Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

maprn · July 2001

Have read the posts re: clicking noise from the roof of the car. I also am experiencing it and I also think it has something to do with expansion and contraction due to heat (sun) and cooling. Has anyone spoken to a dealer about this? I have a sunroof but no spoiler. I don't notice the sounds as much if I pull the cover over the sunroof. I love my Highlander. Great to drive, but the loud clicks and snaps and pops can be annoying.

keepyung00 · July 2001

I've owned this highlander for a week now. When I drive with only rear windows(one or both), it makes serious noise which is extremly painful and unbearable. I took it to the service department at the dealer, and one of the technicians acknowledged the problem but said there is nothing they can do about the problem. He feels it's a design problem. I'm taking the car to the person who sold the car and see what he has to say. The problem is serious enough to make all the good things about highlander disappear. If anyone has same problem please post a message.

7332high · July 2001

We have experienced the same problem, and have seen other postings with same complaint. We did go back to the dealer and drove other Highlanders and they are all the same. The only solution we have found is to roll the front windows down a little. You'll have to play around with it to see what works best. We were just told it's wind noise and should be expected with SUV's, but dealer acknowledged that this is excessive. I agree, it is unbearable and it sounds like a helicopter is landing on or in the vehicle. Hard to believe that whoever designed this vehicle would find this pleasant. Other than this complaint, we love the car.

goldston · July 2001

Dear keepyung00,

Having owned a lot of different vehicles, both american and imports, they all have had the noise/wind "wupping" sound when the rear windows are down. And as "7332high" stated, the answer is to equalize the press by lowering a front window a little or open/tilt the sun roof. I guess I never gave it second thought the first it happen in my Highlander, but I can sure see your point of view and your concern.

Best regards,
Philip

keepyung00 · July 2001

Dear Philip,

Thanks for taking the time to post a message and share your experience. For other readers, I just would like to add another comment. Prior to purchase HL, I owned and still own 91 Ford Explorer. Since I didn't have a power window with my explorer, I never had opportunity to drive my rear windows only. That meant, I had to open the rear passenger doors and manually roll down the windows. Well, I experimented yesterday for the first time in 10 years, and it did not make any noise. And I rode in with my coworker today who who owns 99 Nissan PathFinder. It did not have that problem. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the noise problem is very severe with HL case and I would like people to be informed before considering buying a HL. Thanks again for your message.

Regards,

Keepyung

alsop · July 2001

If some people have not seen postings here on Edmund that go back quite away, then you may not know that the wind noise with the back windows down on the HL has been mentioned and discussed many times. While it is kind of you to point it out, Keepyung, there is absolutely no way that one issue would have kept me from buying my Highlander. No vehicle I have ever had was perfect, however my Highlander is much closer to perfect that many other vehicles, even with this wind issue. If you would like to read discussion on this subject, scroll back through the posts on the Edmunds HL sites. I find the wind noise with the back windows down to be a minor issue, at least for me...although since the HL, for the most part, is a great vehicle over all, it actually is not really an "issue" with me. However, I can understand your concern, and frustration. Whatever you decide and however it ends up for you, good luck, and best wishes. /Ron

alsop · July 2001

Re: my posting #57, with the reference to other postings on the back window wind noise: I found some of those discussions in one area on the main/combined page here (not on this "Problems and Solutions" section, but in the main "Highlanders Owner's Club") beginning with message 1404 or so. So, if you are interested in reading earlier postings on this subject, those around and quite a few since about #1404 share some good information! Good luck! /Ron

alsop · July 2001

dean2sm1, (or others with info about using HomeLink as mentioned in posting #42) - I would indeed be interested on the HomeLink info you have and how you got it set up/programmed to turn on your garage (or other) lights. I hope you are still reading these postings! Thanks! /Ron

tonysa · July 2001

I also have a highlander with 1000 miles which exhibits this same noise. Has anyone heard of a
fix? It is coming from the sun roof. We don't have a spoiler.

dean2sm1 · July 2001

alsop: it's too late at nite for me now, but I'll post in detail tomorrow; glad you're interested.

Dean

dean2sm1 · July 2001

Following is a copy of E-mail I sent back to Homelink customer service, which includes reference to equipment I used. I am reasonably sure any house code and equipment number would work. Other modules, such as wall outlets, are also available. I used the three-way wall switches, since that is what I had in garage on opposite walls. There is a syntax error in instructions for 61-2663. That transceiver module itself is activated only if keychain switch is set at 1-2. For detailed Homelink programming instructions, go to Homelink.com; Site Map; Gates: Programming Instructions. The three-way switch is available only by order at store or web site.

Thank you, Polly. If you are not embarrassed, by being corrected by a
client, and wish to have useful info for future inquirers, read on. I might
add that I also received erroneous info from Radioshack via E-mail. If you
have access to a Radioshack catalog, that will be helpful. First of all,
after reading on the Homelink web site how to program a security gate (and
it is mentioned also home lighting), it seemed to me that Homelink should
recognize signals from a keychain type transmitter. Here is my setup, which
works from Homelink: Radioshack #61-2663 keychain remote system; Radioshack
#980-0194 3-way wall switch module. Both set to House code "I", number 5.
Used Homelink middle button for the on signal, and the right button for the
off signal. WORKS GREAT!! The left button is used for the garage door
opener. Regards, and have a great fourth. Dean B.
Smith
From:

Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 10:29 AM
Subject: Re: HomeLink Contact Us Message

> Dear Mr. Smith,
>
> Thank you for visiting the website and for your lighting inquiry.
>
> Currently, our Vehicle Interface is the only component that will activate
> RadioShack or X-10 brand lighting modules. Without this unit, HomeLink
> will not activate them

One other thing: my furnace motor(running A/C) interfered with transmission over house wiring, so control worked intermittently. I was also able to solve that problem, and will advise if necessary. You have to be comfortable with working with wiring.

Good luck! Feel free to E-mail me if you have questions or problems.
Dean

alsop · July 2001

Thank you for the posting and info, Dean (dean2sm1)! I was in a Radio Shack today before I read your posting, and took a look at the various remote items; I would not have had a clue how to put together the info you provided, until reading your posting. Although, having seen the items, I think I know what you are referring to. Thanks again...I'll let you know when I do this, although it might be a little while before I get to it. /Ron

betsela · July 2001

Am considering purchase of HL and am a bit concerned about the responsiveness of the brakes, and the subjective feel of 'em. Apparently the HL stops just fine (according to C&D) but they feel "soft" -- you have to press down very far. I prefer tight brakes. Any experiences with this? On the HL/SUV board, someone mentioned having this problem too and hearing that you could get the dealer to "bleed" the brakes back to life. Please let me know if you have experienced the same thing with your car, and what the solution was....Many thanks...--betsela

jrea · July 2001

I've seen other posts about the HL having soft brakes, but my 6cyl, AWD has brakes just as tight as my wife's Subaru Legacy or my previous Explorer. They feel firm, solid and work without any surprises.

svtcobraconv · July 2001

This topic has been beaten to death here, but I thought it might be of interest if Toyota people are paying attention to these posts...

My wife and I enjoy driving with the rear windows down in summer, as we are prefer that to air conditioning if it is not too hot. After reading the posts here about the noise driving that way, we thought perhaps we should check it out during our next test drive. I thought, hey, it couldn't be THAT bad. However, when we tried it, we couldn't believe how deafening it was! Anyway, this is one of the reasons she wants to wait for a 2002, in hopes it is fixed. She said there is something wrong with the design, and would not want a Highlander until it's fixed. I told her it really was more of the result of the overall shape and aerodynamics of the vehicle, and probably it will be the same in 2002. Also, most people do not care about this idiosyncrasy, and can be minimzed by adjusting front and rear window open positions. (Or eliminated altogether by not driving that way!) In the end, we'll probably buy one whether it's fixed or not, but it was still quite annoying.

Anyway, one negative aspect of an otherwise fine vehicle!

personna1 · July 2001

I own a Highlander and my parents own both a Suburu Forester and a Honda Accord... all three vehicles have this problem when the back windows are down. However, the Highlander is the worse of the three as it is the only one to cause me physical ear pain in a short period of time.

That being said, I think (my guess) that what is actually happening (that is, what is responsible for the thud thud thud) is the result of the air pressure changing rapidly (continuously) inside the vehicle. The thudding noise is caused by your tempatic membrane (sp?) in your ear reacting violently to the change in pressure. (Because I know someone is going to point this out, I will state that I know that all sound is registered by the brain in this fashion. (In combination with the bones in your ear.) However the problem in the Highlanders is most likely because of extreme movement of the membrane in the ear to the point that causes pain.) To illustrate my point, has anyone noticed that sometimes when you drive with the moonroof open and then close it, your ears feel plugged because of the air pressure change? (Assume your windows are also closed. The air pressure change feels like you were on an airplane.) I think there is a much higher pressure inside the vehicle while it is moving and thus this problem presents itself.

We all want a quiet ride when we drive... Toyota did a fairly good job of sealing the vehicle (questionable door seals though) and thusly keeping the air pressure high inside. I think that if the vehicle wasn't so "sealed" there would be a lot less of this noise.

Anyone have an official or scientific explanation they'd like to offer?

=-Personna1->

betsela · July 2001

I notice on one of the other boards that someone already went into have HL brakes fixed according to the recall (cap replaced, bled, etc.) and they said the brakes were only a little better. Has anyone else had this problem attended to (even though recall is new, people seem to have been aware of the problem before) successfully -- as in very tight, responsive brakes? I will continue to test drive, but will insist that I test drive a vehicle that has had this work done. I really did not like the feel of the brakes a week ago when I first test drove the HL, before I knew it was actually an issue. Thanks

svtcobraconv · July 2001

Thanks personna1.

I agree with you on your explanation on what's happening. We didn't experience just the noise, but also a moderately painful sensation in our ears. Anyway, here is my "backyard mechanic's" potential fix for this problem. That would be some sort of relief in the very rear of the vehicle to allow for a controlled flow of the air in the interior. (Didn't GM have something they called "flow-thru ventilation"?) Perhaps this already is designed into the Highlander, and all vehicles, but only enough for the volume of air associated with the heater or air conditioning. A design engineer might laugh at this, saying the amount and variation of air rushing into open rear windows is way too much to design a relief path for.

stached · July 2001

My brakes feel more powerful as my Maxima's and the Highlander's brakes have a great feel as well!

...just my 2 cents.

rmsnewcar · July 2001

Sorry I've been absent awhile so I don't know if this was discussed.

Can anyone tell me about the recall. I received a notice that the master cylinder cap needed to be checked. Is this something I need to deal with ASAP??? Or can I wait 2 weeks till my oil change (3months already!!!)Thanks for your help.

betsela · July 2001

Stached: Thanks for your post! Do your brakes feel great because you had them fixed or did they always feel tight? The HL I am thinking of getting is apparently according to the dealer not affected by the recall...Just wondering.

robsfhl · July 2001

We received our recall notice yesterday. We've had our silver 4wd limited for four months now and have noticed that the brakes are not as stiff and responsive as our last car(a Ford Taurus wagon-a serious piece of junk by the way), so hopefully this will correct or at least improve the problem. I can live with the brakes as they are right now, but based on the description of the problem in the recall notice I am concerned that the brake performance can worsen over time. Needless to say, I am going to have the work done next week. I'd also like to reinterate the request in post #68 for anyone who has had the work done to let us know if there has been any improvement.

hlron · August 2001

Regarding posting #73, you may have already seen the postings by others on the "main page" of this HL owner's club that have had the brake fluid cap and brake bleeding done already...at least one there noted it has made a difference. However in response to your question of if there has been any improvement, my experience is yes, my brakes feel a bit "tighter" and more responsive when I step on the them..I notice, or at least perceive, a nice difference. Although a co-worker of mine also had his done, and he noticed no difference, although he had less than or only about 1,000 miles on his HL when he had the work done. Hope this bit of info helps, either way.

ayala · August 2001

BEHIND THE GLOVE-BOX THERE IS A FAN THAT IS SUPPOSE TO HAVE A COVER. WELL ON MY HL IT KEEPS ON FALLING OFF. AS A RESULT OF THIS THREE THINGS HAPPEN.

1. EXPOSED FAN. SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT MAYBE IT DIDN'T HAVE ONE WELL IT DOES. IT JUST KEEPS ON FALLING OFF.

2. AIR TEMPETURE TO WARM WHEN THE A/C IS ON, JUST LIKE DESCRIBED BEFORE. YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE RIGHT AWAY AFTER YOU PUT IT ON OR ADJUST IT, TO FIT CORRECTLY.

3. THE GLOVE BOX COMPARTMENT DOES NOT CLOSES CORRECLTY IT RATTLES, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF THE SOUNDS DISCRIBED BY OTHER MEMBERS.

IT IS VERY EASY TO PUT IT BACK IT JUST CLIPS ON BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT KEEPS ON HAPPENING ALL THE TIME. AND THIS THREE PROBLEMS ARE CONSISTANT EVRY TIME THIS HAPPENS.

HOW TO CHECK. OPEN THE GLOVE BOX. PRESS IT FROM THE SIDES AND PULL IT THAT WAY YOU ARE ABLE TO OPEN IT A LOT MORE. IT STILL WON'T GIVE YOU ENOUGH ROOM BUT I'LL GIVE YOU ENOUGH TO CHECK.

GOOD LUCK

P.S. I READ SOMEWHERE THAT SOME PEOPLE TOUGH IT DIDN'T HAVE A COVER IF YOU COULD PASS THIS INFORMATION TO THEM
THANKS

mrnose · August 2001

My HL is a 2WD V6 Limited with 500 miles. Shortly after taking delivery, a "tick, tick, tick" sound was noticed coming from between the back seats. If someone is sitting in the back, the sound stops. I've tilted the seats, looked for loose fittings, and even sprayed WD40 in the tilt mechanism between the seats. The sound persists. It's worse on rough surfaces. I'm going nuts trying to locate and solve this annoying problem. Help!

awchan13 · August 2001

This past saturday, my wife and I went to the store. She waited in the car while I ran inside really quick to purchase something. A man pulled up in a cherokee next to her, got out, opened his passenger door, and bam! He dinged our car. My wife immediately got out and asked him what he was going to do about it. He basically acted like a jerk and told her to call the cops if she wanted to. About that time I showed up, looked at it and asked the guy what he was going to do about it. It was a really small ding, a scratch on the clear coat, and if you look at an angle, you can see the metal pushed in. (i believe the corner of his door hit my car). I told him that I wasn't sure if it was just a clearcoat problem, or what not (can minor dings be pulled out?) I told him I'd take down his insurance info to cover my but if it cost a ton to fix it (I figured a buffing the area would remove the scratch). He game me his insurance card, and proceeded to tell my I was wasting his time, I should call the cops....blah blah blah. He even offered me $100 because he thought I was out to milk him. I told him I didn't want it, I just wanted my new car to remain...NEW! Well, I asked for his name (the insured person had a female first name). He refused to give it to me and told me to call the lady on the card, he was borrowing the car from her to return some movies. Then he walked away without giving me her number or his name. I took down all the information I had, went home and looked up her name. No luck. So I called her insurance company and told them what happened. They took the info, and told me they'd get back to me to let me know how to proceed. What do you guys think? Is it worth the hassle? It's a standard ding, I rubbed off the paint from the other car, and there is a small scratch, and the metal is definately pushed in (about a 1cm diameter circle). I have no idea if it's even possible to fix it (pull it out) but the clear coat should be buffed to remove the scratch. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but the guy was a jerk, and we caught him in the act. (I have another ding on the passenger door bumper, the paint chipped away. Didn't catch that guy though

Any advice? Thanks

gwkiser · August 2001

Ouch! Sorry to hear about the ding. Personally, I would probably go ahead a file on the other insurance company if you can. These days it doesn't take much to run up a repair bill. My brother-in-law had a similar thing happen to him in his RX300 a couple of months ago. An elderly couple dinged his front passenger door with theirs. According to him, their car was "all dinged up and they didn't care". Don't know what the real story was other than they refused to give him their insurance info so he went inside the deli and called the police. (He tends to get very emotional and upset, especially on matters involving his car). Anyway, he told the police that the others refuse to turn over their insurance info and that he was afraid of a conflict and so he had them come out. While it took about 45 minutes for the police to show up, they advised him that he did the right thing. The police obtained the info from the couple (who maintained their innocence due to the fact that their car was parked between the lines) and turned it over to my brother in law. He called the insurance company and it was taken care of. Bear in mind that the repair was only about $200 + 2 days of rental car, so you can imagine how minor it was. I saw the damage and the metal was not even dented...only the paint was scratched off.
You might as well give a call to their insurance company if you can and see how far you can take it...just seek what you think is fair in compensation. You might even consider that if the main paint (color part) is still in good shape, perhaps the interior panel can be removed and the "dimple" gently hammered out. Then the new finishing on the outside can be applied. I'm no expert at this at all, so take it for what it's worth. I would also recommend that you speak with the dealer body shop as they are most familiar with the characteristics of metal on Toyotas (thickness, ease of shaping it, etc). Also, maybe you can call an independent company like "dent removers" or "dent lifters" who specialize in paintless body repair and dent removal. Just my two cents worth. Stay calm and stay persistent. Good luck.

gwkiser · August 2001

mmose, that's a hard one to diagnose. There's a lot of possibilities. First, if you happen to have leather interior, try using conditioner on all the areas where two parts meet. Maybe it's that "dry leather rubbing sound". Next, make sure that the seatbelt buckles aren't tapping against each other. Another idea might be something internal or within the seat or leanback cushion / cushions themselves. How about the headrests...maybe there's something there? Sorry, I'll keep thinking and post more if I come up with anything else. You know, you can always take it to the dealer and take the service writer out on a short drive so he/she can hear it. Then turn it over to them and tell them to call you when it's ready. I know it's a pain but sometimes you just have to put the monkey on their back. After all, that's why we have a warranty. Good luck.

shl72953 · August 2001

Some clown opened his door and put a one inch long, quarter of an inch deep crease just above the wheel on the rear quarter panel. I took it to the dealer and asked for an estimate. To repair it to original was $504. I think I would file on your claim. It could be almost as expensive as mine. I didn't get to see who put the ding in mine so to fix it will be out of my own pocket. Good luck with yours.
Wally

green2u · August 2001

It sounds like when somebody clicks the roof of their mouth with their tongue. It never comes out of the same speakers (though sometimes comes out of more than one). It doesn't matter if you are playing the CD/cassette/radio. Even with the sound turned down, the "click" can be heard at the same low level. There seems to be no pattern and it happens so intermittently that I can never get a Toyota service person to hear it. Any thoughts?

andrec8513 · August 2001

The clicking noise you are hearing is from the sunroof shade. Try this, close the shade and see if you hear the noise...you should not. Open the shade and you should hear the noise shortly after. There is a Lexus RX300 bulletin #B0007 which will fix this, but has not come over to Toyota as of yet. Someone posted on Yahoo's board that his dealer fixed it with a kit of clips and felt tape. Hope this helps... Then again, if you dont have a sunroof...Oh well!

Andre

alsop · August 2001

...I agree with Andre regarding the clicking noise perhaps coming from the sunroof/moonroof area - if you do indeed have a sun/moonroof. If not, I suppose your sound description simply also sounds like the moonroof clicking/popping noise some of us hear. The sound made in the moonroof area could sound like the noise is coming from speakers. Although, I do have one different experience than Andre...for awhile after I close my moonroof, I can still hear the noise a time or two. If you do have a sun/moonroof, could that be where the noise is actually coming from? Either way, good luck, and sorry I do not have more to offer.

jrfiero · August 2001

I had the recall brake work done last night, and there may be a slight bit of difference in the brake feel, but they still suck.
How so, you ask? One example - I was entering the pickup lane at a grocery store the other day, and was waiting for an elderly couple to cross in front of me. My brake pedal was on the floor. If the car began to creep, or I somehow got a little push, there wouldn't have been any more brake to use. I don't consider that normal or acceptable brake operation.
So - the 'fix' took about 20 minutes. I'm skeptical that a thorough brake bleed could be done in that period. The shop manual has three sections in the brake bleed explanation: Master Cylinder (requires air cleaner removal); ABS and Traction Actuator (requires Special Service Tool); and brake lines. Not sure whether the Master Cylinder part needs to be done, 'cause the manual says "If Master Cylinder has been disassembled or if the reservoir becomes empty, bleed the air from the Master Cylinder.' Since the problem requiring the recall had to do with the Master Cylinder, it seems it should be bled.
I'm going to check all these locations to see if it appears they've been touched.
Cliffy or other Toyota persons, do you have any comments?

gwkiser · August 2001

jrfiero, I had our recall done about two weeks ago. I DID notice a SLIGHT improvement in the braking, but noticed even more that the pedal sensitivity was considerably improved. IMHO, I'm not convinced that the service tech at your dealer bled the system. Why not go by there again and tell them you're still having concerns and that they need to bleed it again. If necessary, have a service writer take a test drive with you. I'm sure they'll work with you. The last thing they need is a lawsuit because of faulty brakes (or faulty workmanship on their part). Good luck.

tooloose · August 2001

Anyone seen this problem posted, yet? When we first got the vehicle (V6 FWD), we thought that the a/c in our Highlander was not stellar but adequate. That is until the real heat of summer hit us. With high temps outside, the a/c is weak at best. But here's the crazy thing... the air coming from the passenger side vents is cool (not cold), but the air on the driver's side is barely a few degrees below outside temp. I'm looking everywhere for an open/close switch for an outside vent or the like, but to no avail. Is there something obvious I'm missing? I'm taking it in for the first oil change next week and would like to hit the dealer with as much info as possible (i.e., tried this.. tried that.. heard this.., etc.). Otherwise, the car has been great. I love how quiet the engine is and the smooth (and stable) ride... too bad there isn't a road to Tahiti (I'd have to wait until the a/c was fixed, though). Thanks for your comments...

brad_22 · August 2001

Umm...the outside airflow is controlled by the button on your dash above the stereo (right next to the AC button). When its green, the vents are closed from the outside.

I hope this was the obvious answer you were looking for.

tooloose · August 2001

You mean the recirc button? If only life were that easy. No... punching that button doesn't affect either the passenger or driver vent temps much (other than what difference there might be between cabin and outside temps). It also wouldn't explain the strange dichotomy of temps being produced as the recirc buttons operates both sides. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

gwkiser · August 2001

OK, here's what I've thought of so far.

1. Maybe a bad compressor or at least a bad switch/fuse to the compressor. This might explain why the air is cooler on the passenger's side more than the driver's. Since the interior's cold air originates from the blower (passenger's side), maybe it just doesn't last or maintain as well in the travel across the dash to the driver's side.

2. Maybe low level of freon in the system.

3. Maybe one or more faulty servos controlling the duct airflow. Our Limited with the auto a/c on has a servo which lets out a faint hiss as it's adjusting either the fan speed or the temp (or both). Yes, I know you don't have a Limited, but you probably do still have a servo or two in the a/c controls.

4. Maybe a partially detached piece of ductwork.

I'll let you know if I come up with anything else. Please notice that my suggestions all start with the word "Maybe". I'm not a mechanic but I'm just trying to apply some logic to the symptoms. Keep us informed. Good luck.

green2u · August 2001

Thanks for the advice re: the possibility of the noise coming from the sunroof. However, it's clearly coming randomly from the speakers. And it has happened when the car sunroof was closed and the car was not in motion.

alan_s · August 2001

Do you have a cell phone?
If the phone is placed too close to the sound system, then it can cause intermittent clicks and noises to be emitted by the speakers.
I have an LS400 and I can't put my cellphone anywhere near the console without getting "ticking" sounds from the sound system. I keep it in the door pocket now.
Try moving your phone or turning it off and see if it makes a difference.
Hate to think what cell phones are doing to our brains!!!

pumphrey · August 2001

Good afternoon. This is my first post. My husband and I own a 2WD Highlander Limited. We recently were in the vehicle and had a container of gas for our mower in the back. Due to the smell, I rolled our back windows down halfway. What we encountered was scary at best. Extreme turbulence is created inside the vehicle with the window or windows rolled down. We encounter this problem at any speed, but the higher speeds create a volatile situation. The noise that is created is deafening, it's as if your eardrums are going to explode. The vibration in the vehicle includes every aspect of the interior, especially the steering wheel. The inside of the vehicle wants to implode from the pressure. It's as though the pressure difference between the cabin and outside air causes the turbulence. We took the vehicle to the dealership and the service manager took a test drive with us. He looked at us as though we were crazy, but after having experienced the situation we described, he grabbed his ears and refused to drive. They have yet to find a solution, but have told us that they have test drove other Highlanders on their lot and it is a problem with all of them. We would appreciate any input.

gwkiser · August 2001

This has been mentioned quite a bit in this forum. From what we gather, this is a common occurance in many vehicles today. The only solution offered has been to lower at least one of the front windows (even slightly) and the deafening noise will be reduced, if not eliminated altogether. Beyond that, I haven't seen any solution posted or offered. BTW, I did not believe the problem was as severe as mentioned but I tried it myself some time back and realized that indeed it is very annoying. Fortunately, we use the a/c almost continously where we live, so it poses no problems for us.

pumphrey · August 2001

Just joined the message board today and saw your post. We had, I believe, this same problem. We were able to detect where the problem was coming from, took it to our dealer, and they ordered a new rear seat lever assembly. Have not heard that particular rattle since.

Hope this helps.

pumphrey · August 2001

Thanks, gwkiser. I went to the beginning and read everyone's posts about this problem. Sorry to bring up a tired subject.

gwleong · August 2001

Hello all,

I'm the proud new owner of a Highlander V6 2WD WITHOUT the Limited Package. I am interested in upgrading the system to sound a bit more like the "premium" system as in the Limited package. I would like to replace the speakers only (I think most of the electronics are the same w/the Premium) and was wondering if anyone knew the model no. of the JBL's Toyota uses or if there's a good, reasonably priced equivalent? Would like to find speakers that fit without any adapters or cutting.

Please advise.
Thanks in advance for your reply!!

PS: No problems so far w/the SUV, maybe because I have about 40 miles on the Odometer!!

shelby101999 · August 2001

Has anyone noticed a squeeling noise. To me it sounds like a young child screeming "eeeeeeeeeek". It happens when I just start to get going or sometimes when I slow down but hardly ever longer than five minutes. It doesn't happen all the time so I haven't taken it back to the dealer yet because I figure it would not happen then. It seems to be coming from the right side. I do not have the windows open and I do not have a sun roof. I do have the roof rack (but I have heard that noise at a high rate of speed in a cross wind and this is not it). It took two weeks for the noise to happen when my husband was in the car (hence my reluctance to go to the dealer).

candyman85233 · August 2001

We have enjoyed our HL for about 2 weeks now. We have read all the discussions on all these sounds. We live in AZ and as far as all the noises listed, we have only a minor pop of the sunroof when the temp in AZ was 115 degrees last week and we have our climate control set to 74. I think all these sounds depend on the vehicle, and the luck of the draw.

rboling · August 2001

I have the same ear-piercing window problem with my Highlander that I've read about here. Has anyone installed window wind deflectors to solve the problem?

personna1 · August 2001

The wind deflectors do not correct this issue, nor do they reduce it. Additionally, if you add one to your moonroof and you open it 100% of the way you will get the same noise. (Note: pushing the open button once only opens the window about 95% of the way... it will move further back if you push it a second time.)

=-Personna1->

tooloose · August 2001

...and the winner is... gwkiser! In combination of guesses (post #88) he hit the right answer. The freon (or whatever the eco-correct equivalent they use nowadays) was low and the passenger side vents were cooler because that is indeed where the a/c first enters the system. A few measly calories of energy from the whole foot of interior duct work to the driver's side was to much for the feeblely (sp?) cooled air. The source of the problem: a small leak from a defective O-ring in the A/C compressor assembly which was found and replaced quickly. Thank you very much to all whole gave suggestions for this now seemingly diminutive problem.

Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

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