Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Just bought an "09 Highlander 5 weeks ago (4WD V6) and was experiencing all of the same symptoms as described from the start - the vehicle would prematurely shift into 5th gear at 55kph (30 mph) and would shudder until about 50-55 mph under light acceleration. I gave it a while to break in as a previous post mentioned something about the "learning curve of the computer". Over the last two weeks since I arrived home from a long trip (approximately 1800 miles), the vehicle has been behaving - I've been actively trying to reproduce the same conditions that caused the vibration but can't any more - the SUV now shifts into 5th gear closer to 50 mph more appropriately and I am not able to cause the vibration. It is possible the break in period settled the issue of shift points with the auto transmission in that they are now more appropriate for engine speed, torque, rpm etc. However, I do notice that the transmission can be more hesitant at times to shift from 4th to 5th after downshifting to 4th to climb a hill at 60 mph and I let off the accelerator when the hill crests. No other issues since, though.
Cheers
I am pleased to report that that my Highlander no longer shutters/vibrates when changing gears.
The dealer performed two transmission fluid flushes (out of 5 Toyota said would be the maximum to try to resolve the problem) This was to remove any moisture that may have contaminated the old fluid.
The vehicle is now running more smooth in overall driving than it did when I first pulled off the lot.
Here's to hoping this is a permanent fix.
Good to hear you solved your problem. When was your SUV giving you problems? When accelerating or during the deceleration?
The only problem I was having was during acceleration - I hadn't noticed any deceleration issues.
Cheers
Just to clarify - the vibration didn't make any noise per se - I just felt the vehicle vibrate when under light acceleration and it seemed as though it was because the vehicle was in an inappropriate gear for the road speed - it seems to have corrected itself now and is shifting into the top gear closer to 50 mph instead of 30. Kind of reminded me like driving a stick and being in too high a gear for low road speed and getting lagging/vibration if I tried to accelerate. Let me know if this clears things up.
Cheers
how many miles have you done now?
Second, what kind of Highlander do you own. New or used?? 09/10 Sport/Limited AWD or base FWD? Engine, V6 or 4 cyl.
Third, does your Highlander have DHA (Down Hill Asst.) If you are using this on the road, don't. It's for off road, rough terrain use only.
It does sound like you have issues however.
while drining in "D" position, if i let go of the gas, the transmission downshifs quickly. as a result, the car slows down very quickly as appossed to keeping rolloing that you would expect. if i switch to "S" position, the slow down would be much more natural.
My dealer says its a normal thing while the vehicle is breaking in. but i just wanted to make sure if anyone else have the same issue and if this is related to the 'vibration' problem also.
-mccartsj
It would help if people would specify year and engine !!!!!!!!!
Someone here had there transmission fluid changed twice and said that seemed to help but I am convinced at this point that it has to do with the computer learning curve.
On another note, I have noticed a couple small dimples on a door and a both front quarter panels. You can see the dents in the reflections on the metal, but I can just barely feel the dent when I run my finger over them. I told the dealer, as I was disappointed because this car was brand new, and he said that it happens when they're tied-down to the delivery truck and some stress points appear and that it occurred to his own daughter's Camry as well. It's hard to believe, but then again, there are no scratches or dings in the paint in these spots, so i could somewhat understand this. Has anyone else experienced this?
I just bought an 09 Highlander with the I4 FWD and i also get the shudder right around 35 to 40 i only have 585 miles on it so like most on this site i will give it till 1000 and then take it back to the dealer
Also, gas mileage in the cold MN winter is bad. Getting just over 15 mpg in the cold weather. We got at least 17 from our Honda Pilot in cold weather.
Other then that is a very nice refined SUV. The JBL stereo is great.
My wife has a Highlander, too. When I drive it (6' 2"), this option makes it an extremely comfortable ride!
I am another concerned owner of a brand new 09 Highlander AWD Sport. The second day I owned the vehicle, I noticed that the truck was shuddering. It took a few days to isolate when the shddering happens and I was able to recreate it by going up hill at low speed (less than 35-40 mph and dropping the RPM below 1800). Its at the dealership today and I will inform you all what the result will be. One mechanic at the dealership mentioned to me when the manager left that other Highlanders owners seem to be reporting the same issue. He believes it is a torque converter problem.
They will be checking electronics and the condition of the fluid first and I should have an answer tomorrow. For those of you who feel the problem goes away with driving it, I hope you are right. I put 2600 miles on this vehicle in 30 days and still experience the same problem from day 2. When I test drove the vehicle, it was on flat terrain so I did not pick up on it right away.
I'm real disappointed upon seeing others of you having the same issue. You'd think Toyota would be proactive about this given the recurrence.
However, we do still experience a very minimal shutter only on a rare occasion now. It's mostly gone.
If they do isolate the issue for you, let us all of us know in case it becomes a more serious problem in the future. RECALL
Otherwise, for us, its a non issue since clearing up on it's own.
I'm just below my 3yr/60k bumper to bumper warranty. I mention this because when I explained my problem to my local Toyota service mgr he noted that part of the problem might not be covered under the power train. Here is the problem. 1. When moving the shifter from P park to R reverse or D drive it jerks down hard (dealer things a foreign object like food or drink is to blame- I don't eat in the car). It also does it on the way back.
The main problem I feel is going to be in the transmission. When driving up a hill the vehicle wants to lunge up the hill big or small, no smooth sailing for sure. Not a Lexus. It also does this when driving on the interstate, it drops back a bit then kicks in when you have the need to pass a semi trailer on a slight grade or on a flat surface, then changes into a higher gear with a pretty obvious gear change. If you really step on the gas, it hesitates then gets moving with less problems except for the gas you lost.
After reading these blogs, I'm a bit nervous. Am I going to be dealing w/this issue the life of the car? I've read them all and I didn't find any answer where Toyota is going to fix this shuddering, or gear lunging and I don't want to pay $4k for a rebilt or new replacement part that is going to do the same thing. Help please.
The torque converter lockup clutch is now being used in many more, most, of the gear ratios anytime there is no inordinant torque level (no climbing, towing, acceleration) required of the engine.
That has allowed the engineers to relax the coupling coefficient of the torque converter itself, higher stall speed, so less heat is generated at idle, improved FE.
Lower coupling coefficient at idle means having more of a need for "hill-start" functionality using the brakes.
All around more use of the lockup clutch means it must be more robust resulting in the need for a "seating" period for the clutch frictional surface.
Less efficient (smaller..??) torque converter allows room for 6(9) forward speeds.
Vicious circle, THAT..!!
In the words of a famous American, "Don't do that."
These are great engines and want to run. Give them a little gas going up hills and if it downshifts, it downshifts, but at least the engine doesn't lug.
Lug = strain, shudder, ping, etc.
My father (hey, he's 88 today) would thump me on the back of the head if I lugged one of his cars up a hill. Engines don't run well at low rpm's.
My '10 Limited has 40 miles on it and the computer hasn't learned my driving habits yet. The same thing happened when I started driving my father's '06 Avalon with 6400 miles on it. It ran fine when I drove like he did.
John
I took my Highlander 2002, V6 3.0L to a Toyota dealer and I told them about re-flashing the ECM. They flashed this one and the Transmission Control Module for only $70. I could not believe that, but still, the problem was not fixed.
Mi advice is to stay away from toyota dealer, in my case they have not found any solution other than the regular oil and filter of the tranny. No way to solve troubles in that direction. I have almost 10 K miles after that operation and everything is fine.
Oscar
So that feeling of being bumped lightly from behind as you slow to a final stop is actually a safety measure.
Anyone else have this problem or could offer me suggestions?
My guess would be that the Rev/RPM limiter is acting up. This prevents the vehicle from going faster then allowed. For example, if your vehicle is capable of going 130mph that does not mean you can go that fast. A rev limiter of governor would limit your top speed to say 112mph. In your case this device may be malfunctioning do to computer error. Just a guess but you may want to have your dealer check it.
Good luck
My RX300 is garaged and yet it will not shift into OD until I have driven about a mile.
Got Toyota to address my hesitation problem because of the info i got here!
I have a 2008 Highlander. A few months after purchasing my vehicle, I noticed a hesitation in the car auto shifting in lower gears..very dangerous when trying to get onto the highway. Got worse as the year went by.
I took it into my dealer 5 times ( so that i could have a paper trail) in the last 2 years and got the same old story that there was nothing wrong. I knew they had no intention of addressing my problem till the recent fiasco Toyota car deaths has had to deal with. Toyota the company is responsible for this denial. (The dealership I bought my car from has wonderful staff and tries hard to accommodate.)
I read what could be done here, took it into my dealer, told them what i read and that i would NOT take no for an answer on fixing this--re program the computer!!!!
Last week the mechanic took me for a test drive with his laptop and reprogrammed the cars computer and my Highlander drives like new! Funny thing...He knew about this problem all along!
THANK YOU to all of you GREAT PEOPLE out there that share info!!!!!
Jessie on Maui
The reflash, firmware upgrade, only makes the re-acceleration downshift delay less likely to occur, it does not by any means eliminate it entirely.
The new firmware simply "watches" your actions on/with the accelerator pedal. If you release the pedal quickly the system will assume your intent is to use engine compression braking to more rapidly slow the vehicle and reamin in the lower gear you were just using for acceleration. Lift the pedal slow/easy and it will upshift just as it did previously.
So the danger from the re-acceleration downshift delay still lies there "quietly" waiting to cause you grief at a time when YOU do not foresee the need for a quick return to acceleration.
What I am afraid of, is this going to happen again in another 60,000 miles?
TRUE to your prediction....my vehicle is going back to Hesitation again!!
In fact, it now noticeably jumps ahead as it shifts from 2nd to 3rd gear!!!!
This is dangerous trying to get on to the highway!!!!!!!! I just put a call into my Toyota dealer.
I'd appreciate any advice.
On top of that my steering column started making a " ga-runging " noise every time I turned about 3 months ago. When i took it in to have them look at it, Toyota ordered parts to fix it and will do so free.
This is horrible! I have a like brand new 2 year old Highlander that started having hesitation problems from the day i drove it off the lot and now steering column defect problems.
I am so sad. I have been a Honda owner all of my life...This is my first Toyota.