Toyota Highlander

skyreb

I would certainly agree with hiron's assessment. Personally, I get a bit better mileage, but I live in northern New Hampshire, and there is very little "city" driving. My average is more like 22 mpg, with a highway rating of close to 24 mpg. Actually, I get a bit better mileage on the secondary roads rather than the interstate. Not difficult to understand, the secondary roads are driven at about 50-55, and the interstate at 65-70. (Mine is a un-limited, V6, AWD)

I did have one recall .... the reed" sound from the crosswind. It was corrected in about 1 hour.

We live in snow country, and the AWD is flawless. My previous vehicle was a leased Ford Explorer. It had 4 wheel drive on demand. It did not seem to be as sure footed as the HL, and I am assuming it had to slip ever-so-slightly before it went into all wheel drive. The HL is full time, and I can not detect any slip.

My complaints are few. I wish the sound system in the un-limited was a bit better; I would like to have had an outside thermometer and compass (I installed a third party thermometer and it works well); .... my likes far exceed the dislikes in number and significance. I like the quality, fit, finish, power, quietness, economy, ride and comfort.

Happy HL'ing to all.

jaguar0027

Thanks much for your comments on the HL. I will take what both of you said into consideration. At this point, I may wait for the 2003's as there are currently no incentives on them (at least in my area of PA.)

If anyone else has any comments pos or neg on the HL, keep em coming!

Thanks again,

Jim

dawgcar

I have a 4/2 v6 fwd bluestone highlander. We have had it about 3 months now and we (wife and the kids love it. Enough room in the 2nd row with the two front seats push back. The overall ride and driving have been great. Before we bought the hl we test drove the santa fe and the escape and others. We couldnt be more happy with our buy. It responds well in turns and drive well both in the city and on the highway. I saw the pilot today live, in fact 2 of them, they msrp at 32 and 35 each. We bought our hl for 26. I know that the pilot has that 3rd row seats but it is tiny back there. I know that the pilot is going at msrp or above. The hl you can at least bargin for. I think we made a good choice in getting the hl. In fact when the other car in our family needs to be traded in we may get another hl. Hope this helps,
good luck.

dcms1

I have an '01 AWD Ltd that I bought just about a year ago. 10.5K on it now. According to the on board computer I'm getting 19.6 as an average MPG (mostly city/suburban type driving) and that seems consistent with my calculations at each fill-up.

I'm really happy with the purchase. Passengers consistently report comfort, I've had zero repair or reliability issues to report, and it is fun to drive. It also handled snow and crud fabulously. And it has enough room to haul stuff, which is the issue that finally pried me out of my Infiniti in the first place.

cmcardle

Long story short - bad mother wearing headphones while jogging with a "running stroller" cut in front of me as I turned into my parking garage. (Busiest intersection in downtown Milwaukee.) I swerved, and hit my right rear tire against the 18" high cement block along side the driveway, giving me a pretty good jolt. Speed at impact, probably 10-15mph. I instantly heard a "whisshhhhh" as the air escaped from the tire. I was able to limp up to my parking spot, changed the tire and am now nursing a scraped knuckle.

Having never done anything like this, can a Sears or some other tire place determine whether the wheel itself is OK, or do I have to go to the dealership? (Tires are the one thing I don't have the dealership take care of - same product, gotta go for the best price.) Hopefully I can just put new rubber on there and go, but I want to make sure it's safe.

Also, should I have them check the alignment? Anything else that might have been knocked asunder? There is no body damage, and nothing obviously wrong underneath. Any comments appreciated.

pdalpsher

on Toyotas is done on all 4 wheels. If you get one out of whack it can cause uneven wear. Perhaps you just broke the valve stem. That happened to me parking downtown...got parallel parked so close to the curb I deflated the tire ;-). It really threw the folks trying to 'fix' the tire for a loop.

03corolla

Has anyone driven a 2WD version in snow? If so how do the handle. We live near Chicago and are looking at getting a 2WD/4 cyl model. Thanks for any help in advance.

cmuniz

If you got a jolt when you sit the cement I would have the alignment and wheel checked, especially if you have AWD. Not sure how the sensors work on the Highlander AWD system, but bad alignment may affect it. I would go to a reputable tire shop, not the dealer to check the tire, wheel and alignment.

cufishn1

Did anyone install Husky floor mats in their 2002 Highlander? I'm wondering if the back seat mats fit correctly. Husky application chart lists only the 2001 HL. The 2002 now has the center storage bin as standard - may require some cutting to get the mats to clear it. I'm passing on the worthless Toyota carpeted mats and want to get the Huskys instead, they handle snow/mud/kids great and are easy to clean - just hose 'em down!

jimmymagick

I don't understand your question about the rear mats but Husky does have mats for the 2002 (actually they're for the Lexus) and they fit perfectly around the front console.

I didn't install mats in the rear.

wcp

I have the Husky mats for my 2002 LTD. They have a premarked cut out for HL with the new console. It is very easy to remove the small piece. The mats fit perfectly. And yes, both the front and the rear mats are the same for RX300 and HL

nsfdbc

Have a v-6 non limited w/o towing package. Installed hidden hitch (great easy install) also purchased wiring harness from toyotaguys.com. Installed at module under rear of car. cannot get it to work, no power. fuses are good, do I need a converter. If so I guess it gets plugged into module in spare tire compartment? any suggestions.

john_fonti

Iim looking to purchase a new Highlander and would prefer the more economical 4 cylinder if it makes sense. I won't be towing or having full payloads. I will be driving locally, highway and also hilly California roads and using the AC a lot. Will the 4 cylinder provide enough power? The difference in initial cost and gas mileage makes a significant difference so I don't want to just jump into the 6 cylinder if I don't have to. Thanks for your input.

pdalpsher

closely. I drove both and coming from a 4cyl Camry I had a good perspective on what 4 passengers and air conditioning can do to performance. The 4cyl is fine around town but I plan on vacationing in the mountains and decided to err on the side of having enough performance for my anticipated needs. When I checked the MPG, the difference was only a few mpg at most which made it a no-brainer for me.

4 cyl FWD 22/27
6 cyl FWD 19/23 <-this is what I have and I'm getting 21-23 mpg in day-to-day mixed usage

4 cyl AWD 19/24
6 cyl AWD 18/22

assuming 15K miles in a year, fuel cost $1.30
22 mpg $885
19 mpg $1026
18 mpg $1082
worst case is increased fuel costs of $200/year. To me it was worth it!

cmcardle

Sounds like a malfunction. Once you put the fuse in the right slot in the box in the engine compartment, remove the black shield underneath the car, uncap the white/ clear plug that's down there and connect... you should be good to go.

I don't think anything with regard to the trailer wiring is supposed to happen up in the spare tire well (and as you'll see above, I was just in there!).

I might put a volt meter on the vehicle plug to see if there's power. If yes, return defective harness... if no, take care to dealer to fix vehicle wiring. That's my $0.02.

svtcobraconv

I think the tip-off here may be the hilly California roads. Even in relatively flat Wisconsin, the downshifting of the 4 cyl. on hills was quite aggravating and convinced me to go with the V6. I am very happy we decided on the V6 and have not regretted it.

svtcobraconv

From my investigation looking at TO-equipped Highlanders and those without, I'm still thinking you need to also install the converter in the spare tire well. On TO-equipped units, the converter is provided and connected to the wiring harness in the spare tire well. On non-TO units, there is no converter, but the connector exists for it. (This is not to be confused with the connector located within the black plastic shroud under the vehicle, to which the trailer wire harness connects.) I have not verified this to be sure. Has anyone been successful in installing the trailer wiring harness and simply adding the fuse on a non-TO Highlander?

mvrs

Having read Edmund's article on dealer holdback (2% base MSRP for Toyotas), we were just told at a Southeast Toyota dealer that HL's don't have a holdback - only certain "core" vehicles do, such as the camry. Is this true?

pdalpsher

no, shop another dealer that tells the truth. They are using that as an excuse not to deal. To be fair, expect them to make some profit. The holdback is probably not negotiable as HLs are still in high demand.

bbartman02

I have a 2002 HL Limited with V6 / 4wd. I have a heavy foot and most of the time am driving on flat roads, but vacation need to get into hills. I mainly got the 4wd since a lot of the roads here in the part of Ohio I'm in don't get plowed often, so it is common to have to drive in 3-6 inches of snow in the winter. The 4wd with VSC combo has come in very handy (I've used both several times)

The worst mileage I've gotten has been 17 MPG and that is lots of stop and go. All highway I've been getting 21-23. Most of the time I get around 18 MPG, with very little highway mileage. I would suggest the V6 because it does really accelerate well. My other car is a Honda Accord 4 cyl with VTEC, and I thought that was fast to accelerate until I got the HL. Now the Honda seems sluggish to me. The HL feels like it has a lot more torque from about 1k to 3k RPM. I have no idea if the Pilot is similar in engine or not, and I am not comparing apples to apples.

Like the other poster said, it comes down to some money per year, but in my opinion I would look at the cost of the 4 cyl to 6cyl against the total amount of money you are spending for the car. I would test drive a 4 cyl model and then immediately take out a 6 cyl for a test drive, using the same route or as simliar as you can get. Your right foot should tell you which one you want. Make sure that if you are going to use AC a lot that you have it on for both test drives. I have no regrets with the 6 cyl and 4wd, for me the difference in price was worth it.

cliffy1

That is incorrect information. If a dealer told you that, they are trying to hide something. I don't know what, but they are.

rong642002

I am from Toronto I got my brand new AW HL last week. The car was manufactured on December, I suppose the car was delivered to dealer (Toronto) by March. We didnot have a snowy winter this year. The reason i explain above condition is when i opened the hood,this brand new car already have rust on the manifold.The humidity at Toronto is a bit high.Anybody find rust on the manifold . The dealer said is normal, and i forgot to ask to look at other car.

brad_22

...my brake rotors develop a light layer of yellowish rust whenever they've been exposed to water for a period of time (i.e. sitting out in the rain overnight). Of course, using the brakes takes the rust off and it looks like there isn't any permanent harm. Anyone else notice this? Or know if it is harmful?

wwest

john_fonti

I test drove twice each the 4 and 6 on both freeways and local hilly roads. The 4 was fine on the freeway and also the hills. But if you ride with a full load or want extra power going up steep hills then I'd recommend the 6. Now, if I can only find the right one. BTW...the price I got today was within a hundred bucks of Edmunds TMV. I told them I wanted lower. They said no. We'll see how it ends. Then again, as John Maynard Keynes said "In the end we're all dead".

robert_ca

This review confirms what I always though of my HL.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=4792&n=157,181&sid=181

djw479

First, I am a pleased 2001 LTD V6/AWD owner (currently just over 12K miles). I am the carnut (also own a ZR-1 Corvette) that most of my friends turn to when they are researching/buying a new vehicle; and all my previous vehicles have been purchased by family/friends due to my maintenance style. I was looking for a high-volume interior, 4WD/AWD for snow but with real world 20+ fuel mileage, 3500# towing, smooth-riding for highways, etc. Many of the newer truck-based SUVs can meet these goals except for the fuel mileage, very important to me as I drive 'up north' a lot!

That said, I love the comparisons of the HL to all types of vehicles - from low-$20K to $40+K range - Cute Utes/foreign station wagons/truck-based SUVs/etc. A quick Highlander search on Edmunds and other sites has this vehicle compared to Rav4s, CRVs, VW&Audi SWs, Azteks&Rendezous, ML300s, RX300s, BMW X5 3.0s, Durangos, Grand Cherokees, Envoys, etc.

Many of these vehicles do not directly compete with the HL due to interior size or drive train characteristics, but it seems when researching/buying a newer utility-type vehicle the HL is included in the potential selection debate. It seems that when a vehicle is well-designed/reliable it becomes the benchmark for others to compare to. They are constantly pointing out one or two strengths their preferred vehicle has in comparison to HL(rugged 4WD looks to SW/sedan ride and handling, rock climbing to snow driving, small hard-to-use 3rd seats to flat storage floors, etc), but the HL serves the purpose for most of the tasks that we all are constantly using our vehicles for while including towing capability, reasonable fuel mileage and winter driving security!.

I purchased mine for driving in Chicago and suburbs, hauling lots of 'stuff' from Chicago to northern (rural) Wisconsin vacation property in all types of increment weather, and towing 3000lb+ of boats and snowmobiles. I can accomplish this while still having an almost sedan-like ride. If I drive reasonably around town I get 19-20MPG, and have seen 23+ mpg on highway if I do not exceed 72 mph (per speedo).

The only real competitor is the new Pilot, and I think it is a worthy competitor once the MSRP+ hip subsides. I was able to purchase my loaded HL last August(during HL hip period) for $2900 under MSRP, and got the dealer to throw in (i.e. free) an installed Class III hitch and gold trim(nonessential but looks great on Electric Green paint.

There is a old subject thread on Edmunds that sums it up well - Highlander verse Godzilla! The moderators quickly shutdown the thread as too far-fetched, but I do not think Godzilla could do all the things I do with my Highlander!

Perhaps in the future some auto manufacturer will develop a worthy successor to the HL, but currently only the Pilot (at higher selling prices) comes close to the versibility of Toyota's "AWD station wagon on steriods"! Sorry for the long message, but I get a smile on my face every time I see the HL compared to another vehicle.

gwleong

This has probably been asked before, too but was not sure how to search the archives.....where can I buy an OEM Hood protector for my Highlander? Who has the best price??

If it's an aftermarket company, is it superior to the Toyota brand?

Thanks in advance!!

Gary

djw479

Found mine on ebay for $50 - came in original box with skrink wrap and protective film still on plastic glass. Also try www.toyotaguys.com, they sell both OEM and aftermarket protectors - sometimes they have specials, no sales tax and free S&H over a certain amount.

I have no feedback on aftermarket protectors, but I have installed both OEM hood and sunroof protectors - installation was a breeze(pun intended!).

I have no chips on hood but one rock did chip the windshield - do not know if I can blame protectors wind currents or not? I know the real culprit was the gravel truck 1000 feet in front of me.

Sunroof protector really cuts down the wind noise at highway speeds!

Dan

alirob

I paid for the option BE Driver/Passenger Side Air Bags. On the side of the front seats where the air bag deploys there is no marking or indicator that the side air bags are installed. Would someone with this option tell me if they see any sign such as the letters SRS on the side of their front seats. Thanks

qdisc

Approaching 3k on my 2002 limited. I think I recall reading in the manual to oil change at 5k. What have you all been doing? Should I do 3k to be on the safe side of the sludge problems, is is 5k plenty? Anything else I should be doing at 3k?

Thanks

Q

ssufldhcky

I did mine at 3k. This has been discussed before, and if I recall correctly, most people do not wait for 5k for the first change. Just an extra precaution that's pretty cheap.

qdisc

Approaching 3k on my 2002 limited. I think I recall reading in the manual to oil change at 5k. What have you all been doing? Should I do 3k to be on the safe side of the sludge problems, is is 5k plenty? Anything else I should be doing at 3k?

Thanks

Q

jelhz43n

Alirob,
In my Sienna there is sticker with "Side airbag ..." stuck in both the driver and passenger side seats bottom.

John

wwest

The factory recommended oil change is at 7500 miles, neither Toyota nor Lexus has said anything about shortening the oil change period. What they have said is that not abiding by these recommendations could lead to engine sludging problems.

If they want me to change my oil and filter on some shortened basis then they need to step up to the plate and start writing checks for expenses I didn't expect to encounter when I purchased my RX.

Just another dealer gouging routine IMMHO.

cliffy1

Call me old schooled, but I still believe in the 3K oil change. I think Toyota is playing with fire by not including a few things in their "severe" driving definition, including stop and go driving in hot or humid conditions. For me, if I planned on keeping the car in the best possible condition for as long as possible, I'd spend the money on frequent oil changes.

stever

The trouble I have with "old school" is that the magic 3,000 number was apparently pulled out of thin air. No one has ever been able to show me where that number was actually based on anything other than a wild guess, and one that was likely made by a motorpool sargent in WWI. I'd love to see a link otherwise.

I go 7,500 on my Nissan and I drove my last Toyota 17 years (114k) mostly on "deferred" maintenance. :-)

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

wwest

MY 77 year old brother has a "company retired" 91 Lexus LS400 (over 100k)and he recently asked me how Lexus managed to have the engine oil remain so clear even after 7500 miles. After driving Fords all of his life and changing (really dirty)engine oils every 2-3k miles he was wondering given the condition of the oil if he should wait even longer than the 7500 miles.

As for myself I do notice that the oil I drain from the RX is quite a bit dirtier than anything I have drained from the 92 or 95 LS, or the GS300.

pdalpsher

done on a change at 3k miles. I had one done on oil that had 2400 miles on it and the analysis reported that my oil was at the end of it's life. The original oil was 10/30 and it tested out at 20 weight. No way I would go even 5k on the brand my dealer uses with those kind of results! I've switched brands of oil and will get an analysis done at a 3k change. If that analysis doesn't show the same amount of breakdown, I'll extend the mileage on the next change. If it isn't wearing better than the first, I'll change brands again. Once you find the right oil for your type of driving you will know how long it will last. Rather than guessing 3k, 7.5k and being wrong, test your oil. It will only take a few more frequent changes to determine what your vehicle needs.

qdisc

The regular Grease Monkeys and Jiffy Lubes? How much do they cost?

Thanks for the opinions thus far.

Q

wwest

Should only be done by an independent lab of your selection and you should gather the sample and deliver it yourself.

"BAD" oil at 2400 miles can only be the result of a very highly flawed engine or one that is deteriating to that status rapidly.

Or someone used recycled (not re-refined mind you) oil to begin with.

silverhlltd

Try Blackstone Laboratories:

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

Costs about $20.

nnotsoo

New Highl, V6 Msrp-29928, Bought at $80 below invoice or 26500 from http://www.i10toyota.com- Dan Dixon
Also oil change: also have a Previa 92 LE since birth a 4 banger that I changed oil EVERY 3-4.5k and always used Toyota's $2.99 oil filters, still going strong with 245000 miles, oil is cheap insurance.
Kamel Jakey

pdalpsher

was put in by my dealer...they use pennzoil 10/30 but get it out of large drums (bulk oil). My engine has 10k miles on it now, it was at 6.4k when the oil was tested was changed.
There has been quite a bit of discussion on the sludge board (now read only) about the design of this engine shearing the oil which reduces the protecting properties of it. Just sharing my experience. The only way to be sure you have the right service interval for your driving and conditions is to test the oil.
My dealer took the sample, and graciously had it tested for me (at no cost) by an independent lab. I've now got a kit from the folks at Blackstone and will use them from now on (at my expense). If there is a problem with the engine, periodic testing of the oil will show the problem developing.
I was following the sludge discussions closely and decided that what people were saying was hard to translate into my driving, maintenance and environment. The only way for me to get the knowledge about my engine is to do the testing.

pdalpsher

Bobistheoilguy participated in some of the sludge boards and has just about anything you would want to know about oil on his site. The note on the right side of the page about shearing will explain what is going on in this engine. He also has a link that gives some advise specifically to Toyota owners.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com

les16

Has anyone had experience with this item? Is it worth the money? Can I install it or is it a dealer install? Would need to get power to it somehow.

wwest

So, what do you suppose happens to those Pennzoil bulk oil drums once there're empty? Would any Lexus dealer stoop so low as to send them to the local re-refinery for refills?

No, not a chance !

bill01923

I have on in a Mercury Mountaineer. It works very well most of the time, but there are some times when you want it to dim and it won't. There is no manual control.

We also have a 2002 Highlander Limited which doesn't have the option and I have no plans to add one.

If I were to add one I would put in the one with compass the readout.

Here's the website of the manufacturer of most of the OEM units. http://www.donnellye.com/products.htm

There is a very good explination of how they work.

And yes they do need power.

kazoo3

We now have three people where I work who have purchased HL's. One purely cosmetic difference we noticed was that only one of the three HL's has the word Highlander under an illustration of a mountain range on the rear upper quarter panel. We can't figure out why some have this and others do not. Anyone know what determines whether your vehicle comes with this?

brad_22

I installed the aftermarket auto dimming mirror in my highlander. You can install it yourself if you're willing to put in a couple hours of work.

So far I'm pleased wth the performance. I only wish I had gotten the outside temperature feature wth it!