Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

leighanne4

Let me add to the 'rhetoric' for you. I have a 6 month old highlander which has had these "hesitation" problems since it had 700 miles on it. It has been in the shop no less than 5 times and as of Dec 10 the brakes and power steering locked up IN traffic. So sir whether you consider being unable to accelerate when trying to merge into traffic a problem or not is your call. As for me I prefer to have a vehicle that is safe and functional. I don't care whether Toyota recognizes this as a problem or not, or at this point how much money I lose, I refuse to drive a car that isn't trustworthy.

My limited is a piece of junk and Toyota's blatant refusal to acknowledge these problems is mind boggling. They obviously aren't concerned how many people are injured or killed. But then of course you probably don't consider the brakes and steering locking up a safety issue either.

pilot130

Sorry to hear about your disappointing experiences with the Highlander. Your post seems comprised of even more rhetoric IMO, and more motivated by emotion than fact. Having said that, if you're confident your dealer isn't helping the situation, you do have many other options. Nuff said.

scoti1

Fear for ones life does tend to make one emotional, LOL!

 

Leighanne, I agree that the problems you are experiencing compromise your safety and I wish you the best of luck in getting your problems resolved. I am sure you have tried every avenue to get your problems taken care of, but don't give up. I read recently that state offices of the Attorney General pursue matters like this, so you may want to file a report with your state office. Have you filed with NHTSA and Center for Autosafety yet?

loucapri

I installed mine at the beginning of the year, they work great. The one I have, you put it inside the weather channel so it looks nice from the outside (compare to the one I have on my 97 Camry that "taped" from the outside).

It allows you to roll down your windows when it rains and snows.

 

Wind noise, NO, it won't cut down the wind noise. Visabilty, it does block a little from the passenger's side mirror but just a little bit from the top corner. (HL has a big side mirror, it doesn't affect the visability at all from my opinion)

 

By the way, don't pay $100 for it. I got mine NEW from eBay for now $45.00 (set of 4)

 

It looks nice too from the outside.

pilot130

The Autosafety site is more hype than substance, unfortunately. There isn't as much clout there as some would lead us to believe. Complaints registered with them (autosafety.org) have been shown in a number of documented cases to be compromised by false/fraudulent information, such as VINs,names,addresses, emails, etc.. There is apparently no verification of any of their posted complaints.

One might have better luck with the latter sites, although they probably won't act on just a few isolated complaints.

jimrob

One major problem can be the oil gelling in the V6 engines in the HL and the Lexus models. Google for toyota engine problems and you will find what are other toyota problem issues.

Wish you well.

pilot130

Oil gelling can be a "major" problem in any engine if and when it occurs. It can,and does occur in all makes of engines, under certain conditions. Apparently it was NOT a common problem (only an "occasional" problem) with the Toyota V6 engine though, and evidently occurred when oil change intervals weren't followed.

I quote from an archived MSN review of the 2001 Highlander: "Occasional problems on this vehicle are failures of the Engine. Failure of the Engine is caused because the engine oil gels. Engine oil gelling will also cause excessive engine oil usage. When proper maintenance schedules for oil changes are followed, oil gelling should not occur. Toyota has issued an 8 year unlimited mileage goodwill repair for this eventuality."

Changing oil at proper and sensible intervals avoids oil gelling. This issue was discussed at length in many forums, including here in Edmunds, and the general consensus was (a) The problem was indeed "occasional", if not rare; and (b) Those who adhered to reasonable maintenance didn't experience the problem. Even though the issue has long since passed into oblivion, there are still a few diehard gelling evangelists around who insist it was unique to Toyota and an inherent design flaw, but history proved this wrong. It's pretty much a dead issue now. I haven't seen much substantive discussion about it for the past year or so.

junepug

This gelling issue seems to have died out a few months ago. If you simply change your oil on a regular basis of 3 to 4 months or 3 to 4 thousand miles, you should not have this problem.

 

The problem existed because Toyota stated in the manual that oil changes were to be performed at 7,000 mile intervals. Many people tend to allow the time frame to go beyond the limits stated and the gelling situation was created.

 

Today, Toyota is telling us not to exceed 5,000 miles between oil changes.

wwest

I grow tired and weary of this issue.

 

The letter that Toyota send to owners of the vehicles equipped with the engines subject to Gelling, did not address the issue of re-scheduling regular oil changes in any way or manner.

 

What it did say was that Toyota was making a design change in the engine block to prevent further occurrances. I'm sure you can check with Toyota to see if your engine is subject to the problem.

 

My 99 Porsche 911 had a schedule for oil and filter change at 15,000 miles, as does my 01 C4, and now I hear that Porsche has extended the mileage to 20,000 miles.

 

To my knowledge and belief there has been no official notification from Toyota or Lexus indicating that oil changes must be made more often than the owner's manual designates.

 

And you can bet your bottom dollar that if there was such a need you would be getting notifications from Toyota since I rather doubt that they like giving folks new engines.

casanova2

I own an '04 HL V6 4WD. Here in Cleveland today it was snowing pretty heavily and was quite cold. When I was backing out of my driveway to turn onto the street, the brake pedal of my HL pushed back very violently and it felt almost as if something was rotating under the pedal. When the car warmed up it disappeared although once again this afternoon on the way home from work it did this. If I recall it happened when I had the wheels turned and was braking to oncoming traffic. The car stopped OK, it just violently jolted the brake pedal and I could hear a grinding noise, althoug not a particularly loud one.

 

My car is 4 mo old and has around 2800 miles on it and I have never really noticed this before.

 

Has anyone ever experienced this before? If so, how might I deal with it?

kimweigel

I have an '02 HL Limited. Nice vehicle in every respect, but the Drive indicator light (green square around the letter "D") on the instrument panel flickers when the car is in drive. The light can be kept on all the time by resting a hand on the shift lever while it is in drive, pushing it down against the detent. Otherwise, the "D" light occasionally flickers. Sounds like a small nit to pick on an otherwise great vehicle, but the problem is, whenever the light flickers, the cruise control disengages, as if the brake pedal has been hit. Dealer, of course can't "duplicate the condition", and pooh-poohs the "little lady" when she brings the car in.

   So far they have adjusted the shifter cable, with; of course, no result. It seems like they just want to work on what's easy to reach, rather than really try to fix the problem. I wonder if I brought them a flat tire, would they try Armor All? I think there must be a loose electrical contact, either in the shifter assembly, or in the dash indicator light assembly. Obviously these are a little harder to tear into and look at. I'm curious what the best attack plan at the dealership is:

 

1. Play stupid

2. Be aggressive

3. Overwhelm them with techno/geekspeak

4. Overwhelm them with legalese/threateningese speak

5. Hang out in the showroom, loudly lamenting the poor service department treatment

6. Send the wife to showroom to sob uncontrollably (this has worked well in the past)

 

Any suggestions appreciated.

wwest

SOP!

 

That's the "feel" of ABS and/or Trac, and or VSC.

 

Brakes by applied and released as fast as the mechanism can work.

scoti1

Here is a recent article on the hesitation problem:

 

http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/04345/424551.stm

pilot130

The last paragraph in the article says it all: "Hoyt said he believed that only drivers who were unusually sensitive to their cars' shifts and performance would notice the hesitation."

Thanks for the heads up Scoti. Perhaps this will put people's minds at ease.

desertguy

Pilot130 - I am extremely sensitive to how a car rides & drives. For instance I was riding in a friends car and after he braked a couple times, I told him I thought his brake lining was worn out(drum brakes). He had them checked and sure enough they were. That said, none of this explains why my '04 AWD V6 Ltd has absolutely no hesitation problems and many other owners have no problem. Usually, when I say this I am dismissed as too stupid to know when I have a problem or just an unaware driver. It's the old "misery loves company" I guess. Or If I got it you MUST have it. <G>

hmurphy

The Toyota spokesman's comments about unusually sensitive drivers seem disingenuous. One driver referenced in the article "narrowly avoid[ed] an accident."

 

You wouldn't have to be very sensitive to notice that.

 

I haven't experienced any hesitation either, but it doesn't seem like only those with hypochondriacal attitudes toward their cars would notice if they did have it.

 

P.S. -- Not sure if "hypochondriacal" is a word, but you probably know what I mean.

marko

The 6 cyl is a V6, but the 4cyl is an "inline" 4 not a V4. I've never seen a "V4" and certainly not in a car.

marko

I am disappointed that few seem to have answers, just complaints. These nice folks remind me of the people who call up "Click & Clack; The Tappet Brothers", on PBS. That show is a favorite of mine. (I've been batting 99% correct in right answers on that show.)

  

Current models of Toyota engines have VVT-I or Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence. This computer controlled system varies the "breathing" of the engine to maximize emission efficiency, power and fuel economy in every situation of vehicle operation.

  

The transmissions on all Toyotas are computer controlled with many variables taken into consideration; like emissions, economy, power (shifting points) and the driving characteristics of the driver and the way the car is used. It actually learns the way the operator drives, i.e. soft footed or heavy footed, to be responsive to the demands placed upon it. It's cool. It takes a little while to "learn" this perfectly and it re learns if another driver takes over.

  

If it ever hesitates, it will stop when it learns what you want and that'll be the end of it.

  

It is one of the finest transmissions in the entire world.

desertguy

Saab had a V4 in 1967. Here is a reference for you: http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/models/1967/pr1.html

 

There may be others. But you are right. Toyota has no V4. Seems to be a common mistake these days.

hmurphy

I'm not exactly sure who you're disappointed in. The Toyota owners? Toyota Corporation?

 

For those experiencing hesitation, it doesn't seem as though their HL's have "learned" to stop doing it.

 

Perhaps it's time to bring back the old Catholic school ruler on the knuckles? What would be the the HL equivalent of knuckles?

 

I'm not mocking the hesitation issue, just the idea that the owners themselves would come up with a solution for it.

theflow

So how long will it take to learn my driving habit? 100 miles? 1,000miles? 10,000 miles? 50,000 miles? 80,000 miles?

 

Mine hesitates and currently it has 13,550 miles on it. Obviously there's not enough miles for it to learn. So how many more miles do I need to drive before it learns. So how many more miles do I need to drive before Toyota and other ppl will stop staying the transmission is able to learn driving habits. Toyota designed and made the car, engine, and transmission. They must have a definite answer to my questions. Same for those who keep saying the transmission will learn.

 

Can some computer programmers out there tell me how easy it is to write a computer program that learns somebody's driving habit, and at the same time able to tell a when different driver is driving the car. How many different conditions you need to incorporate into the program? Does it seem like an easy job?

pilot130

When I see or hear dramatics like that, I don't take them too seriously. Mostly it's just "courtroom rhetoric" IMO.

I also think this hesitation issue is overblown, and being represented out of proportion with reality by some.

marko

Cool. You know your stuff. But a 2 cycle engine? Sounds more like a lawn mower or outboard motor.

Just kidding.

Thanks

hmurphy

Perhaps the truth, if there is one, exists somewhere between the Toyota publicity machine and the "courtroom rhetoric."

landdriver

I also think this hesitation issue is overblown, and being represented out of proportion with reality by some.

 

If only there were more problems with the HL. Then maybe we'd spend less time talking about hesitation.

mit1

thanks

scoti1

I was pleased to read that Toyota recognizes it as a problem and is trying to remedy it. Stated in the first sentence of the article.

 

"Toyota engineers are working to find an acceptable fix for a hesitation problem in five-speed automatic transmissions in certain of its luxury Lexus and Toyota models, the Japanese automaker said yesterday."

pilot130

Scoti1, no disrespect intended, but you seem focussed on negatives whenever you express yourself about Toyota. You appear in a number of Toyota forums besides this Highlander forum, and without exception, you seem to focus on Toyota "problems", almost as though it's your intention to bring them to people's attention repeatedly.

I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind. First, Is it your objective to continually remind us of Toyota's faults, and Second, If so, why are you doing this?

Someone said earlier that it might better serve reader interest if posts here were constructive. This seems to make sense, wouldn't you agree?

scoti1

Pilot130, the title of this discussion is "Problems and Solutions". The problem that was being discussed is a hesitating transmission. The article I referenced doesn't really have a solution but should provide some comfort to those who experience it because it sounds like Toyota is looking for a solution.

 

G'day

gklatv

Sorry, kimweigel, to hear about your trouble. It does seem to be an electrical problem, and probably a minor one, which would be most likely easy to fix once the cause is detected. It is, however, the hardest part &#150; to find what the problem is.

Without being able to &#147;see&#148; the problem (…can't "duplicate the condition&#148;…), the dealer/service really doesn&#146;t have a choice but to use trial-and-error approach. And certainly they would try the simplest things first. So, I&#146;d suggest you just keep coming back. Be patient as it could take several visits to finally eliminate the problem. The somewhat comforting thing is that this problem, - although irritating, - is not dangerous. Give them (the dealer) a chance and time to work with you &#150; they would take care of it eventually. And, BTW, they should continue working on this problem (if needed) UNDER THE WARRANTY even after 3yrs/36K miles, because you&#146;ve reported it during the original warranty period. Good luck!

wwest

Back a few years ago when a single individual kept insisting that the RX engine had an oil jelling problem lots of posters here jumped on his back saying "not possible", or he didn't change his oil soon enough.

 

I wonder if I went back and looked if I would find the very same group of naysayers then as I see now.

 

pilot130...were you one??

edh

the basic idea of a transmission learning is odd to me.

different drivers in a family, or

 one main driver who could drive very slowly for weeks then really need some power.

 

what would the transmisssion do then?

i own a 04 HL purchased may 04

 

only prob has been front end aligned bad to eat up outsides of tires

dealer not good at fixing it

pilot130

Yup, I was there, but not as a "naysayer". I think the guy you refer to was a foul mouthed buffoon named Gimpyrx who claimed to be an RX300 owner and who claimed to have had a sludge problem. Apparently he hadn't changed oil in 25,000 miles (said he used Amsoil and didn't need to!!), and was persistently and rudely badmouthing Toyota in a totally unacceptable way. Eventually he got banned by the forum host.

There was a lot of politicized rhetoric about sludge being bantied about then, mostly by a small group of self styled advocates led by someone called Charlene Blake. She was all innuendo, speculation, and emotional rhetoric, with little or no fact to back up anything she said. Eventually she got banned too, as did a few others who carried the torch afterwards.

I, like many, was there only to learn, and try to get at the truth about the sludge controversy. Until those characters left, any resemblance to truth about the issue was purely coincidental!! All we ever heard from those guys was something akin to "Live to sue and sue to live" propaganda.

Having said all that, didn't you suggest earlier that the topic of sludge wasn't up to your level of interest, or that you had "grown weary" hearing about it? Must have had a change of heart!

pilot130

I agree on the title and intent of this forum, and can assure you that I have no misconceptions in that regard. It just seems curious that most choose to "discuss" problems and solutions in a constructive way, whereas others just seem to want to continually remind us about them in a negative way, ie, to "fan the flames of discontent" so to speak.

My sincere apologies if you found that observation not to your liking.

Karen_S

...let's keep this topic about the Highlander and not about personal observations of other members.

wwest

Of hearing that the lack of following the factory recommended oil change schedule is responsible for the engine sludge or jelling problem.

 

As I said then, if Toyota or Lexus thought that the vehicles need earlier or shorter term scheduled maintainance than what the factory defined in the owner's manual they would not be shy about getting the word out to the owners.

 

So far the only instances I have seen about requiring oil and filter changes on a shorter term basis is here in various postings and from the dealers, who are obviously not to be trusted as a sole source for this type of information.

desertguy

Thought I would share this from another board I frequent as I also own a Jaguar XType. The poster is a mechanic at the Jag dealer:

 

"I did a 30,000 mile service on an 03 X-type 2.5 this morning... and

when I went to drain the oil I setup the drain bucket away from me and stood in

front of it so not to get any oil spattered on me as usual... but to my supprise

not a single drop! of oil came out of this car... I couldn't beleive it... I got

only about 1/2 quart out of the filter... upon checking the records on the car,

its last oil change was at 9,xxx miles... she now has 35,000 + miles on the

car!! Best...(or worst) of all.. the little oil change reminder sticker reading

next service due @ 13,000 miles is still in plain view!!

 

  I have no idea how this car is still running..oil just doesn't vanish.. so it

had to have had a couple thousand miles on it or so at least with no oil in

it...heh, it doesn't even tick or knock!! I am sure that there will be some

long term issues from this... but I just got back from a 10 mile test drive

listening for a noise and it didn't skip a beat.

 

  Turns out she is leasing the car.. figures.. I don't think I'd ever knowingly

buy a lease return car... just had to share this.. perhaps if you haven't

checked your oil lately... this could be your reminder to do so... ;-D

03lxv6

Apparently, Toyota thinks those complaining about hesitation are two sensitive:

 

"Hoyt said he believed that only drivers who were unusually sensitive to their cars' shifts and performance would notice the hesitation."

 

Hoyt, I'd rather call you guys insensitive.

wbay

I wouldn't characterize myself as either overly sensitive or litigious. However, having narrowly avoided being turned into roadkill by an 18 wheeler, I believe that being vociferous about the hesitation issue may ultimately shame Toyota into acting. No outcry, no action.

 

Landdriver had a great point about the HL...if there were more problems less time would be spent on the hesitation problem. How true. My 04 V6 AWD is an outstanding car but for the one problem.

 

The learning curve of the transmission appears to be neither steep nor consistent. The hesitation still occurs, but infrequently. If it happened all the time I'd almost feel better about it. If it never happens to Desertguy, I'd be more inclined to believe it's a defect rather than a "normal characteristic" of the transmission. If there were actually drivers out there so insensitive to their cars' idiosyncrasies that they didn't notice the hesitation, I'd hesitate to drive in the same area as those drivers.

 

But hey, it looks like there's some movement by Toyota on the problem, at least according to the article referenced here recently. That's good news, right?

 

Let's hope Santa gives us a hesitation fix in our stockings this Christmas.

03lxv6

All those auto companies are the same: BAD.

 

Remember how Toyota claims its engine never has the oild sludge problem. Now it admits the hesitation problem only after being pressed.

 

The only way we can do as customer is to speak out loudly and switch brands if necessary.

herzogtum71

Wouldn't it make more sense for the transmission to be set and for the driver to learn how to drive the vehicle in his/her own style within these constraints?

landdriver

That thought had occurred to me too -- seems I can never get the transmission to shift when I want it to -- try to vary the gas to cajole it to shift to a higher gear while slowly accelerating (I like driving efficiently), but am rarely successful -- maybe the transmission and I are both trying to anticipate each other's actions, instead of the transmission behaving predictably and allowing the user to naturally learn and adapt to its characteristics.

 

I actually had the crazy thought shortly after I bought the HL of modifying the electronically controlled transmission so that it could be shifted "manually" (bypass the computer and energize the solenoids directly that control the gear the transmission is in). But then came to my senses as this would not be a trivial endeavor, not to mention potentially dangerous if something went wrong at high speed. (I prefer a manual transmission -- would have gotten one if it had been available on the HL.)

scoti1

Thanks, KarenS HOST, glad to have you moderators around to keep things civil. That is what makes for a great site.

ecotrklvr

Hey, herzogtum71, I think you're on to something there. the background - years ago, I had a car assigned to me as a work vehicle - a 1991 Dodge Spirit V-6. It had a (then) "all-new" electronically shifted 4-speed automatic. Man, did it ever have teething problems. Within 2 weeks, it had gone into "limp-home" mode several times (locked in 2nd gear); Chrysler did re-flash the shifting computer, and cured the problem. Today, it's even more of a challenge - the engine and transmission are all hooked to the same computer - and to compound it all, so is the ABS, Throttle, VSC and TRAC system. Plus, the throttle is cable-less - it's "drive-by-wire" now, so that the accelerator pedal input goes to the Processor, and then IT controls the throttle motor. Add to that the 4 other inputs for all 4 wheels' speeds (this includes the Tire Pressure Monitor), and the steering wheel angle, and the yaw sensor (accelerometer). So, there are MORE inputs to read, MORE lines of programming than ever for the processor to execute, and more things to control (throttle motor, each wheel's brake, engine timing and fuel delivery, and the transmission shift) every cycle. And so, to get us skid control and traction control, Toyota had a choice - to make the VSC + TRAC an expensive option, or to find a way to make it less expensive to manufacture, and then make it Standard Equipment. And they found a way. Just like GM did with their ABS a few years ago. Remember the problems they had with brakes that sometimes did NOT WORK AT ALL?

 

To manufacture something like this usually means that you're going to make hundreds of thousands of them - and the most expensive components, like the Processor, are picked to be "adequately" speedy - faster ones cost too much. But it seems it's not speedy enough for the "worst-case" scenario of a turning steering wheel, while wheel slip is detected, the yaw detector is saying that the vehicle is turning fast, all while the throttle mashed to the floor. So, what can be done? I don't think Toyota is going to upgrade all the Processors out there - so I'm guessing that they're scrambling their software guys to find ways to make the executable program more "efficient", without making it less "safe". Maybe they can do it - I'm sure they can make it "better". But man, there's a lot of vehicles out there with this problem - it's going to be expensive. But I too long for the days when we had pretty bullet-proof hydraulic transmissions, and you'd learn to work them - not the other way around.

gokstel

I bought a 4-cylinder, 2005 Hylander about a week ago. I do love it, but have a problem. Because there were not many 4-cylinders with sunroofs, the salesman stated that one could be added by the same company that puts them in when they get into port in Houston. I agreed to let them add one rather than waiting for Hylander that already had one. But, now that it is installed, the switch does not match my trim and it was added to the roof rather than to the light panel. But the biggest problem is when the car is going about 25 to 30 miles per hour. There is a terrible noise caused by the wind that hurts everyone's ears. The service department says that to get around that, I need to roll down the window a bit. I hate to think I have paid all that money for a new car and I have to work around the noise. I can't believe the cars with the sunroofs installed by the factory work that way. Is this just a problem with aftermarket sunroofs? I had a Camry and and Honda Accord. I never had this problem with either car.

 

Has anyone had this experience? Do you have any suggestions? I almost wish I had never agreed to having one installed.

marko

Now that I've been sensitized by these posts, I realize that I have actually have had a hesitation with my '02 Camry XLE V6 with 47,000 miles

 

The other day, I had to change lanes and punch it, as traffic was closing in on me and for a split second it hesitated. But just a split second later, my engine seemed to explode in a surge of raw power that would have made me forget about the tiny hesitation, if I had not been participating in this forum.

 

Wow, what a car; loaded for just $26K. Best value in the world.

ecotrklvr

Sorry, Marko - I hate to think that the info you get from these posts would detract from your enjoyment of what sounds like a great car. I just had the pleasure of riding about 300 miles in one over a 5 hour period - it was a smooth and serene ride. This was a 3 year old Camry LE. Yes, these are great cars to ride in. But, let me just say that I admit to prejudice against inappropriate technology, in any form. I still like vinyl LP's (yes, I'm one of THEM). They're better than CD's - for audio performance. But practicality - well, I've got 4X as many CD's as LP's. So Technology has its place. But unless you can master and control a manual trans, even in LA traffic (like a few die-hards like us do), you'll just have to put up with the trade-offs that come with the convenience of having both hands for your cell phone/mocha/Palm Pilot, etc. And that means - hesitation. Face it - it's an Automatic Transmission (controlled by something that's controlled by someone else's ideas) - not a machine controlled by you. If you want control, the job's available - but it's full-time only. Enjoy your car, Marko. It's pretty much the best it could be, and it's one of the lowest True Cost to Own vehicles on the road.

desertguy

gokstel: Well yeah, I hate to tell you but the factory sunroofs do the same thing. If you check back in this form, there was a big discussion of this. Many cars do the same thing. It depends on the configuration of the interior. I had a '02 VW GTI that drummed something fierce with the roof open and windows up. I now have my HL and a Jaguar XType with a roof and it doesn't make a sound when it is open alone.

 

So don't blame the aftermarket install. I put a factory wind deflector on mine and it reduced the sound by a good 75%. If you do that, you will be happier. Make sure the factory deflector will fit your opening.

pilot130

For your refreshingly positive remarks about the HL. I agree completely with your comments, and it's certainly nice to hear something other than negatives and self serving condemnations for a change. The HL is a good, if not great, vehicle IMO, and it's an established fact the company that builds them has established a reputation for reliability worldwide. My wife's HL has performed flawlessly since new (3 years old--high mileage), and I'm anticipating more of the same for some time to come. There has been no noticeable hesitation under any driving conditions to date. I know of several other HL owners who have never experienced hesitation, and I have not yet met anyone who has.

This hesitation issue being bantied about is an uncommon one, in that it apparently happens in just a few instances. Futhermore, if it is happening appears to be happening randomly. I would suggest it may have more to do with driving habits than anything else. I truly believe some complaints we see here may be overstated. Claims of two and three second delays aren't realistic IMO. Further,categorizing it as "life threatening" issue is way over the top, IMO.

If there is "hesitation" under full throttle application, I suggest it would more likely be closer to the split second variety desribed by Marko. That might be more typical of microprocessor controlled drivelines in most vehicles being manufactured these days.

At any rate, I understand Toyota is addressing the issue, and there may or may not be a recognition of the issue, and if deemed necessary, a remedy may be forthcoming.

However, I don't think it's fair or even realistic to judge the situation (or condemn the manufacturer) one way or the other at this point.

At the end of the day, there are certainly a lot more important things to concern ourselves about, right?

Thanks again you two.

lgjava

I've seen a lot of negative posts on the board, and I too can't really understand the negative sentiments. My Highlander has everything, nice wheels, fantastic interior, an incredible amount of room! But most of all I appreciate the ability to see what's going on around you; the ability to see through the back windows is a plus I never see commented on. Other cars, the Murano, the ML series have a rear construction that creates a huge driver blind spot. The Highlander (IMHO) has great acceleration (the 2003 V6 AWD); it hesitates slightly through the lower gears, but overall it has zip when you need it. In fact, on the very first trip in the car, my brother took the wheel (on the way to the beach.)As he turned in the middle of the highway a huge 18 wheeler (unknown to us) came from nowhere. My brother floored it, and WOW, awesome acceleration. My dealership is fantastic as well, the service department is very honest, answer questions--really try to fix things. Even so, I have a grave concern about whether or not the 3 year warranty is good enough (for me.) Unfortunately my car has some clear coat problems. The service guys at the dealership are very nice though; they say each panel can be fixed for $100 (that's not too bad, but then again I thought I had a paint warranty?) My steering too is rather off (the car turns to the left.) I've tried all variations of tire pressure up to 33 pounds, but still on the highway, the car turns to the left. What else? I think the car has a little bit too much rust (rusts rather easily), and the windows seem to scratch very easily. But WOW, I think this Highlander is truly an awesome car! If you do have problems I can only hope you have a dealership as good as mine (I could wallpaper the house with the amount of mailers they send out!)