Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

gasman1

I've seen their ads and thought about it. Your comments help. I'll give them a try. Thanks!

leonmacha1

Since 25K (now 33K) droning vibration heard snd felt at speeds of 55+ mph. Slightly louder if you veer left, less if you veer right. Dealers says caused by tires. Dealer rotated tires, same noise.
Tires wearing evenly and plenty of rubber left.
Any similar experience?

wyeast

Hi all,

This weekend my wife accidently scraped a rock wall while backing up our '02 Highlander. No structural damage but there are scratches in the plastic that are too deep to buff out. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions about how this can be repaired without going to a professional. Like, is sanding and then painting an option? Any info is greatly appreciated because I've never owned a vehicle with this type of bumpers.

toyotaken

I don't know about your area, but I know that we have some people that work on our cars that repair bumpers with damage like what you're describing. They are typically about 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of going to a body shop. From what I understand, they sand, fill, and then re-paint the affected area. If you ask around at dealerships in your area, they may have some recomendations for you.

Ken

junepug

Been reading all the complaints about comfort and it is high time someone comes out in support of the Highlander. I am 6'2" tall, 190 lbs and drive with the seat back at about 10% recline. The seat is a little over half way back and I have not experienced any comfort problems. The only car, in my memory, that was more comfortable was our old 1973 Volvo 142. Even my wife, who is 5'4", under 100 lbs does not have any problems with comfort in the Highlander.
It is my feeling that these people got the car home and for some reason, maybe the spouse did not like it, are now looking for any reason to tear it down.

edodd3

junepug (#475) I can assure you that the comfort issue that I have witht the Highland is not because my spouse does not like it - there is no spouse. It is based entirely on the fact that no matter what I am in pain when I drive the Highlander. I purchased the standard, not the Limited model and am told that the Limited is much more comfortable. I purchased the vehicle because I liked it, but I cannot drive it because of the seat and the headrest which causes my back, neck shoulders and right leg to be extremely painful. I would be extremely happy if I did not have a problem with the comfort. I have placed the vehicle on the market because of it and I have driven it under 300 miles.

gwkiser

You're welcome, and good luck in finding something more comfortable AND more reasonably priced.

toledo19

Just bought an 01,. red, 6cyl, 2wd, with power seat. I'm 6'1" and find the seat to be incredibly comfortable. I drove my wife's LS 430 last night and frankly find the Highlander to be more comfortable. But, sorry about your disappointment.

mnieft

I think the problem I have with my non-limited seat is that it's just too short. It only extends to the middle of my thigh. When moving my foot between the pedels the muscle being used is resting right on the edge of the seat. The weight of my leg on the firm edge of the seat makes for like a pressure point or something on that muscle. I imagine shorter and taller people don't have a problem because they are not hitting that pressure point on the back of there leg.

audionut

Common Rattles with Highlanders.
1. Rattle under the passenger side dash. It's a wiring harness rattling next to a fan control module...take a look under the passenger dash and cushion the wiring harnesses with foam or felt tape...rattle in our 02 highlander is gone.
2. Rattle in the roof area. The most common cause is a loose or missing roof rack nut. My 03 passat picked up a creaking noise in the sunroof went going over large bumps...fix...take a wax cande, open the roof, and wax the inner edge of the framing...where the sunroof seal meets the metal opening...creaking gone.

audionut

We have an 02 Highlander V6 base model with the 8 way power seat option. Overall, the seats are very comfortable for me, 6'2", and my wife, 5'1". Toyota's make their bottom seat cushions too short. But with the power seat option, you can adjust the bottom seat cushion tilt to get rid of pressure points. Plus, the power lumbar is great. The really poor seat design flaw is the head rest...it does not support your lower neck since the head rest does not articulate...even my 4Runner SR5 with the sport pack has articulating head rests... Our 03 passat has really comfy seats. The most comfy seats for us so far are volvos and bmw's with comfort seat option.

junepug

Be grateful you did not purchase a Jeep Cherokee. The seat cushion is even shorter than the Highlander. I recently traded a Jeep Cherokee Country in on a non LTD Highlander with cloth seats and find it to be the most comfortable automobile I have ever driven except for a 1973 Volvo 142 that we owned for 13 years.

Best of luck. Try adjusting the seat. The possibilities are infinite.

590116

audionut (#481): any suggestions for the plastic insert "dash" panel creaking on passenger side? also, an intermittent buzzing/rattling from what seems to be the right-rear passenger area. Most noticeable at over 60 mph. Thanks for any suggestions you might have.

edodd3

In response to all of those who suggested adjusting the seat - it does not help! Have tried every way possible to make this seat work. I think the very tall and the very short people are ok with this seat by those of us in the middle have problems with the short seat and the headrest, which can only be made comfortable by a new seat design. Again, does anyone out there in the Baltimore area want to purchase a new Highlander? I have tried everything, including looking into after market seats, but I cannot drive a vehicle with them installed, so do not want to spent the $2000 to replace the seat and find I am no better off. I am therefore out of solutions, except for 2 - the dealer take the car back (which is not likely to happen) or sell it.

scanner

Edodd3,

If you find your HL seat as uncomfortable as you describe, then your only option probably is to sell it.

Below is one of the best articles that I've seen on how to purchase a new vehicle. It's a little late for your situation, but perhaps it will help next time around.

http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/ke.kb.sp?kbb.CA;;CA037&90210&amp- ;395&article_HowBuyNew;article

wwest

Why not install an RX300 seat, a lot cheaper than swapping vehicles.

biffy2

My '02 V6 awd has developed an odd sound when turning the steering wheel. It is a rubbing/squeaking sound which is loudest when cold. The sound comes from the upper shaft area, that is before the firewall and before the u-joint. Any experiences or suggestions appreciated.

edodd3

To Scanner & wwest

wwest - what is a RX300 seat and where do you get one?

Scanner, thank you for the information. I did all the things in the article, except I tried to go further and take the vehicle overnight or the weekend and was refused. The dealers in my area would not let me take for any length of time - just the route they set out. The problem with the seat did not show up in the 45 minutes it took me to test drive the vehicle and to sit in it, look everything over, etc. It did not show up until I had actually driven the vehicle for a considerable number of miles. This is the 12th vehicle I have purchased, but the only one I have had any problems with, except one had a couple of stone chips on the hood and it was immediately taken care of. Interestingly enough all my research, study, etc. did not do my any good in this instance.

wwest

seat should fit right into an HL.

You might be able to get both front seats inexpensively at a wrecking yard.

audionut

Reply to #484
If still under warranty, bring your highlander to the dealer for the dash panel insert rattle. If out of warranty, go to your local auto parts store to browse a shop manual (mitchells, chiltons,..) to see how the insert panel attaches...if you don't want to bother, you can purchase high flow silicone(typically used for leaking auto glass)at your auto parts store, tape off the insert panel, carefully pry panel up just a bit, and flow in this thin silcone...this should take care of it....as for your rattle in the rear...have your buddy drive your car on the highways where you know the rattle occurs and locate the rattle...go from there.

landdriver

Turns out the list price for a factory leather headrest (Toyota part number 71910-48170-A1) is a whopping $435!!! (I didn't have the guts to ask what a whole seat goes for!) (If you shop around, either via telephone to Toyota parts departments or online, you could probably get this price discounted, but still!!) I visually compared the Highlander cloth and leather seats and headrests and to my untrained eye they were of the exact same shape when the leather headrest is tilted all the way back, so I'm a little skeptical that leather seats or a leather headrest will improve the situation despite the seeming consensus among us that the leather seats are more comfortable. I also took a look at the seats in an RX300 and, once again to my untrained eye, they are essentially the exact same shape as the Highlander's (though of a more luxurious trim style).

I'm 6'0" and slouched down in my leather seat today to see what it might feel like for someone who's 5'7" and I could definitely see how the headrests can press into the back of the head and feel uncomfortable. I re-inserted the headrests backwards (they actually look ok this way, at least with the leather trim) and although this improved the situation it did not completely eliminate it.

I hate to see someone take the price hit of selling a brand new car, but save having someone custom engineer a new headrest or, alternatively, seat inserts, which, depending on who you get to do this, may cost more than the aforementioned price hit, I don't have any other ideas.

rmui1

I don't know if this is feasible, just a thought, maybe a cut can be made at the bottom of the head rest and some of the foam padding can be remove to thin out the headrest, then the cut can be closed pulling the fabic tight to conform to the thinner shape?

FYI: couple of days ago I saw on Ebay a salvage dealer in Texas selling entire leather Highlander interior including seats door panels headliner etc. for I think $600 or $900. Sorry can't remember the URL, but I found it searching with the word "Highlander" on Ebay search.

By the way I'm 5'7" and don't have problems with the headrest, but I don't have the best posture so my head may be more forward then average when seated, but I would prefer more lumbar support and longer thigh support.

My Highlander has less than 100 miles (just picked up on 2/14), and already have the "styroform rubbing together noise" from the right side of dash when going over even mild bumps at any speed, not loud but annoying.

landdriver

I saw that eBay post too (I think the auction ends in ~4 days) -- was tempted to bid on it as just the headrests alone cover the initial $600 bid price -- it includes the center console as well, which may be of interest to 2001 Highlander owners as the 2001 does not come with the center console.

590116

audionut...thanks for the suggestions. I will be dropping it off at the dealer this week. Hopefully they can fix these minor annoyances.

mschulhof

I experienced a very loud whistleing sound from my front window while driving the interstate. It was very windy and every time the wind blew, the whistle sounded. Since the strong wind was constant, this went on for some time. Seemed to go away when speed was reduced (below 60). Has anyone else experienced this and are there any solutions. I do not want to take my 01 Highlander on another road trip until this can be solved.

poohbear17

I thought that my Idle Speed Control Valve was "sticking" because some days the car will not idle until it has been warmed. The dealer says that the ISCV is not broken because they don't "stick". Either they work or they don't work and if it didn't work the problem would not be intermittent. Any other ideas???

pdalpsher

My 2001 whistled one day this fall on the trip home. When I got home I found a small (but long and narrow) leaf was caught at the top of the window. Once it was gone, no more whistle. Hope your whistle is as simple to fix as mine was.

junepug

I had the same problem with a 92 Jeep Cherokee some years ago. The seal around the window had failed and the dealer fixed it and the whistling sound was never heard again.

djw479

I have followed this site since prior to buying my 2001 HL LTD in June 2001. It is a great Tribute(sorry - pun at Mazda - sic) to this newer design that the actual number of complaints is so, so low. Many of the completing brands(Jeep Liberty&GC, Trailblazer/Envoy, etc) have had MANY more problems/TSBs/recalls over this 3 year timeframe.

No engines quitting while cruising down the road(Ford/Mazda); no rollover issues predominant(early Liberty); no major interior/suspension quality issues(Chev/GMC/Jeep GC)! Yes, any car can have problems, but the Highlander's repetitive issues have been really minimal - a good sign for long-term usage and resale value!

The real number of problems is much lower than total # of topics, as the reed/door seal noise(TSB), fuel injection tapping noise(normal in most newer FIs in the cold), wind noise with rear windows down(most new cars that are airtight have this problem)and recently the minor headrest issue have been discussed to death! Most of the other discussion boards are dealing with more serious drivability/safety issues that rear window noise(for example).

While it is not a heavy duty off-road monster, it excels in the type of driving that 95%++ of Americans perform! I am absolutely pleased with my electric green LTD, and I plan for it to service my family for many years to come! Dan White

landdriver

This is a known problem on 2001 Highlanders (was fixed by the 2003 model year) -- you should be able to take it to your Toyota dealer and describe the problem and tell them you understand that there is a known fix for it (TSB #786; formerly TSB #NV01201) (I did this, and the problem is now fixed on my 2001 HL -- they replace the weather strip around the front doors) -- see post 142 for more information.

wwest

Works for RX, maybe HL....

I've been continually frustrated with no true map light in my 01 RX. Recently noticed that the one in the 97 Aerostar just might work.

It does.

Remove dome behind front seats, drill two new holes, wire it up to the existing connector and simply install. Dome function is normal and now you have individual map lights for driver and passenger.

Connector has two wires, 12 volt source and current sink to turn on and fade dome light. Ground return source is picked up from metal overhead, same as manual switch for OEM dome light.

Must be ordered in two parts from ford, light assembly and separately the lens.

Only real shortcoming is black housing which can probably be overcome with a can of almond spray paint.

goldston

Question:

Do you see any possible problem in doing what you have described with our 2001 & 2002 H/L's?

And yes... we own two of them.

Best Regards, Phil

wwest

If the HL has the same arrangement as the RX, dome light mounted just behind the front seats, then it should work.

goldston

The believe the setup is the same, at least it looks the same to me.

Looks like I am going to be doing a little modifications to the H/L's.

Best Regards, Phil

lbird1

We have a 2002 Limited. It is great in every way except one. The ride is very bumpy. We can feel every bump and rut in the road and at times it feels like it bottoms out. It is a perfect ride on only perfect roads. Have you found it to be so? The tires are at 30psi Duellers. It feels like a real kidney shaker when you go up to the mountains on badly paved roads. We would appreciate some feedback. And yes, we know it is not a Lexus. Also, is there anything anyone of you has done to make it better?

rmui1

lbird1 when you say your ride is bumpy I'm wondering what you are comparing it to, another SUV/truck or car. I have a base Highlander 2wd 4 cylinder and it does ride a little rougher than my 1996 Accord sedan, but better than a friend's 2001 Explorer and an early 90's 4Runner my brother had, and better than a 2000 Rav4 Limited.

lbird1

Thanks for responding. Maybe our expectations are high and that's what we are trying to find out. When we looked at all the comments of a comfortable ride, a supple ride, and a smooth ride, we could not understant what we feel over the ruts of the road. Our last suv was a 00 Explorer and we don't remember being moved around to much. Thanks again. Anyone else experiencing a bumpy ride on rough pavement? And feeling it through the steering wheel (although that is not as bothersome as the bumpy ride)

shl72953

Have you checked the air pressure in your tires? Most of us have found that Toyota ships their vehicles with 40 or more pounds in their tires, I guess to prevent flat spotting in shipping. Try cutting down to 32 lbs. and see how it feels.

lbird1

The tire pressure is 30 psi. Please, does anyone out there notice a harsh ride over rough roads? We find it hard to believe no one has noticed this bumpy hard ride. We love the car except for this. Take a four hour drive and see for yourself. Do the tires themselves (Bridgestone Dueller HT) contribute to the hard ride. Thanks for responding.

shl72953

Have heard that Toyota sometimes ships the Highlander through Mexico on the way to the US and local drug dealers stash 15 or so kilos of high grade cocaine in the tires. You might want to cut the sidewall with a large butcher's knife to see if any white powder come out. Probably will need to do all four tires as they generally only do one, but that's enough to make for a bumpy ride, I hear.

scanner

LOL to the cocaine theory.

But seriously though, lbird1, I think I've experienced the "bumpy ride" you speak of. I would describe it as busy or jiggly. It feels artificial like it's the tuning of the suspension. The only time I experience it is when riding over a quick series of ripples in the highway like those sometimes found at the end of off ramps created by years of hard braking. In my opinion there is only one real thing that you can do about it, and that is to get used to it. Another thing that helps a little is keeping a full fuel tank. The extra weight of the fuel helps smooth the ride a bit. Also, verify your tire pressure with a good quality gauge, not with one of those cheap pencil gauges or the ones found at the gas station air pump.

kybill

As far as ride, it is still an SUV and may be a bit rough at times. I will say that its ride is softer than any other SUV I have driven and overall, the ride "and" handling are more car like than any other. So far, it is the handling of our's that I have been most impressed with and all things considered, we are quite pleased. Hope this gives you some reassurance.

bigdad

In the front is carlike in my 2002 V6 2WD (non limited). Not as smooth as the Acura I used to drive, but very acceptable, even on bumpy or rough roads. I let my wife drive me on the way back from the mountains once when I wasn't feeling well..I sat in the back seat and agree the ride was jiggly and rough....so ride quality seems to probably be related to seat quality and springing rather than entirely suspension. My solution is to drive and put the dog in the back!

leonmacha1

Droning vibration (seemingly coming from rear of 2001 HL) has been traced to a rear hub bearing insufficiently lubricated at the factory. Resulting in early bearing failure. Dealer will replace both rear hub/bearing adssemblies.

ront02769

Hi. I have a 2002 HL 4*4 that is pulling to the left. If I am in the left lane of the hwy., it wants to go pretty hard left. If I am in center, it wants to go easy left. If I am in right lane, where it should be going off to the right, it pulls just slightly to the left.

I had the dealer align it when I got it and that didn't fix it. went back a month later and made them do it again although they didn't want to and it made it less noticible for a month or so but now it is BACK.

at last trip to dealer, guy said it is 'normal' and that if it runs true for the distance between two telephone poles, it is alright. I am feeling like I have to exert constant pressure to the right to keep the thing running straignt and am frustrated.

suggestions?

ront

phrosut

I'd make two suggestions:

Switch the tires to the opposite sides they are now on and see if that changes anything. Probably won't change anything but you don't want to be looking hard for a problem when there is just a bad tire.

Follow the car on a smooth freeway in another vehicle. Take good long looks from all angles. Does it seem to be tracking straight and true? I had a Taurus that pulled like that and it ended up being the left rear tire having too much toe in, which tended to steer the car to the left. On the highway you could see that the car didn't track perfectly straight. Once that wheel was correctly aligned, not only did it quit pulling but it rode much smoother going over bumps and bridges since the dynamics of the wheels in motion weren't fighting each other.

imidazol97

I have a Bonneville that does the same thing. Careful alignment by a knowledgable alignment guy with cambers front and rear and toe-in front helped some. I decided to live with it.

I was referred to a specialist in Cincy but never went to him. He said: check the tire heights against each other. I also think it may be the loading (weight) on each spring being different causing a pull.

I agree with having a look at it tracking on the same roads you experience a pull. You probably can see the effect.

wwest

Years ago I was amazed to find that the (new)right front tire on my 84 T-bird had an invisible defect that caused the car to constantly pull left. Manufacturer replaced complete set by wouldn't re-emburse for the two alignments I had had done.

ront02769

how about the dealer's statement that constant pressure to turn left was 'normal' for the highlander and that as long as it didn't veer out of lane for distance between two telephone poles (which is at most approx. 150 ft)it was ok ??

is there any kind of service bulletin out that highlanders don't hold alignment??

thanks

ront

rmui1

If it hasn't been done, would be a good idea to check tire air pressures to make sure they match on both sides.

I don't think it's normal, but might be considered acceptable by some (not me), for a vehcle to pull left on a flat road with calm wind unless the vehicle is accelerating hard. Swapping tires from side to side as suggested in other post could determine if one of the tires are causing the pull. The factory tires are not the best even when not defective. Good luck.