Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

wbay · September 2004

.......?????

rugby65 · September 2004

The problem is that there is no cable linked from the accelerator pedal to the Intake manifold.

As long as they continue the drive by wire this is going to occur.

when I bought my 03 HL I was told that It would adjust to my driving habits (WRONG) What happened was I had to adjust my driving habits to fit the weird accerlation that it has.

I have learned to never push the accelerator pedal down to fast because the computer can't read the change fast enough..........

high2 · September 2004

just got my highlander 2 weeks ago. i didnt notice the hesitation on the test drive . guess i took it a little to easy. big problems. hope we can get this resolved.

wwest · September 2004

On my 2001 911 C4 can read the e-throttle very FAST.

In the opinion of actual owners is the hesitation more pronounced when turning and accelerating vs just accelerating?

If this truly is a FWD programming safety "feature" I would expect you would have a greater amount of acceleration delay, hesitation, pulling away from a standing stop and turning at the same time.

Do you sense that full acceleration returns once a minimum forward speed is reached, and/or once you begin to return the stearing to neutral as you exit an accelerating turn?

kads · September 2004

For all suffering with Toyota's non response to their hesitation problem/safety hazard:

Is the public catching on to Toyota's business philosophy of telling their customers to live with this safety problem? Toyota's August sales were down 2.8% overall (2004 vs 2003), but HIGHLANDER was down 6 times as much (17.3%, nearly 4000 units).

How many of you with the problem are satisfied with their response, and will you buy another Toyota?

daytimer · September 2004

Well, Ive got 1200 mi on my 6cyl AWD HL and my trans hasn't learned a thing! Problem is the same - very noticeable and abrupt downshifting and hesitating upshifting. On the downshift into I believe 2nd, it "releases" the engine braking effect and you get less coasting resistance right when you're getting close to the stopped traffic in front of you. You must compensate with increased pressure on the brake pedal. This is clearly a safety issue, too. So, I received correspondence from the GM at Elmhurst Toyota regarding the distateful buying experience I endured. I brought up the HL trans prob in my return letter. Much to my surprise (not really) I was put in touch with the service guys. I too am holding out hope that Toyota will stand behind a clearly crude, intolerable trans that doesn't know what gear it wants to be in. Hopefully, they will put a SW fix on this. In the meantime, I'm just slowly driving this up the chain wishing I had not bought Japanese.

leighanne4 · September 2004

Dealer is giving us the runaround and absoulutely not satisfied with their actions or response to the hesitation problem. I would never consider buying another Toyota because of
experience encountered with Toyota and the dealer. The general rule is "pass the buck" it's easier than doing the right thing. That should be Toyota's motto. We're on our way to arbitration. Will also file a complaint with the state (check your lemon law) Anything that makes Toyota take responsibility for this is worth a try.

varg · September 2004

My HL qualified for arbitration due to the delay/hesitation problem here in CA. At this point, that is all I can as to my status. However, I still want to help those who are having problems. Therefore, below is my arbitration letter and I re-posted my earlier post that outlines what is written on my work order by the service department. While writing your paper, your argument should clearly delineate the vehicles (reduced) use, value and safety. This may be different in your state. This is a long post and I apologize.

Arbitration Letter:

California Dispute Settlement Program
P.O. Box 561109
Dallas, TX 75356-1109

Dear Sir or Madam:

This letter is to delineate the problem that significantly reduces the use, value and safety of our 2004 V6 AWD Toyota Highlander (VIN# XXXXXXXXXXX). The vehicle consistently demonstrates a significant lull when the gas pedal is pushed and when the vehicle responds. On several occasions, the delay in acceleration was substantial enough in that it felt as if the vehicle had stalled. We currently own (original owner) a 1995 V6 Toyota Camry and previously owned a 1997 V6 Toyota 4Runner. We have never experienced this type of problem with any of our Toyota vehicles.

· Use  The consistent hesitation makes it challenging to accelerate to the flow of traffic when merging or changing lanes. Although the Toyota Highlander is a V6, the performance is less than one would expect from a four cylinder.

· Value  Toyota has acknowledged, in writing, the delayed acceleration and the fact there is no repair at this time. Since work orders confirm the defect, a potential buyer would either not buy the vehicle or purchase it at a below the current market value.

· Safety  The significant hesitation has, on several occasions, dangerously prevented the vehicle to properly merge into traffic. This has lead to nearly being rear-ended. Because of the safety issue, we have changed our driving habits in order to compensate for the vehicles lack of performance.

On August 4, 2004, I test drove the vehicle with the Service Advisor, [NAME], at [DEALERSHIP], CA. During our test drive, I (the driver) pointed out how the vehicle generally hesitates. In addition I showed how the vehicle feels as if it had stalled when slowing then accelerating. He confirmed this on the attached work order/invoice #XXXXX. Please note that Mr. [NAME] did not test drive the vehicle himself. Furthermore, on the same day, the Toyota Customer Relations Manager, [NAME], test-drove our vehicle. During the test drive, she also concurred that there was a delay in accelerations. This was especially noted when she merged into traffic. Her co-worker, [NAME], was also in the vehicle at the time.

On August 10, 2004 I test-drove the vehicle with the Toyota District Service & Parts Manager, [NAME]. Prior to our test drive, he was already aware of the delay. I drove the vehicle and pointed out the consistent delay in acceleration. He agreed that there was a delay and that Toyota was aware of the problem, however, they do not have a way of repairing it. Mr. [NAME] declined to test-drive our vehicle because he was confident that the problem existed. Please see attached work order/invoice #XXXX that confirms the hesitation from the factory representative.

Sincerely,

POST# 1590
Hello!
Although I have enjoyed our Highlander for eight months, the delayed acceleration or hesitation has become unbearable. Search the board and you will find others who experience the same problem. I finally took it in to the dealership to see what they can do. I was surprised when they acknowledged that there is a hesitation! However, it is a design issue since other Highlanders do it. Below is what is delineated on my work order.

Concern: Customer states vehicle hesitates on acceleration check and advise.
Cause: Verified concern with customer
Correction: Delay response verified with customer road test. Compared with STK ##### compared the same.

Since there is no way to repair the vehicle, service department gives my Toyotas phone number to start the arbitration process. This took me to a meeting with the district service and parts manager from Toyota. I thought he was very nice and professional. He acknowledges that this problem exists with the Highlander and Solara. Toyota engineers are at the beginning stages of finding a way to rectify the issue. However, he did not know how far along in the process they are in finding a solution. Below is his write up on the work order from him:

Concern: Customer states vehicle has hesitation or delayed acceleration while driving.
Cause: 0
Correction: Had factory rep inspect  see notes
Tech Notes: Test drove vehicle with customer; there is a hesitation while accelerating. Advised that Toyota is aware of complaint. Advised that dealership will complete an MDT report including their feeling.

They will not acknowledge that it is a design defect or a safety issue. Therefore, any manufacture buy back will have to be ordered through arbitration. Today, I applied for arbitration.

I try not to be too materialistic and dwell over things that really have no meaning to my life. However, when you pay over $30k for a vehicle and you have no recourse, it can be upsetting. Anyway, I thought I would post this to help others who may need the info.

POST# 1594
Below is some important information I left out from my original post:

My HL is a 2004 V6 AWD with approx. 9k miles on it. The factory rep said it applies to those vehicles with fly or fly wire acceleration. I cannot recall the exact verbiage he said (I will need to know for arbitration).

Test: Drive 30/40 miles an hour and imagine a large truck pulling in front of you. You slow down quickly to about 10-15 miles an hour. While slowing down you look over your shoulder to see it the lane is clear to go around the truck. You have a nice gap to accelerate into in the next lane and you punch the gas to shoot the gap. I will always get a very significant delay while doing it. Please note that you do not need to floor it. Another test is just imaging merging onto traffic.

On several occasions I thought my vehicle would stall. I can create the delay at anytime, however, the severity of it is hard to create. I feel it is a very serious safety issue. I have seen the delay the near two second mark.

Hope this helps.

bobgordon · September 2004

For those of you who haven't, use this link below to file a complaint with the NHTSA.
It's a very simple process.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

wwest · September 2004

The loss of engine braking due to transmission mode goes all the way back to the 01 AWD RX300. I took it for granted that it had to do with preventing loss of control with FWD. Caddy did it be using an over-running clutch.

griggo · September 2004

I have 2001 FWD V6. No hesitation pulling away from a standing stop and turning. Normal transmission shift. Hesitation present only when slowing down the vehicle and then trying to accelerate and when stearing returns to neutral as I exit the turn. Just my observation. Also hesitation is minimized switching over-drive off or engaging snow mode.

wwest · September 2004

At just what speed, as you slow to a stop, would you normally push the clutch pedal in with a manual transmission. And now is it at approximately the same speed that you feel the "slingshot" effect as you lose engine braking?

oldman · September 2004

My 2004 HL V6 AWD recently commenced a thudding flutter sound after driving for a few minutes, when going over bumps. This "dudududud" sound comes from under the tail end of the car. At first I thought the spare tire was loose. I tightened that, noise persists. Jack and tool kit tight. Opened up the floor storage area and third seat system looking for loose items, nothing found. Spare tire shroud seemed sloppy, packed off with rag to stop flutter, no effect. Removed the plastic center spare tire shroud "disc" and still noise persists. The swivvel joint in the tailpipe seems sloppy though studs are tight, rubber hangers are intact, but slop is allowing the rear resonator to flop against the rear bumper cover. Is this the cause??? I guess I'm headed to the dealer. Anyone had this noise?

daytimer · September 2004

'Fly By Wire" is a term used to describe the operation of the accelerator by "digital" or "computer" controls as opposed to direct mechanical linkage.

I took my 04 V6 HL to the service dept today and they will acknowledge the "operability" of this trans and that other people have complained about it - but according to him, only a small percentage. Then I drove one of his new limiteds and it manifested the exact same symptoms. This customer board clearly confirms that this is indeed a safety design issue. Apparently, the dealers have not been given a fix for this problem (although they won't call it that).

He also said the 4Runner has the same "fly by wire" design. My wife bought an 04 4Runner last year and it shifts fine (obviously different drivetrain but same control methodology).

So, I got the appropriate doc from the service dept. indicating it "performs as designed" and next step will be to bring my safety concerns to Toyota and open a case with them.

The service mgr also said this drive train config is in the Camry and Lexus RX300. But, (according to him) not many people (as a percentage of the total) are voicing their concerns.

Toyota is big business. They will try to not expend resources on this problem until they become convinced of the safety issues. They will not be convinced until enough customers speak up! I hope people don't have to start reporting accidents to get their attention. It would be interesting to know if HL/Camry/RX300 accidents can already be attributed to this issue. I wonder how this could be investigated?

Finally, in reference to an earlier post if I wanted to drive a manual transmission, I would have bought one. At least I would know what to expect. The behavior of this config is not always predictable or safe.

hmurphy · September 2004

If I'm not mistaken, the 03 Accord V6 that I traded for the Highlander also had a drive-by-wire throttle system.

In my experience, it had a more pronounced downshift/hesitation in passing situations than my Highlander does.

I got used to building the hesitation time into my passing maneuvers.

It seems like this issue isn't limited to Toyota products, and may simply become a fact of driving.

herzogtum71 · September 2004

I had this sort of noise on a '94 Corolla wagon on severely bumpy roads, and the diagnosis was "slightly loose sway bar stabilizers." Not a safety issue, accoring to the dealer.

snakehair · September 2004

I have been following the hesitation thread with interest as we have both a '01 HL (not drive by wire) and an '03 Accord V6 which is. I have not experienced the hesitation in the Accord and in fact like the 2 gear downshift from 5th to 3rd in most passing situations. Yours is the first I've heard of that had the hesitation. Hopefully it is an anomaly since there are plenty of problems on the Accord to go around. Glad we held off buying an '04 HL (mostly because we didn't want a 3rd row seat). Except for mushy brake feel, the '01 HL Limited has been a fine vehicle.

bobgordon · September 2004

Sorry about the repetition...but I don't want to loose this thread. There are too many of us having this problem to let it go...

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 (7) complaints under PT: Auto Trans and (2) under VSC:Accel Pedal at present posting.

Thanks!

wwest · September 2004

is RWD, or rear wheel torque biased in AWD mode. Therefore doesn't need limits on engine torque applied to front drive/stearing wheels. Interestingly the way I read the new 4runner specs they seem to indicate that in AWD mode the engine torque to the front is automatically reduced as lateral forces build (tight turn, etc.) at the front.

If you check around on the various posts you will note that the hesitation complaints seem to only apply to FWD vehicles or FWD torque biased AWD vehicles, Camry, HL, Sienna, RX, etc.

Likely a new feature of the FWD firmware version of the VSC/Trac system.

cw1 · September 2004

Doesn't it feel good to think you might get somewhere now? Well don't get your hopes up to much. I went to arbitration (thought it was for the vibration not the acceleration problem - which I have noticed since then). The finding of the arbitrator was that the vibration 'was similar to that of other such vehicles' not that I noticed so much vibration after driving friends vehicles. So if other vehicles do it. . .it is normal to Toyota.
Hope you have more success. Please let us know the outcome.

secondrig · September 2004

I've had both the 01 and now the 04 Highlander. Obviously, I love the car. I'm either very lucky or, like hmurphy, I've simply adapted to the Highlander driving style. I've had no problems--and can't get the car to reproduce the significant problems noted here. In fact, the 04 is smoother and more powerful, if anything. I'm not discounting the problems folks are posting, and I agree Toyota needs to respond, but I just don't want people considering a Highlander to think the problems are universal.

wwest · September 2004

AWD or simple FWD, it might make a difference.

If it is the new VSC/Trac firmware then the AWD would be less likely to exhibit the symtoms.

Remember, with FWD and just Trac if the front wheels begin to slip the immediate result must be to apply the BRAKES and then dethrottle the engine. Enough of that, lots of jackrabbit starts, and the rotors will warp and/or the pads will wear out prematurely.

The manufacturers may very well be using new VSC firmware to predict impending wheelspin and dethrottle or delay, moderate, acceleration torque.

There is no question in my mind that the VSC/trac system on my 01 AWD RX is shifting the transmission to reduce the effects of engine drag during stopping or slowing.

Reducing or moderating the level of acceleration torque available during certain maneuvers is just another step in the direction of reducing the hazards of a FWD vehicle IMMHO.

desertguy · September 2004

My '04 V6 Limited has exhibited no such problems in the several Thousand miles I have driven it. One trip was about 1700 miles and it was as comfortable as any car I have owned for the two 12 hour days it took to arrive. IMO, the HL has excellent drivability.

wwest · September 2004

If you don't mind then please do me a big favor and try this...

Find a large and empty parking lot. While stopped turn the steering wheel about halfway to full left or right and then go WOT.

If yours is FWD and the problem is as I suspect then you will notice a definitive lack of startup torque.

hmurphy · September 2004

What is "WOT?"

bobgordon · September 2004

Wide Open Throttle.
:-)

maryhighlander · September 2004

I have a 2003 Highlander with 13,000 miles. On Thursday the city was hit by "Hurricaine Ivan" I took the dryest possible route home. The car never touched standing water.

The vehicle has been fine until this morning when I stopped for coffee on my way to work. The driver's side door was dead. None of the controls were operating (no power for automatic windows or lock). The other doors were working fine. When I returned to the car the seat belt sign was blinking and beeping even though I was buckled into the seat.

Has anyone ever experienced these problems or know how the dealership handled the problem? Is this covered by the warranty?

wain · September 2004

take it to the dealer

wain · September 2004

I have an 04 Highlander. The A/C works well but not as good as my 94 Camry.
Today was the first cooler day and I did a little experiment - i ask some of you to do the same to see if my car is typical. Also your ideas if this situation is "correct".

I took a dial thermometer - $6 at a hardware store and
measured the outside air temp while driving in my neighborhood. Then I measured the air temp coming out the center dash duct. This is with recirc off (that means outside air is flowing through) and the A/C off, temp control on full cold. .

Air coming out the dash was about 7-8 degrees warmer than the outside air.

Is your car like that? You can't tell 7-8 degrees with your hand but a thermometer you can and on a hot summer day it hurts AC performance.

brian23 · September 2004

I think that it is very interesting that there seems to be a wide variation in the hesitation 'experience' that people are having with the 2004 HL. Some find it very noticeable, to the point of being a hazard....whereas others don't seem to notice it at all. I have fallen in-between: I like my 2004 HL overall, but I definitely notice the hesitation in the lower gears on acceleration and deceleration....enough to make driving the vehicle unpleasant at times.
I would also like to be able to complain directly to Toyota about this....if just to let them know that this is a real issue that should be addressed (if they want me to ever buy another Toyota, for example.) Who should I contact?

bobgordon · September 2004

Brian,
Besides filing a complaint with the NHTSA and the dealer where I purchased the vehicle, I filed a complaint with Toyota.
Contact Toyota Customer Relations at 1-800-331-4331.

I agree, some are experiencing this problem, some are not. It all boils down to driving habits. I myself am not an aggressive driver by any means but when the need arises to get into traffic or pass another vehicle, I expect the vehicle to perform without any flaws.
If people will do the test stated by wwest, I'm sure we will see that the problem is more prevalent.
I just hope that no one gets hurt before Toyota decides to correct this major problem!

Thanks!

desertguy · September 2004

Okay. Sunday was a good day to find empty parking lots. I tried several times as you suggested. Even turned wheels full lock both directions while stopped and then stomped on it and had absolutely no hesitation. AWD V6 Ltd with 4550 miles. I am thankful I don't have it but why is a mystery I guess. I would hope that drivers aren't sitting in traffic waiting to make a left turn with the wheels turned. That is a no-no of course as if you get hit from behind you will be shoved into oncoming traffic. Keep the wheels straight until you actually are making the turn.

kads · September 2004

I hope you don't have the problem, only a matter of time til it causes some accidents.

Assume you've got the automatic. Just curious, do you know the date your HL was manufactured? And did you buy it in the US?

Here's another test for the problem: It is always very evident after decelerating from say 40 to 20 then accelerating hard (similar to a left turn with traffic coming, or a quick lane change behind stopped traffic). When you hit the accelerator, our V6 2wd literally dies for a few seconds before downshifting and subsequently surging forward in the lower gear.

desertguy · September 2004

Date of manufacture is 01/04 purchased in US and made in Japan of course. I honestly have none of the symptoms you describe. I would venture to guess that most HL owners don't either. Owners with no problems won't be posting here. It is the nature of forums like this.

wwest · September 2004

There is no shutoff valve to prevent the hot engine coolant water from flowing through the heater core. While in your test no airflow would likely come through the heater core the entire plenum area will still be radiantly heated and thus it is not surprising that the measured airflow was somewhat elevated.

If your AC is not operating satisfactorily on hot days I have heard that some folks have installed manual shutoff valves to prevent this effect.

wain · September 2004

Thanks. many/most cars have shut off valves as well as the air damper.
Wonder if my 94 Camryhad one. My Honda civics had them.

maybe it is another Toyota cost cutter. More and more of those all the time. My 04 factory floor mats are real thin compared to the 94 mats

sundevil · September 2004

My V6 2WD 04 Highlander also does not have any of the hesitation symptoms described in this forum. Date of manufacture is 07/04 and my driving style has nothing to do with this. I was able to replicate the hesitation problem almost at will with the demo Highlander on the dealer lot, it was a V6 AWD.

wain · September 2004

is it an AWD thing?

I have not read all the posts

hlendgame · September 2004

No. My 04 V6 FWD HL does it, too. I talked with service and they said the four cyl. doesn't do it b/c it has a throttle cable (vs. "drive-by-wire"). I read nearly all the posts today and I have all the same problems (odd clunking in rear, poor A/C at stopped, hesitating accel, poor stopping downshift).

The problem that really gets me is the rolling stop acceleration hard shift. Say you are coming towards a red light with nobody at the light in front of you. You get down to 10 mph or so and just a dozen feet from the line. Then, the light turns green and you press the accelerator to go. It hesitates slightly and then, BAM, takes off like a rocket. When I am not paying attention, it will bark the tires.

I am a long-time Toyota guy. I hate to complain about this, but it is out of hand. I have kept it out of paperwork so far, but I don't know how much longer I can live with it.

wwest · September 2004

Apparently the transmission is shifting into neutral at about this point to simulate what would happen in a manual trasmission vehicle, at about the point you would normally depress the clutch pedal.

If you happen to depress the gas pedal at just the "wrong" moment, just as it starts to shift into "neutral" the Tranny gets confused.

I suspect it is also an effort by Toyota and Lexus to eleminate some of the loss of control events due to engine braking at the front on slippery surfaces.

bobgordon · September 2004

Sorry about the repetition...but 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. There are (8) complaints under PT: Auto Trans and (2) under VSC:Accel Pedal at present posting.

Thanks!

wain · September 2004

My new 04 Highlander 2 wd has a slight but noticeable wear pattern developing on the front tires at 4000 miles. the pattern is only on the most outside tread section on each front tire (the tire sections on the center or on the inside - facing the engine -do not have this wear pattern). neither do the rear wheels.

If you stand next to the say drivers side front tire, and face the car, and run your hand across the top of the tire going from front of the car toward the rear of the car you feel sharp edges on the front edges of the tire segments in the outside tread section. If you run your hand the other way, across the top of the tire from rear going toward the front you do not feel anything.

whats causing this?

I see it/feel it on a lot of other cars/suvs.

is it :
a normal
b excessive front toe in?
c something else?

kads · September 2004

Why resign to "live with it"? It's not a "feature" that increases your safety or a buyer will pay for when you sell it.

Just like the oil sludge problem, Toyota is taking advantage of their customers.

They need to get some corporate integrity and do the right thing instead of pinching those dollars and converting them to yen back in JAPAN.

bobgordon · September 2004

Wain, I've seen that many times and it could be caused by under-inflation, sharp cornering and or poor alignment.
I'd rotate the tires, fill to 3-5psi above the rating (cold) and have the alignment checked.

Here's a description of common tire wear problems.
Excessive Toe;

Excessive toe-in/positive toe results in outside edge wear of the tire. Excessive toe-out/negative toe results in inside edge wear of the tire. Toe is easily adjusted on most vehicle steer axles.
Excessive Camber;

Excessive positive camber: smooth wear patterns on the outer half of the tire tread. Excessive negative camber: smooth wear patterns on the inner half of the tire tread.

Excessive Caster; Caster is the angle of steering axis tilt when viewed from the side and while it does not affect wear, it does affect the vehicle's handling and tendency to track straight down the road.

hlendgame · September 2004

After reading my message again, I guess it does sound like I am resigned to live with it, but that is not really the case. I cannot ALWAYS reproduce the problem. In fact, the last two days have been without incident. I travel a lot and when I am not in a rental, my work is 3 miles away. so the HL doesn't really see a lot of road time. I really just need to make the time to get it to the dealer.

I do not think this is a penny pinching issue. I have access to some biG tiMe transmission experts (no names, please) and they seem to think it might be a software or accelerometer problem. That is not a difficult or expensive fix. It would be to Toyota's advantage to fix it if they knew how. I think they might not know what the problem is.

fvp · September 2004

I'm lucky in that I don't have any of the problems discussed here [hesitation, brake issues] on our '03 V6 4WD.
My problem is a rattle in the dash and/or steering column. I had this fixed once about a year ago by replacing the steering box and it's hardware. Now a rattle in the dash caused the dealer to call Toyota and they reported many complaints of a dash rattle that's cured by replacing the nozzle assembly under the cowl.
They are going to do it next week and I'll let you know if it works.

rugby65 · September 2004

"nozzle assembly under the cowl."

fvp what is that????????????

daytimer · September 2004

As I had indicated, I went to the dealer. They drove it and said "they all do that" "It's operating as designed". He did acknowledged the "behavior" of the trans when he drove it. Then, he pulled around a brand new Limited and we drove that ... sure enough ... hesitation on upshift, abrupt downshifts, releasing downshifts into stopped traffic, shuddering trans as it's deciding what to do.

For those who are not experiencing these safety and reliability problems, it's puzzling. Maybe Toyota's got different revisions of SW out there and some tranmissions actually work. Count yourself lucky.

Today I opened a case with Toyota. They'll have the regional guy call me next. I indicated:
-safety issue: hesitation in trans when accelerating
-safety issue: downshifting abruptness releases into stopped traffic
-reliability issue: the combination of the above in normal driving conditions causes trans to "shudder" at times.

I will absolutely file a complaint with the nhtsa as recommended. Thanks for persisting in this. I'm just wondering if I should go through the Toyota chain first or not.

Interestingly, I read a number of posts by the same individual who goes to lengths to "explain" or "justify" this transmission's operation as not unusual, or some kind of continuing effort to implement VSC safety features .... safety features???? Makes you wonder.

We are now looking for a used car for my son. I'm sure I don't want him behind the wheel of this car, especially as a newer driver. We drove a number of Taurus', Sebrings and Stratus', Malibus and Impalas'. NONE of them drive crude and unsafe as does my new 2004 Highlander.

If you're considering a Toyota - DON'T DO IT - they are starting to push crap out the door.

bobgordon · September 2004

Daytimer, glad to hear you opened a case!
As far as following the Toyota chain, by all means. Thats the way to do it.
As the saying goes, "take it to the top."

I'm convinced that Toyota WILL have to do something about this. They (Toyota) has too much at stake by just letting this very serious issue slip by...and the consumer won't let that happen.

BTW, Taurus is a good auto as is Honda if you are looking for a vehicle for a first time driver.
Good luck!

fvp · September 2004

I have no idea what they are referring to - it has something to do with the washer nozzles located behind the dash and under the "cowl".
My receipt says: Part number: 55950-48020 nozzle assy. defr. They had to order it with delivery on Tuesday.
I don't think that's the answer, but my dealer claims that Toyota has had many complaints regarding this part and that's where they plan on starting. I have not read many reports on this board about dash and/or steering column rattles so perhaps it's isolated to my unit. It took 4 days to find a bad steering box that caused a rattle last year.
Sounds like a long shot but who knows?

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