Gunny, as the "first" on this list to test the safety of the HL with a sidewads hit into concrete dividers on the highway, I find the results of your EMT unsurprising. I'll guess about $6500-$7000 of damage assuming the Buick (read: boat) didn't damage the frame.
I was already sold on the safety, and this just adds reinforcement to my belief.
After six weeks of waiting, which was preceded by 4-5 weeks of comparison shopping, we finally have a Limited 4wd V6 Bluestone with Ivory interior. We did the deal with the local autobytel dealer and the transaction went very smoothly. We are very happy with it so far (4 days and 150 miles). In the end it was worth the wait and I would advise anyone out there to hold out for what you desire and not to settle for the vehicle a dealer may be trying to sell you. You will be much happier in the end. I also wanted to say thanks to this board for the responses to the various messages I have posted as we went through this process. I will keep you posted as we have more experiences with our new friend.
Skreb, Sorry you take strong exception to my comment about not buying a Highlander but after 3,000 miles I have had a new dash board, a new micro processor, a new transmission and a new air bag sensor. The car has been in the shop 2 weeks so far on two different occasions and I don't know if and when I will ever get it back. Basically my $32,000 investment is forcing me to drive my 1992 Dodge Caravan and borrow my mother-in-laws car on an emergency basis. So I am not impressed and I cannot recommend this car. I may have exceeded 55 MPH while going down a hill since I was on cruise control set at 55 MPH so I may have actually reached 60 MPH. I never had to start the car every 200 miles because I only towed it 45 miles. Most car manufacturers recommend changing the oil every 3,000 miles. Have you ever stretched that to 3,100? Did the engine blow up? Should it have? Would it have been your fault?
Skyreb, go easy on the guy... if I were in their shoes, I'd be miffed too. Dealers are the first to get the finger pointed at them because they are the real and human connection to the problem. The problem is definitely a manufacturer's fault issue - and yes, there CAN be bad cars sold without anyone knowing they are bad til they GO bad. He's venting, and often you'll find this statement to be true: Unhappy, tell 25+ people. Happy, tell 2. Our expectations being met is a perfect, great car. Unfortunately, he has a troubled car. In my store, we take people out of those immediately and put them in new cars, and make certain the manuacturer takes the car back to dissect it and see WHY it all failed. He's not dealing with a dealership that has offered to do that. Hence, his being upset. While it is a little juvenile to borrow the Edmunds bullhorn and shout "don't buy one!" to the "world" here, it's a common thing to hear when someone's disappointed and needs more sympathy than their dealer is providing. I'm sure in the end, his dealer will make him happy. I sure hope so.
I am a real safety freak when it comes to my baby. I want her in the center rear as it is the safest spot. The fact that the Highlander has the new Latch/Isofix system (allows easy car seat installation without use of seatbelts) was a selling point for us. However, I am concerned that I might not be able to use this feature in the middle seat. There are only 4 latch "prongs" and the owners manual seems to suggest that they are for the outer positions only (though it is not clear on this). I believe I could connect the new Fisher-Price seat in the center using the two inner prongs, but I'm not sure it would be safe that way (the prongs may be too far apart). Also, and this is a huge safety concern in my opinion, there is no tether anchor point in the center!! Tethering is so important, but so is center positioning of the seat. It seems you can't have both with the Highlander! Has anyone been able to have a center tether anchor installed (this would probably involve drilling through the floor)? Can one of the side tether anchors be used when the seat is in the center (it would pull the tether strap to the side). Most people at dealers know nothing of this new system and can't answer my questions.
Head right to the dealership with the car and the baby seat. There are specific instructions on safety with child seats -- something the car was built "around" meaning it was a chief concern for the engineers when the designs were in process. There's absolutely a very safe way to harness your babe in. There's recently been a document sent around to all stores that explains the hilights of the HL's and there are 4, 5 sections that pertain to this issue. Someone at a dealership HAS to have the inside scoop... it's a specific and central part of the Pride Tests all salespeople have to take and pass. -Ret
I would be surprised if the dealer can help. There is a HUGE liability for the dealer if they instruct you wrong. Your local police department probably has a program for this and you should contact them.
I have some experience with this at another dealership. The local police put on a clinic for proper and safe child seat installation. They offered the dealership personelle the opportunity to get trained and certified as well. It was an 8 hour class for the basic level certification! Sixteen hours would be for the full class.
Call the police department. Their public safety office will probably be able to guide you better than the dealership.
Cliffy, there's a very recent test that we've all taken across the country for Pride Certification. In that test is a specific section on the Safety of the Highlander, including the seat belt and child seat areas. Every single salesman/saleslady knows, now, about the issue. That's really what I was encouraging here is better interaction with the folks selling the car to her... and not digging willy-nilly thru the 'net but to do it in person, real time, so she can see how to do it properly.
The comparison is now online. Go to caranddriver.com, type in Highlander in the search box and click on the article "Two trucks and a car". We came in first place! Good choice everyone!
I regret that my message sounded unsympathetic .... I did not intend it that way. I genuinely hope you can get things squared away, and enjoy the vehicle. I have enjoyed my HL so very much, and read so many favorable post, that I did over react to the statement about not buying a HL. Again, I am sorry. Fortunately, I think most problems reveal themselves during the warranty period. That has been my experience with previous vehicles, my computer, television and etc. Hopefully, your dealer can make things right. Good luck.
I have to differ with the notion that sales people know about the new ISOFIX/LATCH system. I spoke to at least three of them (one was sales manager), and none of them even know what it is. They all thought I was referring to the tether points! The owner's manual avoids the issue completely - not saying one way or another if LATCH can be used in the center or mentioning the lack of a center tether point. It's SO frustrating. The Highlander is lacking when it comes to car seat safety, because it does not have a center tether anchor, and it is doubtful that the LATCH/ISOFIX system can be used in the center seat. I don't know how they got away with not having a center tether anchor. Even the Echo has one, and the NHTSA regulations seem to indicate that three anchors are required.
I am looking for answers to two questions: 1) Can a third tether anchor be installed by a dealer (they would probably have to drill)? 2) Can the LATCH/ISOFIX system be used in the center seat?
Thanks for the sentiments. I'll keep the forum posted on Toyota's response about towing the Highlander with 4 wheels down. My wife and I love the car so much that if Toyota states that the car should not be towed without an external transmission pump then I am willing to get one in order to keep the car. The district representative is going to contact me in a couple of days. According to Toyota in Los Angeles (I live in Portland, OR) my car has the "U" type transmission (whatever that means) that is the one that can be towed. Therefore, Toyota at this point believes that the problem I had is not towing related and merely a coincidence and just bad luck. Anyway, I'll keep you posted since many other people with motorhomes would probably love this car for towing since some of the other options for towing are a manual transmission or an automatic Jeep Cherokee, Chevy Blazer, etc., which in my opinion are no where near the quality and "coolness" of this car.
rfhou any new news about the wind noise? You had mentioned that you were getting a replacement part for possible cure of wind noise. I thought I would wait until you test drove your potential cure before having my Sarasota dealer start inventing the wheel again. Asking a tech to test drive my HL at 75 MPH into a 20-30 knot cross wind might be interpreted as bazaar! I am really looking forward to your report about the wind noise possible cure.
Just got my Black HL Limited w/ ivory leather, VSC, and many other things that I am having fun with. I almost got the Lexus which for me would have been about 4K more. I like the Lexus better because it has available black leather as well as standard VSC, two power seats, and IMO looks better (subjective); but I was so far into the HL deal that I really would have felt bad about backing out; my dealer would also have felt bad because they made a big bunch on this deal! For someone who prides himself on car buying, I surely didn't do well on this one. Oh well - I'll just have to settle for the HL.
I was worried about the light color of the ivory interior because our black lab insists on going everywhere with us, and she sheds bushels! She also loves to jump in the front seats when we leave her alone in the car. I solved this problem by tethering her by her leash to a cargo tiedown at the back of the car so she can't come up front, and for the shedding problem, I put her in a big 39 gallon leaf bag loosely cinched around her neck. She doesn't care for the bag much but its tough apples! She wants to ride, she gets in the bag.
I found out about the problem with the back windows down - WOW! But, what is a problem to most is a great opportunity for me. I am going to invite that jackass EX-son-in-law of mine for a ride in the back seat; then I'm going run up I-85 at about 70 mph from Atlanta to Greenville with the rear windows down. Death by wind buffeting in the back seat of a Toyota! The forensics guys will never figure it out. More on this later I also have a cat problem, more on that later too.
Thanks to Sandman -- we factory ordered a new HL over the weekend. After many contacts with seven dealers total in SoFL, the best deal I could find was as follows, FYI & for comparison:
Base V6 2wd $22,332 SE Toyota grey leather $989 Mats, Roof rack, center console, tow prep, day time running lamps $585 Destination $505 SE Toyota "Admin" $550 Dealer Markup $377
Total pre-tax/tags $25,338
This particular dealer was as few hundred below everyone else. One even asked straight MSRP on an order! We ordered mainly because every other "Indigo Ink" vehicle in the area had Toyo Guard and several other options that we didn't need or can buy for efficiently aftermarket. I am told it will be 90-105 days until it comes in - anyone else factory order that can confirm that timeframe?
First, someone would have to retro fit the back of the center seat to accomodate a latch. You may have to pay a 3rd party shop to install one since it's not in the original spec.
Next, as the father of two, car seats were a concern for me in my small Honda Accord (we traded it in on the HL). In fact, I was re-ended in a 5-car pileup in my Accord with my daughter, then 9 months old, and we came out alright. We had a regular rear-facing infact seat, and we wre all ok and even drove away from the accident. Now that we have 2 kiddos, they go on either side and we don't have the newer latching seats. My 9 month old son uses the same seat my daughter did, and my daughter is in a larger toddler seat. Neither of these are the archoring types, so the archors go unused in my Highlander. I'll also say that cars are getting engineered more towards safety as opposed to 10-15 years ago and the tether law was to accomodate older seats in newer seat belt designs (imo).
As one of the few that have wrecked a HL, I'll say from exprerience and on the word from others (including someone that got broadsided - post #2236 in this channel), that the Highlander is an extremely safe car when hit from the side - particularly for passengers. I didn't have my kids in the car when I wrecked mine, but I know how bad I damaged the HL, and I feel my kids would have been safe.
Where I agree with your dedication to the safety of your children, the HL is within the law for latching child restraints:
I found a dealer who said they will install a tether anchor for the center position. This probably means drilling through the metal on the floor of the trunk. Tethers are a VERY important part of a car seats anchoring system. Without the tether only one of the seats currently on the market (Fisher-Price Futura - a booster style seat that rates poorly in crash tests done by consumer reports) meets current safety standards for forward movement of the head in an accident. In Canada, it is illegal to use a car seat that is not tethered - you can be ticketed for it! Why people in this country, even informed safety consious people, fail to use them is beyond me. That's why it upsets me so much that Toyota would fail to put a third thether point in the safest spot in the vehicle to save a few bucks. Oh well, at least they'll retro it for me.
Please forgive me if this is a stupid question, but are you sure that the middle is the safest place in the car? I understand the theory to this, but has that theory been put to a statistical test?
Here is what I'm thinking. While the center position offers more space than the right side of the car in a collision on the right side, and more space on the left in a left side collision, it offers less space in a right side collision if the seat were in the left side position. Do you follow me here? Now, which side of the vehicle are you most likely to be hit on? In the US, I'm guessing that it is the right side of the car. This is just conjecture, but from what I have seen, most t.-bone accidents are when a driver is making a left hand turn and somebody runs a light. The impact is from the right.
If (and I know that this is a big "if") most side impacts are from the right, wouldn't it be safer to place the child on the left side of the car? Has anybody actually looked at the statistics of where a side impact is most likely and what position in the car is the safest. As I noodle this though, I can't think of a situation that would expose the left side of the car to oncoming traffic unless you make a left turn from the right lane across traffic. That would make the left side of the car the safer position.
All I'm getting at here is that perhaps there is something to consider beyond the "conventional wisdom" in this. Perhaps Toyota was aware of this when positioning the LATCH and tether hooks. Maybe they were just being cheap, but maybe there is something to this.
Excuse me for being blunt, but there is a question that begs to be asked. You are a self described safety freak when it comes to your baby...can't fault you there. Why didn't you do some reseach BEFORE you bought your Highlander? Why didn't you buy a vehicle which conforms to your vision of safety (i.e. LATCH/ISOFIX accomodations on the center rear seat)? In other words, why did you buy a vechicle which, in your eyes, fails in the one category that is so important to you? Just curious, Steve
Steve- Your right, I should have realized this before I bought it. I was so sure that it would have three anchors (thought it was the law) that I didn't even check until we were at the dealer, miles from home and ready to buy. At that point, I figured that somehow or another I would find a way to anchor a tether. I sort of panicked when we got how at the thought that I might not be able to. As for LATCH, I don't think any cars have it in the center position. LATCH is a big disappointment.
I totally understand the reasoning about behind the driver's seat possibly being safer. That would be my second choice. However, I have read many articles that make comments like "the center seat is well documented as the safest spot, etc.". The people who do installations in my area (police, etc.) say the same. I too would like to see the evidence.
All that was replaced was the very thin rubber strip that is between the top of the windshield and the roof (looks the same to me). The service rep pointed out that this strip was smooth and flush on the windshield on the passenger's side. However, on the driver's side, this strip was not flush with the windshield, it was slightly krinkeld/bent. Because of this, I guess the air was vibrating this piece of rubber. That explains the "reed" quality the wind noise has. Hope this helps.
I am not trying to be a smarty, but I can find nothing in the owner's manual that recommends any on road towing(?). They take great pains to show various ways to get wheels off the ground. If a dealer told you you could tow on road, he may be the liable one.
Just bought a HL bluestone limited today, and since it does not have a center console and the salesman told me the cupholders were pretty bad on it, since if you brake quickly the cups go flying. Does anyone know of any after market consoles that will fit in this vehicle?
I would recommend not putting a nose bra on your Highlander. I once had a white Honda Civic on which I put a nose bra when the car was new. I followed the directions and waxed the car under the bra before installing it. I also removed the bra each time I washed the car (about every 2-3 weeks). Much to my horror, some of the paint developed yellow stains which could not be removed. After that I threw away the bra and bought some touch up paint for the paint chips.
I have had my Highlander Limited since March and its still the only one in my area. I have only seen three others on the highway since they have come out. It's neat having something no one else has, and people always look at it whenever I have it out. I previously had a Jeep Grand Cherokee, that I liked very much, but the Highlander is great! I was considering the Highlander and also the new Trailblazer/Envoy/Bravado and followed these vehicles closely since last year. I think I made the right choice. After reading some of the posts over on the Trailblazer board I'm glad I didn't get one of those. Anyone know if you can get extensions for the factory mudguards they don't seem long enough to prevent stone chips.
After a few months of considering Ford Escape, 2002 Explorer, Suzuki XL7, Volvo X-C Wagon, and 6-cylinder Outbacks, we settled on the HL, a gold Ltd with sunroof and w/o leather (smell sets off my asthma). I can confirm that keeping the crossbars on the roof rack toward the rear of the vehicle will negate the roof rack noise. It was delivered with the bars in the back, and I moved them forward to see what would happen. Briefly got the noise on I-80 here in PA. Stopped, moved them back, and no noise in same conditions.
Not a lot of miles on it but we are completely satisfied with the choice. Ride is not "rocking-horse" like the Explorer, and the cabin is incredibly quiet. Indicated MPG is 18.5-19, and a check at the pump confirms this range.
Storage in the wayback is excellent, like the Volvo 240 was. The inside full spare is nice, as is the "dishpan" that sits on top of the spare. The two side compartments are great!
Only issue in 500+ miles: The steering is extremely sensitive. Tweak the wheel a few millimeters (no exaggeration) and the vehicle darts left or right. I had a Volvo 240 that did this and the toe setting was a bit tight. I'll make an appointment in a couple weeks for the dealer to adjust the alignment and any other issues that may require attention.
Constructive criticism for Toyota:
1) This kind of money should include more storage and a place for coins. The little compartment above the driver's left knee could easily have been molded with coin slots. It can only hold a couple cassette tapes or a pack of smokes as it is. That said, we chose a vehicle that did not have the option that looks like a console only smaller because it was so narrow and the cupholders were small. So we kinda asked for not having a lot of storage, but that tiny "console" is (IMO) not sufficiently utilitarian to warrant purchase.
2) Again, for this kind of money an entry keypad would be nice (like the Explorer had) for unlocking the doors. The fobs are a good compromise.
3) I'm a bit surprised that the lower body and rocker panels are not more protected. There is a bit of the "orange-peel" rocker panel protectant, but the front wheels are going to sandblast the bottoms of the rear doors and the front of the rear wheel wells, despite the small triangles of 3-M stone guard applique. Mud flaps will go over the existing short molded guards.
4) A full set of system gauges would be nice, incl. voltage and oil pressure in addition to fuel and temp.
We're debating having the local detail place apply a thin pinstripe above the door handles to sorta accent the sides, and it will wear a clear bug shield as soon as a mfr. comes out with one.
The HL is an order of magnitude ahead of the 98 Explorer in all respects, and its ride is a class above anything we test drove. It is unnaturally quiet for vehicle, and the seats are extremely comfortable. Toyota quality and resale are other factors that made the decision for the HL. For the four of us, it's six thumbs and two paws up!
I enjoyed your observations and comments. Isn't it wonderful having a vehicle that the doors do not lock immediately. I hated that about our Explorer. I now have 3500 miles on my unlimited HL, V6-4WD, and it just gets better. The mileage is between 22 and 25 mpg (we live in a small New England village and there really isn't any "city" driving. The HL has proven thus far to be everything we wanted in a vehicle. Happy HL'ing
I find the molded mudguards on the HL to be too short, and I purchased flat, black aftermarket mudflaps (available at Walmart, Autozone, PepBoys, local parts stores, etc.) to attach in front of the factory mudguards, extending down several inches. When I install mudflaps, I take a couple lengths of string or un-chalked chalk line and lay them down behind the front tire. I back the tire onto the lines and then stretch them taut so that the free ends of the lines are taped to the lowest edge of the front of the rear wheel well. The lines approximate the trajectory of stones thrown back by the tires. The aftermarket flaps are positioned such that the lower edge is touching the lines. Use a short "torpedo" level to ensure that the bottom of flaps are parallel with the the floor or pavement. On some vehicles this may result in the aftermarket flaps being too low to the ground, so you may have to adjust them to suit. I usually purchase large and wide flaps to ensure that most of the tire width is covered.
Thanks for the feedback. Our 98 Explorer also would auto-lock the doors when we first bought it. I looked that up in the manual and shut off that feature as soon as we got it home. Best,
Actually, the owner's manual does describe "dinghy towing" which is exactly as the dealer described. I don't have an answer to his troubles, but it sounds like he followed the book exactly.
rfhou, Hopfully you no longer have the wind noise problem. After you've had some time to test it out in strong cross winds please let us know the results. My dealer seems to have no clue as to what I am describing, and trying to schedule a test run for them when it is windy is difficult.
Also, has anyone noticed a rattle type of noise on the front passenger side of the cabin? I notice this rattle (not very loud) when driving over bumps or rough roads.
Yes, I also have a front passenger side rattle. I've not had a chance to isolate the noise yet. It comes and goes, but I've not noticed a pattern to that after only 600 miles of driving. Unfortunately, the noise stands out in a vehicle that is otherwise noise-free and wonderfully tight all around.
Have any of you without the premium stereo figured out the secret radio feature? Let me share a cool trick with you. You know that if you push the audio control button, you can adjust your bass, treble, fade and balance right? Did you know that you can also adjust the mid range?
Here is how you do it. Push the audio control button and hold it down for 10 seconds. While you are holding it down, the radio display will reappear after 5 seconds, but keep the button down. You will hear a "beep". Now, let off on the button and press it down again. First, you will see the setting for the bass adjustment. Hit it again and you will see a new setting for mid range. You can fine tune this setting to improve the sound quality based on what you are listening to.
For my musical tastes, I like the bass at +2, mid at +1 and treble at +4. For talk radio, I back the bass off to -1. Play with it to see what sounds best to you.
Now for the strange part. This trick is not listed anywhere in your manual. I'm not even sure Toyota knows this feature exists. If you shut the car off before turning off the stereo, this mid range setting disappears. If you turn off the stereo before shutting the car off, this setting is saved. Don't ask me why.
I learned this trick about a year ago. Many of our stereos have this feature. It applies to the ECHO (when equipped with the 3 in 1 stereo), the RAV4, the Tacoma, Celica GT and the Highlander. Weird stuff but I thought you would all like it.
Found at least a temporary problem to the cup holder issue. Bought a Wizard adjustable Drink Holder. Holds coffee cups very well. It clamps into the existing cupholders. The down side is you can't close the cupholder after installation but at least I can carry my coffee cup now. Bought it in Wal-Mart if anyone is interested.
When I first got my HL, I also noticed a slight vibration noise on passengers side. I discovered it was the glove box. When I put the heavy owners manual(s) in the box, it stopped. Solution, carry the manuals in the glove box.
Well, my solution was a little different. After hearing it for a while, and planning to return to the dealer; I discovered it was something I had placed into the glove box. That woulda been embarrassing!!!!
I am considering an unlimited Highlander and have found a dealer who will install leather. I am told unlimeted Highlanders do not come with factory leather. This dealer claims it will not hamper the deployment of the side airbags. Another dealer has told me to get leather I have to get a limited Highlander and he can't install leather on an unlimited as it will degate the side airbags. I want leather and side airbags. The question is must I get a limited?
Kewl easter egg! Thanks for sharing. I wonder why the engineers when through so many hidden steps just so that you can adjust the midrange though. A bit odd ;-)
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I'm convenience that Toyota is unaware of this. I think it is something that the stereo manufacturer put in. They probably use the same head unit for the premium grade stereo which has the mid range adjustment.
My passenger side rattle turned out to be the glovebox latch handle, which had too much play in it (not the entire glovebox door, just the part of the latch that you pull on. I took care of the problem by removing the latch, and putting in a piece of thick tape (double sided with only one backing removed) to act as a pad between 2 parts of the latch. Hard to explain, you had to be there. All is good now. You might want to put your finger on that handle (or stuff some tissue in there) to eliminate it as a potential rattle source when doing your detective work. -Steve
I've had my HL Limited for about a month. Last Saturday night I was rear-ended while waiting to go through the EZPass lane. From what I can tell, it looks like I'll need a new drivers side taillight and a new bumper. What a major pain! Thankfully nobody was hurt and it doesn't seem like major damage but still - 1 month old.
I figured I could vent in here. Now I feel better.
Had to share what a kick I got out of being CHASED for a quarter mile by a guy (I thought I had cut him off-- there was a nervous moment) who turned out to be a certain very handsome soap opera star who wanted to know "Do you like or absolutely LOVE your new Highlander?" Needless to say I told him what a blast this honey is, and if I'd had more time, would've admitted I'm making up errands just to get on the road.
My Highlander developed a rattle on the passenger side at about 2000 miles. I discovered it was the glove box door. Two cork stick on pads (like the ones on your kitchen cabinet doors) placed at the door corners fixed the problem.
FINALLY!! Got my HL limited today and absolutely love it. The ride is great and will be taking it to Atlanta tomorrow on business, so it will begin to get the workout. I am looking forward to it since the seats are so comfortable and has great support, more than my Lexus ES300, which is a wonderful car since I have had it two years and knew that if the HL was built on it's platform it would GREAT! Now am looking for an after market center console since the EPA is only allowing Toyota only 33% of them coming into this country to have them. Once again the government is messing around where it shouldn't be, but if anyone knows of a good stable center console I can purchase after market, please let me know. Now my fun begins driving my new bluestone HL!!!!!
Actually, with just over 500 miles on our V6-2wd, I noticed a muffled thumping sound coming from the front right area when going over the 20 mph speed bumps in our subdivision. It reminds me very much of the thumping problem that was common in ours and other '97 Avalons. Turns out in that case the problem was that the top of the strut mount wasn't insulated enough and the dealer ended up adding some additional rubber between the mount and the body and that greatly reduced the noise. I'll wait to see if the sound gets louder and report back if it does. Is this the sound you are referring to? Happy HL'ing....
Congratulations on your new HL. Now don't forget: don't exceed 55 mph or rev above 4000 for the first 1000 miles. I know, I know, it IS difficult to hold back. I've got over 500 on ours and I can wait to "push it" a little. Happy HL'ing and welcome to the "Bluestone Club"....
Comments
I was already sold on the safety, and this just adds reinforcement to my belief.
I also wanted to say thanks to this board for the responses to the various messages I have posted as we went through this process. I will keep you posted as we have more experiences with our new friend.
Steve
Sorry you take strong exception to my comment about not buying a Highlander but after 3,000 miles I have had a new dash board, a new micro processor, a new transmission and a new air bag sensor. The car has been in the shop 2 weeks so far on two different occasions and I don't know if and when I will ever get it back. Basically my $32,000 investment is forcing me to drive my 1992 Dodge Caravan and borrow my mother-in-laws car on an emergency basis. So I am not impressed and I cannot recommend this car. I may have exceeded 55 MPH while going down a hill since I was on cruise control set at 55 MPH so I may have actually reached 60 MPH. I never had to start the car every 200 miles because I only towed it 45 miles. Most car manufacturers recommend changing the oil every 3,000 miles. Have you ever stretched that to 3,100? Did the engine blow up? Should it have? Would it have been your fault?
Unhappy, tell 25+ people.
Happy, tell 2.
Our expectations being met is a perfect, great car. Unfortunately, he has a troubled car. In my store, we take people out of those immediately and put them in new cars, and make certain the manuacturer takes the car back to dissect it and see WHY it all failed. He's not dealing with a dealership that has offered to do that. Hence, his being upset. While it is a little juvenile to borrow the Edmunds bullhorn and shout "don't buy one!" to the "world" here, it's a common thing to hear when someone's disappointed and needs more sympathy than their dealer is providing. I'm sure in the end, his dealer will make him happy. I sure hope so.
-Ret
There's recently been a document sent around to all stores that explains the hilights of the HL's and there are 4, 5 sections that pertain to this issue. Someone at a dealership HAS to have the inside scoop... it's a specific and central part of the Pride Tests all salespeople have to take and pass.
-Ret
I have some experience with this at another dealership. The local police put on a clinic for proper and safe child seat installation. They offered the dealership personelle the opportunity to get trained and certified as well. It was an 8 hour class for the basic level certification! Sixteen hours would be for the full class.
Call the police department. Their public safety office will probably be able to guide you better than the dealership.
-Ret
I have enjoyed my HL so very much, and read so many favorable post, that I did over react to the statement about not buying a HL. Again, I am sorry.
Fortunately, I think most problems reveal themselves during the warranty period. That has been my experience with previous vehicles, my computer, television and etc. Hopefully, your dealer can make things right.
Good luck.
I am looking for answers to two questions:
1) Can a third tether anchor be installed by a dealer (they would probably have to drill)?
2) Can the LATCH/ISOFIX system be used in the center seat?
I was worried about the light color of the ivory interior because our black lab insists on going everywhere with us, and she sheds bushels! She also loves to jump in the front seats when we leave her alone in the car. I solved this problem
by tethering her by her leash to a cargo tiedown at the back of the car so she can't come up front, and for the shedding problem, I put her in a big 39 gallon leaf bag loosely cinched around her neck. She doesn't care for the bag much but its tough apples! She wants to ride, she gets in the bag.
I found out about the problem with the back windows down - WOW! But, what is a problem to most is a great opportunity for me. I am going to invite that jackass EX-son-in-law of mine for a ride in the back seat; then I'm going run up I-85 at about 70 mph from Atlanta to Greenville with the rear windows down. Death by wind buffeting in the back seat of a Toyota! The forensics guys will never figure it out. More on this later I also have a cat problem, more on that later too.
Impe
Base V6 2wd $22,332
SE Toyota grey leather $989
Mats, Roof rack, center console, tow prep, day time running lamps $585
Destination $505
SE Toyota "Admin" $550
Dealer Markup $377
Total pre-tax/tags $25,338
This particular dealer was as few hundred below everyone else. One even asked straight MSRP on an order! We ordered mainly because every other "Indigo Ink" vehicle in the area had Toyo Guard and several other options that we didn't need or can buy for efficiently aftermarket. I am told it will be 90-105 days until it comes in - anyone else factory order that can confirm that timeframe?
Next, as the father of two, car seats were a concern for me in my small Honda Accord (we traded it in on the HL). In fact, I was re-ended in a 5-car pileup in my Accord with my daughter, then 9 months old, and we came out alright. We had a regular rear-facing infact seat, and we wre all ok and even drove away from the accident. Now that we have 2 kiddos, they go on either side and we don't have the newer latching seats. My 9 month old son uses the same seat my daughter did, and my daughter is in a larger toddler seat. Neither of these are the archoring types, so the archors go unused in my Highlander. I'll also say that cars are getting engineered more towards safety as opposed to 10-15 years ago and the tether law was to accomodate older seats in newer seat belt designs (imo).
As one of the few that have wrecked a HL, I'll say from exprerience and on the word from others (including someone that got broadsided - post #2236 in this channel), that the Highlander is an extremely safe car when hit from the side - particularly for passengers. I didn't have my kids in the car when I wrecked mine, but I know how bad I damaged the HL, and I feel my kids would have been safe.
Where I agree with your dedication to the safety of your children, the HL is within the law for latching child restraints:
"Each vehicle must have at least two vehicle anchorage systems rearward of the front seat. " (Click link to see the entire law).
I hope you get a resolution to your satisfaction - the Highlander is an great vehicle, and a safe one IMO. Good luck!
Here is what I'm thinking. While the center position offers more space than the right side of the car in a collision on the right side, and more space on the left in a left side collision, it offers less space in a right side collision if the seat were in the left side position. Do you follow me here? Now, which side of the vehicle are you most likely to be hit on? In the US, I'm guessing that it is the right side of the car. This is just conjecture, but from what I have seen, most t.-bone accidents are when a driver is making a left hand turn and somebody runs a light. The impact is from the right.
If (and I know that this is a big "if") most side impacts are from the right, wouldn't it be safer to place the child on the left side of the car? Has anybody actually looked at the statistics of where a side impact is most likely and what position in the car is the safest. As I noodle this though, I can't think of a situation that would expose the left side of the car to oncoming traffic unless you make a left turn from the right lane across traffic. That would make the left side of the car the safer position.
All I'm getting at here is that perhaps there is something to consider beyond the "conventional wisdom" in this. Perhaps Toyota was aware of this when positioning the LATCH and tether hooks. Maybe they were just being cheap, but maybe there is something to this.
Does the new trim piece look diferent, or was it just a gasket replacement.
Thanks.
Just curious,
Steve
I totally understand the reasoning about behind the driver's seat possibly being safer. That would be my second choice. However, I have read many articles that make comments like "the center seat is well documented as the safest spot, etc.". The people who do installations in my area (police, etc.) say the same. I too would like to see the evidence.
Not a lot of miles on it but we are completely satisfied with the choice. Ride is not "rocking-horse" like the Explorer, and the cabin is incredibly quiet. Indicated MPG is 18.5-19, and a check at the pump confirms this range.
Storage in the wayback is excellent, like the Volvo 240 was. The inside full spare is nice, as is the "dishpan" that sits on top of the spare. The two side compartments are great!
Only issue in 500+ miles: The steering is extremely sensitive. Tweak the wheel a few millimeters (no exaggeration) and the vehicle darts left or right. I had a Volvo 240 that did this and the toe setting was a bit tight. I'll make an appointment in a couple weeks for the dealer to adjust the alignment and any other issues that may require attention.
Constructive criticism for Toyota:
1) This kind of money should include more storage and a place for coins. The little compartment above the driver's left knee could easily have been molded with coin slots. It can only hold a couple cassette tapes or a pack of smokes as it is. That said, we chose a vehicle that did not have the option that looks like a console only smaller because it was so narrow and the cupholders were small. So we kinda asked for not having a lot of storage, but that tiny "console" is (IMO) not sufficiently utilitarian to warrant purchase.
2) Again, for this kind of money an entry keypad would be nice (like the Explorer had) for unlocking the doors. The fobs are a good compromise.
3) I'm a bit surprised that the lower body and rocker panels are not more protected. There is a bit of the "orange-peel" rocker panel protectant, but the front wheels are going to sandblast the bottoms of the rear doors and the front of the rear wheel wells, despite the small triangles of 3-M stone guard applique. Mud flaps will go over the existing short molded guards.
4) A full set of system gauges would be nice, incl. voltage and oil pressure in addition to fuel and temp.
We're debating having the local detail place apply a thin pinstripe above the door handles to sorta accent the sides, and it will wear a clear bug shield as soon as a mfr. comes out with one.
The HL is an order of magnitude ahead of the 98 Explorer in all respects, and its ride is a class above anything we test drove. It is unnaturally quiet for vehicle, and the seats are extremely comfortable. Toyota quality and resale are other factors that made the decision for the HL. For the four of us, it's six thumbs and two paws up!
I now have 3500 miles on my unlimited HL, V6-4WD, and it just gets better. The mileage is between 22 and 25 mpg (we live in a small New England village and there really isn't any "city" driving. The HL has proven thus far to be everything we wanted in a vehicle.
Happy HL'ing
I find the molded mudguards on the HL to be too short, and I purchased flat, black aftermarket mudflaps (available at Walmart, Autozone, PepBoys, local parts stores, etc.) to attach in front of the factory mudguards, extending down several inches. When I install mudflaps, I take a couple lengths of string or un-chalked chalk line and lay them down behind the front tire. I back the tire onto the lines and then stretch them taut so that the free ends of the lines are taped to the lowest edge of the front of the rear wheel well. The lines approximate the trajectory of stones thrown back by the tires. The aftermarket flaps are positioned such that the lower edge is touching the lines. Use a short "torpedo" level to ensure that the bottom of flaps are parallel with the the floor or pavement. On some vehicles this may result in the aftermarket flaps being too low to the ground, so you may have to adjust them to suit. I usually purchase large and wide flaps to ensure that most of the tire width is covered.
Best,
brgsmith
Also, has anyone noticed a rattle type of noise on the front passenger side of the cabin? I notice this rattle (not very loud) when driving over bumps or rough roads.
Here is how you do it. Push the audio control button and hold it down for 10 seconds. While you are holding it down, the radio display will reappear after 5 seconds, but keep the button down. You will hear a "beep". Now, let off on the button and press it down again. First, you will see the setting for the bass adjustment. Hit it again and you will see a new setting for mid range. You can fine tune this setting to improve the sound quality based on what you are listening to.
For my musical tastes, I like the bass at +2, mid at +1 and treble at +4. For talk radio, I back the bass off to -1. Play with it to see what sounds best to you.
Now for the strange part. This trick is not listed anywhere in your manual. I'm not even sure Toyota knows this feature exists. If you shut the car off before turning off the stereo, this mid range setting disappears. If you turn off the stereo before shutting the car off, this setting is saved. Don't ask me why.
I learned this trick about a year ago. Many of our stereos have this feature. It applies to the ECHO (when equipped with the 3 in 1 stereo), the RAV4, the Tacoma, Celica GT and the Highlander. Weird stuff but I thought you would all like it.
That woulda been embarrassing!!!!
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
I thought you'd like that.
-Steve
I figured I could vent in here. Now I feel better.
Thanks.
Now my fun begins driving my new bluestone HL!!!!!
Happy HL'ing....
Happy HL'ing and welcome to the "Bluestone Club"....