2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Problems

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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...

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

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.

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

THE TIRES ON MY 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE SNOW EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AN ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. *TR

FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES BY MANY 2009 HIGHLANDER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED PREMATURE AND DANGEROUS TREAD WEAR. *TR

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.

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

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...

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 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

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