2005 Toyota Highlander Visibility Problems

THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR IS DROOPING MORE AND MORE. NOW IT IS PARTLY IN MY LINE OF SIGHT (I'M 6'3") AND WHEN I HIT A BUMP IT DROPS DOWN EVEN FURTHER AND BLOCKS ABOUT HALF OF MY VISION OUT THE WINDSHIELD. VERY DANGEROUS. BEFORE I START DRIVING, I CAN GENTLY RAISE IT AND SLOWLY LET IT DROP TO WHERE IT STOPS WHERE IT ONLY PARTIALLY BLOCKS MY VISION. AS LONG AS I CAN AVOID BUMPS/POTHOLES, IT WILL STAY BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH OF A BUMP TO KNOCK IT LOOSE TO WHERE IT DROPS DOWN FURTHER AND BECOMES A SAFETY HAZARD BY BLOCKING TOO MUCH OF MY VISION. THIS STARTED SOME YEARS AGO AND HAS STEADILY GOTTEN WORSE.

NHTSA ID

10824640

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

HEWLLO MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR.IT WONT STAY UP AND HASNT FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I HAVE READ THAT A LOT OF HIGHLANDER OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SEE.A NEW COSTS ABOUT 175.00!

NHTSA ID

10789129

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

I HAVE A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2005 .THE DRIV ERR S SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP.IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD WE HOLE DRIVING.TOYOTA, THOUGH THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY HIGHLAND ERR OWN ERR 3RD WILL NOT FIX OR REPLACE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10703688

Incident

Feb 1, 2009

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR FALLS DOWN, OBSTRUCTING VIEW, UNPREDICTABLY, DESPITE HAVING NOTHING ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10693294

Incident

Mar 7, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENTIRE SUNROOF SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE AREA WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 197,000.

NHTSA ID

10692971

Incident

Mar 7, 2015

Mileage

197,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT HEADLIGHT LENSES WERE DETERIORATING. THERE WAS A PRESENCE OF A SPOT THAT WAS SPREADING ACROSS THE PLASTIC, WHICH MAY BE INTERMITTENTLY MELTING. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SPOT WAS INCREASING ON THE FRONT HEADLIGHT LENSE AND COULD IMPACT THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY UPON THE USE OF THE LOW OR HIGH BEAMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ID

10659465

Incident

Oct 25, 2014

Mileage

82,000 mi

THERE ARE 2 MALFUNCTIONS HAPPENING ON THIS VEHICLE:1) THE DOOR LOCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE STOP WORKING WITH KEYLESS ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO, IT WORKS IF YOU DO IT MANUALLY. 2) BOTH VISORS-DRIVER'S AND PASSENGERS VISOR HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY LOOSER, THERE ARE NO ADJUSTMENT SCREWS, WHAT MAKES THIS SUCH A HAZARD, IF YOU HIT A BUMP AND YOU'RE IN SPEEDING TRAFFIC SOMETIMES THE VISOR JUST DROPS DOWN AND BLOCKS YOUR LINE OF SIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621130

Incident

May 5, 2014

BOTH POWER REAR WINDOWS CAME OUT OF THEIR PWR WINDOW TRACKS. THIS ALLOWS THE WINDOW TO FALL TO THE FULLY OPEN POSITION. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT CAUSED SEVERE AIR BUFFETING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT'S SO SEVERE THAT IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS VIBRATING APART. THIS EXTREMELY LOUD PAINFUL SOUND CAUSES PANIC AS TO WHAT HAPPENED AND SEVER EAR PAIN. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE BUFFETING IS TO QUICKLY PULL OFF THE ROAD AND STOP. THE OPEN WINDOW ALSO EXPOSED OCCUPANTS AND PETS IN THE REAR SEAT AREA TO FALLING OUT. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT AS THE TRACK ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW THAT CONNECTS TO THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR ARM MIGRATES SLOWLY ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW EACH TIME THE WINDOW IS OPERATED UNTIL THE MOTOR ARM FALLS OUT OF THE TRACK. THEN THE WINDOW IS FREE TO FALL DOWN AND CANNOT BE CLOSED UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETIN COVERING THIS. I RECEIVED A CHUCKLE FROM THE DEALER AS HE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS COMMON $250 PER WINDOW FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10584071

Incident

Feb 12, 2014

Mileage

110,113 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR FALLS DOWN, WON'T STAY UP, AND OBSTRUCTS VIEW WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574174

Incident

Mar 22, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE SUNVISOR WILL NOT STAY UP, IT JUST FALLS DOWN AND BLOCKS DRIVERS VIEW ANY TIME AND AT THE WORST TIME! NOW IT WILL NOT STAY UP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10543681

Incident

Sep 12, 2013

Mileage

115,400 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR DROPS DOWN RANDOMLY AND OBSTRUCT MY VISION. I HAVE HAD MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534484

Incident

Aug 9, 2013

Mileage

105,000 mi

THIS PROBLEM WAS FOR THE HEATING AND A\C. THIS WEBSITE TELLS OF THE PROBLEM IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE VEHICLE: WWW.DEVALCOURT.COM/2010/03/FIXING-2004-TOYOTA-HIGHLANDER-AC-AND-HEAT-ISSUE/ . THE WAY TOYOTA MADE THE WIRING (TOO SHORT FOR THE DIAL) WAS FAULTY IN THAT, AFTER REPEATED USE (WHO DOESN'T USE THEIR HEATING AND A/C REGULARLY?) THE WIRES WOULD BREAK OFF CAUSING A SHORT. WHENEVER WE DRIVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE A/C SHIFTS TO HEAT OR THE HEAT SHIFTS TO A/C. WE USED TO REMOVE THE COVER OF THE KNOB AND TIGHTEN THE HEX NUT THERE, BUT NOW THAT DOESN'T WORK. THIS IS ESPECIALLY WORRISOME IN THE WINTER WHEN THE DEFROST SHIFTS TO A/C AND THE FRONT WINDOW STARTS TO "FOG" UP. THIS MAKES FOR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVING AND INHIBITS YOUR ABILITY TO SEE CLEARLY AND NAVIGATE THE ROADS. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A DESIGN FLAW BY TOYOTA AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. PLEASE NOTE, ON THE WEBSITE MENTIONED ABOVE -- THERE ARE MANY MORE YEAR MODELS (2001, 2004 WERE ALSO MENTIONED) THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS. THANK YOU! *TR

NHTSA ID

10533495

Incident

Dec 12, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY IN PLACE WHEN IT IS ALL THE WAY UP. BECAUSE OF THE INHERENT DESIGN PROBLEM AND POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF WEIGHT AND OR VIBRATION OF THE VISOR IT FALLS DOWN MAY BE UP TO 30 DEGREES. THERE ARE TWO POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ISSUE: 1. SAFETY ISSUE: IT PARTIALLY BLOCKS THE VISION OF THE DRIVER ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING WHICH IS DANGEROUS. 2. PHYSICAL INJURY: WHILE THE DRIVER IS EXITING OUT OF THE CAR OR WHEN THE DRIVER MOVES HIS HEAD FORWARD, THERE ARE CHANCES THAT HE/SHE MAY BUMP THEIR FOREHEAD TO THE VISOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509401

Incident

Dec 23, 2010

Mileage

36,000 mi

ON 11/9/2011, WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 NEAR AUBURN, CA., THE REAR WINDOW ON MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED/SHATTERED. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER/BODYSHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TEMPERED GLASS AT MY EXPENSE ($468). THEY CLAIMED THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. TWO WEEKS LATER ON 11/28/2011, WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 NEAR ROCKLIN, CA., THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED/SHATTERED SENDING SHARDS OF GLASS INTO THE VEHICLE AND OUT. THE CAR IS GETTING REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE ($408). TOYOTA CLAIMS THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WORTHY OF INVESTIGATION. DURING THE SECOND INCIDENT, A PASSENGER WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED HAD THEY BEEN SITTING NEXT TO THE EXPLODING GLASS. IF THE WINDOW HAD BEEN THE DRIVER-SIDE WINDOW, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS CRASH. AS IT WAS, THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE MEASURES TO AVOID THE FLYING GLASS. THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN 2 INCIDENTS WITHIN TWO WEEKS INVOLVING 2 SEPARATE OEM GLASS SUGGESTS A POSSIBLE DEFECT. *KB

NHTSA ID

10437688

Incident

Nov 9, 2011

Mileage

100,500 mi

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND THE SUN VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE KEEPS FALLING OUT OF ITS PLACE AND OBSTRUCTING VIEWS . I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY WANT MORE THAN $400.00 TO FIX IT. THE VISOR FALLING DOWN IS DANGEROUS AND DISTRACTING. IN MY ABLE OPINION TOYOTA HAS TO RECALL THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10436313

Incident

Nov 18, 2011

02/28/11, I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND THE SUN VISOR (WITH LIGHTED MIRROR) ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT STAY UP. WHEN I DRIVE IT CAUSES A VISIBILITY ISSUE. THIS DEFINITELY CREATES A DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION ON THE ROAD BECAUSE PART OF THE VISIBILITY IS BLOCKED. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MY CAR IS BARELY 6 YEARS AND I AM ALREADY HAVING ISSUES. I HAVE NEVER HAD THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS WITH OTHER VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384701

Incident

Feb 27, 2011

Mileage

73,000 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR KEEPS COMING DOWN CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10375292

Incident

Nov 1, 2010

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOWS HAD BEEN FALLING OFF TRACK SINCE MAY 2009. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS WITHIN THE MECHANISM THAT LOWERED AND RAISED THE WINDOWS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.

NHTSA ID

10366518

Incident

May 13, 2009

Mileage

50,000 mi

HEATER RUNS ERRATICALLY--BLOWING FINE AND THEN SWITCHING TO COLD AIR AND THEN IF I "JIGGLE" THE CONTROL CAN GET HEAT AGAIN. HAD THE DEALER REPAIR IN FALL OF 2009 (ABOUT $95), BUT IT HAS STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10331121

Incident

Apr 1, 2009

Mileage

34,000 mi

2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ERRATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL FROM HEATER. WHEN SET ON COOL WILL SUDDENLY BLOW HOT AIR AND VICE VERSA. ON-LINE COMPLAINTS INDICATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM RESULTING FROM DEFECTIVE CONTROL UNIT IN THIS AND OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES OVER SEVERAL YEARS. THE CONTROL KNOW COMES LOOSE AND THEN THE WIRING BEHIND IT BREAKS FROM THE CIRCUIT BOARD RESULTING IN ERRATIC AIR TEMPERATURES. I ALSO HAVE CONCERN THAT THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE COULD CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL SHORTS OR PROBLEMS. DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE CONTROL UNIT AT PRICES RANGING FROM $500 TO $1500. ON-LINE CONSUMERS REPORT FIX ONLY REQUIRES RESOLDERING THE 3-WIRE CONTACTS AT A COST OF A FEW DOLLARS. IT IS OBVIOUS TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE RELATIVELY EASY FIX DOCUMENTED WITH PICTURES ON-LINE BUT CONTINUES TO DENY THAT IT IS THEIR PROBLEM. IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT CHARGING OWNERS HUGE FEES FOR REPLACING A SIMPLE COMPONENT SEEMS TO BE WHAT TOYOTA FEELS IS THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10329914

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

56,000 mi

2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. DRIVING TO WORK IN A BLIZZARD ON 12/11/09 ALL DASH BOARD LIGHTS WENT ON. DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE SUNROOF HOUSING FAILED CAUSING $3,977.16 WORTH OF DAMAGE. BEING OUT OF WARRANTY THE DEALER AGREED TO PAY 2,000.00. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE ANOTHER 1,500 AND WE PAID 477.16. WE PICKED UP THE CAR ON 12/24/09. ON 2/2/10 WE RETURNED IT AFTER NOTICING A BURN SPOT ON EACH OF THE PLASTIC HEAD LIGHT COVERS. THE DEALER FOUND BOTH HIGHBEAM BULBS MELTED,AND SUGGESTED I HAD OVERUSED THEM CAUSING THE INTENSE HEAT THAT DID THE DAMAGE. I AM CONCERNED IT COULD BE A RESULT OF DELAYED WATER DAMAGE SHOWING UP. OUR CONCERNS WITH THIS CAR(WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW IN NOV. OF 2005)GOES BACK TO 9/7/06 WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT SLOW THE CAR GOING DOWN HILLS. ON 2/28/07 WE HAD BRAKE AND WIPER BLADE ISSUES. ON 4/20/07 THE BLADES LOCKED DURING A DOWNPOUR ON THE 5 FREEWAY. I HAD TO PULL OVER IN A PANIC. ON 7/12/07 THE CARGO CLIP HAD TO BE REPLACED. ON 9/10/07 THAT PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD PROPERLY AND THERE WAS A RATTLE FROM THE RIGHT REAR. ON 11/6/07 WE COMPLAINED OF SQUEAKY BRAKES. DEALER TIGHTENED LOOSE NUTS AND BOLTS ON 4X4 ASSEMBLY. ON 4/1/08 THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED @ 29,080 MILES.ON 10/22/08 THE SOUND SYSTEM FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NEXT WEEK WE ARE HAVING THE 5TH SET OF TIRES PUT ON THIS VEHICLE WHICH HAS ONLY 53,000 MILES ON IT. THE SET TO BE REPLACED HAS ONLY ABOUT 15,000 MILES ON THEM. THEY HAVE A 60,000 MILE WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312516

Incident

Dec 11, 2009

Mileage

52,991 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUNVISOR DOES NOT STAY UP IN MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. IT FLIPS DOWN FREQUENTLY BLOCKING DRIVER'S VIEW WHILE DRIVING AND CREATES DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. I WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED MANY MANY SAME COMPLAINTS ON MESSAGE BOARDS - ONLY ON DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. *TW

NHTSA ID

10307125

Incident

Jan 7, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR ON OUR 2005 HIGHLANDER IS FAILING TO HOLD POSITION FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE DEALER REPLACED THE VISOR AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE BUT HAS NOT REPLACED THE SECOND FAILING VISOR. THE VISOR FALLS TO THE FULL DOWN POSITION AND BLOCKS A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292404

Incident

Jan 15, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE VISOR IS BLOCKING THE VIEW OF DRIVER. THE VISOR OF MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IS MALFUNCTION WHICH IS RESULT OF FLIPPING DOWN ALL THE TIME AND BLOCKING THE VIEW OF DRIVER, SPECIAL DURING THE NIGHT TIME OR RAINING. THIS FAULTY IS CAUSING US OF NEAR ACCIDENT SITUATIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10289666

Incident

Oct 24, 2009

Mileage

49,800 mi

THE WINDOW CONTROL DROPS THE WINDOW INTO THE DOOR AND YOU CANNOT BRING THE WINDOW BACK UP. THIS FIRST OCCURRED ON JANUARY 2008, TO MY REAR RIGHT WINDOW ON MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $ 600.00. THAT WAS RIDICULOUSLY OVERPRICED, SO I FOUND A WAY TO LIFT THE WINDOW, AND THEN I DISCONNECTED THE POWER WINDOW CONTROLS TO THAT WINDOW. WITHOUT FAIL, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE REAR LEFT WINDOW OF OUR CAR IN JANUARY 2009. I HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH HIGHLANDERS AND CAMRYS, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL FROM TOYOTA FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10260456

Incident

Jan 16, 2008