2003 Toyota Highlander Body & structure Problems

PAINT SEAL DELAMINATION

NHTSA ID

11265544

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

DURING A WRECK AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN I HIT AN UNMARKED UTILITY POLE IN THE ROADWAY OF A PARKING LOT EXIT.

NHTSA ID

10936022

Incident

Nov 21, 2016

Mileage

148,000 mi

WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A STRIP MALL, ABOUT 10 FEET BEFORE THE PARKING BLOCK THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL HARD TO THE LEFT AND HIT THE BRAKES TO AVOID THE BUILDING. I DID HIT THE AWNING SUPPORTS AND CAUSED THE AWNING TO SAG. WAS ABLE TO FINALLY STOP THE CAR AND GOT OUT SAFELY. THE CAR LATER WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY.

NHTSA ID

10775419

Incident

Apr 27, 2015

Mileage

47,000 mi

MY SUV AFTER A HEAVY RAIN WAS FLOODED. (FLOOR, BOTH FRONT AND BACK). I TOOK THE CAR IN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS . ALL AGREED THAT IT COULD BE A CLOGGED AC LINE,CLOGGED VENT IN HOOD, DOOR SEALS. ALL WAS CHECKED AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. THE A CRACK STARTED IN MY WINDSHIELD. NOT RELATING THE TWO PROBLEMS I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN TO A MECHANIC. HE FOUND RUST POPPING OUT FROM THE ROOF WHERE THE WINDSHIELD HAD BEEN FORCED OUTWARD BY RUST, CAUSING IT TO CRACK. THE LEAK WAS THEN DISCOVERED, AND CAUSED BY THE ROOF RACKS. ALLOWING WATER TO RUN INSIDE ROOF AND DOOR TRACK INTO THE CAR. I HAVE HERD OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH ROOF RACKS. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, AS IT CAN CAUSE A NUMBER OF MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

10743935

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

Mileage

113,000 mi

ON APRIL 15, 2013 WHILE PARKING MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR ACCELERATED WHILE SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHILE I WAS PARKING. SUDDENLY MY CAR TOOK OFF WITH THE ENGINE FULL SPEED TO RED LINE ON THE TACHOMETER IN A SPACE OF FOUR FEET IT JUMPED THE PARKING BLOCK AND SMASHED INTO THE CENTER BLOCK WALL WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS $2000.00. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY, BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT AND OTHER PEOPLE. I AM SCARED NOW WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510786

Incident

May 15, 2012

Mileage

62,000 mi

THE PROBLEM IS SINCE WE PURCHASED THE 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN 2005, THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR ( THE ONE WITH THE HOME LINK BUTTONS AND THE LIGHTED MIRROR) ... IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO STAY UP. WHEN PUT UP NEAR THE ROOF, IT CONSTANTLY FALLS DOWN BLOCKING MY VISION AS THE DRIVER. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE MODIFIED AND RECALLED FROM TOYOTA BEFORE IT CAUSES SOMEONE TO CRASH BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10502029

Incident

Mar 7, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PARK, HE HAPHAZARDLY CRASHED INTO A WALL AND THE FRONT FENDER DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FENDER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT APPLIED GLUE TO THE AREA AND RE-ATTACHED THE FENDER TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 05/10/2013 *JS

NHTSA ID

10499602

Incident

Jan 15, 2012

Mileage

125,000 mi

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER - 109, 032 MILES I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE SUB-FRAME WAS ROTTED/RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY REASONS. I WAS TOLD THE COST TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE $1,865.00. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER TO SEE IF TOYOTA WOULD HELP OR COVER THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT. I'M WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10460014

Incident

May 30, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS SEVERELY ROTTED UNDER THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT'S CONCERN WAS THAT THE ENGINE WOULD POSSIBLY FALL OUT WHILE DRIVING BUT THE MECHANIC ADVISED HIM THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT DROP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD FEEL THE ENGINE SHIFTING ABNORMALLY WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10447133

Incident

Feb 2, 2012

Mileage

110,000 mi

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4.0 LOUD VIBRATING NOISE WHEN EITHER BACK WINDOW IS ROLLED DOWN ROLLING DOWN FRONT WINDOW SLIGHTLY HELPS ALLEVIATE THE NOISE BUT IT IS STILL DEAFENING TO EVERYONE IN THE VEHICLE. DESIGN FLAW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369764

Incident

Apr 4, 2003

Mileage

10 mi

PAINFUL, DRUMMING NOISE WHEN REAR WINDOWS ARE OPEN. SEVERE VIBRATION WHEN IN DRIVE AT FULL STOP WITH BRAKE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10107550

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

36,100 mi

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: WITH ONE REAR WINDOW ROLLED DOWN, SLIGHTLY, THERE IS VERY PAINFULL NOISE THAT IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE WHILE DRIVING AT CITY SPEEDS (30-45 MPH). MANF. STATES THAT THIS IS COMMON IN SOME VEHICLES. IN THIS ONE IT IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS SO TIGHTLE SEALED THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THE AIR TO GO THUS CREATING A PRESSURE DIFFERENCE. NOTICED ON 2ND ADAY AFTER DELIVERY. DEALER FAILED TO PROVIDE US WITH INFO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IN FACT THEY CLAIMED IF WAS THE FIRST THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. NOW AFTER 10 MONTHS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH, WITH ALL THE WINDOWS SLIGHLTY DOWN AND THE PROBLEM IS WORSE THANEVER. THIS IS A DESIN FLAW THAT TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO CORRECT. THIS GOING TO THE LAST TOYOTA OUR FAMILY WILL PURCHASE!!! [email protected]. *AK

NHTSA ID

10067794

Incident

Jul 14, 2003

Mileage

100 mi

UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN. AS NOTED IN SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY NON-DRIVABLE WITH WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN. THIS FACT IS NEVER MENTIONED TO ANY CUSTOMERS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. I FEEL THAT IF ANYONE BUYING A VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 30K SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ANY SUCH DESIGN FLAW. EVEN WHEN ASKING THE DEALER, LATER ON, THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. TOYOTA NEEDS TO CAREFULLY LOOK INTO THIS AS WITH WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN ON FREEWAY SPEEDS, IT CREATES ALMOST A LOW PRESSURE ENV WITHIN THE VEHICLE WITH EAR-ACHES FOR ALL PASSENGERS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10048959

Incident

Jun 9, 2003

WITH REAR WINDOWS LOWERED A DEAFENING BUFFETING VIBRATION OCCURS FROM THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE SPEED IS INCREASED, THE BUFFETING INCREASES TO AN UNBEARABLE LEVEL. DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION PRIOR TO PURCHASE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10041380

Incident

Sep 25, 2003

Mileage

178 mi

I PICKED UP CAR AT THE DEALER AND THE SAME EVENING ROLLED THE REAR WINDOWS DOWN SLIGHTLY AND THE RESULT WAS A PAINFUL PULSATING PRESSURE THAT ALMOST CAUSED MY WIFE TO GO OFF THE ROAD. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED SINCE 2001 AND TOYOTA HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AT THAT POINT TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FIRST HE EVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA RECOGNIZES THE PHENOMENON AND FAXED ME ARBITRATION PAPERS WHICH I FILED AND WAS DENIED BECAUSE IT IS "A DESIGN ISSUE" NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANT". I WILL NOT DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND WOULD APRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NHTSA IN ORDER TO PREVENT NON-DISCLOSURE OF A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT IS UNSAFE AND HARMFUL TO THE EARS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10030400

Incident

Jun 30, 2003

Mileage

25 mi

WHEN THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WAS DOWN, A LOUD WHISTLING NOISE WAS HEARD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015709

Incident

Nov 2, 2002

Mileage

3,000 mi

WIND NOISE INSIDE VEHICLE WITH WINDOWS OPEN MAKES A DRUMMING NOISE THAT BORDERS ON BEING PAINFUL AT ANY SPEED OVER 30 MPH. OPENING ONE OF THE FRONT WINDOWS LESSENS THE NOISE BUT DOES NOT ELIMINATE IT. IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH ONE OR MORE WINDOWS OPEN.

NHTSA ID

10010990

Incident

Mar 25, 2003

PASSENGER SIDE DOORS (FRONT & BACK) BECOME OFF BALANCED. THEN THE DOORS HAVE TO BE CLOSED VERY HARD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10010386

Incident

Jan 4, 2003

Mileage

193 mi