Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

bobgordon

shaweet, I really doubt that can be done by a trans shop. Not impossible, just very unlikely on that new of a vehicle.
Toyota will have to come out with a "fix" first, then in time, independent shops will also be able to correct the problem.

wwest, since all of the functions on the new HL's are computer controlled, installing a cable won't work. The fuel mixture is determined by the angle or amount of pressure put on the accelerator pedal and that info is processed by the PCM. There are also many other factors but it happens to be one of them. Also there is nothing to hook a cable up to.

Interesting fact here. I went to the dealer (again) that I bought my '04 HL from just to drive another '04 to do some comparison. I was given a '05 to drive and the transmission shift points are so much smoother/quicker than my HL and the brake pedal is much firmer. I drove a new '04 and the trans on that is smoother than mine but it still had a "soft" brake pedal.
After test driving, I went to the service desk and explained my findings. They still said that "Toyota doesn't have a fix for the transmission problem." I said "then why is the problem not there in the '05 I drove?" No answer to that.
They asked me if I wanted to schedule another appointment and I said "why?"

desertguy

By driving the '05 HL, the only thing you proved is that that particular HL didn't have the problem. You can drive my '04 and get the same result....drives and shifts perfectly. Face it, yours needs to be fixed as do some others but the vast majority are fine. IMO, we need a higher percentage of HLs with the problem before
Toyota will feel much pressure to do anything.

bobgordon

Sorry folks but when I see this on the "back burner", I just need to resurface it....plus I'm Scottish so I'm not giving up.

I don't want to loose this thread. There are too many of us having this problem to let it go and we are getting new members everyday that might not be aware. Hey, maybe this will get it resolved!!!

So file a complaint if you are experiencing the hesitation problem with the '04 Highlander here;
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Click on "secure submissions" and fill out the simple form. When you get towards the end of filling out the form, you'll be asked the component. Click/highlight "POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION." Some have posted under "VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL" so file where you want. There are (11) complaints under PT: Auto Trans and (3) under VSC:Accel Pedal at present posting. As of 10/11/04 that is.

Thanks!

bobgordon

True, I did only drive 1 '05 and 1 '04 and neither had the trans problem that mine does. But it was for my own satisfaction, thats all.

Whether the vast majority are fine or not, that's not the issue. The issue is that these vehicles have a problem and the problem needs to be fixed.
It's pretty sad when the dealer knows there is a problem but can't do anything about it.
Toyota...you listening???

storm34

isn't that weird? Anyone else experience this. '04 Highlander. FM comes in fine. As soon as you turn off DVD, the AM comes in.

bangorang

I've noticed whenever I have the 'hesitation' problem, the air conditioner is on...its very infrequent for me. The car drives much better when the air is off. Quicker off the line, more power, etc...pretty normal stuff.

04 lmtd awd...bought 6/04.

gary

The ordeal continues.....

Picked up car on Saturday (10/02). Didn't use it till Tuesday 10/05. Upon startup, engine light, ABS light and BRAKE lights came on. Shut off engine, restarted, no change! Checked gas cap, was tight. Drove anyway for a short distance. ABS and BRAKE lights turned off, but engine light remained lit.

Called the dealer who said to bring it in again that afternoon. Got rental car. The next day, they called and said it was the computer or a computer module. Another special order part.

Part came in Thursday. Friday, car not ready. Picked up on Saturday. I noticed on invoice, it was the ECU module and the "Brake actuator assembly" whatever that is...cost was about $1500!! Dealership covered everything despite being 1 month out of warranty.

Honda looking better and better every day!!

hmurphy

Don't assume that you won't have problems with a Honda. I had an 03 Accord that I traded in for the Highlander, due to recurring brake problems and a transmission recall.

I can understand your logic, though. After I had so many problems with my brand-new Accord, I went straight to Toyota.

The grass is always greener...

sharifsm

I am a new owner of 05 hl, never had a suv before. Its not as quiet a car and makes a truck like noise, is this normal, I thought a HL is based on camry and would be quiet.

gary

'hmurphy',

Point well taken.

I have a 98 Accord V6 that's had a spotless repair record. Nothing but oil changes and tire rotations. I think they didn't change the tranny design till after 98. And the brakes on my Accord lasted till 75K miles!

My family has had been pro-toyota...from a 1968 Corona to a 1983 (trouble prone) Celica. Then we switched to Honda in 1988 till today (Accord, Prelude). NO problems whatsoever.

Definitely a luck of the draw!

scsokols

Thanks..I am new to this forum but definitely a member of the Highlander hesitation crowd. 2004 Limited taken twice to dealer resulting in long explanation of drive-by-wire technology used in fighter planes and also "nothing we can do" explanation. Not really helpful with carpool of kids travelling highway every day. I filed my complaint earlier today and also hope that enough noise will cause a more active response from Toyota as I also believe this is dangerous (as well as making me hate my otherwise enjoyable new car).

edh

is yours 4 or v6 and 2 wd or 4wd?

scsokols

V6 and 2WD.

phrosut

I guess I was lucky and bought an '03 model. Due to the posts here, I have advised my brother who likes our HL and is about to buy new to go for a Honda (his second choice) because of this unresolved hesitation problem. I don't want my nephews (or brother and wife) hurt/worse for a problem acknowledged by dealers but without any hint of resolution by Toyota.

jackmick656

I have not driven an 05 HL but my 03 HL has a lot of outside wind noise plus road noise unless I am driving on a super smooth road. The HL is not even close to a passenger car as far as noise and a smooth ride is concerned.

edh

some of iti s the dueler tires on my car (04 HL) but my 94 camry is quieter

rugby65

There is a lot of wind noise coming from the driver's side front door on my 03.
I can eliminate some of it by lightly bumping the window control down from the normal tight position.
In the full up position the window pulls the insulation away from the door.

poto1x

Good advice, He will be dealing with a manufacturer that has integrity in their customer relations as opposed to Toyota's "stick it to the customer" philosophy.

hmurphy

As I said in an earlier post, the grass is always greener...

Ask a number of people who had serious transmission and brake problems with their Accords about Honda's "integrity" and you'll get a different impression.

Toyota may drop the ball, but that doesn't mean that Honda doesn't do the same on occasion.

jackmick656

Thanks for the info. I will try your suggestion.

herzogtum71

The Highlander is also my first SUV. Wind noise and road noise not as great as in the '94 Corolla wagon we traded. And probably no greater than our '03 Matrix, but it should be noted that the Matrix isn't the quietest passenger car on the market.

I got fed up with Honda's "integrity" back in the early 1980s due to my experience with owning two Honda vehicles. I agree with the point of view that the grass is always greener.

bobgordon

I don't want to loose this thread. There are too many of us having this problem to let it go and we are getting new members everyday that might not be aware.

So file a complaint if you are experiencing the hesitation problem with the '04 Highlander here;
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Click on "secure submissions" and fill out the simple form. When you get towards the end of filling out the form, you'll be asked the component. Click/highlight "POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION." Some have posted under "VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL" so file where you want.

Thanks

cufishn1

Have driven 3400 miles on my '04 V6 AWD which was purchased mid May. No hesitation & no problems of any kind thus far. I've been very impressed with the overall quality of this car based SUV. The 3rd seat has come in handy quite often.

desertguy

My '04 V6 AWD like yours has had no problems at about 5,000 miles now. Unlike you however, I have not used the 3rd seat and probably never will. Overall, I am very happy with my HL.

glanwin

I can feel the hesitation on my brand new 05 HL LTD. However, I believe it is still better than the Honda's engine and transmission. At least, that is what I felt during my test drive of MDX, TL or Pilot.

The 3rd row seat is a waste. Even my 6 year old son does not want to sit at back. If I realy want the 3rd row seat, I would buy a Pilot.

veekay1

sudden metallic grating sound from rt. rear wheel, with or without application of brakes. like metal grinding against metal....any ideas guys?

vtriggity

Our new 2005 Limited Highlander's Heated seats seem to work at very low temps, and seem to work for a few minutes, then cut off, then work for a few, etc. This may be by design, but either way, it sucks. I have seen some discussion on this issue, but I am curious to see if anyone has determined if they are actually supposed to work this way. Has anyone actually been able to have the temperature adjusted at the dealer? Feedback would be greatly appreciated

spencer327

I have 04 HL. The heated seats act just like you describe. Also sometime seats seem to work well.
then back to hardly warm. Unless its broken totally, expect Toyota to say its normal. For a great vehicle like the HL there are many "normal" things like this that take away from the total experience.

leighanne4

No doubt HL has a hesitation problem. I have
arbitration set for next week but don't get my
hopes up after all I'm dealing with a company
who says this is 'the way the vehicle is designed,' and they 'can't remodel cars because of a customer's inconvenience'. No kidding!! It is rather inconvenient to fear driving a car that
could get me hit or killed anytime. I filed the complaint with the DOT and will pursue any means
I must, but if it comes to trading it away and losing lots of money on a 4 month old suv I'll do that. Not worth getting killed over. Anyone considering the Highlander...think twice..you can't always tell what's in the package by the way it looks. Everyone else should file a complaint with Toyota and DOT otherwise they will
continue to market this car without customer knowledge of these problems.

tomkat24

Took my '05 Limited off the lot for the final test drive and did not feel ANY hesitation as others here have seen. I have a AWD Limited and it is the nicest riding SUV I have been in. Leather seats are awesome and the heated seats work just fine. I picked it up with only 16 miles (came from another dealer in the area) and so far have just under 200 miles on it and have not foaund one thing wrong. I hope I can say the same at 20,000 miles too! Anyone looking for a great dealer and awesome pricing just over invoice in the Harrisburg, PA area, let me know and I will fill you in on the details. Best deal I have made at only $300 over invoice. No hassle, no waivering, just good deal.

landdriver

Possibly a small rock embedded between the brake pad and rotor. Remove wheel and look around rotor area, or take HL in if still under warranty.

bobmc

We have a 2003 Highlander. We too are having the AM antennae problem. Have had it to the dealer 3 times and they cannot fix the problem. Very frustrating.

herzogtum71

They need to keep replacing components of the stereo system one-at-a-time until they figure it out. I have listened to Boston's WEEI-AM the past couple of weeks from Nashua, NH, to Clinton, MA, and everywhere in between. (Both places are 30-35 miles from Boston as the crow flies.) The station comes in, albeit with the typical AM annoyances -- disappearing signal underneath overpasses and on certain steel bridges, buzzing static under high intensity power lines and sometimes with power lines and transformers along certain stretches of road. It is true that WEEI has a fairly strong signal and that reception on another AM-station from Manchester-Nashua that carried the NLCS was not nearly as good, but I still could follow the games 20-25 miles away. I wish they would carry baseball games on FM in my area, but AM stations still should be an option in the Highlander. Mine is an '04, BTW.

bobgordon

I don't want to loose this thread. There are too many of us having this problem to let it go and we are getting new members everyday that might not be aware.

So file a complaint if you are experiencing the hesitation problem with the '04 Highlander here;
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Click on "secure submissions" and fill out the simple form. When you get towards the end of filling out the form, you'll be asked the component. Click/highlight "POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION." Some have posted under "VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL" so file where you want.

Thanks

herzogtum71

I have the vertical flexible wire antenna mounted on the front right. Is this the same antenna that those of you with AM reception problems have? I believe some Highlanders have in-glass antennas.

desertguy

I have the antenna in the glass on my '04. Btw, my Bose Wave radio which sounds terrific on FM sucks on AM. I have talked to Bose and they admit that mfgrs just don't spend any bucks on good Am reception on the assumption that nobody listens to it anyway. I had AM Stereo in a '88 Toyota FX and some LA stations were broadcasting in AM Stereo at the time. The reception and sound were excellent. I guess AM stereo went the way of the dodo bird huh.

herzogtum71

I thought maybe we were talking about 2 different antenna systems. A friend of mine has a Mercedes with in-glass antenna, and he complains about reception both with AM and FM. It has to be fixable, though. When I test drove a Subaru Outback with the in-glass antenna, I checked both AM and FM reception 30 miles from Boston and found it to be quite acceptable.

jf02fwd

I have around 34K miles on my '02 V6, and I may have overlooked the maintenance interval for this part (mine is the straight-line into the block type). Does anyone know Toyota's recommendation for replacement?

inform_me

Hello folks,

I am thinking of buying a SUV and have found a used Sequoaia SR5 in the same range as a new highlander. So I am torn between these 2.

How many of you have real problems with acceleration on a HL and how do I verify it during he test drive? Which one is safer (even without side airbags)?
I am planning to keep it for 10 years.

Which one may have the overall lowest maintenance cost over 10 years, considering that I coudl get both at the same price?

Thanks

desertguy

What year Seq.? How many miles on it? Does it come with an extended warranty? What model HL?

audionut1

We have a 2002 fwd v6 highlander...trouble free, very quiet, very comfortable seats, great head and leg room even with the power sunroof..2002 is prior to DBW(drive by wire).

Regarding all the engine/trams hesitation for newer DBW models...my brother in law is a master tech for a local lexus dealer...Lexus has a new software program for their RX330 (lexus's version of the highlander with the same 3.3 moter/5 spd trans) which addresses the hesitation issue. I check with him on this issue because we are so impressed with our highlander...we are purchasing a 2005 rx 330 with the mark levenson/nav package.

regards.

inform_me

It is a 2004 SR5 with 23000 miles on it at a German car dealer (probably a trade-in) It doesnot come with an extended warranty as per online advt. Can I buy one from any Toyota dealer at $1000 or so..It has some options like Step plate, Grill gurad and fog lights from pictures. I found that we will get 24k to 26K on trade-in from kbb.com

I havent talked to the dealer and haven't bought a car in over 5 years .. So I wanted to consult all the knowledgeable souls here befre I contact the dealer. Also does Non-toyota dealers offer any kind of warranty or certified programs?

scsokols

For those of us with the problems, they are quite real...just this morning on way into work, on a three lane highway with traffic slowed in right hand lane, I attempted to change lanes into heavy traffic...car hesitated enough for me to worry about being rear-ended and I swerved back into my lane. Making me crazy. For test-drive..you may need to spend some time with the car...at slow speeds , coast to a stop...(my HL often has a rough downshift)...then step on gas . If the car has the problem, it should be obvious that there is a pronounced delay before it responds. I was also hoping to keep this for 10 years but if there is no correction I'll never be able to stand it. I drove a co-worker's 2004 recently and didn't notice a problem so who knows what the common denominator is...

edh

whats a DBW

and ask your BIL please what the name/service bulletin number is on the reprograming

thanks

audionut1

as mentioned in my post...DBW is drive by wire...newer highlanders and the RX 330 do not have a throttle cable. The RX330 software update is Lexus specific...he does not know if Toyota has implemented a similar software patch.

hmurphy

I've got about 2000 miles on my 04 V6 AWD Highlander and no hesitation problem. It seems like the hesitation problem is really random, so you're best off just doing a very careful test drive.

It's difficult to compare the two vehicles, because they're really not in the same class. The HL is a smaller, car-based SUV, while the Sequoia is a large, truck-based SUV.

That said, Consumer Reports rates the 02 Sequoia as "recommended" in terms of reliability. The Sequoia has a few more potential problem areas than the new HL though (according to Consumer Reports).

The IIHS doesn't have crash ratings for an 02 Sequoia. The NHTSA ratings for a front crash are 4 stars driver/5 stars passenger. It wasn't tested for a side crash. The rollover rating is 3 stars. I would check to see if the Sequoia you're looking at has side/side-curtain airbags. If not, I'd go for the new HL. They're just too important.

The NHTSA gives the 05 HL has five stars all around for frontal and side crashes (but no rating for rollover yet). It doesn't say whether that's with or without side airbags, but I would consider them a "must" on a new car.

It's difficult to compare safety ratings between the two, though, since they're in different weight classes.

Unless you have a huge family or do serious off-roading, I would go with the HL. Better fuel economy, fewer potential mechanical problems, better safety ratings, etc. Just test drive it carefully and don't buy one you haven't driven.

hmurphy

I should add that if you plan to do a lot of towing, the Sequoia is a better option.

daytimer

Thanks for the post. I filed my complaint today with the NHTSA ... I would be very curious to know what comes of the arbitration. Pls keep us posted.

wwest

Been thinking..............AGAIN!

My 01 AWD RX300's transmission fluid has a burned look and odor at just 38k miles. This on a vehicle that has no tow hitch but with the tow package (extra transmission fluid cooler in front of right front wheelwell) and no designated fluid/replenish maintainance schedule.

I have sent at least three missives to customer_satisfaction_inquiries@lexus.com and what I get back each time is that I should check with the dealer about why my RX has burned fluid. Apparently something they do not wish to put in writing.

Up until just this week I have been assuming that the designers underestimated the heating contributed by the VC.

But then I keep hearing/reading about these hesitation problems and that got me to thinking on another thread.

I am absolutely sure that my 01's transmission shifts into another gear, or maybe even neutral, during coastdown.

Some have described it as a "slingshot" effect or as if being bumped from behind just before coming to a full stop. I have attributed this effect to a desire to increase fuel economy and/or reduce the instances of loss of control on a slippery surface as the result of engine braking to the front, drive, wheels.

But suppose for a moment that I'm correct and the vehicle is being shifted into neutral in these instances.

My 01 DOES NOT have an e-throttle so the instant I depress the footfeed the engine will react and apply high output......while the transmission is still in neutral or an inappropreately higher gear??

Now THAT would result in premature BURNING of the transmission fluid!

But now with e-throttle the later models might have a firmware fix that delays the onset of engine torque until the transmission can be shifted into the correct gear and allow time for the clutches or bands to be full seated before excessive torque is applied.

Obviously just guessing, but....

bobgordon

wwest, I'm going to play the devils advocate here for just a minute so bear with me. And, I'm by no means taking the side of Lexus or Toyota!!!

Being in the automotive/truck industry for over 25 years, I've learned a little. :-)

At 38K miles, your trans fluid WILL look burnt and have a somewhat burnt smell. That's normal with that many miles. Regardless of a cooler or not, that won't matter. Cooler is just for hauling, mountain driving and extreme conditions.

A discoloration to the fluid is fine, it will function properly... but when the oil has an excessive "burnt" smell, thats a different story.
The odor you sense is the clutch plates and the stronger the odor, the more wear that has occurred on those clutch plates.

In our fleet of vehicles, 300+, we service (by removing the trans pan, draining the fluid and replacing the filter) the trans at every 12K miles. But again, thats a fleet.

On my own vehicles, I change the trans fluid (just the fluid) at every 12K miles. It only takes a few quarts and the drain plug is as easy to get to as the engine oil plug.

Is your driving habits mostly city, stop and go? If thats the case then yes, the fluid will be discolored and burnt smelling. It's just the nature of the beast so to speak. I suggest you have your trans serviced more often.

OK, I'm off the devils advocate thing.

If your trans is going into neutral, that of course is not normal and will result in excessive wear on the trans. Does your RPM gauge reflect this as you step on the accelerator pedal?

Wrote by wwest; "But now with e-throttle the later models might have a firmware fix that delays the onset of engine torque until the transmission can be shifted into the correct gear and allow time for the clutches or bands to be full seated before excessive torque is applied.
Obviously just guessing, but...."

Interesting point, very possible but still isn't right, the vehicle that is.