Toyota Highlander

hlltd · November 2001

Regarding the question put forth by canbyjack, we use regular unleaded 87 octane exclusively.

We used premimum 92 octane (only 91 octane is available now here in CA) when ours was new in July; Tried the regular, and can tell NO difference!

Perhaps if you were pulling a 3500 pound trailer up a long grade, running at the drag strip, or had your HL on a chassis dynometer, you might see an improvement in power or performance, but I cannot detect any differences at all using regular.

Carefully checking fuel economy every tank, we see no differences between either fuel.

Your mileage may differ.

Good luck!

budhinckley · November 2001

I'm 6'3" with a 33 inch inseam and a LONG torso. I used to have problems with legroom in cars - but now I have more problem with HEADROOM than legroom!

I'm in immediate need to purchase a fully loaded SUV - tried out the Toyota RAV4 and Highlander. Even in the Highlander, my head was slightly bumping the moonroof. (Same in an Avalon - the new Camry was the best of all of them I sat in!)

(Trading in a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser - trade-in value around $36K!)

Are there any decent decked out ($30-35K) small/medium SUVs that have decent headroom (and legroom)?

Side notes: I had to special order a Nissan Maxima and waited 5 months to get it WITHOUT a moonroof - I would rather NOT go through that again. And I need to get my hands on a new SUV by Christmas.

(Trading in a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser - trade-in value around $36K!)

Bud Hinckley

llofgren · November 2001

Hey Bud,
If it fits your needs (no pun intended), you might find a Highlander WITHOUT a moonroof to have more headroom. Good luck...

cliffy1 · November 2001

You may be lucky and find a HL without the roof. They do exist, but you'll need to be flexible on other equipment to avoid long wait times. You may also want to look at the Sequoia. Those are built in IN so even a special order would be no worse than 8 weeks and probably less.

budhinckley · November 2001

I'm 6'3" with a 33 inch inseam and a LONG torso. I used to have problems with legroom in cars - but now I have more problem with HEADROOM than
legroom!

I'm in immediate need to purchase a fully loaded SUV - tried out the Toyota RAV4 and Highlander. Even in the Highlander, my head was slightly bumping the moonroof. (Same in an Avalon - the new Camry was the best of all of them I sat in!)

Are there any decent decked out ($30-35K) small/medium SUVs that have decent headroom (and legroom)?

Side note: I had to special order a Nissan Maxima and waited 5 months to get it WITHOUT a moonroof - I would rather NOT go through that again. And I need to get my hands on a new SUV by the end of the year.

[Also, I am trading in a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser - about $36K trade-in value.]

Bud Hinckley

cattman · November 2001

... fat chance... really frustrating! Only LTD's in SoCal(and everywhere else as far as I can tell) come with leather... and from the examples I've seen in L.A., really shabbily-installed leather...
(in ivory, a color I hate w/silver), but hate the 4 month wait. Dealers are less than willling to deal on a special order here, due to high inventory of LTDs with leather... the deal is actually better for these(I just HATE the leather)...the only differences I can see between a LTD and a well-equipped non are mainly cosmetic... fog lamps, trim, climate control, not sure if one can get the JBL sound as an option... but I want that stuff. So I'll guess we just... wait.

trdgt · November 2001

Hello all,
After lurking around on this (and many other mfgs)boards here at Edmunds, My wife and I drove home with a new '02 Highlander Sat.It has the following options:AW,MG,DR,QO,HE,CF.It is Black with an ivory interior,4cyl,and fwd. We had been driving a 98 Grand Cherokee,and after getting rather large repair bills and not really using 4wd I talked her into an H/L.
The Toyota dealer gave us a very fair deal(I have taken 15 people including my wife through their doors). She is very impressed with the build quality and the ride.I am a HUGE toyota fan, my present car is a 2000 Celica GT 5-speed with a TRD sport exhaust.I just wanted to thank you all for your views (good and bad) on the H/L.
I have one question though, there seems to be a glovebox rattle and I can't track it down other than when I hold the door tight it goes away, I seem to remember some posts regarding this. Can you help? Again thank you all.

iceguys · November 2001

Hi everyone, I read quite a while back about problems with the glove box, I took all the appropriate notes, but lost my paper work last week. I scrolled back for the past hour and am unable to find the fix for this annoying problem. Don't get me wrong I love my Highlander. I have learned to live with the wind noise, I just open the front passenger window a bit. I have learned to live with the popping sound when it is hot and humid on the sunroof, BUT>>> the glove box ratteling is driving my husband and I crazy. We have tried putting a napkin in the corner to no avail. Can someone please tell me again what the fix was. I called my Toyota dealer and they told me that they knew of nothing to correct the problem. I assured them that when I bring my car in for service next week that I would pring out the fix for them. Thanks for all your helpful advice over the years.
Christie

kmh · November 2001

I might be able to offer some help. I own a RX300 and have read about the solution to the RX's glove box rattle so the fix may be the same.

What it require is to place adhesive felt on the outside edge of the glove box, but no so much that you can see it when the glovebox is closed. That should remedy the rattle.

HTH.

alpya · November 2001

Hi iceguy,
I had taken my HL with the dealer complaining about the rattle and wind noise. The tech guys was able to find the problem and fix it. As per the wind noise, they changed the wheather stripping along the both front doors. But I was not satisfyied as there was still persistent wind noise.

Yestarday I took it for a test drive with a tech from the Toyota and he agreed that there was still some noise but was mentioning everything was intact from the doors sealing and was doubtful regarding the corners of the Windsheild.

You can contact the dealer and get the fix update
The nos is 925-933-7440. This dealer is located in WalnutCreek, CA

jgw3 · November 2001

I noticed alot of readers commenting on the lack of availability of limited packages with cloth seats. For those who were looking, take heart, there really is such a beast. I bought my HL V6 2wd non-ltd about two weeks ago. But before I decided on the non-ltd, I was looking for the ltd package with cloth seats. I had no problem finding them. I live in Louisiana and did my search through the Gulf States Toyota distributor network. I found a few on on the lots in Baton Rouge and one of the dealers I met with told me that there were several in Houston. I don't want to give the wrong impression that they're everywhere down here, but because of the climate fewer people here want leather seats and therefore more ltd/cloth combinations are allocated to the GST dealers. (Leather isn't very comfortable during the summer when it's 97 degrees with 100% humidity.) My advice for those looking for the ltd-cloth combination is to contact a dealer within the GST distrubution area. I hope this helps.

tidester · November 2001

trdgt,

Welcome to the boards and congrats on your new HL! We're glad you came out of hiding and look forward to hearing all about your experiences with your new HL!

tidester
Host
SUVs

tommyg12 · November 2001

Hi, I 've been a HL owner since 9/3 and have loved every minute of it. Has anyone noticed that the maintenance guide never mentions transmission and/or transer case fluid changes for normal driving conditions? Am I missing something here? This is my first Toyota but every other car I have had required 15K automatic trans fluid changes for severe driving and 30K changes for normal driving. Thanks in advance and I hope everyone enjoys their 'Lander as much as I do.

abuyer1 · November 2001

I have a 2001 Highlander. I learned from this site months ago about the recall on the brakes. I called my dealer and provided the VIN number of my Highlander. He told me that my Highlander was subject to that recall. I brought it in, and he made the changes needed. But I have never received any notification of the recall from Toyota. It is disturbing to think that there may be future recalls that could affect my safety, and I would not know about it unless I found mention of the recall on this site. I asked my dealer to find out why Toyota never informed me of the recall. All he said was that Toyota was informed of the purchase, and the dealer has no explanation for the fact that Toyota never informed me. I do not know how to contact Toyota about this, and my dealer has not provided me any information on how to do that. Does anyone know why this would have happened, and what I can do to assure that I'll be informed of any future recalls?

tommyg12 · November 2001

Same here. I bought my HL in September then discovered this board and learned about the recall. I never received a Recall Notice and just last week called my local dealer (not the one I purchased from) and he checked the VIN and determined that I did need the fix.

Now, mine had a build date of 1/01 and was procured by the dealer at 4/01. The owner of the dealership drove it until 4k miles and then put it out for sale. I assume the notices went to all current owners within the designated build dates. But what about the HLs that were still on dealer's floors? Shouldn't these dealers have received notices too? My guess is that my dealership of purchase received the notice and never bothered to apply the fix. Maybe this is the explanation but this is still disturbing. If I had not found this board, I probably would have never even known.

abuyer1 · November 2001

Interesting. But you have an easier explanation than I do. I bought mine in March before it had arrived at the dealership. I picked it up, as soon as it arrived. So it was not sitting at the dealership or in anyone else's possession. As far as I know, Toyota never sent a recall notice about my Highlander to anyone. I don't know who is at fault or who to contact to avoid this problem in the future.

allen66 · November 2001

Hello everybody

Just an update on how my 4-banger 4wd HL did in the first utah snow storm. We got about 20 inches (yes twenty!!) in salt lake city during the thanksgiving weekend. I also drove it skiing to snowbird.

Anyway, I had no problems driving around the city and driving to the mountains in fresh snow. This car is flawless in its handling, and the tires worked just fine.

allen

marphylous · November 2001

You can learn about recalls by going to the NHTSA web site:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/

and following the selections for the Highlander.

Note that the Highlander is classified (I think I remember this correctly) as a 'car' for recalls and as a 'truck' for technical service bulletins.

I never received notification from Toyota, but learned about the brake related recall from this Highlander Owners Club.

jgw3 · November 2001

I'm sure this has probably been covered already- But does anybody know what the "ECT SNOW" button (located just right of the shifter) does, how it works, when it's meant to be used, etc.?

seahsker · November 2001

I've been told it bypasses first gear to keep the wheels from spinning in icy or snowy conditions. Have not had a chance to use it yet but we were close here in Omaha ;-).

ted83 · November 2001

You should call the Toyota Customer Service Center at 800 331-4331 and verify the address they have for you. I bought my HL in June and also did not receive a recall notice. I called the above number, gave them my VIN and found that there were about four things wrong with the address they had for me. Apparently my dealer goofed it up when they sent it to Toyota. Good luck.

jgw3 · November 2001

If it's meant only for snow then I'll probably never get a chance to use it. I know it's kind of hard to believe but it doesn't snow much in Louisiana- Maybe it works for rain.

hlltd · November 2001

Thomas (seahsker) is correct.

Your transmission will start off from a dead stop in second gear, therefore applying less torque to the drive wheels so that they will not break traction under slippery conditions.

Nice to use if you are not in a hurry and wish to start off gently even when it is dry.
May also be used to "force" an earlier upshift from first to second gear.

Rally a handy feature IMHO. Try it, you'll like it!

xcarnut · November 2001

I've tried using the ECT during the stop and go traffic and actually found the fuel economy go down. So it may not be best thing for the HL to lug it in second gear when on dry pavement.

FYI - For brake Recall its only required for the HL made before June '01. All HL made aft 6/01 had the new brake cap.

Good Luck!

brupop · November 2001

Allen,
Thanks for the snow go info.
Which tires do you have on your HL?
GregB

landscaperjoe · November 2001

Purchased a 02 limited and have not seen many opinions on this site about toyotas extended warraties. Dealer tried to sell me a 6 yr. 75000 miles "platnium pkg." for $450. Told him I would think about it and did not try to bargain down. I believe there is some flexibility from his mannerism and he said we could do it up to a month after the sale. Any opinions out there on this subject?

gwkiser · November 2001

You can also go here to contact Toyota:

http://toyota.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/toyota.cfg/php/enduser/home.php

This page also has the capability to track your questions/responses if you setup "My Profile".

Good luck.

ejay2 · November 2001

Are chains required on an AWD in snow conditions? I hear differing responses to this. Those of you who have driven the HL in snow, did you have to use chains?

john_lise · November 2001

Well maybe not...but I like to consider myself a senior owner of the HL!!! I haven't posted in a while. I purchase my HL LTD AWD V6 (in Canada they come one way...fully loaded) back in Feb 2001. I have just over 16 000 km (9600 miles) and have loved almost every minute of my HL. I have had almost every minor problem mentioned in this discussion - reed noise, glove box rattle, popping of moonroof. Everyone has been fixed to my satisfaction by my dealer. O'Regans Toyota/Lexus located in the Halifax area of Nova Scotia. They also gave me a great deal on the HL (ask for Duane the Sales Manager) Tel 902-464-9560. They are amazing. By the way I am NOT getting paid to say all this.

With the US Dollar worth over $1.60 Canadian, you US shoppers might want to head north.

As for my hood deflector...I recommend it, however be careful with the car wash.

For the rear facing baby car seat in the middle of the back seat...you are out of luck...solved my problem by placing the car seat behind the driver's seat.

Again, even with those annoying little problems my HL is awesome. My dealership made that possible...it seems they have a fix for everything.

P.S. By the way tested out the snowstorm driving last February...solid as a rock with the AWD/VSC...I use the 91 octane...seems to get better mileage especially on the highway / cold weather.

Take care and good luck to all

llofgren · November 2001

I can answer a little about your question on the HL AWD in snow. I just got my V6 AWD on Saturday....no VSC or traction control. On Monday, we got 14 inches of snow. My HL is very secure and safe. I can accelerate without any noticeable slip. If I turn and accelerate I can get it to slip some, but not much. Its (AWD drive system) is very much like my wife's Subaru Legacy except it has much better ground clearance and the power is split between front and rear axles 50/50. I suppose you may need chains for the mountains but otherwise definitely not.

skyreb · November 2001

I, like llofgren, have a V6, AWD, but no VSC. Last winner (we have had no snow this season in New Hampshire), the HL handled all winter conditions without a problem. That is to say, falling snow, slush, parking lots, mountain driving (to go skiing) on roads that had been plowed ..... and etc. But let's be reasonable, in deep unplowed snow even a true 4X4 can get stuck. I suspect ground clearance is a major factor along with the tires. The HL does not have snow tires (that are noisy). I am confident that on pavement, it can easily handle wet or fluffy snow up to the depth of the vehicle clearance. I would not venture off road, down steep uneven embankments, across ditches, and etc. Hope that helps.

Happy HL'ing to all.

abuyer1 · November 2001

Has anyone looked into the possibility of installing the 2002 Highlander console into the 2001 Highlander? The Toyota Customer Assistance Center people (at their 800 number) say not to do it. Nevertheless, I called a dealer, whose parts department says it can be done, but at a shocking price. He told me that the parts alone would cost about $1000. Evidently the parts for the retrofit include more than just a box. I didn't ask about the labor. In constrast the after market 2001 console costs $199 with installation labor of no more than $200. I would prefer to get the nicer 2002 console, but not at the shockingly high price I was quoted. Perhaps an independent body shop could install the 2002 console at a better price, but there is still the matter of acquiring the parts.

alpya · November 2001

Hi, anybody having wind noise problem with their Highlander need to learn to live with it. I had taken my Highlander to the dealer. The tech test drove my 2001 HL and determined that there is some consistent wind noise. So determine exactly that it was not related to only my car we test drove a brand new 2002 HL with same configuration but could hear the same wind noise and outside noise as usual.
Also called Toyota to complain about this problem the customer service person mentioned that there were many tickets logged for this issue and that the wind noise is due to defect in the initial design structure of HL. They try to recorrect the defect for the furture model HL but for the existing one learn......

For more info about this issue you can contact the Customer service nos at 800-331-4331

mgbcab22 · November 2001

I just had a console installed today but not from the 2002 retrofit..., I found it on a website then talked to the my salesman and he ordered it and set everything up, took about a week to get and 2hrs or so to install
cost me $360, labor, console, installation kit, and tax, will update on if worth it later...

cattman · November 2001

OK, let me get this straight... are we talking about the "wind noise with the back windows down" problem, or the "wind noise from the front windows(doors) problem"? The "back window" prob occurs on both HL and RX300... I tested them back-to-back... but can be solved by not opening the back windows, right? But as for the "front" problem... alpya states both 2001 and 2002 have this problem, yet after 2 test drives, at 70 mph, I have yet to experience it.... I was told they had it licked for 2002. Just my luck it's a prob that only occurs after one takes possesion of the vehicle, a month down the road..
What's the deal???.

shl72953 · November 2001

Where did you read about the console. I paid for one back in February when I bought my HL and in September the dealership said they could finally order one. So far, nothing. Obviously, they have been jacking me around for some reason. Is the one you have a factory order? Thanks,
Wally

acrane · November 2001

Does anyone have any whisper rumors on what changes may be coming along for the HL in the 2003 model year?

spektre · November 2001

Has anyone driven both of these yet? I've narrowed down to 2wd, but can't decide between the 4 and the 6. The gas mileage on the 4 is appealing, as is the lower price. I'm not looking for a lot of power, but I also don't want a real slug! Thanks

mgbcab22 · November 2001

just got my car back, the console is nice, little small for the actual opening , but it's better than nothing, it has 2 cup holders that fold out, a small compartment near the floor and one big compartment, and a cig tray in the back, it does fit nicely and the doors opens up b/w armrests...

this site has them, went to my dealership and they installed it, I had given them a hard time at time of purchase about not knowing anything on consoles...so they were more than willing to get it installed. hope this helps..

http://www.toyotaworld.com/

go to accessories then consoles....

ranell · November 2001

Just spent the last two days on the internet asking price quotes for a HL V-6 2WD with AG, CQ, HE, TO, CF, RF, and WL. Lowest price quoted was $26,444. Not bad but no one is interested in a trade-in. One dealer offered half the Kelly Blue Book price for trade-in. So will have to sell the old car before getting the new one. Anyway, experiences with internet quotes varied from being given a generic "we'll get to you note" (they never contacted me) to one dealer quoting $3700 over invoice and two dealer's offering $600 over invoice (didn't say if that was wholesale or retail invoice). I think a few folks writing in on this site paid 600 over retail which is about $1000 over wholesale invoice. So anyway, will be back at negotiating after I sell the Pathfinder.

shl72953 · November 2001

Thanks. I printed everything Marks had on the console and will take it to my dealer tomorrow. They (Marks Toyota) indicated they didn't have the ivory one in stock but I'll take the darker one if they can ship it our right away.
Wally

mpalmer1 · November 2001

Interested to see what people have priced or bought their 02 FWD V6 limited Highlander for. I was quoted $29,500 for the vehicle described above with the following options:

moonroof
leather package
JBL 3 in 1 with 6 disc changer

Is this price fair or is it too much? Any opinions very much welcomed.

logix · November 2001

Has anyone found a dealer between Pensacola, FL and Baton Rouge, LA that offers good prices on 2002 Highlander?

mechatronx · November 2001

After following and reading this board from beginning to end, I got my 02' V6 AWD option 'A' with tax, tag, everything for 29K. Gotta say it's great but I think the rides a little stiff when going over bumps in the road. Anyone get that too?
It would be nice to convert to Japanese spec. Vertical grill, sidemarkers...That's next! Also, what kind of aftermarket fog lights fit in the harness?? Much info would be appreciated.

lisafrsandiego · November 2001

If anyone else has more info on buying a Toyota in Canada please post!

paulek · November 2001

I just ordered my Bluestone un-limited V6 2wd with the following options: CF PE AG CQ TO RL EH V5 VD WL
for $26389. That includes TDA.That is $854 over invoice and your are right, you have to sell your trade in yourself to get a good price.

robnao · November 2001

Hello to all, this is my first post, but I have been reading this board for a couple of months now. I would like to thank everyone for sharing their experiences. I have decided to purchase a HL Limited V6 AWD, but I have come across a couple of options no one seems to have any info about. On the Toyota web site it mentions a entertainment console, does anyone know what this is and when it might be available. On my car price report from Consumer Reports it lists 2 wood interiors, one is "Appliques, Interior Wood" the other is "Appliques, Molded Wood Dash", the interior wood is listed as part of a package and the molded wood is priced at $379 MSRP, does anyone know what the difference between these two is? Any help is appreciated

hughp1 · November 2001

We just recently took a HL for a test drive. The only one available was a 4cyl (which we are interested in) but it was All Wheel drive. It seemed to have a very useless 1st gear. It didn't stay in first for hardly any time at all. My question is will a 4 cyl with front wheel drive have any different gearing or is that what I should expect if we purchase a 4 cyl front wheel without finding one to drive before ordering. Also is it possible to get a relatively low end HL with a factory sun roof? Any help on either point will be much appreciated.

jgw3 · November 2001

These are the dealerships I spoke with. In Baton Rouge: Price LeBlanc Toyota- were very honest and straight forward in their dealing but were not able to meet my price. Team Toyota- Never, ever go to Team Toyota. I'll just leave it at that. They're notorious for border line dishonesty and gorilla sales tactics. I ended up getting mine from All-Star Toyota in Alexandria, LA (it's about two hours north-west of Baton Rouge)-(318) 445-1486. I dealt with the manager, Clint. I bought a V6 2WD with preferred, convenience, roof rack, BO "extra mile package", tow prep package, privacy glass, and mud guards for $27,200- about $700 over invoice without having to haggle or negotiate for it. The only problem is that they generally don't receive large allocations of Highlanders and the ones that they do get are usually sold before they arrive. But- it may be worth a phone call for you. Hope this helps. Keep fighting the good fight- the HL is always worth it in the end.

emmitp · November 2001

Thinking about adding the hood protector, but would like to find a clear one. Has anyone found an aftermarket clear hood protector for the Highlander? This would be nice to have since you can paint it to match the color of the vehicle. Any info would be appreciated...

Toyota Highlander

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