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Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • efdeefde Member Posts: 2
    thanks for the reply at least its something we could ask the dealer to look at. they want us to be specific about the problem but we do not know where to begin.
  • edhedh Member Posts: 246
    Dealer worked on it again- they did the TSB a few months ago- no luck- if you lower the windows 1/8 inch the noise decreases.
    Dealer has ordered parts- will be in next week.
    04 HL
  • jbolltjbollt Member Posts: 736
    edh...I'm surprised that you are still experiencing this. My 03 was fixed by the dealer over a year ago, (no idea what they did to fix it!) I think before the TSB was issued, still quiet. My 05 never had this issue. Good luck in your fix, and let us know how it works out.
  • edhedh Member Posts: 246
    yeah- dealer did the tsb a whileback but NO CHANGE- I just got it back to the dealer for the next oil change.

    Anyone else have their old invoice that says HOW the dealer fixed the front window wind noise ?
    (noise present only when windows are full up- lower window 1/8 inch and car is really silent)
    front windows only have this problem.
  • jbolltjbollt Member Posts: 736
    On my 03, if you looked at where the bottom of the door glass meets the rubber at the top of the door panel, on the inside of the vehicle (with the glass fully UP) BEFORE the fix, there would be a gap..the glass would not meet the rubber.....AFTER the fix, the gap no longer exists.

    How they fixed it, I dunno, but I think it involved the bodyshop, and perhaps an "adjustment" of the metal inside the door panel to provide a closer fit?
  • master1master1 Member Posts: 340
    Hi! I hear that you are having problems starting your Highlander. My suggestion is to go to a Toyota dealeship one more time. If they still cannot figure out the problem, contact the Toyota Head quarters in California, and they will assist you. Please respond so I know you read this messege. Trust me, if you follow this, your call will be fine.
  • jjsjjs Member Posts: 18
    Does anyone knows the OEM lug nuts size for Highlander? I have 2001 HL with alloy wheels. Thanks in advance
  • jjsjjs Member Posts: 18
    I am interested in buying Bridgestone Dueler Alenza for my HL 4wd. Does anyone have experience with these tires? Any recommendations? Thanks
  • middleageguymiddleageguy Member Posts: 42
    Check in the Tires directory, specifically the Ask Connor at Tire Rack. When you read through the Highlander postings, Michelin Cross Terains are mentioned for the HL.
  • tumwetumwe Member Posts: 7
    No experience with the Bridgestones, but I gave up on the Goodyear Integrity a while back that were on our 2002 HL, felt like we were driving around on wet sponges. Switched to Michelin LTX MS made a hugh difference in the ride, firmer just as smooth,almost as quiet and great in the snow. Did some mild off highway travel on mostly sand and rock in the heat of Utah during summer, tires didn't have any problems.
    Go with the Michelin LTX MS Great tire.
  • racerx1racerx1 Member Posts: 35
    Any HL owners experience a squealing noise from the power steering when the car is cold? I only get it within the first minute of driving (no warmup) on my 2004 HL v6 AWD. Dealer says its normal but I doubt it.
  • tsotsitsotsi Member Posts: 98
    I have not had it happen on my Highlander, but on my older car the vee belt driving the power steering pump would sometimes squeal the first time I turned in the morning. I guess the belt slipped when the first load on the power steering hit.
  • rapriderraprider Member Posts: 42
    I've been experiencing this with my wife's 2002 v6 AWD for a few weeks now. Also noted that the p.s. fluid reservoir was low, so had her ask to have it checked during an oil change last week. The dealership said that the p.s. pump was bad, and, at 65k, out of warranty. They want like $525 to replace!!! Crap!!! :cry:
  • edhedh Member Posts: 246
    dealer still working on mine - today they replaced all the rubber on the vertical pieces and on the top, of the front windows-

    afterwards still the noise with the windows all the way up, no noise if windows are down 1/8 inch-
    they sent in some type request to the toyota district today. noise does come in the gap btw rubber and glass where your elbow is, on the inside.
  • ch1133ch1133 Member Posts: 43
    I just found out that my 2003 Higlander 4 cyl uses not 2 but 4 oxygen sensors. In my experience they will need replacement at 100K miles and since I keep my cars well past that mileage I am looking at a cost of $1000 to replace them. Was quoted 250 for front two and 160 for rear each afcourse-parts only add to that labor and tax.

    I shopped online and found simular prices - can anyone point to better pricing for Denso or NGK that will last

    Any way to extend life of curret sensors ( remove and clean??)
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Why not simply remove and replace on an as required basis?

    My 92 LS400 is still running with all four OEM sensors. Of three 92 LS400 that I am aware, all well over 100k miles, only one oxygen sensor has failed
  • nelsoncmnelsoncm Member Posts: 103
    Don't know if this is the right forum for this question, but: Does it bug any owners out there not having A/C and heating vents for the back seat passengers???? In the summer, I wonder how that's going to fly with my kid. My last two wagons have had a/c, heating vents and it's the hot in the summer where it really helps. Any feedback would be appreciated as I'm looking hard at a highlander.
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    If you reach under the front seats from the rear passenger compartment, you will find there are heating/aircon ducts flowing into the rear compartment. They are quite effective

    Cheers

    Graham
  • cino72cino72 Member Posts: 10
    I have searched and found may post about doing this but never found the instructions. Could some 1 please post instructions for this. I have an 06 ltd if it matters.
  • nikki7280nikki7280 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone had battery problems? I am sure it could be us as well but my husband left a door ajar and killed it about a month ago, we jumped it and it was fine. Then Sunday we drove to Sonic after church, parked, and then my husband turned the key to ACC to roll the window down and noticed it went down very slowly. He turned it right back off and then a couple minutes later when he went to start it - dead. It just clicks but doesnt start. Got it jumped, drove it 30 minutes home fine, this morning went into garage to leave for work and its dead again. Any ideas?
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    it's possible that you deeply discharged the battery, and must now use an externally powered charger to bring it back (hopefully) to a usable state where the alternator can keep it at a good charge level.

    visit this site and scroll down till you find the question "Q. Can I use my alternator to recharge a discharged battery":
    http://www.boschusa.com/AutoParts/FAQs/AlternatorsStarters/

    here's an Edmund's link that also indicates an external charger is required (and also warns not to charge a frozen battery):
    http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/techcenter/articles/43835/article.html

    and another site:
    http://www.repairfaq.org/ELE/F_Car_Battery.html#CARBATTERY_021

    you get the point. good luck.
  • phrosutphrosut Member Posts: 122
    We have had a "buzzing" sound in our '03 HL Ltd that has been getting increasingly worse over the last few months. Originally, it only would occur going down our unpaved 1/4 mile long driveway. This last week it would occur anytime and anywhere, lasting a few seconds or more.

    The source was mysterious. From the driver seat, it sounded like it was coming from the front. Sitting in the passenger seat, sounded like from the rear. It made a sound like an exhaust heat shield vibrating against the floor from underneath.

    Found the source last night and wanted to share: one bolt was missing from a roof-rack crossbar (that attaches it to the side rails). Tightening the other eleven finger bolts (VERY tight, as they weren't really loose) made the noise disappear.

    Now we either need to buy a bolt from Toyota or remove the crossbars altogether, as we can't anticipate EVER putting anything in the roof rack. Anybody else removed those bars?

    Hopefully, someone else with the "buzz" will save time and aggravation by seeing this post.

    Phil
  • aunjaraunjar Member Posts: 1
    Bought a set prior to taking the 2004 HL ltd. on a drive from the Chicago area up to Toronto... First of all they were a big step up from the OEM goodyear Integrity tires I had. They wore out at 20k...

    The Alenza's are have delivered a smooth ride and handle very well in the rain... I had the opportunity to try them out in the snow last week. While they performed okay, they far from perfect. The performance was okay in the snow but I am staring to think that their snow handling capabilities may be a bit over exagerated... But overall I am happy with... I may get them siped, to help with the snow traction...
  • landdriverlanddriver Member Posts: 607
    I bought a replacement bolt for the roofrack from the dealership a couple of years ago -- can't remember how much it was, but a bit more than I expected (maybe ~$8-$12?).

    There are a few posts on how to remove the roofrack plastic endcaps so you can slide the cross-members off -- search the various HL boards. (I removed the endcaps once -- I think it involved lifting up with a knife taped to prevent nicks and scratches on one side while pressing hard near one of the ends on the other side -- a loud snap ensued leading me to initially fear I had cracked it, but that's just how they snap off (but check the posts first); I'd recommend just buying the replacement bolt! :) )
  • cino72cino72 Member Posts: 10
    I assume no one has any idea or can this only be done by the stealership?

    Thanks
  • hatrackbobhatrackbob Member Posts: 1
    Had this TSB applied to my 05 HL yesterday - it did the trick.
    I had the problem with hunting at slow acceleration between 1-2 since I bought it new in June of this year. Dealer said put 5k miles on it, the Tranny "learns". It never did. It never got any better but it was also inconsistent. Brought it in yesterday with 4800 miles. They test drove it agreed I had the issue, applied the ECM change, drove it said fixed. I've put about 50 miles on it since late yesterday - works for me. Good luck. I know of at least one 05 Sienna has the same issue (and it could be since I believe these are all Camry platform vehicles).
  • junepugjunepug Member Posts: 161
    test, been having a problem posting on other message boards.
  • spencer327spencer327 Member Posts: 106
    Good to hear it has helped your problem. After reading various forums I have decided to hold off since I will be getting rid of the HL this year. I lived with this slush pump this long, I will go a little longer.
  • rblelandrbleland Member Posts: 312
    user777's comments are right on. It's not a battery problem, it's a user problem. Leaving the door ajar totally drained the battery and just getting it jump started and then relying on the alternator does NOT bring the battery back to the useable charged area. Follow user777's advice and get the battery fully recharged. If that doesn't fix it, you may have to get a new battery.
  • explorer1990explorer1990 Member Posts: 1
    My 2002 Highlander was in an accident about 9 months ago and they had to replace the oxygen sensor. Ever since then I've gotten about 250 miles per tank of gas as compare to the average 300 miles per tank before the accident. So now I'm losing approx. $10 per tank of gas. I just took the car in today and they kept it to run tests and they just called to tell me everything checks out that the sensors are doing what they're supposed to do.

    But something is obviously wrong and they're basically saying go pound salt. They can do a fuel injection cleaning for $100, but should I gamble that? They even said it might not work.

    This is frustrating. Has this happened to anyone else?
  • bloc11bloc11 Member Posts: 1
    Did anyone ever reply? I am having same problem all of a sudden. Roads clear, no ice, but cold - all of a sudden, light is on and it's impossible to drive the car more than 3 mph.
  • cpnnickcpnnick Member Posts: 3
    We have a 2002 Ltd with 45k miles which has recently developed the same problem that I have noticed a few of you out there have developed. Water in the front and rear floorboards, swishing around when making turns, and mold and mildew smells. We live in Hawaii, so the a/c is always on. While driving around today(sunny and warm for the last week or so) my front passenger said he felt water dripping on his feet. We did have some heavy rains prior to the last week of sun, and although the car is usually garaged, it was outside in the rain for a few days. So, basically it could be either the a/c or the rain. I'm really hoping that it is the a/c hose that has developed a leak, because it sounds like this is a cheaper fix. Does anyone have a definitive answer to this problem? My first time posting, so forgive any transgressions. Thanks, cpnnick
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    Have your driving habits changed? If this started 9 months ago why did it take so long to complain? This could have been an insurance issue. In Northern climates it isn't unusal for all vehicles to have poor gas mileage (the more temperature dips, the worse it gets, if it applies). Unless the mileage is very high I wouldn't touch the fuel injector cleaning. Good luck.
  • spencer327spencer327 Member Posts: 106
    You are replying to the wrong sender
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Also it's not a good idea to charge up a completely dead battery with the alternator---this stresses the alternator and will cause early failure of that component.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Got it...good catch, thanks!

    Shifty the host
  • typesixtypesix Member Posts: 321
    Check AC condensate drain hose from cooling coil area, it may be plugged and need to be cleaned.
  • cpnnickcpnnick Member Posts: 3
    Any advice on where to look for the drain hose? I'm assuming it's somewhere in the center console behind/below the radio rack. I'm beginning to think that may be the problem. We took it for a drive yesterday with the a/c going strong,(no rain) and after sitting for a couple of hours the floorboards were soaked again. Also, there is no water dripping outside under the car like there usually is when we use the a/c. Thanks for any advice and help. cpnnick
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    go to any mechanic and have them put it on a lift if necessary and take an air compressor hose to the drain tube and blow it clean of debris. then you should note a real real large quantity of water draining to the ground.

    besides water in the floorboard area, in some model vehicles, you can hear a sound like water hitting a hot frying pan as you turn corners.

    also, as you turn corners, that's when your passenger (not you) should look at the floor board carpeting for a stream of dripping comming from an overly full evaporator pan.
  • cpnnickcpnnick Member Posts: 3
    Thanks, I'll do that.
  • brutus_1brutus_1 Member Posts: 10
    Over the weekend, on a 2 hour highway trip each way, the idiot lights on my 04 H/L lit up!! The check tire pressure icon, stability control (VST?) temp, oil, all the idiot lights you normally don't see were on. Vehicle has 42k miles. 1st occurance I kept driving, and arriving at my destination, shut off the car, and a few hours later started without any " false lights" indication. Then the next day on the return trip, it happened again. The last week of driving has been uneventful, so I haven't taken it in to the dealer. I'm thinkin some hinkey voltage thing? Battery terminals are clean. Anyone else seen this phenomena? Can I expect to see some error codes :sick: onthe ECM?
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    yeah, potentially a voltage flakey.

    FWIW: WAG, but i'd probably look at the ground wire from the battery to the chassis, and see if the connection of the wire to the chassis is good. i'd also take a look in the area of the main relay/fuse panel (not sure how accessible)...could be a loose wire / intermittent ground / moisture.

    i don't know how alternators or their voltage regulation works (i guess i need to do some googling), but it's possible your problem ultimately lies there. you might want to post your issue in the Electrical Gremlins forum.

    good luck.
  • brutus_1brutus_1 Member Posts: 10
    It hasn't re-appeared...yet. will check ground connections, and put a meter on the Altenator. Not a bad idea sprying some WD40 on connections too. Thanks for the reply!...
  • kenjidmkenjidm Member Posts: 7
    Hello All:

    I am new and this is my first post, hopefully in the right section. Anyhow, I've been searching to see if anyone has or knows how to convert the keyless entry into the actual factory alarm. I've seen websites on other Toyota vehicles, but no the '06 Highlander.

    Thanks!!!
  • xraykid5xraykid5 Member Posts: 2
    I bought a used 03 highlander this summer. 21 miles on it. We finally got some rain this week and it's totally flooded in the back floor boards. Like 1 inch full. Mostly on the passenger side, but also on the drivers side too. I brought it into the dealer and they said that we must have left the window open.. :( Well guess what? It rained again and this time I know that the window was not open. :) Flooded again! :cry: What do you suggest?
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    Sit inside, windows up, have someone pour water on it using a hose to see where it leaks then take it back to the dealer.
  • jbolltjbollt Member Posts: 736
    Does it have a moon roof? Probably has plugged drian tubes. The moon roof has tubes to drain the water off that seeps past the rubber seals around the glass roof. If these get plugged with leaves/debris, the water has no place to go but into the cabin.

    The suggestion to use a hose with someone inside to test is a good one.
  • herzogtum71herzogtum71 Member Posts: 470
    Is the front carpet soaked at all? We once had a Carolla with a non-functional AC drainage tube that soaked there and the rear. Even in winter the AC is activated when any setting for windshield defroster is in use.
  • rockpilerockpile Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2001 Toyota Highlander (base model).

    Can anybody tell me how to remove the plastic liner on the inside of the back door (tailgate)? I have removed the 'strap' handle bolt, but there must be some tabs or something else.

    The reason I want to get it off is to repair a crack in it by gluing a panel of plastic on the backside.

    Cheers

    Clive Rock
  • landdriverlanddriver Member Posts: 607
    Clive:

    Never did it but according to the repair manual there are a bunch of snaps around the periphery of the panel and a couple in the middle -- wrap some masking tape around a large slotted screwdriver and gently pry off the panel.
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