Toyota Highlander

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Comments

  • seankat1seankat1 Member Posts: 6
    I have noticed twice on this board of a Gift Certificate recieved from Toyota. Is this regional or nation wide? How does one go about getting one?
  • shl72953shl72953 Member Posts: 53
    After reading about 3M's Invicta Shield on the message board, I asked my customizer to order me a set to cover all facing surfaces. He ordered and the kit came in today. After starting to put the pieces on, he called a halt to it and placed a call to Invicta Shield. Apparently he was the second dealer in two days that complained about the poor fitting pieces. Invicta Shield said they would correct the problems and send out a new kit next week. I'm a little skeptical about the timetable but told my dealer to go ahead with the replacement order. If you're thinking about installing it, I would wait awhile before committing. I'll repost when the job is finally completed.
    Wally
  • jetscreamer1jetscreamer1 Member Posts: 12
    My V-6 Highlander is equipped with the Towing Prep Package which consists of, transmission oil cooler, 130 Amp alternator and beefed up radiator. When asked about the box end receiver/hitch and associated wiring harness, the dealer said those were 'extra' add on items not included in the package. I was going to let it go at that until I revisited Toyota's website and discovered that the tow hitch and converter box are indeed part of the Tow Prep package. If you have this package and those items are not on your HL-take it back and insist these items be installed. They may try to argue its an error on Toyota's website. Nonsense. Even if it is an error-its an error in the consumer's favor which both the dealership and Toyota must honor..so don't accept that excuse.
  • gwkisergwkiser Member Posts: 326
    jetscreamer1, the hitch (UQ) is a separate option from the tow prep package (TO). However, you are correct in that the converter box and wiring harness are part of the TO option. The converter box is the small blue box under/near the spare tire inside the rear cargo area. The harness is inside the black box on the underside of the HL (outside). You must buy a converter harness (changes from a square 4-pin plug to a flat 4-pin plug) as well as the receiver. If you would like to see this converter harness, e-mail me for the address.
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    Nope, it's a separate item, code is UQ.
  • gwkisergwkiser Member Posts: 326
    seankat1, the cover letter that came with the gift certificate was from Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. in Torrance, Ca. As I purchased our HL in Texas, I have to assume that this is a national promotion of some sort. Beyond that guess, I have no idea as to what conditions or criterion were necessary to receive one. Oh, wait a minute, maybe it was a result of my complaint about the lack of the toolkit illustrated on page 215 of the owner's manual. Hmmmmmmmmm......
  • boulderhlboulderhl Member Posts: 18
    I'm just curious, I've seen several references to people contacting TMS for complaints/suggestions, and I was wondering if there was an email address or web site they were referring to?
  • reticent1reticent1 Member Posts: 70
    The Toyota's "hotline" # is 800-331-4331 and they will help you or direct you to those who are able to.

    -Ret
  • stachedstached Member Posts: 20
    A couple weeks ago, a few people were installing new speakers (Polks & Infinities) and new CD receivers and I was wondering how those installations (or anybody elses) went?

    Was it easy to install new speakers (both the large door and the separate tweeters)?

    Was it easy to install a new CD receiver (what did you use for spacing around the double-DIN opening)?

    Please feel free to reply to my email address as well, as I'd really like to get an in-depth description of what I'm in for.

    Thanks!!!
  • aleachaleach Member Posts: 4
    Highlander owners - I'm in the market and can't bear another minivan but don't want the huge SUV. I have two kids (10 and 14) and a golden retriever, not to mention friends who need hauling occasionally. The Highlander sounds great but will I be too cramped?
  • hobie1981hobie1981 Member Posts: 23
    While changing my HL oil over the past weekend. (#3...as I have 9000 miles already) I noticed that the front tires are wearing rather quickly on the outer edges. Anybody else have this kind of wear???

    Hobie
  • skyaceskyace Member Posts: 1
    Finally we have our Bluestone V6 4X4 Limited with a bunch of options including the famous center console. We picked it up on saturday May 26th at Springfield Toyota. It was a pleasure working with the salesman Steve Clifford, aka, Cliffy1 on this message board. He is very knowledgeable, easy going and considers customer satifaction to be of prime importance. If you are looking for a Highlander in the Mid-Atlantic area I recommend contacting Cliffy. His email address is: sclifford@kjtoyota.com.

    My impression of the Highlander after 200 miles.
    1.The pressure sound waves when the rear windows are opened is the worst we have ever heard and felt-almost as painful as a Nascar race with no ear plugs on.
    2.The famous, infamous?, center console needs some help. I suggest Toyota look at the center console on the `98 Accord with its dual level setup.
    3.The edge wear and cupping on the Bridgestones sounds like the same problem I had on a Ford Taurus and the fix was a front and rear alignment. So I`m going to check these tires often.
    4.No wind noise so far but then I haven`t been at 70-80mph yet. Could the problem be in the shape of the Highlander? I hope not.
    Overall we are very impressed with the quality of the HL and the smoothness of the ride and of the powetrain.
    Lastly, I really enjoy this message board and I`m getting great help and ideas from many of the posters......
  • capnkirkcapnkirk Member Posts: 10
    Bernice,
    Do you have a part number from Auto Zone for the center console? Their web site isn't very user friendly.
    Thanks.
  • seemomgoseemomgo Member Posts: 27
    Could some of you knowledgeable HL owners please tell me if the popping & crackling noises I hear coming from the engine after shutting off the ignition are normal? The noises seem to last about a minute or so and are quite noticeable.

    And for those of you still waiting on your HL, mine was order 2/26 and arrived 5/17. Yes, it's a long time to wait, but I'm happy I did.

    Thank you for your replies!
  • hawkeye70hawkeye70 Member Posts: 43
    The noises you are hearing after shutting off a warm engine are normal. It has to do with the expansion and contraction of the various metal components in the engine compartment with a change in temperature. You will notice these noises less as a car ages, although I am not sure why. Congratulations on your new HL. Your patience has been rewarded.
  • skyrebskyreb Member Posts: 129
    I completely concur with hawkeye70 ..... normal expansion and contraction sounds. The law of physics dictates that metals expand and contract, however they do so at different rates depending on the metal. I do not recall my old cars making quite so much noise, but they did. I suspect, the old iron engine and manifolds did not make quite so much noise, further, I suspect a lot of the noise is the light sheetmetal shrouds that surround the exhaust manifold, the muffler and such. Look under the car and you will see several shrouds in various places.
    From my perspective and experience, the HL is a wonderfully engineered and constructed vehicle. Take care of it with routine oil changes, rotate the tires, wash it it, and it will deliver years of dependable and comfortable service.
    The media reports Americans are fleeing large SUV's and going for car based smaller SUV's (like the HL). We were just perceptive enough to purchase ours before most people discovered what a great vehicle the HL is.
    Happy HL'ing to all.
  • mkstringmkstring Member Posts: 53
    Staci, I would think the HL is a great choice for hauling teens or adults, as long as you're not 6' tall. With the front seats in a position for me (5'8"), there is gobs of legroom in the back. With the seats all the way back (as in you're tall) and the back legroom is about normal for the other SUVs (read: small). We've "hauled" parents, friends (one was on crutches and got in and out easily), and kiddos - with comments about how roomy the HL is. My 6' tall brother sat in the back and even had room.

    Also, we carried plants in ours with one of the back seats down this week, leaving potting soil all over the back of our HL. A small hand vac with a good brush got all of it off the seat back and the floor mats in the back. I don't think a dog could do much worse in making a mess, so I don't see any cleanup issues either.

    Good luck in your search!
  • thlndrthlndr Member Posts: 4
    Just wanted to add credibility to the problem reporting.

    I have experienced an annoying glove box rattle from the very first day I picked up the car from the dealership. Looks like there are other people having this problem!
  • mkstringmkstring Member Posts: 53
    hobie,
    The #1 reason for side tire wear (IMO) is turning corners too fast on a regular basis. That really wears the sides of any tire.

    Personally, I've noticed how easily it is to zip around corners in the HL and since you're higher than a car, it looks like you're going slower than you really are. I've had to delibrately seem like I'm poking around corners to match the speed I took corners at in my Accord.

    Also, an incorrect camber can make your tires ride more on the outside edges, so that might be something to check with a shop that does alighments.

    Check the camber first, and if it's ok, then I'd look at the cornering.
  • steeph123steeph123 Member Posts: 21
    I just contacted Toyota about the wind noise and glove box rattle I have been experiencing.
    They gave me a file number and said they would pass my concern on to management.
    I think if enough people report these problems to Toyota directly, they may issue a service bulletin to the dealers.
    I hope the wind noise problem can be corrected and is not a design flaw. If this were a design flaw wouldnt they have picked it up in the wind tunnel test?
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I'm glad to hear that bluestone is working out well so far. I do have a suggestion on the tire wear as well. These are considered off road tires and they are far more sensitive to rotation than passenger cars. Rotate them often and be sure you rotate the spare tire into the mix. Without regular rotation, "cupping" is bound to happen soon.
  • mobilmommobilmom Member Posts: 10
    On Memorial Day, we made the mistake of beginning to shop for our Highlander-to-be. Our local dealership was packed with others with the same idea, and they didn't have a single HL to even test drive! We were quoted a month's lead time, or four months if we special order. They offered us a price that they claimed was $1000 under MSRP, but it was hard to verify this since we had priced things out with our own options!

    We never even got a straight answer about features for the packages. We are probably going to have to go the SR5 route, with V6 and preferably 2WD instead of 4WD, but these are hard to find. Does anyone know what features are included in the "SR5 Package" so that we can have an accurate invoice price to start from?

    We're planning to go to another dealership tonight, one that we bought our Sienna from a year and a half ago, and are busy trying to prepare for what we hope will be some serious negotiation. Wish us luck!
  • brad_22brad_22 Member Posts: 154
    Say, hypothetically, I wanted to drive my HL through a really big puddle. How deep could this water be without affecting the vehicle?
  • sstobersstober Member Posts: 14
    We are all assuming that all cars undergo wind tunnel testing. Not sure they all are. Also, when they do carry out wind tunnel testing of automobiles, anything I have seen in various popular and science magazines, books and articles shows the wind tunnel producing streams of air going down the longditudinal axis of the car - from front to back. I've never seen them testing wind emanating from the sides or oblique angles - exactly the conditions which produce this noise. My 2cents.
  • tfuzztfuzz Member Posts: 93
    My dealer called me back today to say that Toyota is aware of the wind noise problem and will be issuing a technical service bulletin on it soon (as previously reported by others). They said the part to fix it is on order but won't be in for six to eight weeks. The person who called couldn't tell me what the part was. I'm still betting on door seals. Anyone know of a temporary solution? Eight weeks is a long time to put up with the noise. Looks like we won't be taking the HL on vacation this year. I hope Toyota gets it fixed before my new car satisfaction survey arrives!
  • mkstringmkstring Member Posts: 53
    you don't want it coming in the engine, or affecting the electonics, or getting in the exhaust. The exhaust (ie tailpipe) is the lowest so measure from the tailpipe to the ground and so should have your number.

    nice to see other IT folks buying a good vehicle :)
  • jvertiganjvertigan Member Posts: 2
    Two weeks ago I purchased a black 2WD V6 Limited Highlander -- and am very happy with it. It was the best choice for my needs.

    After about three days, I noticed a vibration/noise, that only lasted a brief moment, as I pressed my foot onto the brake pedal. Since the brakes apparently were functioning, it was more of a bothersome noise then anything else. Well, as the days progressed the vibration/noise persisted -- but now the brakes were not functioning nearly as well as I thought they should be. And it eventually got to the point when I pressed the brake pedal 75-80% - nothing would happen! -- until I pressed even further.

    Well, to make a long story short -- Toyota needs to replace the "brake booster" and the part is on "national-back order" and could take anywhere from 14 to 30 days to arrive! . Fortunately, my dealer did provide me with a rental automobile at their expense.

    Question: Has anybody else experienced this?

    Thanks.

    Jerry
  • cornhuskertoycornhuskertoy Member Posts: 5
    The glove box switch does turn on the glove box light when you open it, but the headlights have to be on for the glove box light to come on.
  • msmdrmsmdr Member Posts: 12
    Hi Folks,

    Per your requests, here is more detail on the center console that works which I found at Auto Zone. It is made for Jeep Wranglers and Cherokees for yrs. 1997-2001. It comes in Saddle (a caramel color) and gray (dark gray). It has two cupholders up front, a locking top that flips up, ( you have to lift the arm rest to raise the cover if you position the cup holders toward the front of the car ), and a small change holder in the rear. It holds my phone, two pair of sun and regular glasses in their cases, a few cds, tapes, some maps and charging cords for my phone and radar detector. It costs $79.00. I found it because I measured the 3 dimensions it had to fit into and looked for a console which fit those. I didn't have to "install" it because there is only about 1/4 inch side to side space between the front seats at the floor level. That is because the seat belt anchors on the floor help to hold it fast. What I like is, if I want to push it toward the back seat, or forward to touch the dash to put something else in the space between the seats, I can. That's a nice choice. But otherwise, it doesn't move and stays put.

    To order: I talked to my closest Auto Zone guy in Weymouth, Massachusetts He said this is an Express Order item. To get the gray it's #32421 . The saddle is #32427. The manufacturer of the item for Jeep is Steel Horse. Hope that helps you all.

    As a 3 week owner, I have 2 questions:
    I can program a VCR or cd player with my eyes closed or install computer software no sweat,
    but why can't I get fresh outside air to circulate in the car? The temperatures here in Quincy (near Boston) have been unseasonably cool in 50s & 60s. I like a cool ride so I want cool fresh air to come into the car. I followed what I thought were the directions in the Owner's Manual for manual controls, but I keep getting HOT air from somewhere even when I have the temp setting in the blue zone. So it seems that I'm running the AC all of the time to get cool air. I should not have to do that with the temperature levels we've had. I have it set on panel and the air circulator is off and the temp setting is in the blue zone, but it's HOT. I also tried it with the air circulator on and the other controls the same and it was stifling. Any suggestions? Am I missing something?

    Re oil changes: I am at 600 miles and waiting for the last 400 so I can go faster than 55-60mph. (These Mass. drivers are going to run me over and kill me at those speeds!!) I may flush out the oil system at about 1,000 miles to make sure all of the original shavings are out of the cylinders and put in fresh oil. ( a waste of money?) I will not always go to a dealer to get my oil changes. So if I go to a Jiffy Lube or Lube Lab (chains around here - don't know if they're national or not), can anyone tell me, since the HL is a new model, what generic filter fits the 6cyl AWD unlimited that I have? In case I'm asked that, I want to know the answer.

    Thanks to all for the tips on the Bridgestone Duelers tire wear. I will watch carefully. I wondered about them when the latest Firestone/Ford fight/split erupted about 8-9 days ago. The Firestone company in Japan makes the Bridgestones. Any thoughts from anyone on that?

    I decided not to test the average gas mileage per gallon until the breakin period is over. I'm using regular unleaded 87 octane, with more local than highway driving. It does seem to be only about 17 mpg. I'll know more when I test it.

    I have the metallic green color. Going to get pinstripes with silver/black/light green to accent
    the car. As it is, people ask me at stop lights what this car is. I see stares frm other drivers trying to read the name. It sure gets a lot of attention. I am very happy with this car.

    Bernice
  • chipperrrrrchipperrrrr Member Posts: 29
    I am reading with interest the problem that seems to be cropping up with outside tire cupping with the HL. If I may add, I have had a mazda MPV with 4wd since 1990. It currently has 115K . I have had to replace the tires 5 times since purchase. I have only used Good year tires, except for my last set-a set of Frirstone Firehawk ss220. I believe that the HL is probably suffering from the same malady as that of my MPV. I believe that the ground clearance built into the the vehicle due to 4wd raises the center of gravity and allows for excessive body sway when cornering. Couple the body lean with the fact that the HL corners well and I believe you have a combination that will put excess wear on the outer portions of the front tires,i.e. Sway + speed. I have had numerous front and 4 wheel alignments on my MPV and still experience the same problem. As a matter of fact, I have noticed that after only 9 months of driving and 9000 miles on the Firestones, I am experiencing the same problem again. No particular brand or model of tire seems to solve the problem. This is the reason I am monitoring this bulletin board so closely, before I commit to the new HL. It is very disheartening to continually replace tires on a vehicle when you have spent very good money to originally purchase the vehicle. I would not be surprised if premature brake wear is the next hot topic of discussion as mileage starts to accumulate for you lucky HL owners. Keep up the postings. I really appreciate it and so do we other HL wannabee owners.
  • norskmannorskman Member Posts: 11
    I would like to comment on several issues raised here by others.
    1. I have not heard the infamous wind noise after about 4500 miles of driving even at 75mph in fierce cross winds. I have a roof rack with the cross members set far back. I don't have a moon roof.
    2. There is no abnormal wear on my Goodyear tires. I have a 2WD model.
    3. I also have not heard the cracking sound when the air conditioner is turned on. I live in the Arizona desert and it's been over 100 for a couple of weeks now, so it doesn't seem to be only heat related as speculated previously.
    4. As mentioned earlier I fixed my glove box rattle with a couple of cabinet cork pads. No problem in about 3000 miles since then.
    5. I filled my tank with premium gas last week and noticed that the car feels much more responsive. Haven't noticed any improvement in gas mileage. I have never gotten less than 21mpg and usually average over 22mpg. Best was 24mpg.
  • testpilot950testpilot950 Member Posts: 3
    Sorry to camp-it-up with the reference to Highlander, the movie, but it conveys how I feel about my new vehicle! I wonder if there are other new Highlander owners out there as happy as I am? I've only had it 3 weeks but have really come to love it. While I am still in the break-in period, I have not noticed the infamous "wind noise" that everyone reports. So far, I am one (literally) happy camper with this purchase!
  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    Actually Bridgestone aquired Firestone a while back. Bridgestone (which has always been based in Japan) is hence not a "Firestone company in Japan" ;-)


    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
  • cornhuskertoycornhuskertoy Member Posts: 5
    Are you getting HOT air out of the vents, or air that is warmer than the outside air? One reason you will get warm fresh air even though the outside air temps are 55 - 60 degrees is the position of the air intake for the heater/AC/vent. As in all vehicles, the intake is at the bottom of the windshield and is separated from the engine compartment by a shared metal bulkhead (the firewall). Hence, the incoming air is being heated simply by the ductwork being next to the engine. It will help to make sure the temp control is all the way to the coldest position -- that will shut the heater completely off. If you are getting actually hot (not just warm) air set at max cool (no AC), the system may not be shutting the heater completely off. If that is the case, take it to your dealer and have it checked.
  • chadhburkechadhburke Member Posts: 27
    For those seeing tire wear, have you checked the tire pressure? Incorrect tire pressure may also contribute to unusual wear patterns. The tire pressure specs should be on the drivers door. My 4WD Limited w/Bridgestones requires 30 psig cold. I run about 32 psig. I have not noticed any unusual wear yet and just had the tires rotated at 6000.

    What a great vehicle, we are very pleased.
  • trixie413trixie413 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the heads-up gwkiser--does anyone have a tool box, and if so, what's in it? Also, can someone tell me how the tonneau cover hooks into the back of the rear seat? My dealer said I could get one but looking at the manual it appears to require special hooks that are not the child seat tethers. True?
  • retropiaretropia Member Posts: 41
    For those of you still shopping, consider a credit union for financing. Due to a court decision a couple of years ago, credit unions can now offer membership to a wide variety of people.


    For example, there are three credit unions I can belong to simply because of the county or zip code in which I live. The one I'm choosing for my Highlander purchase will match any other credit union or dealer rate down to 6.5%, as long as I can provide something in print that shows the lower rate.


    Here's a site that provides a partial list of credit unions:


    http://www.ncua.gov/other/custate.htm


    It's not a complete list; you can find more in your area by going to a search engine.

  • spali1spali1 Member Posts: 11
    I hope the brake booster fixes your brake problem. I haven't had any problems with my Highlander, but I am not real comfortable with the softness of my brake pedal at times. They seem to stop fine, but I would prefer a more solid feel on the pedal. I don't mean to be pessistic, but I have my doubts about a brake booster fixing it. Why? Boosters aren't a real common component to go bad in a new vehicle, and are commonly mis-diagnosed. My guess is that the technician couldn't find anything obvious, and so condemned the booster. "Lets order a booster and see if it improves the pedal feel." I hope I'am wrong. I've read and heard a few comments from people that lead me to believe the brake design on the vehicle lends to a softer feeling pedal. Not that its a defect, but rather a design issue. Most power brake pedals can be pushed at least close to the floor while applying a rather firm pressure while the vehicle isN'T moving. This is different when moving, because you have the vehicle speed to use as an indicator of the brakes actually being applied. The perception is that the brakes areNT applying (when sitting still) when if fact the pedal will travel beyond the point of brake linings being applied. But what the heck, if they supplied you with a rental while the part is on order.....Good luck and keep us updated on the fix. (Keeping fingers crossed).
  • gunny93gunny93 Member Posts: 9
    Wally - Thanks for the heads-up. I was getting ready to order the kit myself here shortly. Anyone else here had any experience with the Invicta Shield, good or bad? I was thinking about the hood protector, but what I like about the shield is the amount of surface area it can cover, not just the front of the hood. Have had our HL a month now, averaging almost 500 miles per week! May have to join an HL'ing Anonymous Club at this rate. I've started experimenting with the gas theory. I used to always run mid-grade in any vehicle I drove. Filled up the HL last time with super (~$1.65 here). Will give it a couple of tank fulls on the super, then compare with the mid-grade mileage.
  • dniehusdniehus Member Posts: 83
    If you really want a good deal on financing, do what I did (if you can). I took out a home equity loan from my credit union -- it's tax deductible. So, my 7% rate will really be more like 5% after taxes. Hope this helps. You won't see rates like that at any Toyota dealership anytime soon on a HL.
  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    The 3M invisible bra material doesn't cover the entire hood either. Just basically the leading edge of the hood, similar to the hood deflector. You should know that the hood deflector is much less expensive. Some people have even installed both the hood deflector and the invisible bra material for extra protection! Xpel also sells the 3M invisible bra pre-cut kit for the Highlander. If you're interested have a look here:

    http://www.xpel.com/paint/toyota.html

    Also, we have a Hood deflector - Yes or no? discussion topic in the Aftermarket & Accessories message board that you might want to peruse.

    Hope this helps!

    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
  • gunny93gunny93 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks Drew, I knew it only covered the front of the hood, but there is also the grill, bumper, side-mirror, front of the roof, and leading edge of front window pieces available also. Essentially, pieces to cover just about all leading edges can be purchased, for a price. I'll check out Xpel - thanks.
  • llamerollamero Member Posts: 10
    I can confirm that the fit of the Invinca-Shield kits aren't perfect. Here's a summary of what I've applied:
    * Hood guard: fit was ok, took some work to get it smoothed down.
    * Roof guard: fit was good, no problems
    * Window columns: fit was good, no problems
    * Fender trim (extention of hood that goes down the side and wraps around the headlight): close, but clearly cut wrong.... a concave shape where a convex shape would have fit... minor surgery fixed this
    * Mirrors: total nightmare. Major surgery/hackjob required. Not cut effectively to deal with major curvage.

    So, it's a real mixed bag. Not surprisingly, the more extreme the curves the worse the fit. I've not purchased the bumper kit... lots of bucks to protect paint on plastic. I will order the headlight kits, but they aren't carried by Invinca-Shield (the other two suppliers below carry them). You can install these yourself and save money, but I'd recommend sticking with the easier pieces if you do. If, when you think of fishing, you see yourself exasperated untangling endless nests of fishing line... then this is not the kind of job you'd enjoy. It's "detail work" that will leave the perfectionist slightly unsatisfied and the impatient wrapped up in a ball of tape like a mummy.

    Suppliers for the material that I've found (all seem to use the base product Scotchcal and cut it themselves for each application... with the exception of the headlight kit from Stongard):

    http://www.stoneguard.com/sgcontent/default.asp

    http://www.invinca-shield.com/main.htm (no headlight kit, they have HL kits even though they're not up on their website yet)

    http://www.xpel.com/ (these guys also sell the stuff by the foot... but their edges will look better than ones you cut yourself)

    Hope this helps..
  • seemomgoseemomgo Member Posts: 27
    Thank you for your replies regarding the engine noise I was concerned about. I'm relieved to know the noises are normal! -seemomgo
  • hialeahmariahialeahmaria Member Posts: 45
    The tonneau cover has 2 small rear flaps that have "buckles" that click into small "holders" on the back of the rear seat. It's quite easy to hook and unhook them.
    Maria
  • jetscreamer1jetscreamer1 Member Posts: 12
    I thought there was a tool bag included as well. According to the illustration in the manual and the booklet that came with the truck on delivery, both sources indicated some sort of tool bag was present. I brought this matter to my dealer's attention-turns out there is no tool bag-but all the tools you need to change a flat are, or should be, in the truck. The dealer explained that TMS had apparently produced the tech literature before or during the intial production run of the truck and were not aware of the factory's decision to omit the bag.
  • skyrebskyreb Member Posts: 129
    First: I am only thinking w/ the keyboard .... I am no engineer, nor expert.
    I keep thinking and wondering about the deep grooves in the front windshield gasket (side post). I have never seen another car with anything like it (most are flush and smooth, not the deep recess). There must be a reason!! Do any of the other Toyota vehicles have such a deep groove???
    Then I think about the rear window air compression. I wonder if the two issues are related??? Might Toyota have designed the deep grooves to channel the air flow up and over the top of the vehicle in an effort to reduce the air compression along the side windows??
    It would be easy to check out ..... place tape along the side post gaskets and see if the air compression becomes worst. If I get a chance I will try it and report. Unfortunately, I am going camping with my Boy Scouts and will be away for a bit, plus it is my wife's car, and I do not drive it that often.
    It has been reported the side wind noise is due to the door gasket. I'm not so sure.
    Anyway, neither issue is that big a deal with my wife and I. I rarely drive so fast the "vibration" is a problem (although I have heard it on occassion), and we do not normally ride with the rear windows open.
    I'd be interested in others thoughts.
    Happy HL'ing to all.
  • bcnewenbcnewen Member Posts: 5
    I have owned my new HL for a week now. It's an Indigo Blue Limited. I really like it overall except for a few items.

    1) The standard complaints about the cup holders in the center console - What were they thinking??? They are terrible. The back seat occupants get better cup holders than the front seat. It seems to me an excellent cup holder could have been designed to pop out of the front center console where the ash tray is - kind of like the one in the Avalon that pops up from the center console. It's hard to believe Toyota screwed this up so bad.

    2) This is my 5th Toyota and they still have not made the cruise control work like most other cars. Toyota is the only company that makes the cruise control forget the speed setting when you go below a certain speed. What a nuisance. Everytime you slow down for a town or stop sign, you need to reset your speed. All other cars I have driven remember the set speed until you turn cruise control off. This has annoyed me on every Toyota I have driven.

    3) I wish they would have made the back window hinge up so you can put small things in without opening the hatch.

    4) I had a hard time convincing myself I would like the light colored interior. I wanted leather which meant I had to get the ivory interior. It is such a light color that I'm sure it will be a pain to keep clean - especially in midwest winters. I will buy the rubber mats - however I would much prefer a darker interior color.

    Unfortunately, these are all designed in "defects" that the dealer cannot change. Maybe someone from Toyota is listening. It seems like all the surveys you get relate to the dealer and not the product itself. It's hard to get feedback about the product design to the company.

    Enough complaining - Overall, I really do like it a lot. It's a great vehicle that will work out very well for me.
  • jnavrockijnavrocki Member Posts: 2
    I went to the dealer on June 1,2001 to have my oil changed and talked to the dealer about the noise on warm days. He said I am the 1st in his dealership that has express this to them. I showed them what has been posted on the board here and he was very interested. The thing I thought that was odd was he wanted to see when my HL was manufactured. I didn't know but on the drivers door on 1 of the tags has a date when your HL was manufactured. I will let everyone know what the dealer has to say.

    One more item, has anyone notice on their dash any white spots. Don't rub them ! I thought I had some kind of dirt and rub the spot and the dye came off, I have notice a couple of other spots and showed the dealer and he was not excited and said come in next week and we will have the interior group take careof that (re dye it).
  • toy_landertoy_lander Member Posts: 5
    Can anyone direct me to a place where I can buy accessories for HL? I am looking mainly for seat covers, cargo net and fender flares. Own $100 roll of 3M-helicopter tape to do the leading edge on the hood my self (it's long enough for 20 Highlanders).
    Own Red, 4x4, V6 with most of the options. I was able to negotiate $2500 off the sticker. Just had to shop around and did not buy from the first dealer. The Highlander is great SUV.
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