2008 Toyota Highlander Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WATER LEAKED INTO THE VEHICLE'S CABIN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAUSING THE RUGS TO BECOME DRENCHED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE'S DRAINING SYSTEM FOR THE SUNROOF WAS CLOGGED THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HER SHOES GETTING WET AND APPLYING THE WRONG PEDAL WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT THE CONTACT OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND NOTICED THAT THE CARPET WAS DRENCHED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2020. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT DETERMINED THAT THE WATER WAS ENTERING THE CABIN THROUGH THE SUNROOF. THE CHANNEL THAT DRAINED THE SUNROOF WAS CLEARED, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,450.

NHTSA ID

11308585

Incident

Feb 8, 2020

Mileage

144,450 mi

THE DRIVER SIDE SUNVISOR WILL NOT STAY UP OUT OF PLACE WHEN NOT NEEDED. WHEN DRIVER IS DRIVING ESPECIALLY IF BRAKES ARE USED THE VISOR FALLS BLOCKING VIEW AND IS QUITE DANGEROUS. VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP.

NHTSA ID

11288651

Incident

Sep 1, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD SOMETIMES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR WHEN UTILIZED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE LANDERS TOYOTA (10825 COLONEL GLENN RD, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72204) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER WINDOW MASTER SWITCH FAILED AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V689000 (VISIBILITY), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11075416

Incident

Jun 19, 2013

Mileage

50,000 mi

SUN VISOR DOE NOT STAY UP.

NHTSA ID

10983396

Incident

Feb 8, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY LOCKED IN THE UP POSITION AND THEREFORE PARTIALLY BLOCKS THE DRIVERS VISION WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10882489

Incident

Dec 1, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

I HAVE THE SUN VISOR ON MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER THAT HAS FALLEN DOWN AND IT DOESN'T STAY UP AT ALL ANYMORE. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH THREE CHILDREN AND FIND THIS VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE IT OBSTRUCTS MY VISION ALSO WHEN I LOOK TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT I CONSTANTLY HIT MY FOREHEAD ON THE VISOR THAT IS CONSTANTLY ON THE WAY. IT IS A HAZARD TO ME AND MY 3 CHILDREN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10714240

Incident

May 13, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

MY WINDSHIELD WIPER DEFROSTER STARTED TO CRACKLE AND SMOKE. I TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON AND IT STARTED TO DO IT AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562394

Incident

Jan 31, 2014

Mileage

129,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DEFECTIVE - IT DOES NOT STAY IN UP POSITION, DROPS DOWN SUDDENLY & BLOCKING THE VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD; DEALER SAID IT IS A COMMON ISSUE BUT NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINS FOR A RECALL. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT PRONE ISSUE THAT WILL CUT OFF THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY SUDDENLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523585

Incident

Jul 13, 2010

Mileage

30,527 mi

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN. IT DOES NOT STAY UP AND IMPAIRS DRIVER VISION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504773

Incident

Oct 1, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHITE PARTICLES WERE EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM WHILE THE CLIMATE CONTROL WAS ACTIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC OR THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000.

NHTSA ID

10494941

Incident

Oct 28, 2012

Mileage

76,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP -- WHEN EITHER PULLED BACK OR PUSHED FORWARD -- AND FALLS IN THE DRIVER'S LINE OF VISION. THIS LEADS TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT MEANS THE DRIVER LOSES HIS FIELD OF VISION FOR A FEW SECONDS AT VERY UNPREDICTABLE TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451991

Incident

Mar 1, 2012

Mileage

72,100 mi

ON 6/9/2010 ASKED DEALER TO CK. VEHICLE B/C AIR VENTS WERE THROWING OUT WHITE SUBSTANCE. DEALER SAID THE CABIN FILTER WAS CONTAMINATED AND REPLACED AT 27,180 MILES. ON 12/9/2010 31,109 MILES RETURNED TO DEALER WITH SAME COMPLAINT WHITE SUBSTANCE THROUGH VENTS. SAME RESPONSE, CABIN FILTER. I SAID HOW COULD FILTER BE THE PROBLEM AFTER JUST 3929 MILES, 6 MO SERVICE. DEALER CHECKED WITH TOYOTA NO RECORD OF ISSUES HERE. WE ALSO OWN A 2007 LEXUS AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ON 1/14/2011 LEXUS SERVICE REPLACED THE EVAPORATER CORE WITH UPDATED PART AS PER TSB 0032-28. LEXUS SAID TOYOTA DEALER SHOULD DO THE SAME. TOYOTA DEALER HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE. MY CONCERN, WARRANTY EXPIRES IN MARCH 2011 AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. CANNOT CONTINUE TO REPLACE COSTLY CABIN FILTER. WHAT SHOULD I DO TO GET THE REPAIR COMPLETED? *TR

NHTSA ID

10379953

Incident

Jun 9, 2010

Mileage

27,180 mi

WE HAVE A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (2008) WHICH IS HAVING SAFETY ISSUES. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT KEEPS GOING OFF. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE SEAT BUT THE BELL KEEPS GOING OFF. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IT DOES IT OFTEN ENOUGH THAT IT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. MY SECOND COMPLAINT IS THE WINDOW. THE WINDSHIELD KEEPS CHIPPING WHEN ANYTHING HITS IT. THERE ARE SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I HAD TO REPLACE THIS WINDOW. THERE COULD BE NO OTHER CARS AROUND BUT IF SOMETHING HITS IT WILL SPIDER. MY THIRD ISSUE IS THERE IS A NOISE THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE START THE CAR. ITS IN THE ENGINE AND WE CANT FIND IT. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR INTO TOYOTA BUT OF COURSE THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT EXPENSIVE ISSUES WITH THIS UNSAFE CAR. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THESE ISSUES? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10320768

Incident

Jan 27, 2008

I BOUGHT A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN DECEMBER 2007. I DID NOT TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. AFTER A FEW WEEKS, I TRIED TO BACK UP AT NIGHT. THE LIGHTS ARE COMPLETELY INADEQUATE AND THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE EVERY FEW FEET AND CHECK TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NOTHING/NO ONE IN MY PATH WHEN BACKING UP AT NIGHT. I ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK/REPAIR THE LIGHTS. THEY SAID THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT BUT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX IT. IT IS NOT SAFE TO BACK UP THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE ENOUGH TO SEE IF SOMEONE IS IN YOUR PATH. I HAVE ASKED THE MANUFACTURER FOR HELP FIXING THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10267713

Incident

Apr 20, 2009

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THE SUNROOF EXPLODED AND SENT GLASS FRAGMENT EVERYWHERE. FORTUNATELY THE SHADE WAS PULLED CLOSED OTHERWISE GLASS WOULD HAVE BEEN BLOWN INTO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AT 55 MPH. GLASS WAS COMPLETELY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE HEADLINER AND IT HAD TO BE REMOVED TO ENSURE GLASS WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH AIR BAG OPERATION OR BECOME A PROJECTILE IF THE AIR BAG ACTUATED. THE SUNROOF IS MADE OF TEMPERED GLASS AND NOT SAFETY GLASS. WHEN IT EXPLODED, THE GLASS WAS NOT HELD CAPTIVE BY THE SAFETY FILM. ONLY A TWO INCH BORDER OF GLASS REMAINED IN THE SUN ROOF FRAME. THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT SAFETY OVERSIGHT. IF THE SUN ROOF SHADE HAD BEEN OPEN, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT WITH GLASS AND AN ACCIDENT WOULD LIKELY HAVE OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10221208

Incident

Dec 21, 2007

Mileage

6,000 mi

HAD A ROCK CHIP THAT GREW ACROSS WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. HAD WINDSHIELD REPLACED TWO DAYS LATER VERY SMALL ROCK CHIPPED IT. HAD CHIP FIXED NOW 3WKS LATER LINES ARE APPEARING OUT OF THE FIXED CHIP. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE BY SAFELIGHT AND IS REPORTED TO INSURANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218253

Incident

Dec 20, 2007

Mileage

4,800 mi