2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/2020· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V682000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE LOCAL DEALER AUTONATION TOYOTA LOCATED AT 18700 STUDEBAKER RD, CERRITOS, CA 90703 WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

• 12/29/2017· SEAT BELTS

  THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT IS NOT ERGONOMICALLY PLACED, AND REACHING UP, BACK AND PULLING FORWARD WITH MY LEFT ARM TO ATTACH THE SEATBELT HAS DAMAGED MY LEFT SHOULDER (SEVERE TENDINITIS AND A PARTIALLY TORN ROTATOR CUFF). TO DATE PHYSICAL THERAPY HAS NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE AND I MUST RETURN TO THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.

• 12/29/2017· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE

  WHILE DRIVING UP THE I-5 GRAPEVINE AT 72 MPH THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED WITHOUT ANY WARNING TO UNDER 20 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE DASH SAID AWD SYSTEM DISENGAGED OR ERROR OR SOME SIMILAR MESSAGE AND TO TAKE TO THE DEALER. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO GET OFF THE ROAD. I PULLED OFF, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, AND IT STARTED RUNNING AGAIN. I'M LUCKY I WAS NOT REAR ENDED.

• 12/28/2018· POWER TRAIN

  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED/QUIT WORKING AT A STOP LIGHT IN CHEYENNE, WYOMING 28 DECEMBER 2018 WITH ONLY 25,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS.

• 12/25/2019· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEAR A LOUD EXPLODING SOUND FROM MY VEHICLE. I THOUGHT SOMETHING EXTREMELY HEAVY WAS THROWN OR FELL ON MY CAR. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME, I FOUND A GAPING HOLE ON MY SUNROOF. THE GLASS WAS SHATTERED BUT THE OBJECT THAT "HIT" IT WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. AFTER CLOSELY EXAMINING IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT AN OBJECT HIT IT BASED OFF THE ANGLE THE SUNROOF METAL. THE METAL LOOKS LIKE THE EXPLOSION CAME FROM INWARD NOT OUTWARD.

• 12/25/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE, MY SUNROOF JUST EXPLODED FOR NO REASON.

• 12/23/2018· POWER TRAIN

  WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STARTED JOLTING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT OFF. ONCE AT A FULL STOP, THE CAR DID NOT SHUT OFF. INSTEAD, ONCE I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I SHIFTED INTO PARK, BACK TO DRIVE, REVERSE, AND EVEN MANUAL BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I WAS STUCK ON A ROAD WHERE CARS DRIVE 60-70 MPH IF THE LIGHT IS GREEN I WAS AFRAID THAT I WOULD BE READ-ENDED. I WAS HELPED BY A GOOD SAMARITAN OFF THE ROAD AND WAS FORCED TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO MY HOUSE. NEXT MORNING, THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT MOVE AND WAS FORCED TO TOW IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. OUTSIDE OF SOME IRREGULAR DOWN-SHIFTING, THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ULTIMATELY, THE SYSTEM WAS REBOOTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME AFTER I TEST DROVE IT WITH THE SHOP FOREMAN. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DIAGNOSED, I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND AFRAID THAT PROBLEM MAY REOCCUR, LEAVING ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE DEALERSHIP ITSELF WAS VERY HELPFUL BUT THEY RELIED ON CORPORATE TOYOTA TO GUIDE THEM WITH DIAGNOSING AND FIXING THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THEY CAME UP SHORT.

• 12/17/2021· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Front windshield cracked in 2 location due to stress. No impact of any kind. West Kendall Toyota in Kendall, Miami wants me to file Insurance and have repairs done by Safelite Autoglass. This is a Toyota Manufacturers problem. The new windshield should be OEM and needs quality front camera calibration. Kendall Toyota’s phone : 305 536 3255

• 12/15/2017· VISIBILITY/WIPERCrash

  THE BULKY SIDE MIRROR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN BECAUSE OF A LARGE BLIND SPOT. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THAT VERY REASON. I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. I CHECKED FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES AND TURNED WHEN I SAW TRAFFIC WAS CLEAR. I WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BECAUSE MY VISIBILITY WAS BLOCKED BY THE MIRROR AND THE ONCOMING VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN.

• 12/14/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,ENGINE

  2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER VIN: [XXX] I purchased my Highlander new in 2017 and I have had consistent electrical issues. The radio has consistently fluctuated between bass, treble, and off for no apparent reason. I have taken my vehicle to the dealer 4 times and still no change. I have replaced the battery 3 times although I only have 25,000 miles on 55,000mile tires, the tire treads are wearing quickly. I rarely go anywhere and when I do it is on smooth surfaced, well-maintained roads. All maintenance is completed at the dealership, including rotation and balancing. I really so annoyed and I see by the comments that I am not alone in these issues. I'm not even going to get into the plastic chrometek wheels. However, Toyota states there are no problems. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

• 12/13/2017· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 72 MPH WHEN VEHICLE DIED CAUSING A POTENTIALLY VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, MASTER WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, SEE DEALER FOR REPAIR MESSAGE DISPLAYED. WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO SIDE OF ROAD AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. AFTER 2 DAYS OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (LESS THAN 12,000 MILES ON VEHICLE). THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING, HOWEVER, NOW NOTICE A DECREASE IN GAS MILEAGE AND DIFFERENCE IN TRANSMISSION SHIFTING SINCE REPLACEMENT.

• 12/12/2023· STRUCTURE

  This 2017 Highlander Blizzard Pearl White paint is defective on the drivers side door. Paint started to bubble in 2021 then peeled off with rust stains underneath due to water damage. It appears that there is no sealant on the door for the paint to adhere so it continues to peel and rust. A defective paint job on this vehicle when manufactured. Please have Toyota take responsibility for their irresponsible paint job on this door. The vehicle has never been in an accident or hit with anything on the drivers side of the door. They need to correct their incomplete and incompetent painting. There seems to be no sealant underneath for the paint to adhere to. Please address this error.

• 12/10/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS

  I purchased my Highlander new in 2017 and I have had consistent electrical issues. I the radio has consistently fluctuated between bass, treble, and off for no apparent reason. I have taken my vehicle to the dealer 4 times and still no change. I have replaced the battery 3 times although I only have 25,000 miles on 55,000mile tires, the tire treads are wearing quickly. I rarely go anywhere and when I do it is on smooth surfaced, well-maintained roads. All maintenance is completed at the dealership, including rotation and balancing. I really so annoyed and I see by the comments that I am not alone in these issues. I'm not even going to get into the plastic chrometek wheels. However, Toyota states there are no problems.

• 12/10/2017· SERVICE BRAKES

  I PURCHASED MY TOYOTA IN MARCH. LAST NITE WAS OUR FIRST STORM OF THE YEAR. I LIVE IN SALEM,NH AND WE HAD MAYBE 2-3 INCHES OF SNOW. I WAS DRIVING HOME AND WENT OFF THE ROAD TWICE. I TRIED PUMPING BRAKES AND I FEEL AS THOUGH I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THIS SUV I COULD NOT STOP. IT WAS NOT DEEP SNOW. I FEEL SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I WAS NOT GOING MORE THAN 25 MPH AND MY SUV WENT OFF ROAD AND I NARROWLY MISSED A TELEPHONE POLE. I HAVE NEVER HAD AN SUV THAT DROVE THIS BADLY. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, MY HUSBAND EVEN DROVE AFTER I WENT OFF ROAD AND WHILE HE WAS DRIVING THE CAR SLID ALL OVER ROAD TOO. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS IN THIS TYPE OF WEATHER. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR SAFETY FEATURES AND NOW I AM IN FEAR OF MY LIFE IN SNOW. HELP ME PLEASE.

• 12/07/2017· ENGINE

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE REVVED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ISLAND TOYOYA (1591 HYLAN BLVD, STATEN ISLAND, NY), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,100.

• 12/04/2023· ENGINE

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. As a result of the failure, the contact was unable to maneuver or control the vehicle before coming to a complete stop in the middle of the roadway. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure and advised the contact that a Toyota technician needed to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 66,000.

• 11/29/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  WINDSHIELD REPLACED AFTER A CRACK. WINDSHIELD COMPANY AND TOYOTA DEALER COULD NOT RECALIBRATE FRONT CAMERA. LANE WARNING SYSTEM AND FRONTAL COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS NOT WORKING. DRIVING WITH WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH. WINDSHIELD MOUNTED CAMERA SAFETY SYSTEMS IS A BAD IDEA. THE NEED FOR WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT MAY OCCUR TO ANYONE. IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS COMPLICATED TO RECALIBRATE THE CAMERA. SO NOW I HAVE AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE KEEP ME SAFE- EXCEPT THAT THE SAFETY SYSTEMS ARE NOT WORKING.

• 11/28/2024· VISIBILITY

  Side mirror (glass) shakes/rattles at speeds over 45mph. This affects the visibility of things in the mirror as well as becomes distracting to the driver. When on the interstate with smooth pavement it's impossible to ignore... It's just more noticeable then. Tried moving the mirror to verify and yes, it's loose. Just reporting it now that I became aware of this website but car has had this issue for at least 2 years.

• 11/28/2019· ENGINE

  THIS ENGINE BURNS OIL. 1/8 OF AN INCH PER WEEK. IF A PERSON DOES NOT CHECK THEIR OIL VERY OFTEN THEIR ENGINE WILL FAIL AND LOCK UP. THIS COULD HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING AND CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

• 11/28/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHERCrash

  VEHICLE HAD A STRAIGHT FRONTAL COLLISION WITH THE END OF A GUARDRAIL ON A HIGHWAY BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A COLLISION AVOIDANCE RADAR SYSTEM BUT THE SYSTEM DID NOT ENGAGE. THE SYSTEM DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY BRAKE AS IT SHOULD HAVE.

• 11/27/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKESCrash

  WE WERE IN A THANKSGIVING DAY RELATED TOUCH N GO TRAFFIC ON A NORMAL STREET, WHICH ENTERS INTO A MALL. ALL OF US ARE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, CAR AHEAD OF US JUST STARTED MOVING AND WE FOLLOWED AFTER ALLOWING A SAFE DISTANCE, THEN SUDDENLY THE CAR AHEAD OF US STOPPED, SO I TRIED STOPPING QUICKLY, BUT THE CAR'S AUTOMATIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE KICKED IN AND TOOK CONTROL OF MY BRAKES, BUT IT STILL DIDNT STOP, I WAS TRYING TO STOP, BUT THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. ENDED UP REAR-ENDING CAR INFRONT OF ME. THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS SAFETY FEATURE WAS TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM REAR ENDING OTHER CARS IN DAY-TO-DAY TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. ALSO OUR SPEED WAS NOT MORE THAN 20 MPH, WHEN I HIT THE GAS PEDAL, ALMOST INSTANTLY I REALIZED I HAVE TO STOP AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL, TRIED BRAKING, BUT CAR KEPT ROLLING FORWARD. THIS IS JUST 4 MONTH OLD CAR WITH 2500 MILES ON IT. WAITING TO SEE HOW TOYOTA HANDLES MY CASE, IN THE MEANTIME, INSURANCE THINKS I AM AT FAULT AND STARTED THE CLAIM, COVERING THE CAR INFRONT OF ME. MY DASHBOARD DISPLAYED A "BRAKE" MESSAGE IN RED COLOR, WHICH IS TRUE, IT IDENTIFIED A COLLISION, BUT DIDNT STOP. IMO STOPPING IS MORE IMPORTANT! THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO CAR INFRONT OF ME, MY CAR HAD SOME MINOR DAMAGE TO GRILLS AND FRONT BUMPER AREA.

• 11/20/2019· AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHERCrash

  I TURNED MY CAR TO PARK IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT. I BELIEVE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, IT HAPPENED SO FAST, I AM NOT SURE. . ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN! IT SCARED THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME! SUDDENLY THE CAR JUMPED THROUGH A WOODEN FENCE AND OFF A FIVE FOOT DROP OFF TO THE STREET BELOW. I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS A PILE OF GRAVEL TO STOP ME. I PUT IT INTO PARK.THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. I WAS NOT HURT. BUT I AM VERY STRESSED BY THE INCIDENT. IT WILL BE A MONTH BEFORE IT IS FIXED.

• 11/18/2022· POWER TRAIN

  On March 9, 2022, the transmission in my 2017 Toyota Highlander completely failed while I was driving on a busy road during rush-hour traffic. I was approaching a stop light and was braking when the vehicle lunged forward and then stopped moving. I pressed the accelerator to move up to the stop light but the vehicle would not move, even though it was in Drive gear. I changed the gear to Park and then back to Drive and the vehicle still would not move. The engine was revving and the RPMs were increasing but the vehicle would not move while in Drive gear. I also tried to reverse but the vehicle still would not move. I had to exit the vehicle and ask for assistance from other motorists to physically push my vehicle off the road into a parking lot so as not to continue blocking the busy road. I called for a tow truck which towed my vehicle to Scott Clark Toyota City dealership in Matthews, North Carolina. They inspected the vehicle and the next day let me know that transmission had completely failed. They added that they had never experienced this and it was especially unusual on such a new vehicle. The vehicle was only 5 years old and only had 45,000 miles with no prior issue or warning. We bought the vehicle new in 2017 and it has been serviced regularly by a Toyota dealership. Thankfully, the vehicle was still under factory warranty and the transmission was replaced at no cost to me.

• 11/18/2022· ENGINE

  This is the second major failure I have experienced with my 2017 Toyota Highlander. I have already filed a complaint about the transmission failure earlier this year. On November 14, 2022, I noticed a knocking sound coming from the engine. My husband was able to ascertain that the noise was coming from the water pump and that the water pump gasket had failed. He checked the coolant fluid and all coolant fluid had leaked out, both the reserve tank and radiator had NO coolant fluid remaining. If I had continued to drive the vehicle, it would have overheated and possibly caused more damage. Thanks to the cooler temperatures we have in November, I did not experience the engine overheating. There were no warning lights or any other indicator that something major was wrong with the vehicle. We called our Toyota dealership and were told that the vehicle which now has 50,100 miles, is out of warranty and we would be responsible for the repair. The normal life of a water pump is over 100,000 miles and with this complete failure of this major system, I do not trust the safety of this vehicle with this being the second major system to completely fail in this vehicle.

• 11/18/2020· POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR ACCELERATING, A SLIGHT PAUSE OR LOSS OF POWER IS NOTICEABLE. IT SEEMS AS IF FUEL IS CUT OFF OR ENGINE DOES NOT HAVE MAXIMUM ENGINE POWER TO MAINTAIN SPEEDS FOR VERY SHORT PERIODS OF TIME.

• 11/15/2024· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with several warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that an image with the brake pedal depressed was displayed. The contact was informed by his wife that the vehicle then stalled. The driver was unable to restart the vehicle and assistance was provided to push the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The driver was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred, and the vehicle was towed to a local dealer however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

• 11/15/2023· POWER TRAIN

  Highlander shift issue 11/14/2023 On 11/14/2023, our 2017 Toyota Highlander, vin# [XXX] , upon driving the transmission decided on its own to disengage. Our Highlander stopped propelling itself in either direction. We had to manually push our vehicle into a parking spot and await the tow truck. Our Highlander is in mint condition with 71,400 miles on it. This was scary because the vehicle would shift on the shifter, but for some reason the transmission would not engage. The engine worked perfectly fine. We had the Highlander towed to the nearest Toyota dealer who pushed the vehicle into their garage and placed on a lift. The Highlander had no idiot lights on, no cable issues, fluid was fine per the Toyota Technician. The Toyota Tech placed the vehicle on their main computer and there were no error codes. The Tech reset the computer on the vehicle with a Toyota Master computer, and the vehicle started to work as normal. I consider this a huge issue and I thank God that my wife was not on the interstate highway when this happened. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 11/13/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  This is the SECOND incident with this vehicle in the past 4 months. When going to start my vehicle, it would not start. It gave me this error message: Braking power low, Stop in a Safe Place, See owners manual. There is NOTHING about this in the owners manual. The first time I thought it was battery related and after 3 different chargers on my vehicle, it finally started. Tonight I proceeded to push the button without the foot pedal and the radio came on, so it is definitely not the battery. I've tried several times to start and to no avail. Problem has not been reproduced as i cannot drive my vehicle at this time. No inspection as of yet. No warnings or symptoms prior to failure. Research shows it may have to do with a fuel pump pressure issue. I have paperwork on this issue under a customer support program 23TE01. Hoping this can become a recall and i can get this fixed .

• 11/13/2020· SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE

  VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I PRESSED THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE SCREEN STARTED TO FLASH AND MAKING CLICKING NOISE. WARNING MESSAGES INCLUDE: CHECK AWD SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE ALERT MALFUNCTION VISIT YOUR DEALER AND BRAKING POWER LOW.

• 11/11/2022· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  Car shut down multiple times while driving. Car lost steering and all power then somehow came back to life without me touching anything. It’s as if the car decides to shut down when All Wheel Drive kicks in. First the entertainment system shuts down and then the entire car shuts down.

• 11/10/2020· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V012000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA OF CHARLESTON (2100 SAVANNAH HWY, CHARLESTON, SC 29414, (843) 203-9032) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

• 11/10/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I WAS TRAVELING EAST AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON INTERSTATE I64 IN ILLINOIS WHEN A VERY LOUD BOMB, LIKE A SHOT GUN SOUND OCCURRED IN MY CAR. WE WERE THEN COVERED WITH THE SHATTERED GLASS FROM THE SUNROOF SHATTERING AND GLASS WAS BLOWN INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND OUT. WE WERE NOT HIT WITH ANY OBJECT, IT EXPLODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE GLASS WAS ACTUALLY PUSHED UP TO THE SKY. THE EXPLOSION LEFT A 14 INCH HOLE IN MY SUNROOF.

• 11/08/2020· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES

  WHILE PRESSING ON BRAKE AND PUSHING POWER BUTTON TO TURN ON VEHICLE, A CLICKING NOISE SOUNDED AS IF THE BATTERY WAS MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN LOOKING AT THE SCREEN, IT ALERTED LOW BRAKING POWER. UNABLE TO TURN ON VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

• 11/06/2018· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE

  ON SUNDAY OCT 21 2018, THE DRIVER HAD JUST LEFT THE OLIN REST AREA IN NORTH CAROLINA, HEADING NORTHBOUND ON RT 77. AFTER DRIVING FOR A LITTLE BIT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATION UNINTENTIONALLY BY ITSELF. AND THE CAR STARTED TO ZIG ZAG ACROSS THE HIGHWAY LANES WITHOUT THE DRIVER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER TRIED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE BUT IT WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. THE CAR THEN GRAZED AN HIGHWAY GUARDRAIL AND IT PARTIALLY RIPPED OFF THE REAR LEFT SIDE AND REAR BUMPER. THE DRIVER KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKE WITHOUT EFFECT WHILE SWERVING ACROSS THE LANES. THEN SUDDENLY THE BRAKES STARTED TO WORK AND THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. THE DRIVER PUT IT INTO PARK BUT THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING AT HIGH RPM UNTIL THE DRIVER TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I THINK THE CAR HAD A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. IN ADDITION, I THINK THE ZIG ZAG WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC TRACTION/ STABILITY CONTROL, SENDING EXCESSIVE POWER TO A WHEEL ON A PARTICULAR SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT DIDN'T NEED IT.

• 11/05/2021· SEAT BELTS

  2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE SEATBELTS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER SIDE BUCKLE CUT THROUGH THE BELTED FABRIC. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS.

• 11/03/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES

  I was driving home and a warning brake light came on which said breaking power low stop in a safe place, BSM not available. Car won’t start again, ABS light, traction control light, all wheel drive system, engine brake light, antilock brake system. All of these alerts are on the dashboard.

• 11/01/2018· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKESCrash

  TAKATA RECALL. STRANGE NOISES AND FLASH GREEN LIGHT APPEAR ON DISPLAY, AFTER 1/4 MILES FROM PARKING LOT, THE CAR SPEED UP BY ITSELF, THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM (PCS) IS NOT WORKING, BRAKE ASSIST IS FAILED, THE DRIVER CANNOT MANUALLY BRAKES THE CAR.

• 10/31/2023· POWER TRAIN

  About two weeks prior to the transmission failing, I started hearing a high-pitched whining coming from the transmission, difficulty shifting, and lurching forward when engaging the gear. On the evening of October 4th, my wife was driving at 65 mph on a busy freeway in Atlanta when the vehicle lost acceleration. She was nearly hit while stopped on the freeway. Fortunately, kind motorists got out of their cars and pushed her to the side of the road. The car was towed to a Toyota service shop, and we were advised they could not do the repairs. The mechanic stated it was a known internal Toyota issue. I did some research online and found hundreds of posts from Highlander owners of 2017-18 vehicles complaining about issues with the transmission failing. I found Toyota Customer Support Bulletin POL [XXX] dated 4/18/2019, REPAIR COVERAGE FOR UA80 TRANSMISSION ON CERTAIN 2017-2018 MY SIENNA AND CERTAIN 2017-2018 MY HIGHLANDER VEHICLES. The mechanic said the failure code with a failed transaxle and all the symptoms my vehicle experienced were consistent with the bulletin. My time period for the bulletin was for cars produced from November 2016 to December 2017. My vehicle’s manufacturing date was 12/8/2016. Toyota claims my vehicle although produced during this time was not impacted. It is my belief that Toyota was aware of multiple failures on UA80 transmissions on vehicles produced from 2016 to 2020 and deliberately identified a smaller number to avoid a recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 10/30/2019· TIRES

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER EQUIPPED WITH ACHILLES DESERT HAWK UHP TIRES, SIZE: 285/40R22 (NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALLS WERE SEPARATING FROM ALL FOUR TIRES. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18T013000 (TIRES). THE CONTACT CALLED TIRE TOWN AUTO SERVICE (LOCATED AT 627 OLD SPANISH TRAIL, SLIDELL, LA 70458, (985) 643-7092) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. *LN CONSUMER STATED PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS OF TIRE SIDEWALL SPLITTING. I HAVE TRIED EMAILING THE COMPANY TO FIND OUT ABOUT RECALL OR TO GET A REPLACEMENT. THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *JB

• 10/29/2020· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  BLUETOOTH DISCONNECTING

• 10/28/2021· VISIBILITY

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that upon purchase of the vehicle, she discovered a vertical crack on the bottom driver’s side of the windshield. The contact stated that the crack obstructed her vision while driving. The vehicle was returned to the dealer and the windshield was replaced. A year later while driving 60 MPH, a small pebble struck the windshield which cause another vertical crack on the bottom driver side of the windshield. Upon further investigation, the contact discovered two additional cracks in the same area as the original crack. The dealer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000

• 10/28/2019· SEATSCrash

  I WAS IN A REAR IMPACT COLLISION IN MY HIGHLANDER. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY ON A HIGHWAY, HAVING STOPPED TO AVOID A COLLISION, AND WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AT A RELATIVELY HIGH RATE OF SPEED (ESTIMATED 55-65 MPH). MY CAR WAS PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT WHICH CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION WITH SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES. IMMEDIATELY AFTER IMPACT I BEGAN TO FEEL NECK AND BACK PAIN AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. PRIOR TO TRANSPORT, WE NOTICED THAT MY HEADREST HAD BROKEN FREE IN THE IMPACT AND WAS LAYING ON THE BACK FLOORBOARD.

• 10/27/2018· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  BOUGHT THIS 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER NEW FROM DEALER IN DENVER. 400 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED SEVERELY IN THE FIRST 1000 MILES FROM MINOR STONES HITTING THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT- OEM WITH CAMERA, HEAT, RADAR SENSORS FOR $1800. NOW, THAT SECOND WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED AGAIN, REQUIRING A 3RD WINDSHIELD INSTALLED AT 27,000 MILES. TOYOTA SLANTED THE ANGLE OF THE FRONT HOOD ON THIS VEHICLE TO REDUCE DRAG AND IMPROVE GAS MILEAGE. AS A RESULT, MINOR STONES ON THE ROAD ARE THROWN VIOLENTLY INTO THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD LEADING TO CRACKS WHICH START FROM THE BASE OF THE GLASS AND QUICKLY CRAWL UP AND ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD REQUIRING REPLACEMENTS. THIS IS NOT SAFE. I HAVE HAD 3 BRAND NEW HIGHLANDERS IN DENVER OVER 12 YEARS- A 2009 HIGHLANDER HYBRID LIMITED, A 2015 HIGHLANDER LIMITED AND THIS 2017 HIGHLANDER LIMITED- AND THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE WHERE THE WINDSHIELD BARELY LASTS A FEW THOUSAND MILES BEFORE CRACKING AND REQUIRING A NEW WINDSHIELD. THESE WINDSHIELDS ARE HEATED, WITH CAMERA AND RADAR SENSORS AND OEM ONLY SO REPLACING THESE IS NOT CHEAP- $1800 PER WINDSHIELD FROM TOYOTA. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. PROTECTION FOR THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD NEEDS TO BE ADDED. THE CRACKS ALWAYS HAPPEN IN THE SAME SPOT.

• 10/25/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The hands free calling feature has a serious echo when calling to the driver while on the road making it useless to use. It is California law states that calls made while driving must be hands free. This problem has existed since the car was purchased new. It forces the driver to handle incoming calls using a cell phone without the hands free while driving. My wife and I want Toyota to repair our car free of charge . My wife and I researched this problem on line and apparently this is a ongoing issue with Toyota’s 2019 and older. We want it fixed or we shall move forward with the lemon lemon law.

• 10/25/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  The vehicle simply would not start after I returned to my car from shopping. It had power but when I pressed the break and pushed ignition button multiple error messages came up that said "Charging system malfunction" then "Braking power low" then "SBS Airbag System Malfunction". The lights on the dash flickered, so i turned it off. When i turned it back on (before pressing the brake and pushing the ignition button to start) there was power, but the engine didn't turn over. My child and I were stranded at the grocery store waiting for the tow truck for over an hour, and then for a ride home. If this had happened while traveling further this would have put us in a real bind, and if it would happen while driving could be extremely unsafe. The car was towed to the Dealer (Russ Darrow in West Bend) who is claiming the battery needs to be replaced (i bought this vehicle 10 months ago- he said the cold cranking amps were at 520-540 at that time and were now at 297), he confirmed the alternator was healthy. As of now it looks like they will just be replacing the battery, so yes the vehicle system should be available for inspection upon request. My fear is that this could happen again after replacing the battery just like many other Toyotas that have had this exact same issue. There was no warning light that the battery was low. No indication of an upcoming maintenance issue. It happened abruptly.

• 10/23/2017· SEATS

  THE NEW HEADRESTS ARE TOO FAR FORWARD AND CREATE A LITERAL PAIN IN THE NECK. THE NEW HEADREST REQUIREMENTS ARE CAUSING THE MANUFACTURERS TO PRODUCE VEHICLES THAT THE END USERS ARE HAVING TO MODIFY, OR SET THE SEATS AT AN ANGLE THAT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS TRUE OF MOST NEW VEHICLES. PLEASE REVISE THE NEW REGULATIONS.

• 10/21/2021· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, she heard abnormal clicking sounds. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.

• 10/20/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  Left work on 10/4 to go to the bank, grab lunch, and the carwash. Went to the bank and grabbed lunch. Went to Mikes carwash to vaccuum out and wash my car. After vacuuming the car I went to start it and got nothing. A message of low braking power please pull to a safe location and check AWD system popped up. I sat there for over 30 mins trying to get the vehicle to start. It never started. It had to be towed to the Toyota dealership. The Toyota diagnostic revealed that I needed a new battery. Took $150 to figure that out, ok. Purchased a $200 battery and had it installed. Four days later went to get into the car and it would not start once again. Upon starting a whole bunch of lights flashed on the dash but the message that came up was low braking power, check AWD system. At this point the car would not start without a jump. I jumped the car using a jump pack. Drove the car to the shop (a different one this time) to have a diagnostic done. The diagnostic revealed no issue. At this point I have only had this vehicle 5 months and I am not impressed. As a matter of fact im thoroughly frustrated and disappointed. This vehicle has 44,200 miles on it but the amount of time, issues, effort, and funds I have had to contribute to this phantom problem is very disturbing. Like I literally get into the car and have to pray that it will start. And to get on here and see that this is a huge problem experienced by many others is even more frustrating to me.

• 10/20/2018· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  TWICE IN THE SPAN OF 1 YEAR AND 6 MONTHS OWNED CAR FOR 2 YEARS 1ST- SHATTERED WINDSHIELD- GLASS CAME INSIDE THE CAR OF HYLANDER WHEN ROCK HIT WINSHIELD- ONLY 1 YEAR OLD. CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY ROAD SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH 2ND TIME: SHATTERD WINSHIELD 1 YEAR 3 MONTHS LATER FROM ANOTHER ROCK. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET SPEED LIMIT 45 MPH

• 10/17/2021· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The stop/start feature on the 2017 Highlander appeared to fail. In stop and go traffic, the vehicle stalled. And would not start. The vehicle started back up with a battery boost. This incident presented a danger to the person in this vehicle and other vehicles around it. The vehicle was brought to Toyota Service. They could not reproduce the issue. A fault was found in the battery, the battery was replaced. Approximately 11 days later. This vehicle came to a stop at a red light, stop/start feature engaged. The vehicle did not start back up, it stalled.