Toyota Highlander

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Comments

  • ficklefickle Member Posts: 98
    Does anyone know when the 2002 models will hit the dealerships? I want to purchase a 2001 and I want to get the best deal.
  • jpsmithjpsmith Member Posts: 44
    If I buy a HL in Canada and bring it back to the U.S. will dealers honor the warranty? Anyone else done this to save money?
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    The Canadian VIN will not register in the US system until a dealer enters it in. Once this is done, you will have no problems. One word of caution though is to be very careful about who you let change out your odometer. If you ever sell it, you have to sign an odometer statement certifying the miles. If it was altered at all, you would be committing fraud if you didn't disclose it.
  • jpsmithjpsmith Member Posts: 44
    ...fot this info. Do you know if there is anything in the Toyota Canada franchise agreement that prohibits, or otherwise discourages, Canada dealers from selling to U.S. residents? This is the case with Honda -- Canadian Honda dealers can lose their franchises if they are caught selling to U.S. residents. And, once a Honda delivered to a Canada dealer is brought into the U.S. it has no factory warranty in either country.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I do know that many Canadian dealers sell HLs to US dealers where they are sold as used vehicles. Toyota hates this because it really screws up world wide allocations. They heavily discourage it by threatening Canadian dealers with loss of units and such. Also, TMCC will not finance these gray market cars. As long as the unit is added to the Toyota US system, the warranty will be valid though.
  • jpsmithjpsmith Member Posts: 44
    Guess I'll have to call a few Canada Toyota dealers and see if they will sell to me. It's good to know that there is not a warranty issue, anyway. I was in the market for a Honda Odyssey when they were very scarce and selling at above sticker. I considered buying one in Canada (where they were plentiful) but the lack of warranty scared me away. I couldn't find a third party warranty plan that would replace the factory warranty.
  • splashchrissplashchris Member Posts: 10
    Anyone know if the armrest assembly in the rear seat of the 2002 HL can be retrofit into the 2001? I've heard talk that there will be a way to incorporate the new console into the 2001's. I wasn't able to see too clearly on the Toyota Website if the armrest has a cupholder or storage compartment incorporated into it. If it did, it sure would make a nice addition to my 2001 HL, and give a place to stick my daughters "Stuff" when we go on those long rides across Aligator Alley.

    My other thought is that the entire rear seat assembly may need to be replaced. Any thoughts on feasability, cost?

    Chris
  • macmacmacmac Member Posts: 35
    Does anybody know if toyota fix the rear window air pressure noise?
    Seems to me that toyota needs to ad air vents in the rear to expell the air that is coming in.
  • gwkisergwkiser Member Posts: 326
    I haven't seen any closeup photos of the rear center armrest either. My guess, and I do mean GUESS, is that it's going to be a simple drop down type like what we see in the current model RX300s. I wouldn't think that they would incude any cupholders as we already have two in each rear door now. Just my thoughts.......

    p.s. Does anybody know how to remove those dumb little hieroglyphics on the rear door panels??!! I was thinking about having a detail guy just spray over them....
  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    ...have been released of the Toyota Highlander. The Highlander gets a "good", but not a best pick due to a few "Acceptable" scores in certain categories. The complete results can be seen here:
    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0117.htm


    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accesories message boards
  • lamm9733lamm9733 Member Posts: 37
    Someone had mentioned these in the Sienna forum. I had mentioned that they should take the vehicle to the dealer and have them "buff" the marks out. This should have been done during the vehicle prep. They did so and the marks are gone.
  • gwkisergwkiser Member Posts: 326
    Hey thanks, lamm. I'll look into that.
  • ficklefickle Member Posts: 98
    Am I dreaming if I hope to buy a 2001 demo V6 2WD Highlander for $23,000 out the door?
  • highlander7highlander7 Member Posts: 177
    Additional comments on Drew's posting #3665


         Yes the Highlander 'did not' receive the best IIHS pick. The best ratings went to BMW, Acura, Lexus and Mercedes.


    Five $45,000 plus vehicles had slightly better safety numbers than the HL. And 21 vehicles were rated lower, most were much lower. Look at the Chevy Blazer and its sister vehicles at the very bottom of the mid sized SUV's.


    Look at the comparisons, the HL does not compromise safety.


    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/summary_midsuv.htm

  • splashchrissplashchris Member Posts: 10
    Hello all. Several posts back there had been talk of noise coming from the rear of the Highlander. Someone found problems with the washers, or gaskets that seal the spoiler. Others had talked about the sunroof. Well, I've got a good one for people to check out that may be experiencing this noise with no idea what it could be. I've been hearing this thunk like noise randomly for almost two weeks. I was about ready to take a trip to the dealer when it occured to me. Look in your secret compartment in the rear hatch area that is on either side, inside the hatch. Well, I found my MISSING Toyo Guard Cleaner bottle!!! It would roll back and forth when I turned and thunk. Drove me nuts! Now, all is quiet...

    Chris
  • edmundted1edmundted1 Member Posts: 22
    I'm happy to see such a good rating for the Highlander. I feel well protected in my 2001 Highlander. I'm glad I paid a little more for the HL than the Mazda Tribute that I had once considered. After all, what price do you consider "reasonable" for your life? I feel safer in my HL than I have any previous vehicle I've owned.

    And I'm glad to report that after 2,000 miles I have not experienced a single mechanical, appearance, noise problem, nothing! This is the most structurally sound vehicle that's fun to drive and safe. I'm glad I didn't wind up with the Tribute after reading some of the posts and looking at the crash ratings.

    That's my .02 for now.
  • mccannrmccannr Member Posts: 13
    I would like to revive the thread on hitches and towing; There were previous discussions on after market hitches, my experience was that our dealership and Toyota customer service were useless. We found the best information on this site. We now use a class III hitch from " hitches4less" and a wiring harness from "toyotaguys". We have the towing prep package from Toyota.
    We tow a boat close to 3500 lbs, and it handles suprisingly well, although it requires low gear for hills. We haven't gone more that 20 miles for fear of injuring our beloved Highlander. My wife says the transmission smells after towing. Anyone else out there with towing experience?

    By the way, I want to put in a plug for "toyotaguys"customer service. After Fedex lost the wiring harness and ignored my calls to customer service, Toyotaguys replaced the shipment for free, no questions asked.
  • sbell4sbell4 Member Posts: 446
    If you special order the V6 with all standard equipment without any options you can buy the car for 23k total from the right dealer
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Please tell me you turn off the overdrive whenever you are towing. Many people don't realize that you MUST do this. If you don't you risk overheating the transmission.
  • ci2ci2 Member Posts: 5
    I have experienced a slight rattle noise in what I believe to be the front passenger side dash. The rattle occure when going over a bump on that side of the vehicle. Has anyone experienced this and if so how is it repaired?

    Otherwise, the HL has exceeded my expectations and is an EXCELLENT vehicle and value.

    Thanks.
  • denverjoedenverjoe Member Posts: 3
    Has anyone had experience with 2 wheels, 1 front and 1 back, on a slick surface? Without traction control or limited slip it seems like both wheels would just spin. The viscous differential just transfers power from the from to the rear.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    I wouldn't get overly concerned about that. Remember, every Toyota pickup ever built has open front and rear differentials and they are renown for their off road capabilities.
  • steeph123steeph123 Member Posts: 21
    Ci2
    I had my highlander serviced for a glove box rattle. The dealer installed foam in the center console which helped the problem. I do notice rattles in the dash when i ride over coarse pavement. The rattles are not constant. They come and go. Iam happy to report the wind noise i expirienced has been corrected. It was caused by a loose driver side mirror.
  • tbuchtatbuchta Member Posts: 43
    I dont turn off the overdrive unless I am on rolling or steep terrain when it would tend to shift down anyway, I have made several long trips (600 TO 1500 miles) and not had any problems. I really dont know why using overdrive would overheat the transmission (and I've confirmed this with toyota mechanics) unless the load or terrain is such that it is lugging down or hunting for the third gear.....
  • little_pogilittle_pogi Member Posts: 149
    I think individual parts may not yet be avail for conversion on the 2001 Highlander. Base on the body shop manual, you may have to order the whole passenger rear backrest assy. which may be a costly conversion. The 2002 backrest(with built-in armrest) is definitely compatible with the 2001. I wanted to do this conversion. Unfortunately, I haven't found a cheap way to do it.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    My comment was directed at those towing a load. Read your owner's manual on this and you'll see that you are told to turn off the OD when towing. The Toyota manual is a bit paranoid about towing and I don't follow all the advice they offer, but this is one suggestion from which I would never deviate. I own a Tundra with a V8 engine and NEVER tow with the OD on. I nearly killed the transmission on a T100 a few years back and learned my lesson.

    Even if you are on flat terrain and cruising at 65 MPH, you may think your transmission is not working too hard. It is. Its like a 10 speed bike (do they still make 10 speeds?) in high gear. When you are at high speed, you can mover very quickly, but your legs are exerting a lot of force to keep things moving. If you were in a lower gear, your legs would be moving faster, but with far less muscle. When towing, give your transmission's muscle a break and keep in in a lower gear.
  • jmikerjmiker Member Posts: 21
    Has anyone found pricing for the 2002 Highlander yet? I have read blurbs that it is available and yet I cannot find it anywhere. I even called Toyota and they said Sept 15 was the start of the new year for the HL, so everyone should receive pricing this week.

    I will be ordering an 02 HL next month (I hope) and am trying to determine all the options I wish to order. I am still trying to determine what the "Video Entertainment System" will consist of and how it will fit with the new center console.

    Cliffy, do you have any inside info on this?

    Thanks,
    Mike Roberts
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Due to my job change in the dealership, I don't get any advance notice any more. There may be others here who can answer that though. The word I heard is that there will be little to no price changes for the 2002.
  • mcneilcabmcneilcab Member Posts: 3
    We just bought a V6 4x4 in bluestone in whitehorse in early sept. I flew from alaska to whitehorse and picked up the highlander from Mic Mac motors. I'm assured that this vehicle can be serviced at any toyota dealership with no hassels. The anchorage area dealer had only one highlander in stock and was
    far from a reasonable price so we checked out whitehorse. We found the vehicle cost about 25500 with travel expenses, 2.5% duty (japanese made) and the exchange rate being very favorable. This vehicle is standard with roofrack, carpeted mats,color keyed mudflaps,daytime running lights,heated mirrors,privacy glass, and keyless entry w/engine emobilizer and alarm. these standard features are options on the USA model. We
    also bought the options of a tow hitch and prep and the winterization pckg witch includes a block heater and battery blanket. speedometer and odometer are in kilometers. I figure we got the highlander for under USA invoice and it was a beautiful drive home
  • purcatpurcat Member Posts: 13
    This question is directed to Cliffy1. Unsure of what you mean cruising on flat terrain at 65-70, should over-drive be on or off??? In winter weather, I guess if you are in snow, you should use over-drive. (The snow is coming, unless you live in a warm climate!) Thanks
  • hkdonhondahkdonhonda Member Posts: 20
    Just bought my wife a silver 2001 V6 AWD. This is the nicest vehicle I have EVER bought! It is absolutely the best combination of car and utility and that V6 is sweet! Started off looking at a base MDX and RX300's (Both in the mid 30's). Picked up the HL for 28850. Roof rack, moonroof, towing package, keyless entry w/engine emobilizer and alarm, pwr seat, spoiler, privacy glass. For the money, this IS the best SUV on the market.

    Absolutely awesome!!!
  • splashchrissplashchris Member Posts: 10
    According to all the documentation, the Highlander premium stereo with 6 disc CD changer includes 8 speakers as part of the package. Try as I might, I've only been able to find six of them. Two in each of the driver and passenger doors, and one each in the rear doors. Where are the remaining two???
  • gwkisergwkiser Member Posts: 326
    Ah, yes, where ARE those other two speakers??!!

    Actually, the are built within the speakers in your front doors. The bass and mids are together as one unit in the lower portion of the door panels. I had to solve this "mystery" myself back in May when we first took delivery of our HL.

    Happy HL'ing!
  • gpaquette1gpaquette1 Member Posts: 3
    Wanted to pass on this information to anyone that has had these poppping noises occur in their 2001 HIghlander. I printed out every discussion on this site about the noise. I took them with me to the dealer for my first warranty visit. They were impressed, but had never had heard about the problem. When they called that afternoon,(luckily the toyota rep was there) they had heard the noise, reviewed the Lexus bulletin pertaining the the GS300 sunroof, and contacted Toyota. The toyota rep had only heard of this happening in 5 other vehicles - all of them had been black - mine is black. It seems on hot days the temperature in a black Highlander reaches a higher level than in the lighter colors. When this happens, and the vehicle is turned on with the a/c on high, the plastic moulding starts expanding and hitting the metal causing the popping. What the dealer did was to rap every place of contact with padding - I think felt tape. It seems to have fixed the problem. They also promised me they would post this fix at Toyota for future reference. Hopes this help. The information I found on this site was so valuable - the dealer was able to get this fixed in a day due to the information given. Without this information, they may have had my car for several days. Thanks so much!
  • ted83ted83 Member Posts: 21
    Has anyone here successfully upgraded the door speakers in your HL? There has been discussion here about whether the whole door panel must be removed or just the round speaker grills.

    I love my HL but the sound of the standard stereo is very poor. My old Saturn has the standard stereo and it sounds a lot better.
  • boulderhlboulderhl Member Posts: 18
    Thanks for the update. Would it be possible for you to provide the phone number of your Toyota Dealership along with the Service Reps name that handled the fix, so that our local dealerships could contact him to find out exactly what was done to alleviate the problem? I am sure they will post the fix at Toyota, but based on the lack of interest I got when I called the 800 number, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them to post it. Thanks gpaquette1.
  • ehl3ehl3 Member Posts: 30
    As an update to a prior post of about four weeks ago, my South Florida dealer rep provided the following:

    8/27 - First 2002 build date
    9/29 - First 2002 delivery date into JaxPort

    Today he confirmed that mine was part of the first 2002 allocation, confirmed the VIN and estimated a dealer delivery date of either 10/6 or 10/7.

    The vehicle was special (factory) ordered in early June as a 2001 model. It was ordered as a V6, with factory leather, tow prep, roof rack, daytime lamps, floor mats, step bars and the much maligned center console, nothing else; no power seats, no ToyoGuard, no other packs, no financing. $25,384 pre-tax, $177 over invoice including $550 DAF, $505 Destn and $6.50 tire disposal/battery fee. All negotiated via internet and e-mail; other than the visit to sign the papers. Dealer agreed to hold to the original pricing, as the base V6 invoice apparently was held constant, though I can't verify. They even agreed to take a personal check!

    For those considering ordering, 3 to 3-1/2 mos was the original delivery time estimate, but it stretched to four, perhaps partially due to the model changeover.

    With the 2002's arriving with a much better standard center console, we'll see what happens with the much maligned center console. God forbid they rip the new one out and put the 2001 "option" in...

    If things go as planned, I'll update the week of 10/8 & provide dealer details, as this is about the best deal I've seen monitoring this board since May. Wish me luck.
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    My comments on overdrive were specific to towing. I would leave mine off all the time when towing a trailer, especially if the weight was over half of the maximum for the vehicle. When not towing, I would leave it on all the time.
  • jpsmithjpsmith Member Posts: 44
    Did you get a Base or Limited? I have thought about getting a HL in Canada to save money, but the packaging of options there is terrible. In 2001 there were two V6 AWD configurations, Base and Limited, and apparently it was not possible to add any factory options to the Base. The only way to get VSC and side airbags is to buy the Limited package which is loaded with stuff I don't need or want (like sunroof).

    According to the Toyota Canada website they added for 2002 a "B" configuration that is equipped somewhere in between the Base and Limited, but it still does not include side airbags or VSC. To get these important safety features you have to also take leather, sunroof, etc etc.
  • xcarnutxcarnut Member Posts: 81
    I am hoping some can share their experience regarding the hood-protector from Toyota and from aftermarket makers of hood protector, regarding the effectiveness of it.
    I drive on a freeway that is going through complete new pavement. This is great for me after the construction crew is done with it, but that will be many years later before the entire phase of repavement and widening the freeway project is complete. Meanwhile my HL has taken couple of decent rock hits left behind by the mindless crew that does not understand the little pebbles on the freeway are turning into little missiles.
    I am begining to think I need to get one of the many wind deflectors available to reduce the chances of getting rocks chipping away at the windsheild. Anyone with factory installed and/or anyone with the aftermarket non-Toyota wind deflector can share its usefulness or have any comments about it would help me make a decision.

    I am also considering a bra or whatever the new politically correct name is assigned to what I've been calling bra. I want to get this if it would help the front bumper and hood get some protection from rock chips.
    Anyone got one and can comment its usefulness would be very helpful.
    Thanks,
  • mybenjemybenje Member Posts: 18
    I am curious if anyone compared the two AWD systems. I am sure Toyota is good they have been making it for years and made a few cars with AWD.

    I am trying to decide between both vehicles

    Thanks
  • mpalmer1mpalmer1 Member Posts: 10
    Was wondering if someone who recently purchased a highlander could give an idea on how you did price wise. I am just interested in people who have bought in the last month or so because I am wondering if better deals might be made with the upcoming 02's to be arriving soon. What I am looking for is a FWD with limited package and leather. Any help would be greatly appreciated
  • irishcaseyirishcasey Member Posts: 36
    Can anyone tell me if you can get the vehicle skid control option on the 4 cylinder engine or just on the v6? Thanks.
  • gasman1gasman1 Member Posts: 321
    I have past experience with broken windshields and leading edge hood damage during highway resurfacing. My Toyota hood protector is of very high quality construction and design. I'm happy with it. It's design covers more of the front end than the typical after-market protector.

    My past experience with the front end bra wasn't good. The road salt/sand gets betwen it and the paint during the winter. That leads to abrasion (sanding) and paint degregation. Not good. During the warm months you can take it off periodically to clean. When it's in the -teens, forget having it on, because you're not going to get it back on - if you take it off and manage to clean it.

    My advice is to get the Toyota guard/protector. They installed mine since I ordered it while negotiating. I believe that it was $90+tax, installed.
  • ronthom1ronthom1 Member Posts: 10
    BULLETIN - 2002 prices are now published on the Toyota website - No big surprises
  • splashchrissplashchris Member Posts: 10
    Regarding the Skid/Trac control option, can it be added after delivery by the dealer, or must it be installed when originally built at the Toyota factory? I'd concider adding the feature for safety purposes to my non-skid equipped vehicle if it's possible.
  • daveb01daveb01 Member Posts: 6
    I just ordered a 2002 from a No. IL dealer. My net was $1000 over invoice. Not spectacular but better than that available through other dealers in this market. 2002 MSRP is up $640 vs. 2001 for the 4x2 V6. My dealer had no preference of '01 vs. '02. They had very little inventory (3 to be exact) and their vehicle search yielded few 4x2 V6 (less sunroof). As I am 6'4", sunroof is out.

    Specifics:
    Appearance Pckg
    Convenience Pckg
    Alarm pre-wire
    Daytime running lights
    8-way power seats
    Roof rack
    The "ever popular" Cargo mat set

    MSRP $28,029
    Selling Price $26,062
  • dardson1dardson1 Member Posts: 696
    After one year in my XLE I've made the decision the minivan architecture doesn't work well for me. With a few pushes and pulls I could easily have a large, flat cargo area in my old SUV. Short of removing the seats altogether, folding the chairs in my XLE doesn't provide much useful space. Now I'm back, searching for an SUV.
    The Highlander would be high on my list but for one thing. My '01 Sienna XLE with an MSRP in the low $30k's has an interior that rattles, pops, squeaks, and groans. The engine/powertrain is smooth, quick, and quiet. The ride is car-like, the controls and ergonomics are top notch, and the fit and finish, right up there; but the rattle prone rear chairs, groaning rear sliding doors (when the car flexes), and the strange feeling I've left a box of loose tools in the back kinda puts me off considering another Toyota. Any thoughts from you Highlander owners out there?
    Just as a point of reference and so you won't think I'm some kinda rattle fanatic, I had a '96 Tahoe and a '98 Expedition. Both vehicles had very quiet interiors.
  • shl72953shl72953 Member Posts: 53
    Haven't seen anything posted about this so I'll throw it out to see if anyone else has this problem. I can only turn my headlights off by turning off the ignition. The high beams will turn on if I pull the stalk toward me but goes back to low beam when I release the stalk. This happens no matter what position the headllight indicator is in. i.e. high, low, fog light, automatic, etc. I have the HL Ltd. with the automatic headlights and the daytime driving lights remain on in all positions except when I turn the switch to low beam which then turns the low beams on.

    Also just had the popping in the sunroof fixed by the service department using the old Lexus bulletin and recommendations by Toyota engineers. Pads were placed on plastic parts after the sun roof was disassemblied.

    Spent a little over $400 to have 3-M tape applied to all leading surfaces and have been pleased with the results but don't think the price is very practical.
  • runpantherrunpanther Member Posts: 44
    I, too struggled with this decision. When comparing the Highlander with the Outback you may want to ask yourself if you want a downsized SUV or a modified station wagon. Your call. It was difficult but we decided to purchase the V6AWD Highlander.-- We are very happy. (BTW - we were previous owners of a 1997 Outback-4cyl. Very unhappy with its performance. If you do decide to purchase the Outback go with the 6cyl engine. Especially if you'll be hauling/towing stuff.)
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