Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Toyota Highlander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
VEHICLE WOULD NOT GET OUT OF 1ST GEAR WHEN IN MOTION. WHEN ACCELERATING, IN EITHER MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC, VEHICLE WOULD GO IN NEUTRAL AND COAST WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. REVERSE WORKED FINE. WOULD ALSO NOT START OUT IN A HIGHER GEAR WHEN SHIFTED INTO 2-4 GEARS.
WHILE DRIVING MY CARE ON THE HIGHWAY THE "LOW ENGINE PRESSURE" LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND WENT TO THE GAS STATION. ALL THE OIL IN MY CAR LEAKED OUT. WE PUT 4 QUARTS OF OIL IN MY CAR AND WHEN YOU TURN ON THE CAR ALL THE OIL LEAKED OUT. I CALL FOR A FLAT BED TOW TRUCK AND DROP MY CAR OFF TO THE DEALER. TOYOTA HAS A RECALL 2GR-FEV6 LSC 90K, WHICH HAS THIS ISSUE. THE TOYOTA DEALER IS SAYING MY VEHICLE VIN # IS NOT EFFECTED BY THIS. HOW COULD THIS BEEN WHEN THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPEN TO MY CAR AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE PARTS THAT ARE PART OF THIS RECALL. THEY ARE CHARGING ME $900.00 TO FIX THE CAR. I NEED HELP. MY TOYOTA LIFE TIME WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS!!!!!.....THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIEVE TOYOTA IS COVERING IT UP SO THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE VEHICLES FIXED DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION. *TR
FOLLOWING A OIL CHANGE AT LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, A LARGE PUDDLE OF OIL (2 FOOT X 2 FOOT PLUS) FOUND UNDER CAR. I SUSPECTED OIL FILTER OR STRIPPED OIL PAN PLUG. *JS VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THEY STATED IT WAS COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE AWD TRANSFER BOX AND THAT IS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR - $5,000.00+ NOTE - DURING A PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE AT APPROXIMATELY 63,000 MILES TOYOTA DEALER STATED THERE WAS A POSSIBLE SMALL LEAK ON THE AWD TRANSFER BOX AND THAT THEY WOULD MONITOR THIS DURING FUTURE OIL CHANGES. I WAS NEVER INFORMED, OF ANY ADDITIONAL LEAKAGE DURING ANY OIL CHANGES AT THE SAME TOYOTA DEALER. (CAR DID NOT LEAK ANY OIL PRIOR TO FAILURE OF THE AWD TRANSFER BOX)
AS WAS PULLING OUT PARKING SPACE, CAR STOPPED MOVING EVEN THOUGH ENGINE RUNNING. HAD TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, DIAGNOSED WITH FAILURE OF HYBRID INVERTER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE STOPPED A STOP SIGN AND THE RPMS BEGIN TO INCREASE EXCESSIVELY. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF SHE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. A MECHANIC CAME AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FRONT AXLE HAD BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12000. UPDATED 01/24/11 *BF THE DEALER STATED THE DRIVER SIDE AXLE BROKE IN HALF AND HALF OF THE AXLE BECAME STUCK IN THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO THE CAMSHAFT POSITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/16/11
WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE MY 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER GAS PEDAL CONTINUED ACCELERATION AFTER BRAKING AND CRASHED INTO MY GARAGE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH IN SNOWY WEATHER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOOSE TRACTION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ENGAGED THE BRAKES AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE SUSPENSION TRACTION CONTROL. THE TRACTION CONTROL HAD TO BE SHUT OFF BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION AXLE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF NEW HIGHLANDER 2008 MODEL. I HAD REPORTED FOR THE FIRST TIME I FEB 19, 2009 WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ACCELERATION, AS IT RUNS AT A HIGHER SPEED. THEY CHECKED & I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BY THE DEALER.MY WIFE WHO NEVER HAD ANY ACCIDENTS GOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON DEC. 21,2009 WHEN AS SHE WAS PARKING THE CAR ACCELERATED SUDDENLY & HIT THE BUILDING IN FRONT. THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING IN THAT BUILDING CAME OUT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. INSPITE OF WEARING SEAT BELTS, HER CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL SHE WAS IN SEVERE PAIN. AFTER EMERGENCY VISIT, SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY FRACTURES, BUT BRUISES OF RIBS. SHE WAS SO SCARED SHE WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE FOR WEEKS. IT TOOK MORE THAN 8K FOR REPAIRS.THE CAR STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS &WE ARE AT A LOSS WHAT TO DO. SHE IS DRIVING WITH CAUTION LOCALLY UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. WHEN WE CONTACTED 2 DEALERS, WE ARE TOLD THE CAR IS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN & IT IS NOT ON RECALL LIST. WE TRY TO CONTACT NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. NEED HELP IN RETURNING THIS CAR TO TOYOTA , AS IT IS A SERIOUS HAZARD . *TR
2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. MOST OCCURRENCES AT LOW SPEED AFTER SLOWING TO 5MPH VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO GAS PEDAL - OR WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO GEAR AND MOVE FORWARD. THIS OCCURS OR IS MOST NOTICEABLE AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED AFTER HAVING SLOWED DOWN OR IN THE MIDST OF A SLOW DOWN (NOT A COMPLETE STOP) USUALLY TO WAIT FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR. OCCURRED WITH EVERY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE (4). MOST NOTABLE (SCARY) WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS TURNING AND TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR, RPM INCREASE, CAR REVES UP, BUT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. MY DAUGHTER SCREAMED. TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST TWICE. AND CONTINUE TO CALL AND COMPLAIN. DEALER STATES THEY HAD EXPERTS LOOK AT CAR, REBOOTED COMPUTER (BECAUSE CAR RESPONDS TO DRIVER THAT DRIVES THE MOST!). SAID NOTHING IS WRONG OR CAN BE DONE. DEALER HAS ADMITTED THAT ENGAGING IS SLOW, NOTICEABLE. FAILURE TO ENGAGE OCCURS DAILY. CONSEQUENCE - IN DANGER OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE CAR OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NOTHING WAS DONE TO REPAIR. COMPUTER RE-SET. (THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD) VEHICLE ALSO HAS EXPERIENCED TROUBLE WHILE DRIVING UP HILL. RPM WENT TO 4000 + AND WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. ON FREEWAY AND SLOWING DOWN. HAD 6 HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS IN CAR. ALSO HAS "DROPPED" INTO GEAR HEAVILY. *TR
THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION WE HAVE HAD WITH OUR TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE WILL PERIODICALLY OVER-REV BEFORE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO THE APPROPRIATE GEAR. THIS RESULTS IN A MOMENTARY LACK OF ACCELERATION. AGAIN THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. WHEN TAKEN TO THE TOYOTA DEALER, THEY SAY THEY CANNOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN SEE THAT IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR
2008 LOW MILEAGE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MY ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK AT FULL THROTTLE. I'M SURE IT WAS NOT THE MATS; I DID NOT HAVE ANY. THE MILEAGE WAS VERY LOW AT THE TIME, UNLIKE WHAT THE RECALL IS ADDRESSING. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT LEASES A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID STRIKING OTHER VEHICLES. HE THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS. HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AXLE FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WILL SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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