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Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • fullofalohafullofaloha Member Posts: 1
    Have you every heard of this?? I have a '03 Highlander that I love and have never had a serious problem with it. Yesterday we went out to go to work and my son got in to the car and shut the passenger door. When he did this the rear right window on the drivers side (not the passenger one but the one back by the cargo area) BLEW OUT. The night before the car had been washed and I dried the windows and know for a fact that there was no defect in the window. No little cracks or holes etc.
    It was not that hot because this happened at about 0800. We called Toyota and of course they said it wasn't covered by warrantee and we got the impression that they thought we were lying.
    Swear to God I have never seen such a thing. There was a big hole in the center of the window and all the glass was on the OUTSIDE of the car.
    Has this ever happened to anyone else or have you heard about it happening?
  • jbolltjbollt Member Posts: 736
    YAY! I had my 05 Highlander Limited in to the dealer for its 5,000 mile service today, and they were able to access the "internal computer" via "scan tool" and change the function where the RECIRC comes on virtually every time the car is started to make it so I can choose it on not!
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Two weeks ago we were on our way to central MT from Seattle and just east of Snoqualmie pass I thought someone had fired a shotgun into our passenger side rear door window.

    BLAM!

    Sounded like a cherry bomb went off inside the car.

    Huge jagged hole in the window and all the rest "spider" webbed, totally fragmented.

    I have since learned that it is not all that unusual an event.

    Undetectable manufacturing defect leaves the glass under severe internal stress and eventually it just lets go.
  • aciccarelliaciccarelli Member Posts: 1
    Hi , can you elaborate on removing the panel from the bottom .... thanks, anthony
  • hmurphyhmurphy Member Posts: 278
    For me, the problem is with the "auto" lights setting. In auto mode, the lights (inside and out) don't come on nearly soon enough for my liking. Even on very gray, dreary days (of which we have many in Chicago), the lights won't come on and the instrumentation is difficult to see. Also, the lights don't come on in tunnels until I'm nearly out of them.

    As a result, I typically just turn the lights on and leave them on. That's the only way I've found to get proper instrumentation lighting on gray days.

    I wonder if the auto setting is adjustable, so I could have it turn the lights on a bit sooner than it normally would?
  • jbb123jbb123 Member Posts: 1
    I have a brand new HL limited with 2500 miles. So far great car, but has stalled while driving twice. Once at a red light, once while cruising at 35mph. Toyota service cannot find problem, says computer did not detect any faulty codes, fuel lines clear and all wiring tight. Anyone have ideas?
  • shl72953shl72953 Member Posts: 53
    Take it back to your dealer. He can adjust the head lights to come on quite a bit earlier. My dealer did it in about ten minutes and didn't charge for the service.
  • vitbuzzvitbuzz Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 Highlander V6, AWD with 23,000 miles. The left turn lights often flash rapidly at a dimmer than normal light then will return to a more normal (slower and brighter) operation. The rapid flashing appears to be completely at random. Any ideas on what I can do to fix the problem? Thanks.
  • herzogtum71herzogtum71 Member Posts: 470
    The reason for rapid flashing may be that the light in the rear of the car is burned out. That's been the case with cars I have owned, and once the problem was intermittent and took a while to confirm. I don't know from your post if the dashboard light is dimmer or the light in the rear of the car. If it's the latter you may need to take it in for service so they can look for a wiring problem or some other cause.
  • hmurphyhmurphy Member Posts: 278
    Thanks. I'm glad to know I can have that adjusted.
  • loucapriloucapri Member Posts: 214
    similiar post can be found in the camry msg board. I also have the same kind of problem in my 97 camry. (when it is raining so bad)
    one solution is to take the bulb out and clean the connector (socket) with a little brush
  • retropiaretropia Member Posts: 41
    I haven't checked any of the Highlander forums for awhile, and I just happened back for a visit. I've had a vibration problem with my 2001 Highlander V6 AWD almost since it was new. It starts around 65 mph, and comes and goes while you're driving. Nobody knows what causes it or how to fix it. Of course, they balanced the tires and performed alignments at least a dozen times.

    Bridgestone replaced two of the original Dueller tires, a dealer claimed to replace a front half-shaft (although I later found out they didn't, because the tech claims he didn't have the right tool for the job), the dealer replaced all of the original tires with Michelin Cross Terrains, another dealer attempted to diagnose it by pulling a new Highlander off the lot, then switching parts with mine, including both front half-shafts plus the main driveshaft to the rear wheels, and nothing worked.

    Then, the dealer took off the factory steel wheels and put on a set of factory alloys. That made the vibration go away . . . for awhile. Now it's coming back. This tells me all they did was mask the symptoms; they didn't really solve the problem.

    Toyota did try to fix it, so I have to give them credit for that. However, they haven't been able to do so, so I've decided to dump it. It's a shame, because it only has 38K miles, and it's been an exemplary vehicle otherwise. This has not been a happy ownership experience.

    For me, I notice the vibration first in the steering wheel. If you lift your hands off the wheel, you see it shake from left to right. Then you can begin to feel it through your feet, in the floorboards, and finally, the seats start to shake. This comes and goes as you're driving on the highway. Eventually, the CD cases start rattling in their holder, which is what it was doing before they installed the factory alloys. The only way to make it stop was to slow down to below 55. Now, the steering wheel is starting to shake again, so I know it's coming back.

    Anyway, my suggestion to you, if you want, is start an arbitration process. When Toyota officials start calling you, asking if you'd like to give them a chance to "fix" it, say "no." Once your vehicle is past the 3-year, 36K warranty period, you are no longer eligible for arbitration, which is where I'm at. I suppose I could go to court, but that would be on my dime, whereas Toyota pays for the arbitration process.

    I phoned Toyota today, and they say there is no service bulletin regarding this problem on this vehicle. So, if they in fact know that a problem exists, they still don't know how to fix it.

    Good luck to you.
  • jrfierojrfiero Member Posts: 123
    What have the dealers done with the brakes? My humble opinion is that this is a brake rotor issue, gets worse as the rotors heat up, changes a little each time they remove and replace a wheel because of the new torque from the lug nuts. Why are your rotors heating just driving along? Faulty caliper(s) causing the pads to keep in contact with the rotors. Why does it go away? Once the rotors 'wobble' enough they push the pads back into the calipers (just a little tiny bit) and the rotors cool down.
    'Course, maybe the dealer who swapped parts swapped these brake parts, too.
    Driveshaft vibration wouldn't come and go, or get worse the longer you drive.
    There have been many posts about warped rotors on this forum, and my 2001 will exhibit signs of warped rotors if I get the brakes hot.
    I'll bet yours is an extreme case, and that new rotors and calipers would fix it.
    And beware the often stated advice to properly and evenly torque the lug nuts.
  • retropiaretropia Member Posts: 41
    No dealership mechanics have said anything about the brake rotors, about a possible problem with them or having tested brake parts from the donor Highlander. It's going in tomorrow for a final service, so I'll ask the service mgr. However, unless there's a factory bulletin on the issue, I'm not sure I want them to do any further experimenting. They might inadvertently make the vibration worse, which would make it difficult to sell, and since it's past the original warranty period, I'd likely be the one paying for the new rotors and calipers, which might or might not resolve the vibration.

    After four years of diagnosis experimentation, with nothing better than a temporary cessation of symptoms, I'm tired. I want out of this relationship.

    But thanks for the suggestions . . . it might help someone else. If there is some miracle epiphany at the dealership tomorrow, I'll come back here to report.
  • landdriverlanddriver Member Posts: 607
    Isn't the drivetrain warranted for 5 years? I can't remember if the rotors are included in the drivetrain, but a quick check of the warranty should delineate what constitutes the drivetrain for warranty purposes.

    jrfiero, excellent deduction on possible cause -- I was trying to theorize the cause myself but wasn't able to come up with anything that would explain why replacing the wheels would only temporarily resolve the problem until I read your post!
  • retropiaretropia Member Posts: 41
    It's the standard 3-year/36,000 mile warranty, which I'm now past. Supposedly my vehicle is covered under the extended 8-yr/100,000 mile warranty due to oil sludge problems, but only problems related specifically to oil sludge. If I remember right, the only parts covered to 5-years/50,000 miles are things related to polution control, like the catalytic converter.

    The dealer service rep said that if the rotors were warped, I'd feel a vibration on braking, and I don't. He said the calipers wouldn't be contributing to the problem. He said they have a test they can perform, where they place a micrometer on the rotor, then spin it, to see if it's warped. The test costs $75, which would come out of my pocket, and he said he wouldn't recommend it if I'm not feeling any vibration on braking.

    The service rep said the technician drove it, and he claimed it felt like a wheel was out of balance. (Every technician always says that.) They wanted to perform a $63 wheel balance, which they said was the only thing they could do. Of course, the wheels have been balanced dozens of times before without eliminating the vibration, so why bother.

    I just wanted to confirm that there were no factory bulletins on the problem, and the rep said there are not. I didn't want a dealer technician continuing to experiment, especially since I would now have to pay for it, and the odds of anyone ever figuring out the problem are slim.

    It's time to get rid of it; good luck to any of the rest of you experiencing similar symptoms.
  • landdriverlanddriver Member Posts: 607
    Not to belabor the point, but I checked the warranty booklet for my '01 while out driving today and the drivetrain is warranted for 5 years or 60,000 miles, so my take is the warranty should cover your problem since its obviously a drivetrain issue and your HL only has 38K miles.
  • skutflutskutflut Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2001 Highlander 3.0 litre V6 4WD. This car has been great except for one problem that I am about to go to the dealer with for the second time. At highway speeds, (above 2700 RPM on the tach) it uses oil like I owned an oil well.

    Back in Sept 2004, after a year of "monitoring" the situation, the dealer replaced the piston rings and valve seals on the engine. They told me that the oil rings were seized. I accepted that explanation since it sounded reasonable.

    I don't do all that much highway long distance driving so it was not until this last week during my family vacation trip that I found out that the problem is not solved. A 1200KM trip required 6 quarts of oil.

    I found it down 2 quarts at the first fuel stop, which was after about 300 miles at 65-70 mph (2700-3000 rpm). One more quart went in at about 450 miles.

    I then experimented a bit on a side trip one day and kept the speed down around 55-60 for 180 miles and it did not use a drop of oil. On the return leg of that trip, I let the speed move up again to my normal cruising range of 65-70 and sure enough, another quart of oil disappeared. It took 3 more quarts to get home. Right now, its down at least one quart, since I wanted the dealer to see that there is oil missing since they did oil and filter about 1800 miles ago.

    Can anybody comment on what is going on with this engine? I don't know enough about the internals to make an informed argument with the dealer who I will be visiting tomorrow. I still have warranty (60000 mile/ 5 year power train) and Im pretty sure they will have to do something, but since they have already DONE a partial rebuild and not fixed the problem, what should I suggest they look at since its obviously more than rings and valve seals. Having the car laid up for a week or more at a time with no loaner is a PItA.

    Any advise or insight would be greatly appreciated.

    Regards

    Skutflut
  • jrfierojrfiero Member Posts: 123
    Re the warranty, anything you requested be fixed during the warranty period that Toyota has been unable to fix is covered forever, in my humble opinion.
    Example: I had a driver's door power window noise which was different than the other windows, but it still worked. I noted it every time I went to the dealer, and they always said it was fine. Warranty ran out, noise got worse, dealer said I needed a new regulator assembly, I pointed out my previous complaints, and Toyota paid for fixing it.
    Also, a front wheel bearing replacement was covered under the 5yr/60,000 mile warranty, which isn't to say calipers and rotors are, but it's close.

    You don't have vibration under braking? Does it go away under braking? Curious.
  • jackmick656jackmick656 Member Posts: 61
    Here are a few more reasons for high oil consumption:

    Worn or damaged main bearings,connecting rod bearings,camshaft bearings and crank shaft journals.

    Distorted cylinders, clogged PCV valve, worn valve stems and guides, dirty cooling system and worn timing gear chain.

    You are a good candidate for a new engine. Toyota cannot check these possibilities without a complete engine tear down.

    Hope you kept good service records, especially the oil changes. Take your records with you and demand a new engine. good luck.
  • eddieeeddiee Member Posts: 25
    Are you sure that the oil is not leaking out?
    Are there any puddles under the vehicle?
    You might try having someone drive behind you at highway speeds to see if they can see any leakage.

    Is there smoke coming out of the tailpipe?
    If you are using this much oil, if it was going through the rings, you would get a lot of smoke.
    I'm a little skeptical of the "oil rings were seized" story.
    Rings can wear or crack, which will cause oil consuption, and will also cause a lot of smoke, but I've never heard of seized. If anything involving the rings seized, I would think that this would cause cylinder wall damage that just replacing the rings would not fix.

    I would push for a new engine or complete overhaul.

    I have a 2002 that uses no oil between changes.

    Good luck.
  • skutflutskutflut Member Posts: 3
    I assume this reply was to my question.

    I have complete service records from the selling dealer, and they are the only ones who have ever been under the hood. The engine has 56000KM (33,000miles) on it. They are going to send the valve covers out for some cleaning process on Monday to see if some obscure valve (PCV?) is clogged. Apparently, this item is very difficult to get at and cannot be inspected visually. The service manager told me they had another incident with a 3.0L engine since mine was torn down, and it turned out that this valve was clogged and allowing high pressure to build up in the crankcase forcing oil into the combustion chambers.

    I then have to put some high speed mileage on it to see if the problem is solved or not. If its not, then we start discussing engine replacement.

    As far as leakage goes, there is none. That much oil would certainly show and we were both under the car today and there is no sign of any oil leakage or telltale oil spatter on the underbody area. This oil is going out the engine via the tail pipe but at 70 MPH with the tinted glass, I cannot see the blue smoke trail. Its probably there but I will need to get somebody to follow me, or have somebody else drive it and follow them to see for myself.

    As far as inspecting all the other engine parts, they claim that everything was in good shape except for the rings being seized in the grooves of the pistons. They say that they replaced the rings with a slightly thinner version (undersized) to allow the rings to float better in the grooves. I do not know if this is valid or BS. In any case bearings etc are supposed to be good.
  • landdriverlanddriver Member Posts: 607
    I agree; Toyota should still be responsible for retropia's problem in this case (if only they could figure out what the problem is!) (I'd sure feel better if they replaced the rotors as you suggested). If retropia lived in California he would be able to take advantage of California's "lemon law," which says that if the dealer can't fix the problem after the third try then they have to refund your money or get you a new car. :lemon:

    No, I'm glad to say I don't have any vibration problems while breaking (smooth as glass), but I only have 15K miles on my '01 and I drive quite conservatively in terms of acceleration and breaking, so I figure I'm not too likely to experience the warping rotors problem.
  • desertguydesertguy Member Posts: 730
    California lemon law would NOT apply IMO. Its coverage is for 18 months or 18,000 miles; which ever comes first. Since his is a 2001.............
  • luvmycar1luvmycar1 Member Posts: 3
    I have an '02 HL and I'm having the problem right now that my dash board stys lit up with VSC, ABS, BRAKES, and TRAC OFF and the dealership can't seem to make it stop. My brakes never lock up on me while driving, but when coming to a stop, the ABS locks slighlty, as if I were driving in the snow or something. Also, background info, I was recently involved in a minor accident where someone hit my bumper in the back and the body shop is now trying to work with the dealership on resolving this.
  • luvmycar1luvmycar1 Member Posts: 3
    Hi I am having a similar problem, was yours ever resolved? I was involed in an accident w/ minor rear bumper damage and now the VSC ABS BRAKES and TRAC OFF lights are on and my ABS locks up slighlty when coming to a stop.
  • landdriverlanddriver Member Posts: 607
    California lemon law would NOT apply IMO. Its coverage is for 18 months or 18,000 miles; which ever comes first. Since his is a 2001.............

    ......thanks desertguy for the clarification. (Boy, you're sure educated on California law for someone who lives in Phoenix.)

    We would also be remiss if we didn't point out that under the law if the customer wants his/her money back as opposed to receiving a new vehicle, the dealer is required to so grant this and cannot force a new vehicle on the customer. (However the dealer is allowed to deduct from the reimbursement wear and tear based on mileage the new vehicle has been driven).

    In any case hopefully we're in agreement that retropia is probably entitled to a new vehicle or a reimbursement as, even though he doesn't live in California and is passed the 18 month point, he's still entitled to basic legal rights for consumers, and the problem occurred while the vehicle was under warranty and the dealer was unable to resolve the problem after several attempts. (Any lawyers out there?)
  • desertguydesertguy Member Posts: 730
    Hi Landdriver: 22 years of living in Calif. before moving to Phoenix will do that for ya. :-) I would think the factory should get more involved here and send one of their specialists to check out the vehicle. For all we know his dealer may have a bunch of idiots working for him. Since his state would probably not get involved which would be free, an attorney would be necessary and probably too expensive vs a deep pockets dealer.
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    When I got home with my 2005 Highlander I noticed a plastic bag with two black rubber, oval plugs in the glove box. The writing on the bag said the plugs should have been installed under the car by the distributor . . . but they obviously were not. So I installed them myself, under the car, about three inches in from the rear jacking points on each side. The plugs are about 1 1/2 inches by 1 inch and pop right into the openings in the undercarriage.

    Now I am wondering if there was some reason why the plugs were not installed. I live in Florida and possibly the open holes let moisture out? Why were the plugs not installed at the factory? I would call my salesman and ask but he seemed like an idiot and he would probably just feed me a story. Anybody know about they plugs?
  • jbolltjbollt Member Posts: 736
    I would call the dealer, and ask to speak to the service manager, the one who is responsible for overseeing the techincian who does the pre-delivery inspection (PDI)
  • toyotakentoyotaken Member Posts: 897
    They are plugs that are installed at the dealership after the vehicle is unloaded from the delivery truck. They go into the spots in the frame that are used to attach the hooks the delivery truck use to tie down the vehicle so they don't bounch during transit. They don't usually forget to put them in, but it does happen occasionally. It's basically so that dirt and water don't get up inside of the frame through those holes. Hope this helps.

    Ken
  • bikeman3bikeman3 Member Posts: 85
    What dealer sold you this car? :)
  • luvmycar1luvmycar1 Member Posts: 3
    Can anyone tell me if they are familiar with this...
    I have 4 warning lights on my dashboard and the dealership can't find the cause for them. VSC, ABS, BRAKES, and TRAC OFF. The car rides fine but the ABS locks up slightly sometimes when coming to a stop. They have had my HL for 4 days now! A body shop worked on a minor repair to the back of my car and now this has happened. Anyone?
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    Thanks for the info, toyotaken. Since I was pretty sure the dealership would make up a story to excuse their mistake rather than give me a straight answer I am happy to get the real scoop. This dealer also delivered the car with the tires significantly underinflated -- a real safety concern. I won't be returning to this dealer again and will tell the truth about their poor prep work on the car if Toyota sends me a questionaire.

    Someone asked for the name of the dealer. I am not sure this forum should be used to badmouth a particular dealer even though they seem to deserve it. Someone fill me in on the protocol here. The dealer is in northeast Florida.
  • billseribillseri Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know how to change the cabin filter on a 2003 Toyota Highlander. I know it's behind the glove box but I can't figure out how to lower the glove box. Also are there any manuals like Chilton's or Haynes available for the 2003 Highlander?
  • junepugjunepug Member Posts: 161
    The instructions are on page 266 of the owners manual The screw you remove is a weird looking thing. Be careful after you remove the screw and lower the glovebox. A plastic part broke and caused the glove box not to fit properly. I was able to "super glue" the part together and it is working ok now.

    Good luck. Baring any problems, the job should not take more than 15 minutes.
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    Even though I just bought my new Highlander I would like to understand more about future maintenance. The 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed automatic look like real beauties, but there isn't much information about them in the owner's manual or even on the internet. My maintenance guide says to change the automatic transmission fluid at 60,000 miles if the car is used for towing but doesn't say anything about changing it if it is driven normally. Is it possible the fluid is good for more than 120,000 miles?

    And apparently the engine valve clearances need to be checked only every 60,000 miles. One hit on Google mentioned that the camshafts have to be removed to change the valve clearances. I have seen this on motorcycles, but not on passenger vehicles. I am assuming that the valves won't need adjusting even at 60,000 miles but just in case -- do the camshafts really have to be removed to change the shims? If so, does this mean removing the timing chain and disassembling the entire front of the engine? I am not exactly worried about his because I am pretty sure the valves won't need adjusting. My Honda Accord, with rocker arms, went 107,000 miles without needing a valve adjustment and the valve train on the Toyota 2AZ-FE looks more bulletproof than the Honda's.

    What makes this funny is that I was pleased to find out that the Highlander engine has a timing chain instead of a timing belt. I thought that would simplify maintenance. But if the camshafts ever have to be removed, the timing chain might make it more difficult.

    I would love to know more about this engine. Any gearheads out there who can fill me in on the details or recommend a source of reference material? I really like to know more about the technical details then are given in the owner's manual.
  • billseribillseri Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the info. and word of caution. I'll attempt to change the filter tomorrow.
  • kam108kam108 Member Posts: 16
    I recently bought a highlander, and also found the plugs in the glovebox. I wouldn't have known about them if I had not read your post. I called the dealership service dept to ask about them. They said to just leave them in the glovebox! I guess I'll have to put them in mylself. This makes me not trust their service dept, which is unfortunate since they are the closest to me. :mad:
  • loucapriloucapri Member Posts: 214
    i believe someone did explain what and why there are plugs in your glovebox in the Camry board.
  • tpoztpoz Member Posts: 4
    tomj,

    Thanks for your info. I also had to normalize the sunroof. It worked as per your directions. I don't understand why the dealers don't do this as part of the car prep or at the factory.

    Much appreciate the info.

    tpoz
  • desertguydesertguy Member Posts: 730
    " I don't understand why the dealers don't do this as part of the car prep or at the factory."

    I agree 100%. It is unbelievably stupid for a dealer not to automatically normalize the sunroof before delivery. There may be a reason why it is not done at the factory since it is included in the owner's manual but as far as I'm concerned there is no excuse for the dealer not doing it. I had to do it on mine and it is no big deal, but it starts you off on your HL ownership with a bad impression of their service right off the bat.
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    The rubber plugs cover two points which are used for securing the car during delivery. The emergency towing eyes found in the tool storage area are screwed into these points at the factory and then ued to tie the vehicle down during delivery to the inwards port or dealership. They are then removed and placed in the tool storage area, one going into a plastic clip and the other just lieing around. The rubber plugs should be placed over the tie down points as, hopefully there will never be a need for a tie down point again.

    Cheers

    Graham
  • ecotrklvrecotrklvr Member Posts: 519
    Hi - As an owner of a 2002 Highlander with the same engine (OK, mine has 5 HP less) - I think I can ease your mind on all points.

    Mine now has 67,000 miles. It's never towed anything, and the fluid has never been changed. The fluid looks and and smells fine. I'll probably change it next year or so, but purely as a preventative measure - that is, if I haven't bought something else by then (I really want something with a manual transmission). All in all, the 4-speed auto is more reliable than the 5-speed in the V-6, and behaves better as well. However, if you are going to tow something for any great distances, you should change the fluid at 50-60k miles.

    My valve lifters sound fine as well. Yes, adjusting them is crazy hard. But odds are you'll never have to. My '96 Maxima had the Nissan VQ V-6 that used the same method of valve adjustment, and it's still never been adjusted. Now at 130k+.

    This is a great powertrain. I've owned it for only 6 months, but it consistently amazes people who ride in it for the first time how smoothly, quietly, and powerfully this engine can move this 3500 lb. vehicle. Averaging over 20 mpg as well.

    All I can recommend is going to synthetic oil at about 1000 - 2000 miles, and use the Toyota filter (less than $6 regular, and less than $4 on a monthly sale). I've been using Mobil 1 for many years, and now they have oils rated for up to 15,000 mile changes. The Toyota air filters are a great value as well - $15 or less on sale.

    Enjoy your Highlander!
  • thock33thock33 Member Posts: 6
    The vibration problem was corrected for a time when different wheels were installed, but is now starting again. Have you considered that water may be getting into the tires when air is added? Most air compressors will accumulate water that must be bled off frequently. I remember hearing years ago of a problem much like yours that was traced to water in the tires. You might think that the water would be evenly distributed at road speeds and not effect balance, and this may be true when the wheels are placed on the spin balancer. But when the tires are on the road they are no longer round because of the reduced radius at the ground contact point and they may go way out of balance. Just a thought.
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    Thanks for the information. One reason I bought the 4-banger was because I had heard that some of the 5-speeds, used with the V-6, had an annoying hesitation. The 4-speed certainly seems like a nice gearbox -- it appears to almost read my mind when it comes to shifting. Also, I like to do some servicing on my cars myself, and there is much more room in the engine compartment with the 4-cylinder, something important for a shade tree mechanic.

    I am planning to at least measure the valve clearances myself after 60,000 miles and am pretty confident that is all that will be needed. I am still puzzled over the very limited list of maintenance items though. Okay, I guess it is possible the automatic transmission fluid will last for 120,000 miles, with gentle use. But what about the brake fluid. Most car companies recommend changing it every two years or so because it is hygroscopic and the water in it will boil when the fluid gets hot and can also cause rusting. I guess it is possible that changing it when new brake pads are installed is often enough so they don't see any point in making it a separate item.

    The funny thing is that when I bought my Highlander the dealer seemed more interested in making money then prepping my car properly. I can't figure out why the maintenance schedule doesn't give him a chance to make more money. Not much profit in oil changes.
  • scienceteacherscienceteacher Member Posts: 5
    How do you reset the Maint Req flashing light when your approaching 5000mile intervals? :D
  • scienceteacherscienceteacher Member Posts: 5
    Mine did go on at 10,000 miles? What's up with this flashing light approaching the 5K intervals?
  • mckeownmckeown Member Posts: 165
    After you do the required service for the vehicle interval, turn the key to ON without starting the vehicle. Push the odometer button until ODO reading is displayed. Turn the key to off. Now PUSH AND HOLD the odometer button AND turn the key to ON again WITHOUT starting the engine. Wait 3-5 seconds until the 'Maintainence Required' light goes out, Now the interval is reset.
    On US spec vehicles, when you are within 500 miles of the next interval, the light flashes after startup for 15-30 seconds as a reminder. Within 50 miles of the next interval, the light stays on until reset.
  • scienceteacherscienceteacher Member Posts: 5
    Thanks mckeown!
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