My son dropped me off at the airport. i forgot to leave him the keyless device that keeps the vehicle running. he called and let me know he made it home (30 miles approx.to his home) and i didn't leave him the keyless device. should this be a safety recall? and how could this happen?
Driver side door lock mechanism worked only intermittently. had to crawl through passenger side to unlock door manually by pulling on the door handle. replaced door lock mechanism at dealership. now the left rear door is starting to malfunction. sometimes passenger is unable to open door from inside of car and the door has to be opened from the outside.
While driving, the radio and mapping system will suddenly stop working. there then is no way to reset the map and/or radio, other than to stop the vehicle, turn it off and then restart it. sometimes, it takes more than one restart to have the system back to running normal. this happens when the vehicle is in motion and on various types of roadways or highways. it has happened on various dates, but the most recent occurrence was on aug. 10, 2019.
Three of the door lock actuators failed on this vehicle at the same time. my wife cannot unlock the car doors without going to the one door that is working when she pushes the unlock button on her remote. this is a major safety issue and there are thousands of articles and message board posts on the internet related to door lock actuators failing on toyota vehicles. toyota is providing some financial assistance to repair the issue but it is not near enough to cover it all and i am out of pocket for a large amount of the repair. due to the scope of the issue i believe this should be handled through a recall.
Driving at 70mph on the ohio turnpike today 3/22/2019 at approximately 6pm we hear a loud boom. this sounded like we were shot at from a cornfield. then we heard small fragments of glass above us blow into the air. there was no rocks or we were not under a bridge for something to fall on it. it was just an exploding glass above our head in the panoramic sunroof. see pictures very scary this should not have happened.
The radio/navigation system will malfunction and shut off and restart. at night this is a hazard due to the flashing light of the radio causing a distraction. this is also a hazard due to the navigation system not working. this happens at random times, it could turn off and on several times a minute or it could do it once an hour. if there is a short in the radio could this cause a fire? this happens all the time while in motion or sitting still and on every road.
Sunroof glass exploded. i was driving down an interstate highway at 70 mph in 4 lanes of holiday traffic. we had been in the car for about 20 minutes when we heard a loud bang (it sounded like a shotgun went off in the car) and glass was flying everywhere. i looked up and there was a hole about 4" by 2" in the sunroof and the balance was all shattered. after pulling onto the shoulder of the highway and looking from the outside, the glass edges of what was left were protruding up. this happened on a sunday, so i had to bust as much of the remaining glass out that i could to drive it home. the temperature was 85 at the time. i have had my vehicle for 3.5 years and i have 60,000 miles on my car. this should not happen! toyota will not admit any fault and told me to send a claim to my insurance.
Sunroof glass exploded. my family and i were getting on the interstate, no other vehicles around us and we had been traveling all afternoon with not temperature variance. right when we hit 80 mph we heard a very load bang like a gun had gone off in the car. then we heard the wind noise coming from the sunroof. the cover was closed so we couldn't see what happened. i pulled off at the next exit. when i looked at the sunroof it was completely shattered. the glass that was still in place around the rim of the sunroof was protruding up away from the vehicle so i knew nothing hit it to break it. the bang was really load as well so i am extremely doubtful that it was caused by any kind of exterior object. very lucky the cover was closed or we would have had glass all over us.
Soon after warranty ran out the lift gate to the trunk hatch began leaking lubrication and intermittanly would not open all the way, close all the way, or open or close at all. many times, i would need to manually push the hatch down to close, which required extreme force. the same force would be required to open the hatch at times. esentially, the lift gate is unreliable to lift or close most of the time.the cost estimate from the dealer exceeded $1,800 for the replacement of both struts.
Wind noise from panoramic sunroof. seal deteriorating at both ends.
Fuel door would not open by pressing the interior button or the emergency latch. had to take it to the dealer who also could not open it and they removed the part until it could be fixed. i drove with the gas tank door open until the part was replaced. we discovered the issue while parked at a gas station. we could've been stranded.
On july 15, 2015, my wife and i bought a new 2015 toyota highlander xle fwd from a toyota dealership. we special-ordered the exact car we wanted. we have now owned the car for 2 years and put about 12,000 miles on it. before buying, we test drove a honda odyssey, a honda pilot, a toyota sienna, a toyota highlander, a nissan pathfinder and a jeep grand cherokee. after test driving each of the cars noted above for less than an hour i had a very strong headache. as a rule, i don't get headaches, so these were obviously the result of my breathing the air in these new cars. car interiors are made using plastics, adhesives, fire-retardants and a long list of other materials, many of which off-gas highly toxic chemicals. so we first tried to find a used highlander, but could not find a recent model year that was equipped the way we wanted. so we ordered a new one. after we took possession of the car, i drove it home, with all the windows down, the moon roof open and the ventilation fan running at full speed. i then parked the car in our driveway and left it in the sun all day, everyday for a month. i had the windows down just slightly and a small fan in the car which stirred the air. i also put a large tray of activated carbon in the car, changing that material every few days. at night, i moved the car into our garage, rolled down all the windows and had an exhaust fan running, which changed the air in the garage several times an hour. after a month of that routine i was able to drive the car without getting a headache, though after two years, i can still feel the effect of that polluted interior air. our granddaughters are visiting us this summer and, though i never mentioned my experience to them, they both hold their noses when they get in the car, until they can roll down a window. please add interior air quality to your safety ratings.
While driving the navigation/radio will freeze and become unresponsive. the radio will then reboot and reset all settings back to default. this is very distracting for the driver and the passenger in the automobile and could lead to an accident. there are numerous complaints on various forums. i asked toyota fix this issue and they offered to update the firmware for $70. this is not a part that broke or degraded from ware, this radio doesnt work and toyota is trying to make money off of this. i contacted entune to see if i could get the file to update the software myself and was told no. i was told if i had less than 36000 miles i could get this fixed for free as it would be under warranty. this isnt a map update, this is a function that doesnt work. i paid for this premium audio package that doesnt work. why would my mileage play any part to my radio not working?
I was driving 80 mph on the interstate when the engine light came on and a "check awd" display appeared. at that same moment i lost the ability to steer and to accelerate. i managed to get the car off of the interstate. the car came to a stop. i did not see any smoke, or smell anything and the engine temp gauge showed mid cool so i decided to start the car again. when i tried to start the car, the engine light and the "check awd" display came on again, and then seconds later a temperature light came on with a loud alarm. smoke started coming out of the front left hood. i shouted for my daughter and her friend to get out of the vehicle. i grabbed my phone and ran to her door to help her and her friend get out. by the time we were running away, flames were coming out of the hood. within minutes my car was completely engulfed in flames.
The entertainment/navigation system freezes and turns off randomly. constant daily issue. obvious wide spread issue as read on a complaint page found at http://www.landerfan.com/archives/complaints-about-the-toyota-highlander-navigation-system/
The power liftgate closed on my head when i was putting stuff in the trunk. it was open like normal, but then it suddenly dropped without warning. before this happened it was having problems closing completely. it is still having these problems. i took it into the dealership to get fixed and they "reset" the system but that didnt fix anything. it is still not closing completely sometimes. it will seemingly open fine (although im afraid it will fall on my head) but when i have to close it will sometimes close and it will sometimes close almost all the way and then it will beep twice and open a bit again and sit there. i will have to hit it to open and close again and hope that it works. sometimes i get it in 2 tries and sometimes it takes 4 or 5 times to get it to close.
Toytota highlander limited 2015 gps consistantly offers wrong directions. even on a.straight away such as us rt 1 it will take me aroind the block only to be put back on the same road. itnhas taken me off highway ramps and sent me through neighborhoods only to put me baxk onto the highway. i contacted toyota corporate who indicated theh were sorry but this is not covered indwr warranty as it is considered an assessory. the dealer said it may need map update whichnis 175 for the software load plus $ 75 service fee. my cheap $100 garmin provides free lifetime map updates and i have had to use it to ensure i reach my destination. toyota has misrepresented the value of the useless gps.
Infotainment system keeps crashing and rebooting during normal operation/driving conditions. most occurrences happened during hot days but has occurred during in the morning when the temp. was below 70 f. occurred on july 17 (3-4 times), aug 20 (over 10 times) and aug 31 (1 time).
Sunroof glass exploded while in motion. nothing hit the glass.
Car door locks do not work with keyless ignition system
Vehicle navigation system reboots to default settings approx 1 - 3 times a week requiring driver attention to reset. unit has been replaced by dealer with new unit. new unit has the same reboot frequency. this reboot typically occurs after "normal" start, then while underway full reboot about 30 seconds to a minute later, while in motion, on the road. no recollection of a reboot while sitting still ..(warming the engine waiting for passenger etc) this reboot may occur either with or without a cellphone present in the vehicle.
Navigation system terrible
Takata recall-this past sunday my car had been parked in the drive way for a few days and when i went to drive my car and there was a strange noise under the hood, i backed out of the drive way and when the car shifted from first to second it jurked and was not smooth so i parked the car. i looked under the hood and there were mouse dropping on the engine. i called toyota on monday morning and they said to have it towed so i did monday night. today wednesday they called and said there were a lot of wire damage and something else but they still not able to find the problem. they said at this point it was going to be $500 maybe more. and not under manufacturers defect warranty. which i think if they are going to put something in the wire casing that rodents love then they should correct any problems as a results of the product used at no cost to the customer. my car is a $45,000 car and i have only had it a few months. this is bull.
Many toyota highlanders are effected by a consistent buzzing noise in the cabin. this problem has been diagnosed to a faulty air servo motor. at first glance, you might say this buzzing noise isn't a safety issue, however i beg to disagree as many have attested that it is a distraction to their driving. some have gone so far as to sell their vehicles because of this issue. what is the burden of proof for this to be a safety issue? a distracted driver having an accident and attributing it? toyota has not issued a service bulletin to date to address this issue. thank you for your time. http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/333-3rd-generation-2014/1077937-weird-vibrating-buzzing-noise-15.html
While travelling on interstate 25 near fort collins, colorado, our toyota highlander's closed panoramic sunroof shattered. we were travelling at a speed of 75 mph on a cloudy day with no obstacles or flying debris noticed. this is a new 2015 toyota highlander that we have only been driving 4 months. the sunroof was closed at the time and the debris was luckily trapped by the roof lining. we quickly exited to a nearby gas station where a larimer county sheriff's deputy was stopped. he looked at the damage and wrote a report.
Popping sound coming from right front side when breaking to a stop at all speeds. the problem was first noticed at around 2500 miles and the car was taken to the dealer at around 2900 miles. dealer inspected it and couldn't find what the problem was. then as instructed by toyota replaced the right front strut assembly but that didn't fix the problem. the car was returned to me and i was told there were no safety concerns and that toyota was sending one of their techs to troubleshoot, but that may take a couple of weeks. in the mean time the problem seems to be getting worse.
We recently test drove several new cars. after being in each of the cars for less than an hour, we had very strong headaches. as a rule, we don't get headaches, so these were very obviously the result of breathing the air in these new cars. car interiors are made using plastics, adhesives, fire-retardants and other materials, many of which off-gas highly toxic fumes. i found no agency which currently tests vehicles for the presence of these toxics. we test drove a used toyota highlander and we did not get a headache in that vehicle, but we could not find a used one that was equipped the way we wanted. so we ordered a new one. after we took possession of the car, i drove it home, with all the windows down, the moon roof open and the ventilation fan running at full speed. i then parked the car in our driveway and left it in the sun all day, every day for a month. i had the windows down just slightly and a small fan in the car which stirred the air. i also put a large tray of activated carbon in the car, changing that material every few days. at night, i moved the car into our garage, rolled down all the windows and had an exhaust fan running, which changed the air in the garage several times an hour. after a month of that routine i was able to drive the car without getting a headache. although i can still feel the effect of that polluted interior air, it is tolerable and improving with time. we now know that this out-gassing process never ends; it only lessens over time; and, contrary to what many still believe, it is also known that long exposures to extremely small doses of toxic materials can be more damaging to human health than a large, short exposure. given these facts, i strongly suggest that our government add passenger compartment air quality to its safety rating protocol. the auto manufacturers certainly aren't going to do this of their own accord.
The pre collision system applied brakes on two occasions when there was no possibility of a collision. i was driving at approximately 45-50 mph approaching a concrete paved low bridge/overpass; the events occurred at the same spot at two different times. the events were frightening since the dash flashed red and the brakes were applied very hard for no apparent reason.
Picked up 2015 toyota highlander from the dealer drove it home. operated the car for one day, parked it in the garage and later had a fire in the garage that destroyed the house and 2 other vehicles . as the cause of the fire is still "undetermined" several fire inspector 's i spoke with "suspect" the vehicle as a "suspected origin"... as the fire was so hot that not much was left of the toyota to review based on history this incident should be noted.... this highlander had less then 80 total miles of operation and operated for less the 3 day's... nothing out of the normal noted about the car the day of the fire.. looking over issues with the 2014 model year having fire issues i would agree with the inspector's opinion that would be a highly suspect cause..
The navigation system is a hazard.. when you finally get the voice command to work it only gives you about 15 seconds to make a decision which could cause an accident and also the navigation does not work well.. it only has about 1/2 of the towns in each state if that! it does not always take you the safest way.. i have had it updated and checked out.. i ended up having to go back to using my garmin and my phone for directions.. it is a very cheap system and not worth the extra cost of having it in my highlander. missing addresses: to be perfectly honest, this probably isnt my last complaint. ive been annoyed by the inability of the toyota nav system to find certain addresses which is needed for my travels.. there have been (at least) a dozen cases in recent months where ive tried to program in an address, but wasnt able to do so. the system uses a predictive text interface that restricts the available keyboard entries to make typing easier. and this is just here in my little delaware co. ny ive had instances where, for example, i needed to enter a four digit address and the system only allowed me to enter three digits. its as if the nav maps didnt include the full range of addresses along the road in question. and this includes several state i have been into and have tried to enter addresses.. and this a distraction in my driving especially when i am trying to find a motel.. for example i was on rt 90 in ny and wanted a hotel and asked please find me a motel along my route and it insisted no motels along my route.. i was headed toward syracuse, ny.. does that make since? i am not the only person with this problem please check out this site. http://www.landerfan.com/archives/complaints-about-the-toyota-highlander-navigation-system/ you will find several complaints about this system..
The dash readout for mph began showing very erratic nmbers. going from 24.4 mpg to 29.7 mpg and down to 13.1 mpg all in a span of about 4 miles. this mpg of 24.4 was for the prior 3000 miles. the dealer could not replicate this happening. they also said that toyota had no bulletins for this matter either. i contacted toyota and they said that i must have accidentally reset the unit and by doing so it was not unusual for these large swings in mpg. this was not the case. i had over 100 miles on since my last fill up and until this happening the mpg number was quite steady. the only that i indeed may have done this was that last fill up because that is the only time that i ever do a reset and i did not do it at that time. previously i had seen some strange swings in mpg but not as large of a swing and not lasting for as long of time and those instances the reading did self correct.