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Comments
<1%....??
Has anyone replaced the strong arms for your Highlander and if so;
Do you have a part #, CarQuest, Napa, etc.
Did you go with a higher pound strong arm?
Toyota's OEM arms sure are small for the size of the tailgate.
Thanks!
That was not my intent my friend, and your inference is way off base.
Paraphrasing what I said, once more for the record:
Given the circumstances under which the statement "protect the drivetrain" is being touted as gospel, it's wrong to characterize it as a "public admission" of culpability by anyone. It was made in anonymity and it's unproven. (I also believe that applies to a lot of statements being made about this issue!!)
Therefor the quote qualifies as hearsay. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
In truth, no one can say the person who first mentioned it was lying or not. I certainly can't, and my intention wasn't to call anyone a liar.
Neither you, nor anyone else can truthfully say (or show) it was a "public admission", simply because of the conditions surrounding its origin.
I commend you for your faith in its origin. At the same time, I think you may be blind to reality in suggesting no Official source has come forth to deny it, therefor it must be true.
let's assume toyota experiences an extremely low percentage of vehicles with the problem. a few questions arise:
a). why can't they fix these cars?
b). why can't they replace them or perform a buy-back?
c). why the mantra: nothing's wrong, they all do that?
very unwise of a customer-centric company in my opinion.
regardless, a corporate-issued TSB qualifies as an admission that the issue is real in my book and i presume in yours as well.
"Toyota team members devote themselves to the consumer, from the drawing board to the market."
But I asked you, specifically, for a response based on my request for you to assume, briefly, for the moment, a small aspect of the situation.
Still waiting.
Like a doctor, you can't fix things without listening, carefully, to all aspects related to the "problem", and absent knowing factually otherwise, acting on them as being the total and complete truth. And yes, you may later learn that some of those truths were not, or maybe not really pertinent to the issue at hand.
For many years I was in the business of troubleshooting and fixing computer systems, and I was quite successful at that. I suspect that may have been because however outlandish the customer's description of the problem might sound, I took it to heart.
Maybe when all this is done, resolved, we will all look back and say wwest was an idiot, his theories were completely off base. But you know what, I will tackle the next problem in the very same manner, listening carefully, soliciting whatever additional information I can obtain, and trying my best to put the "puzzle" together.
There are no "alleged" statements in my world.
Unscientific testing........
With switch in "lean" position, 7 miles "out" at 55MPH average MPG was 30, on return it was 24 MPG. With switch in "rich" position, "out" MPG was 24 and return was 21.9. Average MPG was reset just as vehicle was locked into cruise at 55 MPH.
Haven't done enough driving to tell if the "bumped from behind" or "slingshot effect" is still present due to upshifting during closed throttle coastdown.
I am a regular browser of this and other Toyota forums. I never wanted to get involved with discussions, just here to see what others say.
Here's a 2 cents worth opinion about the hesitation complaint a few of you are beating to death. It's getting tiresome to see the same 5 or 6 usernames in all the Toyota topics every day, all day. It's been like that for at least a year.
What's with you guys? I don't doubt your reasons for dissatisfaction. BUT, is it really necessary to keep repeating the same stuff about your hesitation issues day in and day out in ALL the Toyota forums? How many times does it take to get your message across? Why is it necessary to do this in every Toyota forum in this site? What are you expecting to accomplish by this?
I'm getting fed up with constant reminders about accidents waiting to happen or transaxles are falling off or we're brainwashed or they must be on Toyota staff or aliens from another evil empire, blah, blah. You even complain about posters who come on board to say they don't have any complaints.
Well, like some others are telling you, there are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of owners just like me who are OK with their choices. You don't speak for them, and all these reminders by 5 or 6 of you don't reflect their experiences.
I'm not saying there aren't problems with Toyota. All manufacturers have issues.
There are lots of other issues to learn about in these forums. Just give yours a break to make room for them.
Thank you, I agree completely. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to express your opinion, because you will no doubt now have to endure the inevitable attacks.
The best I can figure is this has become sort of a hobby for some, and obsession for a few.
Personally I welcome anyone who contributes in any way to the weath of information on the subject, any subject. The problem is when those that are not having a problem pitch in, pile on, to say that anyone's statement about having a problem is only alleged.
Some of you seem to be saying "prove it". On the other hand I have seen no one saying to those that don't experience the problem, "prove it".
Look at another way....
If your child had a cold, sniffles, that simply wouldn't go away, doctors are totally puzzled, your child couldn't be cured, to what lenths would you go to find a cure??
Where would you go, beyond family, for empathy? A sympathic ear?
Where would you go to gather information, the latest information, describe your child's symptoms in hope that someone else has incurred the problem, newest information available to the general public..??
I am also somewhat disappointed. When I began looking at various cars, I came to the Edmunds site because I considered them to be a trusted source of unbiased information. When I first saw some of the posts about hesitation and the claims of safety issues I was concerned. Based on a quick browse of these boards I even considered deciding against the Highlander because of some of the claims, and I would have missed out on a truly wonderful car.
After looking closer however I realized that it was indeed the same few people posting over and over and over, making what I consider to be many baseless claims and assumptions. I am not talking about the statements that there may be a problem with your particular car, but the obvious exaggerations. I have to wonder just how outlandish a claim a person can make on an Edmunds board? I have seen absurd posts comparing cars to coffins and people getting run over (none of which happened) that I really believe are a discredit to the issue, as well and the entire Edmunds site.
Based on my personal experience here, I would no longer advise anyone to come to these boards for fair, unbiased information. I realize that Edmunds is not the source of the information, but I think that allowing such obviously untrue statements about deathtraps, brainwashing and public admissions that have never occurred, is not fair to the motoring public.
My 2 cents.
Also, if you catch yourself repeating the same mantra, you can always post a link to one of your past posts. This way those who may not have read it can do so and those who have and don't care to can move on to the next post.
Thanks for everyone's cooperation!
This is pretty ridiculous that such an item is to fail.
Thanks,
Ashok
I've basically left the forum due to Pilot130 persistence and one sided views on the topic he is beating to death. He says he's left the forum but always seems to return.
So if you don't mind, I'll repost my message since it probably got lost/forgotten.
After having our local Toyota dealer replace both tailgate strong arms (some might call them shocks) and again both failed, I've decided to replace them with aftermarket ones.
Has anyone replaced the strong arms for your Highlander and if so;
Do you have a part #, CarQuest, Napa, etc.
Did you go with a higher pound strong arm?
Toyota's OEM arms sure are small for the size of the tailgate.
Thanks!
I suggest you post your message in the hesitation forum. They will be eager to see new blood in there. Just type the word "hesitation" in the "Search Forums" block lower left. It should be the first line in the search results "hesitation, all makes/models" Good luck.
Although I have not replaced the ones on my Highlander, yet, I have replaced several on other cars. A friend, who runs a $2 Mil/yr auto repair business (and has been in the business for 30 yrs) gets his from Carquest. He said the Napa ones are junk and rarely has any warranty claims on the Carquest (He provides a 1 yr, no questions warranty on most parts like tailgate shocks). I have since bought the Carquest and have been very happy with the quality.
HTH
Any ideas?
Hopefully this isn't the beginning of a sludge issue - shouldn't be, because of the synthetic. Guess I'll go look on the sludge forum.
Jeff
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef4cdbd
We sold the car to a friend who owned it for many years putting many un-eventfull miles on it.
Might not apply here, but thought i would relate this to you.
This may be one of the symptoms of the engine or throttle hesitation, you'll have to judge. These transaxle's tend to upshift during closed throttle coastdown situations, some describe it as the "slingshot effect".
Rather than actually being propelled forward (which is exactly how it feels) what is actually happened is a great proportion of the engine compression braking is being alleviated due to the upshift.
The other symptom is the effect of being bumped from behind just before coming to a full stop. Again that is a result of the transaxle upshifting to alleviate engine compression braking.
If those fit the description of what you're experiencing then you might want to read some of the posts in the hesitation thread.
You can pull a spark plug or two and look at the condition; very black plug indicates a carbon build up in the engine upper half.
If so, you can buy a "Top Engine" cleaner which is introduced through the fuel system or take it to your favorite shop/dealer for cleaning.
Good luck!
Before I spend almost a thousand dollars on tires I don't want to waste my money.
I telephoned Toyota Canada and they told me to contact my local dealer? What a run around. Obviously Toyota knows about the problem is but does not want to fix the problem. Like you I am thinking of dumping this vehicle, even though it is a great vehicle. Will an international class action suit work?
My training was courtesy of the California Highway Patrol and Northwest Traffic Institute. We tested several vehicles where we slammed on the brakes and came to a complete stop with both ABS active and inactive. There were some interesting results that none of us expected. ABS was designed to allow control during braking and just the nature of the beast produced slightly longer stopping distances in controlled dry situations (that is, a clean, dry surface devoid of debris). I remember a test with both a Corvette and a Mercedes. The Vette stopped almost 10 feet shorter from 70 MPH without ABS. The Mercedes, which had a better ABS system, was only a few feet longer with ABS; however, it was longer every time. Tires played a major role when things got wet or when the roadway had debris. Also, the ability of the driver to 'feel' the brakes and prevent lock-up. We put dirt or crushed rock on the track. We had a snow machine and also sprayed water on the track. The temp was too high, so we used a formula developed by the tire industry to 'create' ice by adding soap to water. The distances were closer in the snow; however, on our 'ice', the ABS ruled the day as the non-ABS vehicles basically went out of control every time. You could tell who the good test drivers were as they could control their stops better. They were, however, longer every time without ABS and the final point of rest was always a guess. The ABS, however, certainly did not totally rule on the 'ice' and only did really well when we put on tires designed to interact with a wet/icy environment.
It was interesting when ABS first came out and people got into several rear-enders with these cars. They always had this puzzled look on their faces when I arrived and would exclaim that their ABS must've failed. They thought, as many still do today, that ABS will stop you faster, so they could keep driving fast in the rain or follow closer in heavy traffic at speed. They even thought that it would prevent their skidding on ice! Our tests, and others done by many of my colleagues, proved that was definitely not the case. I have always thought that car salesman kind of oversold ABS, at least initially and that the stories just kept being repeated. I even had drivers tell me that they could drive longer on a set of tires 'cause their car had ABS and that would compensate for the thinner tread!
ABS is a great tool and one of an arsenal of safety features; however, your basic premise that ABS vehicles stop in a longer distance is correct. Throw in the variables of tire condition and roadway condition, and the difference gets lost.
Long answer, I know; however, I hope I addressed your question.
Speaking of the salespersons over-selling, I think in most cases they were misleading the public. Unintentionally, since they hadn't a clue (as is with most salespersons) as to the technical details.
If you read the owners manuals I think anyone would conclude that the manufacturers are now making a good attempt to correct the misunderstanding.
In the meantime I am waiting impatiently for some bright automotive engineer to realize that if VSC were hooked up to ABS then ABS could be prevented from activating unless loss of directional control is impending.
I have tried flushing the air intake with water and spraying can after can of lysol, plus baking powder placed on the carpet and nothing is helping.
I have seen other references to needing to clean out the evaporator system with products such as BG?
Toyota dealer has not returned my phone calls which is no surprise. I can't wait until the next Consumer Reports questionnaire so I can provide additional feedback on this problem.
Have had a bad oil burning smell with the vehicle since the beginning and now it's equally smelling on the inside.
Last time I buy a Toyota.
Mold and mildew and instances of unexpected windshield fogging throughout the industry can be pretty much laid at the feet of a Japanese company by the name of NipponDenso, Denso US, in the US.
Some manufacturers now provide a means of disabling the A/C indefinitely, Toyota and Lexus via a C-best option. In the past I avoided these problems by disconnecting the A/C compressor clutch during the cool or cold winter months when it is virtual useless and can actually be harmful.
It also helps if you leave the windows down in the garage each night if you have used the A/C during the day.
Google for: EED "Electronic evaporator dryer" for more detail and a possible long term solution.
Regards to all,
Ken
I've never thought or knew that there were brighter bulbs available and I think this is a great idea.
Best regards,
Philip
I'm personally struck by how many people ARE complaining of hesitation issues -- and it gives some of us ammunition when going to a dealer.
Case in point: a friend of mine has an Acura mdx. It had the transmission fail prematurely. The dealer wanted $3500. I did some research and pointed out to my friend that the mdx has had a problem with early tran. failures. He went to dealer with the information and was quietly told that, oh, gosh, Acura would cover most of his repair cost after all.
Graham
Now, since it was your idea would it be okay if we made you reponsible for contacting all those with the hesitation symptom. All those newbies who have never been "here" yet and let them know that it's not appropreate to post questions on that particular subject on this thread.
Going "first" to the most obvious thread is not PC.
Or maybe the host can retitle the thread...
"Do not post questions of engine/throttle hesitation here."
People who are regular posters in the Engine Hesitation Forum can invite newbies to that forum but should not be posting their problems here, as this is a general topic for the Highlander.
So basically anyone who isn't a newbie, and who is posting lengthy messages about the Engine Hesitation Problem here, may have their posts removed, as per Host's best judgment on keeping the peace.
can anybody advise on how to change it to automatically set all door locks when engine is started? thanks
However, I think there will still be some newbies who don't notice it and, thinking that this this is the place to post Highlander-related problems, will post about hesitaiton here. So, I hope everyone who hates this issue can be polite in directing them to the Engine Hesitation board.