Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2010 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
Headlamps become cloudy and burn out new, expensive bulbs in months. Internet search says Toyota is aware of problem, but prior to my search my dealership wanted to charge me hundreds of dollars to 'evaluate electrical system'
I purchase The H4 LED’s from headlightexperts.com February 2022. There is a design flaw with their H4.bulb. The low beam have LED’s on both sides of the light bulb, however the halogen bulb has a shield so that light will only come out of one side of the bulb. The result of leds on both sides of the low beam is light hits the high beam reflector from the back side of the low beam led bulb, and blinds oncoming vehicles. When I contacted customer service via email, they kept saying I have the bulb at the wrong angle, and sent me links to 2videos for proper installation. I keep adjusting the bulb, at first with 45degree turns but then even less- still the light from the back side of the low beam bleeds onto the high beam reflector and blinds oncoming vehicles due to this design flaw. When I called the companies Phone number [XXX] it links to their sales department only. I attempted to explain the issue to their salesman who salesman who proceeded to dismiss the concern as my fault for not installing it correctly. There is no way to install this product correctly due to the fact it has low beam leds hitting a high beam reflector. When I pointed out the safety issue this product creates, I was told to look elsewhere for “some unicorn bulb that doesn’t exist.” He was rude, Hostile and argumentative.. When I attempted to explain the design flaw issue again, he selected would talk over me saying “bla bla bla bla bla” when ever I spoke like a 4yr old. In short there was ZERO concern for public safe their product puts at risk. I have included photos of both sides of their product showing high and low beam leds on both side of the bulb, as well as photos of a standard halogen bulb with the metal shield to prevent any spillage of low beam light onto a high beam reflector- INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
WHEN WE ARE DRIVING OUR TOYOTA 2010 HIGHLANDER IF YOU HIT A BUMP THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON EVEN THOUGH THE DOORS ARE NOT OPEM. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THE SUNROOF OR OPEN THE WINDOWS BECAUSE THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON AND THE INTERIOR LIGHT AND THE BEEPING FOR A DOOR OPEN. THIS IS VERY DISTTACTING WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE. IT IS GETTING WORSE NOW EVERY TIME WE MAKE A TURN OT GO OVER THE SLIGHEST BUMP THE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE DINGING FOR THE DOOR STARTS TOYOTA REALLY NEEDS TO FIX THIS! IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHEN WE DRIVE OUR CAR'
FAULTY REAR DOOR AJAR SENSOR REPORTS REAR DOOR OPEN INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DOOR IS CLOSED CAUSING INTERIOR LIGHTS, WARNING LIGHTS, AND CHIMES. STARTED WITH ONLY TURNS, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, BUT RAPIDLY DETERIORATED TO NEAR CONSTANT FAILURE, PARTICULARLY IN WARM WEATHER. INITIALLY STARTED NEAR 2 YEARS AGO (25K MILES), BUT WAS ONLY MILDLY IRRITATING. NOW VEHICLE CANNOT BE LOCKED WITH THIS CONDITION.
FALSE BACK DOOR AJAR WARNING. SAFETY CONCERN
2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER REAR LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE. INSIDE LIGHTS KEPT GOING ON AND CHIMED. LATCH REPLACEMENT COST $601
THE BACK UP LIGHTS ON MY HIGHLANDER ARE ALMOST NON EXISTENT. I HAVE TRIED TO USE THEM TO BACK UP AT NIGHT AND THERE IS NOT LIGHT AT ALL. YOU CAN BARELY SEE ANYTHING AT NIGHT USING THESE "BACK UP LIGHTS" I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I LIVE OUT IN THE COUNTRY AND NEED THESE BACK UP LIGHTS TO SEE ANY OBSTRUCTION AT NIGHT. I TOOK THE HIGHLANDER TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT WAS JUST HOW TOYOTA MADE THESE BACK UP LIGHTS. I FEEL THIS IS INSUFFICIENT AND DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AT NIGHT. I CANNOT BELIEVE NO ONE HAS ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM .
WHEN STATIONARY OR DRIVING, DASHBOARD DOOR-OPEN LIGHT STAYS ON. ALL DOME LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN DRIVING UNLESS TURNED COMPLETELY OFF ON DASHBOARD BUT THEY WILL STILL FLICKER AND WARNING SOUND WILL GO ON AND OFF WHEN DRIVING, TURNING A CORNER, OR GOING OVER A BUMP ON ANY ROAD. WHEN LOCKING THE CAR WITH THE DOOR-REMOTE, THE WARNING SOUND GOES ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL CAR IS UNLOCKED. CAR MUST BE LOCKED BY HAND TO STOP WARNING SOUND. CAR WAS SENT TO TOYOTA REPAIR CENTER FOR ELECTRICAL REPAIRS, BUT THIS WARNING LIGHT ISSUE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE IS A BUMP IN THE REAR HATCH FROM BACKING UP IN A GARAGE. SERVICE DEPT. SAID REAR DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT CLOSE CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, REAR HATCH HAS ALWAYS CLOSED AND STILL CLOSED. TOYOTA COULD NOT GUARANTEE A NEW HATCH OR REPAIRED BODY WORK WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WARNING LIGHTS PROBLEM STARTED MONTHS BEFORE REAR DOOR ISSUE. TOYOTA OFFERED TO TURN WARNING SOUND OFF, BUT I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I ROUTINELY CHECKED IF ANY DOOR IS OPEN.
DOOR SENSORS SHOW DOOR OPEN, DOOR CHIMES, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASH WHEN IN MOTION DRIVING OVER LIGHT BUMP ON ALL ROADS, HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS. AND/OR WHEN DRIVING FROM THE STREET INTO DRIVEWAY AT 1MPH AT ALL TIMES AS UP OVER SLIGHT CURB. HAPPENS WHEN I SHIFT THE GEARS INTO MOTION. STARTED IN SEPT. 2015 TO CURRENT DATE.
WE HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND THE DOME LIGHTS TURN ON & THE DOOR AJAR ALARM SOUNDS WHILE TURNING LEFT & SOMETIMES WHILE TURNING RIGHT. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN ROLLING UP OR DOWN THE PASSENGERS SIDE WINDOW. TOOK IT TO DEALER & THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIR IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED HE WAS NOTIFIED THAT HIS HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE LIGHTS OFF; HOWEVER, THEY CAME BACK ON AFTER THEY WERE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 2,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS ON, HE COULD NOT SEE OBJECTS ON THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND VARIOUS SPEEDS IF HE HIT A DIP OR CURVE IN THE ROAD, THE VISIBILITY WOULD DROP TO LESS THAN 2 FEET IN FRONT OF HIM. HE NOTICED THE ISSUE DIFFERENCE WHENEVER HE HAD TO USE THE HEADLIGHTS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED TO FILE A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60. UPDATED 03/19/10. *LJ THE WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO HAIRLINE CRACKS FORMING, THE HEATED SEATS WERE NOT HEATING PROPERLY, THE SKID CONTROL LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED AND THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD BLINK INTERMITTENTLY. UPDATED 07/27/10*JB
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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