malfunction" alert would display. Multiple sensors on the are illuminated. The brakes feel normal, but recently i did notice some audible noises when i use the brakes. I took it to the dealership and they said the brake actuator needed to be replaced for around 3200 w/ labor. After doing some research, i found that this same system was recalled on the camry hybrid but not the highlander hybrid, despite many complaints.If this is a manufacturing defect, it is a very dangerous one that could cause brake failure and lead to death

While braking to stop car in a school pick up line, warning lights and messages began flashing. Warning lights stated brake malfunction, abs system etc. Dealer ran diagnostic, stated there is an internal leak of brake actuator, repair costs $5500. Lights were reset and 2 weeks later while driving lights and warnings came back on. Toyota has recall for 2006 and 2007 but not 2009.

The coolant pump pulley broke and engine got overheated and stopped on a major highway and had to be towed. The vehicle has less than 60k miles on it. Dealer tells me that both the engine and water pump have to be replaced and would cost over $9,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the air bag indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 154,000.

Oil cooler hose burst in car. Yo have about 20 seconds to turn the engine off before it seizes up because all the oil is pouring out of the car. We had it towed to midas dealership and they fixed it. I called toyota because i noticed they had a customer support program covering this problem. I was told if i would have taken it straight to the dealership, it would be covered but instead i had to submit paperwork which i did. Well it is not covered. They are claiming that the part on the invoice is not covered. However, the oil cooler hose that burst which is original to the car was rubber and the toyota replacement part is metal. They are merely not covering this because it is not a recall and they are not getting in trouble for it. It is a huge safety issue, as when this bursts (with no heads up), you have only a few seconds to get to the side of the road and turn off the engine. Toyota is fully aware of the issue but the gov't has not required them to put in a recall.

My vehicle has an issue with the door locks which is a safety concern, the power door lock actuators have repeatedly failed on my vehicle. Each of the four door lock actuators have been replaced and several multiple times. The most recent was a drivers (left) side rear which was replaced in march 2014 and failed again. This makes the 6th or 7th time an actuator has failed on my vehicle. The cost to replace these is approximately $600. However my biggest concern is that the vehicle is unlocked when i believe it is locked. This is a worry both when transporting young children (who can open the door as child safety locks are inoperative) and potential unauthorized access or theft of the vehicle. I opened a case with toyota #1701210527. Toyota refuse to continue to assist with this or determine why my vehicle repeatedly has door lock actuators fail.

When you drive back and turn, the tires make a strange movement, it seems like it will be detached from the axle.

I was driving 5 mph and my brakes completely went out. Luckily, since it was on halloween night with kids everywhere no one was hurt. Abs warning lights came on and warning lights said to pull over and take to mechanic. I had no brakes and coasted home going 2mph. It was my abs actuator pump.

While driving from orlando to tampa florida my wife had the abs brake warning light came on and a weird noise coming under the vehicle. She was able to make it home and we took the car to dealer. They said we needed to replace the brake actuator at a cost of more than $3,400! We can't understand why such a small part would cost about a quarter of the value of this vehicle and after doing some research online i found numerous other people that have had the same problem. This issue really needs to be looked into and toyota should issue an immediate recall.

2009 highlander, purchased new, had 105000 miles on 3.5l v6 engine. Oil changed every 7000 miles, fully synthetic. No warning lights or engine noises prior to incident. Car started after work, drove .6 mile. Started running very rough, pulled over to shoulder thinking i had a flat tire. Car died before finishing maneuver, coasted to shoulder. Engine would not start. Towed to repair shop, they diagnosed "engine fully seized up". Contacted toyota, they offered no satisfaction as " car not being repaired by dealer, not under warranty". I find this answer to be wrong, due to low mileage, history of maintenance, no reason for catastrophic failure of engine. Mechanic stated theory of "oil ports clogging up", since heard theory of "oil pump failure".

I arrive at a parking lot on flower avenue strip driving slowly into a parking space in front of a clinic, at a very low speed, when the car suddenly accelerated--by the time i hit the brakes attempting to stop, it was in the office of of maternal and child care, unstoppable--fortunately, it was on a sunday afternoon and there were no employees or patients in the reception area of the office...Sudden acceleration was the cause of this accident. This car must be recalled---i took it to koons toyota in vienna, virginia-- where i bought it last october--a 2009 toyota highlander...

Abs actuator noise when depressing and releasing brakes. May lead to failed abs system.

March 10, 2016 vehicle was taken to dealer for oil change. Parked vehicle after return home (10 miles drive between dealership and home) same day and after a few hours, noticed all oil had leaked from vehicle. Vehicle was towed back to dealer that day. Upon investigation dealer said the problem was the oil cooler pipe. Dealer said toyota issued a technical service bulletin t-sb-0201-11 over 5 years prior that issued a repair procedure to replace this oil cooler pipe. Dealer replaced oil cooler pipe under warranty per technical service bulletin and assured me that no damage to the engine was "apparent" after the repair. July 18, 2016 returned to same dealer for a problem with the engine making a loud knocking sound upon fast acceleration. Dealer diagnosed problem as a rod knock and confirmed it was due to the oil cooler pipe leak from march. The repair involves replacing the engine an extensive and very expensive repair. Toyota needs to make this technical service bulletin problem a recall to avoid unnecessary engine damage and potential safety hazard to the 533500 estimated vehicles included in the bulletin.

Abs light on with warning, brakes performing poorly. The abs actuator assembly and break pump failed requiring replacement with a cost of over $3764 in repairs. The toyota camry hybrid had millions of recalls for the abs actuator but the highlander hybrid was currently not on recall. I own a 2000 toyota 4 runner with over 200,000 miles and never had an abs issue. This car is only 6 years old and shouldn't require this problem so early.

Liftgate will not close or open when automatic button is pushed either on the dash or the button on the liftgate itself. Stays open and have to force the liftgate down manually. At times liftgate will open by itself while stationary or vehicle is moving. Closing or opening the liftgate automatically problem has be ongoing for about 6 months. Brought to dealership and they could not repair, but i could take to body shop for repair. Currently a service bulletin has been issued, but should be a safety recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving 30 mph, the contact heard a clunking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle lost power and failed to accelerate or restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer immediately noticed that the vehicle seemed to consume abnormal quantities of oil. The vehicle had an oil change a month and a half prior to the failure and the oil meter measured one quart of engine oil left in the vehicle. The dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. Several months later, the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 13v396000 (hybrid propulsion system). After the recall repair was performed, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000. The vin was not available.

Rear door motor lift not working

$7155 quote to replace 2 electrical harnesses. Reason: "warning: srs airbag check. Take vehicle to dealer". The junction box is hidden behind the driver side front panel. The pins in the junction box belonging to the airbag wiring harness (part # 82141-48r51) that runs underneath the dashboard were fried due to electrical short (unexplained). Because the junction box also brings the rear wiring harness (part # 82162-48d40 ) to tail, headliner, and back of the vehicle, this must be replaced as well. I fear that there is a major flaw in the electrical system / srs airbags of this vehicle and the vehicle electrical system has experienced premature failure.

Brake and abs warning lights came on while travel city speed (35-40mph). No noticeable braking problem but advised car is unsafe to drive. Dealer says there is an internal leak and the brake actuator and booster need to be replaced at a cost of $5,100 (mainly the cost of toyota parts). This is a soccer mom car no rough driving or braking...And no accidents. I called toyota customer experience and they say the parts are out of warranty. How does these two parts account for over 10% of the original value of the car 6 years ago. Shouldn't i expect more from toyota?

Noticed large oil puddle in driveway. Had car towed as oil loss could have caused fatal damage to the engine. The oil line was diagnosed as dry rotted and needed to be replaced. The replacement oil line was vastly different than that of the original line indicating a problem with the previous design. The leak began while driving and we were able to trace the oil for miles leading home. The oil indicator light did not come on to warn of low oil. Toyota did recall other vehicles for the same problem however not this particular make and model. After talking to toyota's recall department i was told if i had had the repairs taken care of at a toyota dealership i may have been able to be reimbursed slightly (a percentage of the bill) however since i used the shop of my choice there is no option for any reimbursement.

August 6, 2015 i was driving northbound on hwy 45. After about 20 minutes on the road my 2009 toyota highlander began to smoke, the oil pressure warning light came on and i pulled over to the side of the road. Within a few minutes, black smoke was pouring out from underneath the hood. Within another minute or two the suv was on fire and soon the front half was completely engulfed in flames. I thought it would explode. Two milwaukee fire department teams arrived and extinguished the fire. Thank god no one was hurt and my children were not in the car. Accident report bmz14xn was filed with milwaukee county. Prior to the fire that totaled the highlander, an emergency repair was made to the highlander on november 3, 2014. That night the engine began to make a strange noise and the oil warning light went on. I pulled into the nearest auto repair shop; the tech said if i drove any further the engine would have been severely damaged because there was no oil left. The engine coolant pipe sprung a leak and all of the oil poured out of my car. That was the first time my highlander lost all of its oil because of a faulty oil coolant pipe- the second time it resulted in an engine fire. In december 2014 i received a letter from toyota stating they reimburse for repairs related to leaking oil or engine damage. Toyota dealers received technical service bulletin (tsb) #tsb-020-11 indicating the replacement part should be metal; not rubber which is what i had. I mentioned the emergency repair twice when i went in for service to jack safro toyota. Neither time did a service tech suggest that the oil coolant pipe be checked to make sure it was correctly repaired. I believe this was a major oversight on the part of the service department and that toyota should recall the oil coolant pipe. The faulty part is on 2007-2010 highlanders and other toyota vehicles.

The sun visor repeatedly flops down obscuring the driver's view. The visor will not stay in the "up" position. Also when entering the vehicle, if the visor is in the vertical position, i.E. Not up where it should be, the driver will hit his/her head on the edge of the visor. This issue is not new to this vehicle, there has been a recall for earlier year models as well as other toyota models as well.

We were traveling down a state route highway at 50 mph when suddenly we lost power to the car, we were between two mac trucks, and the oil light started flashing. We had to quickly get off the roadway (no breakdown lanes) and find a safe spot to stop on some grass. The rubber oil line had cracked/ruptured and drained the oil from the car rapidly causing the engine to lose power and make noise. I found out online that this is a known issue but no recall has been done as toyota claims this is not safety issue. However, in my case it was very much a safety issue as this happened on a highway in rapid succession with no safe place to leave the roadway.

Rear door hatch made a loud popping noise when door was lowered. Door no longer opens or closes. Dealer states cost to repair $4,700 to $5,400. Toyota has a technical service bulletin covering this problem but denies responsibility if vehicle is beyond 36/36,000 warranty. Updated 9/15/15*cw

The power tailgate will not open and close automatically. You have to force it to open manually and force it to close manually because the motor gets stuck in one position. We called the toyota to see if there was any recalls after reading similar complaints on the internet and few lawsuits against toyota for the same problem, and toyota said no there are no recalls for the tailgate motor. The motor itself costs about $1200 and only the toyota has it, plus the labor to replace it which could amounts up to $1500 if you find an outside mechanic/body shop to do it for you. In addition, you might need to change the rails and shocks that hold the tailgate to the body of the car. If you take it to the toyota, it could cost close to $5000.00. Since this has occurred with too many consumers, we believe there should be a recall for this problem because it could cause some injuries if someone gets trapped between the tailgate and the rear bumper/cargo area. *tr

Tl* the contact owned a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire on the front driver's seat. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v743000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 110,000.

This vehicle has an electrical problem, most mechanic shops i took it were not able to find out the nature of the problem. I've changed the battery twice and still experiencing the same problem. At the high way i noticed the that the temperature of the engine gets high, which obliged to drive in a much lower speed with the flashers on which always increases the traffic safety risks.

When i lock the car the alarm will go off for no reason at all. It does this all the time. It is very irritating.

The tailgate motor unexpectedly malfunctioned and closed the door in an unbalanced way causing the breaking of the tailgate hinges / arms. The tailgate stopped / froze and remained ajar about 1 inch on right passenger side of the door and latching on driver's side of the door. The door would not manually or electronically open back up. Had to have the door physically removed by toyota dealership and replaced entire tailgate hatch, motor and hinges. Costing me in the neighborhood of $5,000 for parts, labor, and a rental car for 12 days to repair as my insurance with progressive insurance declined coverage under my comprehensive insurance as they related back to wear and tear. Potential severe crushing injury or fatality could have resulted from what occurred. Since the door continued to close after malfunctioning and froze in place (unable to physically open), had someone's hand or body part been caught under could have resulted in being caught / trapped between the door and the latching area. Quick search on the internet shows that this is not the first time that this has occurred. All showing similar cost associated with repair and all with the same life altering or severe injury consequence. Would like to get toyota to recall the highlander and fix the faulty motor before someone gets hurt or worse, killed by this default

The power back door/liftgate does not close properly. The read door of the highlander would come within an inch of closing when you operated the powered close function and stop, requiring a physical nudge to completely engage the lock and close. This went on for about a year until one day there was a loud crunching noise when it was closed and would not open. After searching the internet for solutions and finding this is an extremely common problem (even several websites dedicated to forming class action lawsuits) including toyota issuing t-sb-0091-12, i called toyota's help line where i was very rudely told that since the warrantee was over, they would not cover any of it. We have a 1 year old baby and we got this car with that in mind. We currently have no access to the trunk and cannot fit her stroller in through the window. We are now faced with a several thousand dollar repair! I disassembled the part myself to find out that the metal gear about 1/2 an inch thick had sheared off and broken - exactly as shown in figure 2 of their official bulletin. Toyota tried to blame us for the failure saying we probably tried to close the door on cargo (we did not) and that this is not a known issue (why would they issue a tsb if this was not a frequent issue?). From research on the internet, there appears to be many many people with this problem and unfortunately for us, our occurred outside of the warrantee period so we are left with little recourse. I think it would be appropriate for toyota to extend coverage for this common issue since its failure makes the trunk unusable and because it has such a common occurrence. Tsb: http://media.Fixed-ops.Com/toy_servicebulletins/sB0091t12.Pdf

To whom it may concern in early 2015, the driver's side visor began to fail in my 2009 toyota highlander vin [xxx]. My description of the word fail, for the visor, is that it would no longer stay in the closed stored position. While driving down the road, a bump, road vibration, or other factor would cause the driver's side visor to lower from its closed stored position and thus impairing driver visibility. Eventually the faulty visor would lower to the point of being a hazardous distraction. Lowering only partially, it would frequently impair the driver?S vision of the road. This failed visor is not a condition limited to the 2009 toyota highlander. I have attached a copy of warranty enhancement program zf1 which describes the condition i have dealt with. While it is unclear why toyota limited this warranty enhancement to certain 2010 to 2013 highlanders, i see little or no difference to the design flaw which has occurrence in the 2009 highlander i own. After reading through many forums, in regards to the highlander, the failing visor is a safety/visibility problem, common to many newer and older model years in the toyota highlander after dealing with the faulty equipment for a significant amount of time, i purchased a replacement visor at [xxx] toyota. I paid the price of the part only in the amount of $89.11 plus tax, no labor. I installed the part myself. Additionally, i am requesting full reimbursement from toyota for the replacement part to resolve this impaired visibility safety condition in the amount of $89.11. Please remit payment, and resolution of the enhanced review to [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

Massive oil leak from oil cooler line of 2009 toyota highlander with tow package at ~78,000 miles. Rubber hoses burst and oil leaked out from engine.

The driver side sun visor droops down. Toyota is not taking responsibility for this issue. It seems to be happening alot. It falls while i'm driving, and i'm afraid it will cause me to get in a wreck. Toyota needs to recall this visor. Poor design. *tr

I have not had an accident with this vehicle, however i was told by toyota to check this website to see if my particular year and model is one of the ones affected by the airbag malfunction. If so, i want to get it in to be repaired as soon as possible in case there is an accident and someone in my vehicle is killed or injured. I am a sports mom so at times i have 6 children in my vehicle and 2 are my grandchildren. *tr

Door lock on front driver door does not lock when remote or door button inside car pressed. Gives impression door is locking when it is not. *tr

Lift gate and power door motor broke. The door stocked and could not be opened or locked. I was lucky that my toddler was not around. I am horrified what would happened if his hand stock in it and the door could not be open. We took it to molle toyota. They told me that beside the lift gate and motor the whole rear door and hinge has to be replace. They said that if i don't replace the doors i will have same problem few months later. They said that toyota modified the new rear door that they are aware that the door in my vehicle causing problems. They refused to pay for the door because it's outside warranty. The cost of motor and lift gate repair is $1500 the cost with new door is $3500. I don't understand why toyota does not pay for door that they are aware that are defective and needed to be modified. I also think that there should be a recall on this part because someone can get injured.

The rubber hose between the oil pump and the vvt keeps breaking. I was doing some research and found that the rubber hose has been replace with a metal one. Can you please help me? Is this something that is possibly still under warrant and can be fixed? Thank you for help in advance. *tr

Liftgate does will not open. Schaumburg toyota reported the following on their service report the following: "found auto open & close motor seized. Need: to go to bodyshop - replace l/hinge, motor-door". Toyota schaumburg is speculating (pure speculation) that the car was bumped into and therefore the distances (which distances ?) are skewed. We (owners) believe that no such incidence happened. We e-mailed toyota (case # [xxx].) who referred us back to [xxx]. [xxx] did call but offered no proof of their speculation (that the car was bumped into), neither did [xxx] provide the misalignment numbers. [xxx] did mention that toyota has known about this problem but they will honor the problem only within 3 months/36,000 miles. The power to my liftgate is now disabled and i would like for toyota to acknowledge that they have known about this problem and therefore make the liftgate fully functional (power connected) for me. We (owners) are honest when we say that the care was not bumped into from rear-side and we should not be paying for these repairs. I have tried my best to work it out with toyota corporation and schaumburg toyota, however, both are trying to deflect the responsibility away from themselves. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

The rear hatch in my 2009 toyota highlander stopped working - without misuse or handling on my part. After pushing the automatic close button, there was a loud clunk sound. There was nothing obstructing the back area. The back door/hatch would not open, nor could i close it. I immediately drove it to the dealership - on a saturday. I was afraid my back door was going to fly open. They were able to close the hatch but it cannot be opened. The technician confirmed that they had seen a lot of these and said toyota would take care of it. He said the problem is the hinges were bending and therefore causing the door not to shut. I was asked to return on monday. After a diagnostic test, the service manager confirmed that the hinges were bent and i would need a whole new door. The total cost of the problem could be close to $3,000 (depends on whether the motor can be salvaged). I was also told this is my responsibility since i am out of the 3yr/36k mile warranty (59k miles). There has been a tsb issued for this same problem, but as he pointed out, it is for malfunction within the timeframe. I have not been successful with toyota usa, but will continue to pursue this. This is a know defect and should be a recall issue or at the very least, an extension on the time associated with the tsb. Toyota is replacing the subpar hinges with better ones. An issue is an issue - even if it doesn't happen within a timeframe. I have done nothing to cause this issue. And now because toyota used subpar hinges, i have to pay $3k! *tr

Left driver's door actuator works sometimes when pressing remote control to unlock door. Left rear door works sometimes when pressing remote control to unlock door. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 14v168000 (steering) and stated that the part needed was unavailable to perform the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experience a failure. The vin was not available.

We took the vehicle to the dealer in for a 5,000 mile service maintenance. After our service advisor looked over the vehicle he said we needed new set of tires as the current ones were at the wear indicators. Our service advisor also said our vehicle was in the open campaign (nhtsa campaign number: 13v396000) to replace the intelligent power module (ipm) in the vehicle hybrid system. The service advisor said it would take about four hours and there would be no charge. Since the replacement of the ipm the vehicle has experienced a significant drop in mpg. Before the replacement of the ipm the vehicle was averaging 26 - 27 mph in the city and about 30 mpg (29.8 mpg highest) freeway driving. After the replacement of the ipm the vehicle is averaging 21 - 22 mpg in the city and 24-25 on the freeway. This is a 5-6 mpg decrease. We have been told by the dealer the replacement of the ipm has nothing to do with the mpg and it is because of the winter months our mpg has drop. I do not believe the winter months would have this much effect on the mpg. I have done some online research and found other owners having the exact same issue after their ipm was replaced. *tr

The driver's side visor no longer stays up, so it has progressively dropped down to about a 30-45 degree angle toward the driver's head. This is a large safety hazard both for general visibility when driving and potential cause of injury to the head in the case of an accident. The vehicle was purchased certified used from a toyota dealership. Such a part should not become faulty just over 3 years from the time it was originally put on the market. The visor is not used aggressively or excessively. Both the dealership and toyota motors were contacted regarding this problem. Toyota advised this part was not covered under any type of standard warranty, despite the fact that it is a safety and visibility issue. Both parties were of no assistance and required owner of vehicle to pay for cost of parts and labor. Thank you for your time and consideration to this matter. *tr

Driving about 40mph went to accelerate and the whole car stopped responding to anything. Couldn't drive it at all, was able to limp to side of road, at first couldn't turn vehicle off. Once able to turn off and back on car would drive. Warning messages came on "check brake system-have your vehicle checked by dealer immediately" and then "check hybrid system-stop the vehicle in a safe place (as if i had a choice since the vehicle stopped itself0, immediately contact dealer" had it towed to dealer who did a check and informed me that the problem is a part of the most recent recall however they do not have the parts as of yet and arent sure when they are going to get them.

About eighty miles/two days prior to the failure, an intermittent whine/humming noise was heard in the vicinity of the driver side dash area while turning at slow speeds. I was told this was not unusual as the power steering is electrically assisted and the electric motor was likely making the noise. Two days after the first sounds, the power steering failed upon engine start. The steering wheel is nearly impossible to turn now. *jb

While driving down the expressway with the family (50mph), check engine light and traction control suddenly turn on and flicker on and off randomly. Engine power hesitates. At the stoplight, check engine light continues to turn on, and off randomly, as well as traction control light. Engine appears to be stalling at times, and rpm bounces between 500-900. Acceleration when pressing against gas pedal results in uneven acceleration. Pulled vehicle off to the side, turned engine off, and examined vehicle. Examined vehicle and do not see anything suspicious. Turned vehicle back on, and check engine light with traction control off. Moments later, lights turn back on. Limped vehicle back to residence via local roads. Continued to experience intermittent on/off check engine light and traction control. After arriving at residence, parked vehicle and performed additional examination. Noticed burning smell at rear brake shoes, possibly from traction control holding on to brakes. Will bring car to dealership on 08/05/13 first thing in the morning. *tr

As my wife came how with my daughter, she proceeded to reverse the car into our driveway to park the car in our garage as she normally does everyday. In the driveway was also my car where it is parked everyday. As she was proceeding to go back, the car all of a sudden accelerated on its own and took off. She tried to press the brake but to no avail. She continued to press the brake, however the car would not stop. She proceeded to hit my car and damaged both cars from front to back. Her car on the passenger side, and mine on the driver side. After hitting both cars, her car proceeded to go further back and crash into the house causing major damage. That is when the car actually stopped. It was at this time that she was able to put the car in park and turn the car off. Both cars and the house now need major repairs. My daughter was sitting in the back at the time of the incident. *tr

I'm contacting you about an issue recently encountered on my 2009 highlander. The oil hose attachment located at the bottom of the car had pin size hole that pushed all the oil out of my car. The oil hose is in a location that would not be exposed to any element. I truly feel that this is a manufacture defect but can't find recall information on the site. I had the car towed to the dealership that said this part will take up to 3 weeks to receive. They also had a few other toyota cars in repair for the same issue. This is alarming since it looks like a known issue and the hose location is not exposed. The dealership also told me once repaired they don''t know the extent of the damage since the oil was drained out at fast pace. Please look into this issue and help protect others that might not be aware of this defect. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the vehicle began to accelerate independently. The contact applied an immense amount of pressure to the pedal but the vehicle did not stop. After some time, the contact was able to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was awaiting diagnosis of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 46,132.

I purchased a 2009 toyota highlander in october 29, 2013. Everything was fine,then started having problems with window on the driver's side, it kept going off line, so i rolled up the window and didn't use it until i was able to go for service. I took it in to be service in april /may 2013 for a oil change and etc. I told the guy in the service department what was wrong and he said he would check it for me. After servicing the suv, he told me it would cost $ 400.00 plus dollars to fix. I had the car less than 6months. He told me there was a piece that was broken due to resting the arm on the glass and he had to replace the piece and the glass. It's fine one minute and then the next it's off the tract. So i told the service guy to unplug it. I 'm not tall enough to rest my arm on the glass to break anything. I'm the only one that drives this car. I truly believe this part/piece was already broken when i purchase this vehicle, but i can't prove it. I don't have $ 400. 00 dollars in my budget plus monthly bill. Help! *tr

The vehicle is a 2009 toyota highlander. The power arm broke off of the rear power liftgate when closing. The driver side hinge on the rear power liftgate bowed and would not allow us to close the door. This hatchback/liftgate support device issue occurred march 2013. We filed a formal complaint to toyota who would not accept responsibility but with just a google search you will find hundreds of people with the same complaint. The safety issue here is that door can close on a small child and not be able to release because the part that becomes bowed makes it stick in position. *tr

T-sb-0201-11 from toyota states "some vehicles equipped with 2gr-fe/fxe towing package engines may exhibit an oil seep from the engine oil cooler pipes." this tsb affects toyota and lexus vehicles going back to at least 2008-present. This is a major issue, and i feel this should be handled as a recall instead of a tsb due to the severity of the issue if/when the pipe breaks. I recently elected to have my vehicle repaired on my own just so i wouldn't have to worry about this issue happening to me or my wife, and thus blowing up my highlander's engine causing thousands of dollars in damages. Seems pretty bad that a recall can be issued for floor mats and accelerator issues, but no recall is issued for this issue which can drain the oil from your engine in a minute, blow up your engine, and then possibly wreck your vehicle. Consumer's engines are now being destroyed, and this is showing up in different online forums. I feel that the nhtsa needs to force toyota to replace all of the defective engine oil cooler pipes with the newer metal ones that the tsb addresses. They should also be forced to reimburse all costs to those individuals that either needed to have the repair done, or decided to preventatively have the repair done on their own before those pipes burst on their own. *tr

Toyota has issued a t-sb-0201-11 which states "some vehicles equipped with 2gr-fe/fxe towing package engines may exhibit an oil seep from the engine oil cooler pipes." this affects toyota and lexus vehicles going back to at least 2008-present. This should have been handled as a recall vs. A t-sb with a defined expiration date because consumers engines are being destroyed when this 'seep' occurs. This happens with a minute and all of the engine oil is left on the road and the engine is destroyed. Imagine a family who's driving along the highway, their engine stops working and an 18-wheeler rear ends them. That is why the nhtsa needs to force toyota to replace all of the defective engine oil cooler pipes with the metal ones that the t-sb addressee. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt would not retract and became jammed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised the contact that the retraction mechanism needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 68,520. The current mileage was approximately 68,674. The vin was unavailable. *tr

While driving vehicle, a snap was heard from the rear. Upon inspection, the rear passenger sway bar link (joining the sway bar to the strut) was snapped at the lower end. This link is approximately 10 mm in diameter, necking down to 8 mm with a 1 mm radius at transition of the diameters. It was observed the failure was not completely immediate as approximately half the diameter was rusted. The rust had two distinct zones; an approximate 3 mm lighter yellow-brown region at the outer side, and a 1 mm dark brown zone on the inner side suggesting the outer had been failing for some time, the inner propagating more recently. Final failure of the remaining portion was sudden. Upon inspection under magnification, the failure began with some type of crack initiating at the root of the fillet, propagating downwards at an approximate 30 degree angle. Bending of the 8 mm section appears to have been caused by the sudden final failure of the section. No other damage under the vehicle was found ruling out the failure was not caused by any driver. Toyota corporate in california was contacted (case # 1301222906) but they claimed no recall on this part or issues. The part appears to have insufficient fatigue strength or this specific link had a quality issue. The part is in my possession and available upon request should further investigation via sem/edx, or other is helpful. I also can provide pictures upon request. This failure concerns me as the part links rear suspension control and it failed shortly past warranty. *tr

The power arm broke off of the rear power lift gate when closing. The driver side hinge on the rear power liftgate is bowed. *tr

The vehicle suddenly lost power on the highway. The car was still running, but there was no power to the wheels. The front differential had failed due to a leak in the front of the transfer case. This failure caused the transmission to fail as well. *tr

I was traveling 50 -60 miles per hour on the new jersey garden state parkway. While driving all of a sudden a huge vibration occurred through out the vehicle. While it vibrated a loud noise occurred. It was so loud my dog began to bark and my ears could not take the noise of the vehicle. I tried to brake and the noise continued as well as the vibration. I continued to try and get in the right lane however the noise and vibration continued. The vibration felt like when you go across speed bumps that gives a rumble sound. The road was smooth and there were no speed bumps however it felt as if i was going over speed bumps. On 10/25/12 i took the vehicle to toyota of hackensack nj where the vehicle was purchased on. I informed the service guy about the situation. They did a multi-point inspection and nothing came up. They test drove the vehicle in city limits and nothing came up. I then informed them that the vibration does not occur until you are on the highway. The technician then test drove with me in the vehicle. The vibration did not occur. This specific vibration and noise has only occurred twice since i purchased the vehicle. I purchased the vehicle over a month ago due to a faulty 2005 kia sorento crankshaft bolt design. If it happens again i will file another complaint. *tr

Depressed accelerator after being stopped at traffic light. Car jerked forward, stopped and would not restart. Warning messages for the hybrid system (message was 'stop immediately and notify dealer'), brake system and 4 wheel drive. Car was towed to dealer who determined it was failure of hybrid inverter requiring complete replacement. I'm concerned because this sound similar to issues reported for 2006 and 2007 highlander models. *tr

2009 toyota highlander limited door actuators have all broke, been replaced and broke again. Some are being replaced for the 3rd time since i owed the vehicle (making it the 4th lock on the car). At the moment only 1 door lock works and i have to climb across to open the other doors. I am extremely concerned that they will all break and i will not be able to get my daughter out of the car. I started contacting toyota in 2013 when they all started breaking. I also can not open the car with the key. 8/2012- drivers lock and actuator replaced and window 6/2013- right rear door actuator replaced 7/2013- passenger door actuator replaced 3/2014- left rear door actuator replaced 4/2014- drivers lock actuator replaced (again) 5/2014- right rear door actuator replaced (again) 2015- left rear actuator broke again this time my extended warranty is up and they want 600 to fix. 2016- passenger actuator broke 9/2018- drivers actuator broke for the 3rd time. I am left with leaving the car unlocked and hoping no one goes in or climb across my vehicle. I have contacted toyota numerous times to try and get them to help and they havent done anything but tell me i'm now out warranty even though i contacted them regarding the issues before my extended warranty was up.

Our car has 17,000. Miles and turns out the tires are bare in spots and the car hydroplaned and skidded and would not hold the road in a light snowstorm. We often skidded right into oncoming traffic. We have driven many suvs over the years -we are 69- and never had a problem. Toyota emailed to us that the toyo a20 p245/55r19 open country tires the car came with are not meant for driving in snow. We live in vt and the car was sold to us as an all wheel drive car for driving in snow. I have looked at the internet and others have had the same problem with these tires. I feel there should be a recall on them before someone is killed. My son just purchase a new highlander and i worry his tires are the same. *tr

Without prejudice my vehicle was rear -ended by another vehicle at speed of approximately 75, and got crashed on to the car in front at speed of 40 to 50. Air bags failed to deploy and dash board indicator light came on and it does not go off. I strongly believe this is a manufacturer defect. This suv consists with six air bags. Non of them responded. I purchase with confidence that air bags are in working order. Manufacturer risk our life for nearly two years. I deserve compensation for risking 6 lives. *tr

Rear door/hatch electric motor and latch/lock assembly failed. Several incidences of the rear electric hatch failing to seat/close occurred prior to the failure. The door would start down but would not close/latch. Toyota service department (dothan, al) said the door needed to be adjusted and did so. About one month later the door closed with a loud noise and would not open afterwards. Upon outside inspection, i saw the door was offset about a quarter of an inch toward the passenger side and seated about the same (1/4 inch) further in than normal. The door would not open at all at that point. The same service department initially accused me of damaging the car in an accident (untrue). They pried the door open, and recommended i disable the electric door motor and only operate the door manually. Later the same service personnel admitted there was a design problem with the door hinges that caused the failure. *jb

2009 toyota highlander clearance between both rear "shock base plate" and both rear tires are too close. Every time when you hit a "bump", both rear tires are hitting the "rear shock base plate". This will damage both rear tires and cause accident !! Defective engineering design !! Toyota should recall all highlanders with this defective design !!! You don't want to wait for an accident to happen then make a mandatory recall. Thanks for reading my message and concern of safety for all highlander owners. *tr

The water pump went on my toyota highland. I looked it up online and found out the water pumps are faulty and will make a sound like there is gravel in the motor. I had toyota fix the problem under warranty, but i looked online and found that other people have the same problem. Should be looked into due to being bad pumps.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the abs warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when the light was illuminated, the stopping distance would increase. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but they could not determine the cause of failure. The failure mileage was 4,300 updated 01/07/2014 *lj also, the air bag light illuminated. The dealer replaced a sensor

The car was purchased from kool toyota, grand rapids, mi back 19 nov 2009. Then it was given back to dealer in march 2010. Motion sickness / mind numbness, thought impairments, speech impairments, etc.. Car was checked by local dealer as well showing no signs of any issues. Lost i think around $10,000 dollars to return the car back to dealer. Driver and passengers through the car were affected. The car was set in the garage unused most of the time between purchase and return to dealer. Went through toyota dealer dispute resolution process. I still have records. Did not have time and/or understanding who else to contact back in 2010.

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The vehicle was repaired by an authorized dealer for the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 10v023000, vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal. Upon receiving the vehicle he was driving approximately 22 mph and when he removed his foot from the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not stop accelerating. The vehicle was not taken to be examined for the cause of failure and was not repaired. The failure continued to occur whenever he released the accelerator pedal. The failure and current mileages were 14,100.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the lift gate failed to open or close automatically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the hatch panel was deformed causing the power door motor to work harder than designed. As a result the power hatch motor, hatch door, lid hinges, lid hinge stays, and rear bumper assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 22,000 and current mileage was 113,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the air conditioning unit failed four times. The contact stated the repairs were made by an authorized dealer and the unit would work for a short time before failing again. In addition, the door locks would fail intermittently. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer due to the failure of the air conditioning unit. The vehicle was left with the dealer where the contact was awaiting repairs. The failure mileage was 4,624.. Updated 11/22/10 *bf the consumer stated the cd player, door and hatch locks failed. The consumer has since received a 2010 replacement vehicle. Updated 11/23/10

Recent trouble with electrical rear door hatch closing properly. My ongoing problem is at least 4+ years that nobody hears me. It's electrical, auto lock doors, ac or heat shuts off and on ad it wants, totally went to hi heat when i was driving, buttons do whatever they want to do no matter what is turned off or on.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the check hybrid system warning light illuminated then the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the hybrid inverter would have to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred two more times. The approximate failure mileage was 21,000. Updated 6/21/13 *cn updated 07/18/2013 *js

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. While driving down hill at 2 mph, the brakes began to shudder and the warning light illuminated on the instrument panel indicated shift to p function. Within a few minutes, another warning light indicated, brake default contact the dealer immediately illuminated. The vehicle was turned off and after it was restarted; the warning lights were no longer illuminated. The contact called the dealer and was informed that they were not familiar with that type of failure. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired when the complaint was filed. The current and failure mileages were 20,107.

Toyota highlander hybrid 2009 brakes fade for a brief but noticeable moment when braking. Sometimes it is more pronounced than others but is similar to the other complaints i have seen re this same thing on this site. While to some it may feel like a slight acceleration it is more like there is a sudden release of brake pressure and then it comes back. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. Whenever the vehicle is sitting idle and the contact would attempt to accelerate, the two front wheels would begin to spin out without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 2,500.

2009 toyota highlander hybrid. I had noticed braking issues and heard about the prius recall. This describes exactly the issue i am experiencing with my brakes. From the toyota prius 2010 recall: "some owners have reported experiencing inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces when the anti-lock brake system (abs) is activated in an effort to maintain tire traction." *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. While driving 15 mph during a snow storm the wheels locked. The brakes also locked while driving down a hill which caused the vehicle to slide 200 feet. The dealer was notified. The failure mileage was 10,250. The vin was unknown. The current mileage was 10,430. Updated 11/16/10. *lj

In early february 2010 during heavy snowfall, i lost partial traction in my all-wheel-drive (awd), 2009 toyota highlander hybrid while driving up the steep street to my home. When the traction loss occurred, all power from the gas engine and the front and rear wheel electric motors was cut off by the computerized vehicle stability control (vsc)/traction control (trac) system. The loss of power to all four wheels resulted in the vehicle skidding perpendicular to the street and then sliding sideways down the mountain about 200 feet. That situation happened twice. By having no power to any of the four wheels, i was unable to steer the vehicle into the skid and had absolutely no control of it. This meant that when the awl was needed most, the vehicle became no wheel drive. There is a serious flaw in the engineering design. Regardless of the reason behind the phenomenon, it constitutes a serious safety defect that could cause people to be seriously injured or killed. I have contacted toyota motor sales (tms) in ca and my local toyota dealer. Both told me that the problem would have to be duplicated by a dealer tech before any resolution could be initiated. So, the next and last time it snowed here i contacted the service mgr who told his shop was closed because of the snow and no one was available to test drive my vehicle. Basically, i have been ignored by tms and the dealer in hopes that i will drop my complaint. I previously reported the complaint as odi #10314563 via a telephone call. The lady who took my call entered it with incorrect information. Nhtsa has not contacted me regarding an investigation of the incident, and i am hereby requesting such contact and follow-up. Updated ivoq 08/04/10 *tr

I write to highlight some unusual behavior exhibited by my 2009 hybrid highlanders braking system which i purchased in may 2009. In short, in certain driving conditions, there is a slight delay/pause between depressing the brake pedal and any braking force applied by the braking system. The delay is momentary and i've experienced this to last no more than half second (.5 sec.) at most i've noticed that this occurs mostly in a situation where i have forcefully applied the brake. It has seemed to recur mostly when driving down a decline. It does not occur during situations where i smoothly and evenly apply pressure to the brake pedal. During my 5,000 mile service at the glendora toyota dealerships, i mentioned the behavior (as well as a soft grinding sound during low speed travel) but they could not find anything wrong in their tests. My wife and i have both independently experienced behavior this several times and the problem is still recurrent. I have decided to report this behavior after reading todays ap article by ken thomas and yuri kageyama (us government investigating brakes in 2010 prius) which described similar problems with 2009 toyota prius vehicles. Although the problems my particular vehicle has exhibited have thusfar been slight when compared to those reported in the article, i feel compelled to report the issue and i certainly hope that the problem does not surface during a time the extra braking time is needed. Aside from the above-described behaviors, the vehicle has operated without problems and my family and i are otherwise very satisfied with our purchase and hope we can rely upon this vehicle for many more years. If i can be of any assistance to either the nhtsa or toyota corporation, please feel free to contact me. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving at speeds of 15 mph and applying the brakes on a rough road surface, there was a delay in brake application. The vehicle did come to a stop after momentary hesitation. The dealer had not yet been contacted to report the failures. The failure mileage was 5,600 and the current mileage is 6,858. Updated 05/19/10. *lj

Brakes fade for a brief moment -- perhaps half of a second -- and then come back. Although the brakes are being applied consistently throughout, the sensation is as if the driver were easing off the brake and then coming back on with more pressure. *tr

As published by media, my 2009 toyota highlander was subject to a recall by toyota due to recent accidents making the car accelerate due to (apparently) stuck-up gas pedal). I called up cobb county toyota in kennessaw ga to confirm if i need to bring my car back to their service center. They said "yes" and the only thing that they would be checking is my car's floormatting, which would take them only a couple of minutes. My concern is that what if it is not only the floormatting that makes the gas pedal stuck up and trigger uncontrollable acceleration of my car. Even if i have my checked by them just for that declared defect, i am still in danger of driving an unsafe car. I do hope full-blown investigation be made by your agency as to what is the real and root cause of the engine problem. Many consumers were already attesting through media that it was not the floormatting impediment that causes the sudden acceleration. Please help us be safe using this car or make a drastic action to oblige toyota to examine thoroughly the cause and make permanent solutions to it to keep us at peace using the car. We have been consistently a toyota car owners since 1980's and this is the first serious problem that we have encountered. I with your agency's help, we pray that we are in safe hands with our cars. If there would be no safety assurance, i am taking a risk every time i drive my car. *tw

Condensation occurs inside the tail lights assembly when car washing during cold weather. Condensation is also developed inside the tail lights when the temperature gets low. *cw

2009 toyota highland had been drived for about 10 minutes, parked, locked at 7:25 am on jan 22, 2010. Approximately 20 minutes later a 6th ft high flames were discovered by the owner coming from the engine. Someone had already reported the fire and the fire department responded by 7:50 am.*cw

I own a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid, purchased new in aug. 2009. I have experienced a few incidents related to braking that are similar to what's being described by prius owners. On certain road surfaces/conditions, i have felt what i would describe as a pause in the braking system. It's almost like a sliding sensation on ice, even though the vehicle is not sliding. The duration is for probably less than a second in duration, but enough to get the attention of the driver. It has happened only in isolated circumstances, and the majority of the time, the brakes work perfectly. There have been no accidents or mishaps in my experience with this condition. I have not notified toyota, as i am awaiting a possible investigation and potential recall. Perhaps toyota needs to investigate all hybrid's braking systems. *tr

I own a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. It has had three instances of unintended low speed acceleration since i purchased it in june 2009. The first time it happened, it was so unexpected and unconventional that i thought it must have been a mistake in my perception. The second time it happened i was more aware because it had happened once before. And the third time even more so. Now i am alert for the event and will try to record it as accurately as possible if it happens again. As best i can describe it, i was slowing down, almost to a stop. It is at the point where you have slowed the car by braking, then take your off the brake or lighten the braking prior to the final braking which brings you to a full stop without a small jolt. I probably was traveling between 5 and 10 miles per hour. I had my foot off the gas and believe probably off the brake as well. All of a sudden the car accelerated. I depressed the brake and the car stopped normally. I have not worked on cars in years, but did extensively when i was a teenager. So i think of my senses as reasonably attentive to the sounds and motions of vehicles which indicate that something is amiss. Hope this helps. *tr

We are having the same issues with our 2009 toyota highlander hybrid as been reported in the toyota prius recall. At time the braking seems to stop for less than a second. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. While turning at approximately 5 mph in snowy conditions, the vehicle became stuck in the snow. The vehicle was able to reverse but would not accelerate forward. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced at that time. The failure and current mileages were approximately 11,000. Updated 11/03/10 *bf updated 11/04/10

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that on at least four occasions, the vehicle suddenly accelerated when the driver would depress the pedal gently after a stop. The vehicle also accelerated when the vehicle was shifted into reverse. The contact took the vehicle to the dealership but the dealer could not find what the cause for the failure was. He called the manufacturer and the representative instructed him to take the vehicle to the dealership. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current mileage was approximately 7,000. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

Accelerator stuck all the way to floor on 2009 toyota highlander while vacationing in tennessee on i40. Had to weave thru traffic to shoulder while traveling towards 100 mph, mashing full force to the floor all the time during incident. Very frightening. Car is presently returned to dealership, but no action has been taken & they can't find "anything wrong." i am afraid to drive the vehicle now. This was a life threatening event, but i don't feel toyota is treating as such. I am trying to find some help as to what to do. It has only happened once, but there could have been serious consequences to both my husband and i and for other vehicles on the road. *tr the consumer has since traded the vehicle. Updated 04/05/10*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. While driving 40 mph and removing her foot from the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated on its own. The contact applied normal pressure to the brake pedal when the vehicle slowed down and stopped. The failure is consistent and occurs daily. The dealer stated that they couldn't duplicate the problem or identify a failure where the accelerator pedal lost pressure while driving. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 700 and the current mileage was 3300.

Tl*the contact owns 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 22 mph and engaging the brake pedal in attempt to stop the vehicle, she was forced to apply extreme pressure. The dealer was unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. A claim was filed with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 58,000.

I own a 2009 highlander hybrid and am concerned that i am experiencing the same type of problems with braking that are now being reported for the prius. Sometimes, when braking it feels like the brakes are not engaging and there is a sensation that the car is speeding up. Continued pressure on the brake pedal finally slows the car down. I was recently involved in a minor accident when i was unable to brake quickly enough when approaching a traffic light and hit the car in front. The sensation that the brakes were not engaging was experienced at that time as well as on other occasions. I reported this issue to my toyota dealer just a few weeks ago, and the mechanic who test drove the vehicle, with me in the passenger seat, stated he experienced a similar delay in braking. The brakes were then tested using computerized diagnostics and i was told everything checked out ok but was offered no explanation of why i was having this issue with the brakes. I am sharing this issue with you as i believe my highlander hybrid 2009 may not be consistently trustworthy when the brakes are needed. Please advise. *tw

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact was reversing from a parking space at 5 mph when the accelerator pedal became stuck and caused the vehicle to accelerate rapidly. The contact mentioned that she was unable to stop the vehicle and as a result, she crashed into a tree. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 783 and the current mileage was 22,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the suspension was loose and the braking system would not operate properly. The brakes would go to the floorboard when depressed. The brakes would not engage intermittently when depressed. The contact stated that the driver's seat would no longer move backward, and was positioned entirely too close to he steering wheel. The contact stated there was little room for movement when driving. The vehicle was taken to four separate dealers and the contact was told that the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 400 and the current mileage was 6,500. The consumer stated when she realized a police officer was behind she attempted to stop, the vehicle continued to accelerate and the brakes collapsed very low to the floor. The consumer had to pump the brakes to slow the vehicle down. The consumer also stated the lug nuts broke on the front driver side wheel. The cruise control was inoperative, and the engine had a slight ticking sound and the rotors were rusting. Updated evoq 12/23/10 the consumer stated the seat belt wrapped tightly around her throat. The front wheel was loose, there was a whining noise coming from the vehicle. When the consumer attempted to accelerate the vehicle would stall, the cruise control no longer worked. The accelerator pedal no longer stays in place and the steering wheel turned in different directions. Updated 07/07/11. *jb

Passenger side front air bag warning light indicates air bag not functional. Occurs at random times, will stay that way for days or weeks, then revert to normal. Sometimes at same time fan goes to high, air conditioning goes on, or floor/air dial switches to all defrost, or emergency lights switch on. Dealership said the problem was malfunctioning weight lever in seat, couldn't explain the rest of it, and they never did anything to try to fix it. However, it seems to be electronic issue as it sometimes works. *tr

My 2009 toyota highlander with keyless start allows the vehicle to shut off when not in park and the vehicle starts moving. It also will turn off in reverse, or neutral and will turn back on in neutral and will also turn off in drive. This does not feel safe and should be immediately investigated. The vehicle should have to be in park to turn off and start like all other cars with keys to start the vehicle. Local dealer investigated but said all keyless start vehicles operate this way and didn't indicate there was a fix to the situation. *tr

We bought a new 2009 toyota highlander in july,2009. Immediately, it demonstrated a huge vibration in reverse, and now in drive. When i stop at a light, it feels like it will bolt when i take my foot off the brake. We went through arbitration, but they claimed, since we couldn't prove it was a safety hazard, we had no case. I think these vehicles should also be investigated. I have read similar complaints on the internet from other highlander owners. I am really fearful to drive my family in this vehicle. For toyota to tell me that, yes there is a severe vibration, but there is nothing wrong with the vehicle is absolutely preposterous. Toyota says they don't know what is wrong with it, so they say nothing is wrong with it. Our own mechanic says that he believes it will join the other recalls at some point. But i really hope you will look into it soon. Thank you. *tr

2009 toyota highlander hybrid. We have several safety related complaints: 1. My wife has never had an accident & to our recollection has never had a traffic ticket. She had a minor unintended acceleration and she tapped the truck in front of her. She took her foot off the brake & the car lurched forward. The dealer said it was not involved in a recall but the toyota website says it is involved in a floor matt recall. I've thrown the matt in the rear cargo area. 2. Our garage is attached to our house with our bedroom above the garage. With 3 kids, both my wife and i have been distracted leaving the car in the garage to unload groceries or help the children. When on electric power we have neglected to turn off the ignition since the car is silent. Only when the carbon-monoxide detector sounded in our garage did we realize the engine had started while we were in the house. We think this could be deadly to other families without carbon monoxide alarms who may also forget to turn off the engine when parked in an attached garage while on electric power. 3. The driver's seat-belt has broken and you can only fasten it by making a special effort to depress the button and hold it while inserting the buckle. Normally you simply insert the buckle to fastenit. The car has many other "issues" that are not safety related. Unfortunately, we believe our insurance company will settle my wife's otherwise uneventful "tapping" of a truck from the unintended acceleration and charge this likely bogus injury claim by the truck driver against our policy. *tr

Right front brake "clanks" when brake pedal is pressed fairly hard. Dealer claims this is normal for highlanders and that his entire inventory exhibits the same symptoms. (start last year and continues; comments are from dealer today -- june 3, 2010.) *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that when braking at low speeds, the brake would release on its own at a distance; however, when his speed increased the brakes performed normally. The failure occurred more frequently when he approached a stop sign in colder weather. The dealer told him that the braking system sent power to the battery and the failure was normal. He had not spoken with the manufacturer to-date. The current mileage was 7,773. The failure mileage was approximately 100.

I purchased a 2009 toyota highlander, in february 2009. On june 1, 2009, i was northeast of rockville, indiana on highway 47 in this toyota highlander. I approached a slow moving vehicle on a straight section of roadway and passed the vehicle. As i was passing i felt like the car was going faster than i was accelerating. When i pulled back into the right lane the car was going even faster and i realized that the car was accelerating on its own. Luckily, i was still on a long straight section of the road and had some time. I first tried to brake but the car kept going even faster. I put the car in neutral and started braking and luckily found a place to pull off the road. I was completely shocked that the engine was racing uncontrollably. I looked down at the accelerator and nothing was pushing or touching it. I then turned off the car, put the car in 'park', got out of the car and looked around the accelerator again to make sure that nothing was pushing on it, then waited for about a minute and restarted the car. The car started with the engine racing. I turned off the car and restarted the car two more times and each time the engine raced uncontrollably. I turned off the car, left a message for my husband on his phone and waited for five minutes hoping my husband would call back. He did not call so i decided to start the car one more time. When i did, the car started normally and the engine did not race. I tried to calm down emotionally and drove home not knowing when or if the accelerator would be a problem. I took the highlander in for service to jordan automotive group, mishawaka, indiana on 6/3/2009 and they insisted that the floor mats were the problem. I do not believe this because i had checked everything around the accelerator when the engine was racing and there was absolutely nothing touching the accelerator. The problem is electronic. I do not feel safe in this vehicle.*cw

Brand new 2009 toyota highlander defective front o2 sensor made out of ceramic built into all cars in japan then shipped to u.S. First sign of sensor damage the cars traction control light goes on. Soon after the front o2 ceramic sensor heats up. Then the car will not start. When you try to start it up at this point engine has caught on fire. The general manager of dealership stated that toyota knows of this defective part but will not recall. We believe owners should be notified. The part was replaced. However, we did not feel car was safe after seeing engine on fire. The dealership would not refund money. Our only option allowed was to trade in car for another at our cost. This all happened within 3 days of taking delivery of the vehicle and having only driven it 40 miles.*tr

I purchased a 2009 toyota highlander, in february 2009. On june 1, 2009, i was northeast of rockville, indiana on highway 47 in this toyota highlander. I approached a slow moving vehicle on a straight section of roadway and passed the vehicle. As i was passing i felt like the car was going faster than i was accelerating. When i pulled back into the right lane the car was going even faster and i realized that the car was accelerating on its own. Luckily, i was still on a long straight section of the road and had some time. I first tried to brake but the car kept going even faster. I put the car in neutral and started braking and luckily found a place to pull off the road. I was completely shocked that the engine was racing uncontrollably. I looked down at the accelerator and nothing was pushing or touching it. I then turned off the car, put the car in 'park', got out of the car and looked around the accelerator again to make sure that nothing was pushing on it, then waited for about a minute and restarted the car. The car started with the engine racing. I turned off the car and restarted the car two more times and each time the engine raced uncontrollably. I turned off the car, left a message for my husband on his cell phone and waited for five minutes with the car turned off as i waited for my husband to call back. He never did call so i decided to start the car one more time. When i did, the car started normally and the engine did not race. I tried to calm down emotionally and drove home not knowing when or if the accelerator would be a problem. I took the highlander in for service to jordan automotive group, mishawaka, indiana on 6/3/2009 and they insisted that the floor mats were the problem. I do not believe this because i had checked everything around the accelerator when the engine was racing and there was absolutely nothing touching the accelerator. The problem is electronic. I do not feel safe in this vehicle. *tr

Toyota hybrids surge when braking. I took the car in twice to the dealer. The dealer told me they were aware of the surge. It occurs when the car is braking and the car goes from gas to charging the battery. *tr

2009 toyota highlander was involved in the floor mat recall. When vehicle was taken to dealer and consumer was told there was nothing they could do because the floor mats were not toyota floor mats. *kb the consumer stated at times the vehicle would not start. The dealer performed a diagnostic test and stated the battery was weak. *jb

2009 toyota highlander hybrid. Consumer states issues with battery. *tgw the consumer stated when he went to start the vehicle, the battery was dead. The tow truck driver informed the consumer he needed a new battery. When the consumer arrived to the dealer, he was told there was nothing wrong with the battery and they refused to put a new battery in the vehicle. Less than two months later, the consumer went to start the vehicle and again the battery was dead. The dealer again, denied his request for a new battery. The dealer informed the consumer he needed to do more highway driving and that would take care of the problem. The consumer stated he did more highway driving, but again, the battery died. The consumer was denied a new battery for the third time. *jb