2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Other / unspecified Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER). WHILE IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO FAIL SAFE LIMP HOME MODE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NEWARK TOYOTA WORLD (230 E CLEVELAND AVE, NEWARK, DE 19711, (302) 368-6262) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. ADDITIONALLY, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WOULD COST $600. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.

NHTSA ID

11244155

Incident

Aug 14, 2019

Mileage

185,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11073201

Incident

Feb 15, 2018

Mileage

162,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SLIP, BRAKE, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER TWENTY FIVE MINUTES. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE INITIAL START UP ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR LOCATE THE FAILURE. RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10818361

Incident

Jan 12, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THE REMEDY PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 7, 2014. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10552745

Incident

Nov 14, 2013

WE WERE ACCELERATING UNDER FULL POWER ONTO US 101 ON THE NORTHBOUND ON RAMP FROM CA 41 WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER, STEERING AND AIR CONDITIONING. ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS ABLE TO STEER AROUND US TO AVOID COLLISION AND WE WERE ABLE TO STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND ROLL TO A STOP ON THE NEXT OFF RAMP. WARNING INDICATORS ON: HYBRID SYSTEM, BRAKES, STABILITY CONTROL, AND RETURN TO TOYOTA DEALER. TOWED TO DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED WITH TOYOTA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT INVERTER ASSEMBLY (G92A0-48100) FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO MILAGE. WE WERE CHARGED $8244.77 FOR A NEW INVERTER ASSEMBLY PLUS INSTALLATION. WE WERE LUCKY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THIS KIND OF FAILURE IS DANGEROUS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10542145

Incident

Jul 13, 2013

Mileage

163,253 mi

I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP SIGN TO 45 MPH. JUST AS I REACHED SPEED I HEARD A POP COME FROM THE FORWARD ENGINE BAY AND GOT ALL DIFFERENT WARNING LIGHTS IN THE DISPLAY. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF IMMEDIATE DANGER. THE LIGHT SAID CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, AND CHECK SVS. I GOT VEHICLE TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WERE IT TOOK THEM 3 DAYS TO TELL ME IT WAS THE HYBRID INVERTER WHICH COSTS AROUND $8500. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, SO I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534969

Incident

Aug 8, 2013

Mileage

136,000 mi

I ENTERED A GAS STATION AND MY CAR JUST STOPPED. IT WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO NORTHRIDGE TOYOTA (NORTHRIDGE,CA) WHERE I WAS INFORMED THE "INVERTER" FAILED, AND ONLY REPLACEMENT BY A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER MAY BE MADE DUE TO INTERNAL COMPONENT HIGH VOLTAGE PARTS, AT A COST OF $8,244.00 + LABOR IN THE AMOUNT OF $660.00. I INVESTIGATED ON-LINE AND DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME "INVERTER FAILURE". FOLLOWING UP WITH TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, I WAS INFORMED THEY KNEW OF THE "INVERTER FAILURES IN THE 06-07 MODELS AND ISSUED A RECALL FOR THOSE HYBRID MODELS AFFECTED BY THIS COMPONENT HOWEVER NO FURTHER RECALL HAS OCCURRED TO DATE. I FEEL LUCKY I WASN'T IN AN INTERSECTION OR A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE COMPLETE POWER TRAIN FAILURE CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME WITH THIS FAILED TOYOTA COMPONENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534678

Incident

Jul 21, 2013

Mileage

123,000 mi

WHILE AT THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR SERVICE, THE DEALER TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE PRIOR TO THE SERVICE AND UPON RETURNING TO THE DEALER LOT THE CAR DIED - NO POWER. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS A BAD INVERTER, BALLPARK REPAIR COST IS $9500. BESIDES BEING A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW A MODERN CAR CAN CONTAIN A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT COSTS $10K TO REPLACE THAT HAS NO MAINTENANCE IN THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE OR OTHER DIAGNOSTICS TO ALERT THE DRIVER OF PENDING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT MAY STRAND THEM IN AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE LOCATION (I.E. MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY). I HOPE THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATES THE 2008 HIGHLANDER HYBRID INVERTER FAILURES DOCUMENTED ON THIS SITE AND TOYOTA IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND EXTREMELY COSTLY DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532153

Incident

Jul 23, 2013

Mileage

13,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK HYBRID AND CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER INVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,860. KMJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10514810

Incident

May 22, 2013

Mileage

2,860 mi

AFTER HAVING A FLAT TIRE I PULLED OUT THE JACK SUPPLIES BY TOYOTA. I FOUND AS I WAS USING THE JACK THAT IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO USE IN ANY SITUATION. THE JACK HAS TO BE EXTENDED ALMOST ALL THE WAY WHEN DEALING WITH 19 INCH WHEELS. AT THE EXTENDED HEIGHT THE JACK IS UNSTABLE EVEN WHEN ON A FLAT HARD SURFACE. WHEN TAKING THE TIRE OFF OR PUTTING IT BACK ON THE JACK AND THE AUTO ROCK QUITE A BIT TO THE POINT THAT I HAD TO STOP AND CALL FOR ROAD SERVICE. EVEN THE SERVICE PERSON CALLED THE JACK A UNSAFE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND BOTH TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THE SCISSOR JACKS USED ON A SUV IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. SAFETY NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY NOT WEIGHT OR EXPENSE. IT IS TOO EASY FOR THE AUTO TO FALL OFF THE JACK WHEN EXTENDED TO ALMOST THE MAX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496459

Incident

Nov 12, 2011

Mileage

56,000 mi

I HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT ON INTRASTATE HIGHWAY DAMAGING WHEEL. THAT HIGHWAY IS RECENTLY REPAIRED AND THERE WERE NO ROAD HAZARDS IN SIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE BLOWOUT. TIRE HAD ONLY 15,000 MILES OF WEAR AND IS FILLED WITH NITROGEN. I PERSONALLY INSPECTED THIS TIRE AND THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE THREAD. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED TWICE CONSISTENT ON AVERAGE WITH TIRE MANUFACTURE RECOMMENDATION OF EVERY 7500 MILES. ALSO AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE WEATHER 50 DEGREES AND THE ROADWAY WAS CLEAN AND DRY. THE TIRE LINE IS OPEN COUNTRY A20 AND CANNOT BE ENTERED BECAUSE ITS NOT ON THE DROP DOWN LIST. A BRAND NEW TIRE AND WHEEL MUST BE PURCHASED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10365368

Incident

Nov 9, 2010

Mileage

15,000 mi