2007 Toyota Highlander Driver assistance Problems

My vehicle about a year ago started to display the dash lights for the VSC, ABS, and Emergency Brake however there was no indication from the feel of the brakes as they were applied, or any indication that something was wrong with the vehicle. I had my brakes replaced on my rear tires, and for a time the lights went off. In April of 2025, the lights came back on however this time there was a distinct feeling that the brakes weren't working. I had the calipers, pads, rotors, and a tube replaced, however the lights are still on, and the vehicle now violently shakes after reaching speeds of 45 mph (mirroring the complaints from the following site: [XXX] ). Toyota has refused to acknowledge this and put consumers out thousands of dollars. This is clearly something toyota needs to honor. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11663740

Incident

May 29, 2025

MY VCS LIGHT,ABS,BRAKE,TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT IS ON. PLUS A HORRIBLE BUZZING NOISE ALWAYS ON. BRAKES ARE HARD TO PRESS DOWN ON. IT HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE DRIVING IT.

NHTSA ID

11402876

Incident

Feb 6, 2021

Mileage

217,800 mi

WHILE WE WERE DRIVING, GOING AROUND A CORNER THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM DECIDED TO DO IT ITSELF... AND MAKE MY VEHICLE SLIP SIDEWAYS. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT TOOK ME FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE AND I DON'T WANT IT HAPPENING AGAIN. HOW DO WE FIX THIS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE?

NHTSA ID

11341480

Incident

Jul 26, 2020

Mileage

150,000 mi

WARNING LIGHT - POSSIBLE INVERTER MALFUNCTION. JUST APPEARED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

NHTSA ID

11303042

Incident

Jan 28, 2020

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE BRAKE ACTUATOR FOR THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS AND IS A KNOWN POTENTIAL PROBLEM BY THE TOYOTA COMPANY AS A RESULT OF MANY TOYOTA OWNERS REPLACING THEIR VEHICLE ACTUATORS DUE TO FAILURE BUT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED AND AVAILABLE FOR MY VEHICLE AS OF THIS CURRENT DATE. I FORTUNATELY DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT BUT STOP USE OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AT MY OWN EXPENSE. THIS WAS A VERY COSTLY EXPENSE I INCURRED BOTH IN THE ACTUATOR PART AND THE LABOR TO REPLACE IT. THE ACTUATOR AFFECTED THE BRAKE SYSTEM OF MY VEHICLE AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11163927

Incident

Oct 19, 2018

Mileage

158,830 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE CAR SHUTDOWN DOWN, THE CAR CONTROLS WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CAR CONTINUED TILL IT LOST MOMENTUM STOPPED, THERE WAS NO/OR VERY LITTLE BRAKING AND STEERING ASSISTANCE/CONTROL. ***I CALLED TOYOTA AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM, NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED*** THE DASHBOARD FLASHED LIGHTS, THE VSC, AWD AND OTHER LIGHTS CAME ON. FYI - THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED. THERE ARE NUMEROUS CONTROLS ON THESE SIMILAR ISSUES, VSC AWD ECU ETC, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM TOYOTA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10502572

Incident

Mar 12, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A WALL AS A RESULT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,299.

NHTSA ID

10491637

Incident

Oct 15, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi

2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID, V6, 4X4 --- ON NOVEMBER 23RD, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00AM, I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY ON I-5 SOUTH IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON, BUT NOT ENGAGED BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC WAS TOO HEAVY. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES-PER-HOUR, GOING UPHILL. UNEXPECTEDLY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO KEEP THE CAR AT THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC AND EXAMINED MY CABIN FOR CLUES OF THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION LEVER WAS STILL IN "D". I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT THAT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I MOMENTARILY RELEASED THE BRAKE AND USED MY RIGHT FOOT TO ENSURE THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS NOT STUCK. IT WAS NOT. DURING THAT TIME THE ENGINE POWER METER JUMPED UP TO FULL POWER AROUND 200 KW. I RE-APPLIED THE BRAKES TO DECELERATE AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. AS SOON AS THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED, I SHIFTED TO "P" AND TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. SOME SMOKE APPEARED FOR ABOUT TWO SECONDS, WHICH I PRESUMED WAS FROM THE BRAKES. I THEN EXAMINED THE FLOOR MAT, BUT IT WAS NOT OUT OF POSITION. I WAITED ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND TURNED THE KEY BACK TO THE ON POSITION AND THE "READY" SIGNAL ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM WAS GONE. I DROVE ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE NEXT EXIT AND STOPPED FOR GAS. I CHECKED THE OIL, COOLANT, AND BRAKE FLUID LEVELS, WHICH WERE ALL GOOD. THE PROBLEM DID NOT RE-OCCUR DURING THE ADDITIONAL 250 MILES THAT I DROVE DURING THAT DAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I CALLED "CROWN TOYOTA", WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE THERE. HE TOLD ME THAT HE DID NOT KNOW OF ANY OTHER ACCELERATION PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THOSE THAT WERE FLOOR MAT RELATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10438010

Incident

Nov 23, 2011

Mileage

114,600 mi

ON MAY 9, 2007 WE PURCHASED A NEW 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ABOUT A MONTH LATER IT UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AND RAN THROUGH THE END OF OUR CARPORT WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN TO PARK. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF IT. THE AUTO SUSTAINED ABOUT $650 IN DAMAGES AND THE CARPORT RECEIVED SIMILAR MONETARY DAMAGES. ABOUT A MONTH LATER WE HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT WHILE PARKING IN A PARKING LOT. AT FIRST WE ATTRIBUTED THE INCIDENTS TO MY WIFE'S FOOT SOMEWAY SLIPPING OFF THE BRAKES AND ON TO THE ACCELERATOR. NOW, AFTER THE RECENT NATIONAL PUBLICITY, WE ARE NOT SO SURE. PERHAPS THE ACCELERATOR MECHANISIM OR SOFTWARE IN THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE IN THIS MODEL TOYOTA ALSO. IN THE MEAN TIME, I NOW WONDER IF THIS MODEL VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I WILL BRING THIS ISSUE UP TO OUR TOYOTA DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION WILL BE USEFUL IN HELPING THE GOVERNMENT AND TOYOTA TO SOLVE THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10317745

Incident

Jun 1, 2007

Mileage

500 mi

PARKING MY 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN MY PARKING SPACE AT WORK. I GO TO PARK AND MY GAS PEDAL IS STUCK AND ACCELERATED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES RESULTING IN $3000 TO MY VEHICLE AND UNKNOWN AMOUNT TO THE OTHER TWO VEHICLES. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAS ONLY OCCURRED ONCE SO FAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10315290

Incident

Aug 26, 2009

Mileage

43,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN WHICH AN INCREASE OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE IN NORMAL OPERATION. THIS WAS A ONE TIME FAILURE OCCURRENCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ID

10313027

Incident

Sep 17, 2009

Mileage

18,000 mi

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER THAT HAD MAT ENTRAPMENT--I HAD AFTER MARKET MATS AS NONE WERE GIVEN TO ME WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE--I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA CORPORATION AND HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED AT DEALERSHIP AND REP SAID THERE WAS NO DEFECT IN MY ACCELERATOR--THE VEHICLE HAD ACCELERATED AND I HIT A PICNIC TABLE AND 2 BIRD FEEDER AND A FENCE IN MY YARD BEFORE I GOT THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT MY ACCELERATOR AS THE 2007 IS NOT ON RECALL BUT I FEEL IT SHOULD BE--THEY DID NOT EXPLAIN THAT TO ME JUST TOLD ME THAT MY FLOOR MAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN--I REALIZE THAT BUT I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION--I BLEW A MICHELIN TIRE AND HAVE DAMAGE TO MY BUMPER--TOTAL COST--ABOUT $600 ACCORDING TO TOYOTA GARAGE--NO ANSWER FROM THEM EXCEPT TO SAY THIS WAS MY FAULT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10311366

Incident

Dec 31, 2009

Mileage

33,000 mi

2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 6-CYL LIMITED RUNNING UNDER CRUISE CONTROL WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO ACCELERATE WHEN "RESUME" IS PRESSED IN ORDER TO GET BACK UP TO THE CRUISING SPEED. HOWEVER AS THE SPEED NEARS (WITHIN 4-5 MPH) THE CRUISING SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS RESULTING IN A HAZARDOUS QUICK ACCELERATION THAT REQUIRES BRAKING OR QUICKLY TURNING OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS OCCURS REGULARLY DURING HIGH SPEED HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE PROBLEM CAN ONLY BE AVOIDED BY MANUALLY RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO CRUISING SPEED BEFORE PRESSING RESUME. THE DEALER STATES THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10307824

Incident

Jan 25, 2010

Mileage

5,000 mi

ACCELERATION & DE-ACCELERATION PROBLEM: WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN FORWARD MOTION, ON A HIGHWAY, AND I PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR TO RAPIDLY SPEED UP, THERE IS AN APPROXIMATELY ONE SECOND TIME DELAY IN THE VEHICLES RESPONSE TO MY REQUEST TO ACCELERATE. FREQUENTLY, THIS DELAY HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ON THE OCCASIONS THAT I WANT TO SPEED UP TO PASS A VEHICLE, OR TO CHANGE LANES OR TO AVOID A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SITUATION, THIS DELAY IS VERY STARTLING. BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLES RESPONSE DELAY, I THEN SOMETIMES SUDDENLY TAKE MY FOOT OF THE ACCELERATOR TO CANCEL MY ACCELERATE REQUEST. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE, AFTER ITS INITIAL ACCELERATION DELAY, WILL THEN ACCELERATE FOR JUST A MOMENT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOW JUST TAKEN MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. IN MY ALMOST 50 YEARS OF DRIVING MANY VEHICLES, ACCELERATORS ALWAYS RESPONDED INSTANTLY. THAT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS A LINKAGE CABLE THAT MECHANICALLY CONNECTED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE CARBURETOR. NOW, IN THIS TOYOTA, IT IS COMPUTER CONTROLLED. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS DELAY TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, THEY TESTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED ME THAT EVERYTHING IS OPERATING NORMALLY. HOWEVER, THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE ACCELERATION IS NOW COMPUTER CONTROLLED AND THE COMPUTER IS OPERATING AS INTENDED. I INSISTED THAT THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND THAT THE COMPUTER SHOULD NOT QUESTION MY DECISION TO ACCELERATE WHEN ==> I <== WANT TO ACCELERATE. I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS AND THAT THIS IS HOW IT IS. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM A TOYOTA DEALER. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS EXISTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10306258

Incident

Feb 4, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHEN ENTERING A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT INTENTION. CONSEQUENTLY SHE CRASHED INTO A SIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN INSTALLED A SECONDARY HOOK TO SECURE THE FLOOR-MAT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50398. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50998.

NHTSA ID

10296093

Incident

Aug 16, 2009

Mileage

50,398 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE WOULD OCCASIONALLY REV MAKING BRAKING MORE FORCEFUL. HE SPECULATED THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THERE WAS NO DIAGNOSTIC TESTING EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO DETECT THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 42,000. UPDATED 02/1710 *BF UPDATED 02/19/10 UPDATED 03/02/10 THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS ENGINE IDLE, NOT ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. UPDATED 03/22/10.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED WAS NOT DUE TO A STUCK ACCELERATOR, BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALSO RUNS THE HYBRID MOTOR. THE HYBRID MOTOR IS NOT ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE LIKE THE GAS ENGINE. IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS THE PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL RUN AWAY IN ELECTRIC MOTOR. THEREFORE, IT IS DEFINITELY AN ENGINE PROBLEM, NOT AN ELECTRIC MOTOR OR ELECTRIC GENERATOR. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT CONTROLS THE ENGINE AND THE HYBRID ELECTRIC MOTOR. UPDATED 04/09/10.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AGAIN. UPDATED 05/03/10

NHTSA ID

10290973

Incident

Sep 20, 2009

Mileage

39,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES AT 5 MPH THE PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD OVER A STONE LEDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP , BUT THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18000.

NHTSA ID

10290939

Incident

Nov 3, 2009

Mileage

18,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXIT A PARKING SPACE, THE ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS THAT HE PURCHASED IN 2007 CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO STICK. AS A CONSEQUENCE HE CRASHED INTO SEVERAL TREES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HE AND THREE OTHER OCCUPANTS WERE INJURIED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE BOTH NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 41,212.

NHTSA ID

10285021

Incident

Sep 8, 2009

Mileage

41,212 mi

MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN MY TOES AND BOTTOM OF MY FOOT AND THE BOTTOM OF AN OPEN-TOED SHOE AND I COULD NOT PULL MYSELF FREE TO STOP MY CAR AND I RAN INTO A STOPPED CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT AN INTERSECTION, WHICH WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR. I WAS TRAVELING VERY SLOWLY, BUT MY ACTIVITY IN TRYING TO FREE MY FOOT CAUSED MY CAR TO ACCELERATE SOME. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. WHEN I TOLD A NEIGHBOR SHE SAID THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED TO HER, BUT THAT SHE WAS NOT OUT IN TRAFFIC AT THE TIME. I NOTICED THAT BOTH OF OUR VEHICLES HAVE VERY NARROW ACCELERATOR PEDALS, AND THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYONE. I HAVE NOT BEEN DRIVING WITH SANDALS SINCE THEN, BUT A GREAT MANY PEOPLE DO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10280359

Incident

Jul 15, 2009

Mileage

9,721 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, STRUCK A CURB, CROSSED THE MEDIAN, AND CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER AND DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE WITHIN 30 DAYS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 12/15/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER THE POILCE WERE NOT CALLED. UPDATED 12/15/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10249647

Incident

Nov 19, 2008

Mileage

29,000 mi