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Comments
We liked ours so much we recently got a 2007 so both my wife and I would have these wonderful, safe cars to drive. Based on Toyota's published sales data there are way over two million Toyotas on the road with this exact drivetrain, and you will be hard pressed to find enough people with complaints to total even one tenth of one percent of those cars.
I am happy you found a car that you like. We love our Highlander and would highly recommend it to anyone.
IMO it must be a very, very small number of vehicles having this problem since the Highlander continues to be near the top of the Consumer Reports reliability reports.
Before buying the 05, we read with great interest on these same forums, about hesitation issues that a repeated few were reporting. We test drove many, many examples of Toyota corp vehicles with this engine/trans combo, and never did experience the dreaded hestiation, so we bought it. I will say, that for a while, I half expected it to raise it's head, but.....It has been almost exactly 2 years, and about 30,000 miles of perfect performance.
When the Camry Hybrid came out in June 06, I just had to have one, and we decided it made sense to replace the "older" of the Highlanders with a more fuel efficient vehicle, so we traded the 03 HL on the 07 Camry Hybrid.
It does make more sense to have one utility vehicle, and one "economy" vehicle, (rather than 2 SUVs) altho, had it not been for the Camry Hybrid, I would probably made a new personal record for the time owned on a single vehicle with the 03... I suspect that the '05 will now take that title, as we love it, and have absolutely no reason to even consider it's replacement in the forseeable future.
To stay more or less on topic, on the '05, we change the oil at 5,000 mile intervals, rotate the tires (5) at 7,500 miles, and I just changed the air filter. Other than that, i don't think the 05 has been to the dealer for a single warranty issue...and I am VERY picky... and sensitive to sounds, rattles, hesitations, surges, vibrations, etc.
Sorry for long post.
I am not saying that it doesn't exist, I can only say that it is not in my actual experience either test driving or discussing the issue with Highlander owners.
The observation that "Whingers post, happy folk keep their mouths shut" seems apt. That said, I had some minor issues with the shift points for the trasnmission in my 2005 Klugerr (Highlander). Problem was largely fixed by a Flash of the ECU to amend trasnmission shift points. However, shifting can be a bit rough as a consequence of driving patterns. The transmission control is adaptive and responds to recent driving patterns. When the problem has cropped up, I have found that very rapid acceleration / deceleration through three cycles solves any transmission shift issues.
Now having mentioned this, I responded to one poster explaining the remedy and that it was a consequence of his recent driving pattern. His immediate response was to interpret it as confirmation of his view that the vehicle was defective. Reminds me of onw mechanic who assured me that the one part he could not fix was the nut behind the wheel!
Cheers
Graham
I think thats an urban myth
How does thst work in a rental car fleet?
All individual driver "learned" techniques, traits, driving styles, are ERASED each and EVERY time you shut the engine off.
The system starts learning driver adaptive techniques as soon as you start the vehicle in motion, within a fairly short time it will have you "sorted" into one of four categories and within ~4 minutes you will be refined into one of sixteen categories. Thereafer it keeps only a three minute history upon which to "bin" your driving style. So it will (re)learn as you go, change your driving style on the go, it will adapt.
Hence it was beginning to seem that a Highlander would only operate at its best performance when the "Primary" Driver was operating it.
There are literally dozens of engine and transaxle operational parameters like that it must learn and remember indefinitely.
But not unique driver parameters.
The truth be known there isn't a single vehicle made on the road with no problems for that model. But I will continue to pursue the ones with the least problems based upon surveys of thousands of owners.
If I were you, I'd approach the salesman... "I like you and I like Toyota, but I don't like the Avalon that I purchased..." If you have a great dealership (like I do), they will bend over backwards to make you a super deal. If they try to steal everything you have, then it's time to find another dealership. Like I said, you should not have those problems on their flagship model and if you did, the dealer should be all over making you happy. Best of luck!
and you confronted him with: For all those who love their HL and have 0 problems why are you here ... ?
That is non sequitur since "none have been perfect" implies all have been imperfect and "0 problems" does not follow from imperfection. Perhaps, instead, you are implying that people who love their HL should not participate in a maintenance and repair discussion?
I suggest we all stick to the topic and avoid speculating about anyone's motives for participating here.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
The dealer markup on those warranties is at least 100% and I wouldn't doubt a kick-back to the dealer for non-use, no claims, for which the dealer can somewhat assure by more actively, aggressively, pursuing factory coverage.
But your sunroof problem appears to be purely a matter of physics, with the sunroof open you are simply setting inside a musical instrument, a whistle.
Put in a more open airflow exhauster port/system or simply remove the one-way airflow restricting exhauster flap-valve and the "heli-coptering" noise will disappear, or at least be significantly reduced.
Along with fewer instances of sudden windshield fogging.
My question is: when are brakes, tires, other significant parts are expected to be replaced on everage? What mileage they are expected to last? Were my front breakes really due for replacement, or they just took advantage of my ignorance and willingness to keep the car in a good order?
Thank you, experts!
As to brakes, harder to tell but they could need work by 120K for sure. Your HL is 5 years old now, and may require some work if all done so far is regular oil changes, etc.
It doesn't sound to me like you were taken advantage of.
When dealers replace both rotors and pads they find that they have fewer unhappy customers so they usually recommend new rotors these days, even if turning the existing ones is an option. Less chance of grinding or squealing. Or so I've read around here.
You can also use the Edmunds Maintenance Guide to ballpark service costs. Just pick a zip code across the border that seems like a similar cost of living situation and then massage the numbers for Canadian exchange rates, VAT, universal health care, and add some more to the number just on general principles. :shades:
Yeah, I've read that as well. But I've had my front brake pads changed twice (once at 45K and again at 95K miles) on my 99 Honda CRV with the rotors turned each time and my mechanic says they've got enough left for one more turn.
But you know dealers.
Pre wire means they ran a harness from the engine compartment to the rear of the car. (at least you don't have to tear up the interior to install this harness) To complete the job you have to get a harness that plugs into the prewiring with a converter that goes in the spare wheel well. This more than a do it yourself job(at least for me) so I recommend you bite the bullet and have the dealer install what you need. I found a used hitch and harness and had the dealer install everything for $150. I also know a friend of mine who is electrically inclined and he just tapped into the tailights for his. ymmv
That is why I am here , where else would I get some posters posting their issues, it is the maintenance and repair forum isn't it? If I owned one and all is well why would I be here? Oh by the way I have tested both vehicles many times, different dealers and have noticed the tranny issues, read many newspaper reviews and many expressed the tranny issues, shifting etc
Every car is going to have some unhappy customers, and some people with real issues. Like the guy said, this is the place that people with issues come to post, so that's what you will find. Thats also what you will find on the Honda board, the Chevy board etc etc etc.
And the previous poster is correct, you will have zero vehicles on your list by reading complaint fora.
I had to talk to the mechanic directly
fixed a year ago no problems since Ive got 83000 miles on my 03 no other problems
I purchased my Highlander V6 2 years ago brand new and it originally came with Toyo tires. Right now I have 21,000 miles on it and I am able to see the blue tread wear indicators on each tire. I contacted Toyo and they tell me a Toyo dealer would have to look at them, but they are located 60 miles from me. Does anyone know if fits witin their warranty claim meaning can I get these tires replaced free of charge from Toyo because it has very low mileage?
Also, since I live in cold, icy winter weather in WI which tires would fit me the best in case if I do not go with Toyo?
Thanks!
My current HL is 2WD, but I never had a problem through this past winter (central IA). I also had them installed on my daughter's car and will soon have them on my wife's car. You could say that I'm sold on these tires. :shades: