Toyota Highlander

wwest · February 2004

With the windows already up and activating the switch to push them up the DC drive motors are stalled (no back EMF) and have such low resistance that they will draw one hell of a lot of electrical current.

Heavy load on the alternator which loads up the engine at idle and the lights dim slightly due to the lower voltage with such a heavy load.

I have often wondered why Toyota and Lexus go to the trouble of installing individual thermisters, resistances that increase with heat, in series with these motors but now I think I understand.

stever · February 2004

Lowest True Cost to Own Vehicles for 2004:

Toyota Highlander

Steve, Host

ohmygosh · February 2004

Hey people......Just purchased the '04 Highlander 6 cyl 4X4 (not the limited edition). Only drove it 50 miles or so and am very impressed.
Some observations:
1. 2nd seat doesn't fold flat. Don't want or need the 3rd seat.
2. Got ivory cloth seats. Worrying if they are going to be hard to clean.
3. Hard to tell if moon roof closes all the way.
I still have my luxury Mazda '99 Millenia S and the Highlander will have to excel to perform accordingly.

ohmygosh · February 2004

I just realized I did not see the wheel locks on my new Highlander. I looked in my owner's manual and it suggested where to look. I can not find them. Can anyone help? I would contact the dealer but they are closed. Shouldn't they have installed them and gave me instructions?

lmacmil · February 2004

If the dealer installed them you should have gotten a key.

snakehair · February 2004

Ours were found tied to the lug wrench under the cargo floor. This was where they were on the '01 Limited and our dealer never mentioned them.

rugby65 · February 2004

There's just one wheel lock on each wheel and if you have them the key will be attached to the lug bolt remover.

angiepdx · February 2004

I just purchased a silver Limited Highlander and picked it up on Friday. Completely am in love I must say. I had replaced my Honda Accord and its just like a dream come true. The smooth ride and how quiet it is, is just amazing.

I am interested though in replacing the light silver floor mats with dark grey. Anyone know where I can get good quality floor mats that will fit just like the Toyota ones, at a good price? <website?> Don't really want to order from the dealer.

Thanks,

Angie

junepug · February 2004

Congrats on your new Highlander. Have had mine since a year ago last October and still think it is the best auto I have ever had.

As for floor mats, I have purchased original Toyota all season and fabric mats at very good prices from E-Bay. These were for both the Highlander and Camry.

angiepdx · February 2004

Thanks for the information about Ebay for the floor mats. I will go check that out.

Angie

ohmygosh · March 2004

Thanks for the info. There is a tool box under the mat and it has the standard lug wrench and what appears to be the key (I-bolt configuration). No sign of the wheel locks. When I called the saleman he said that I would have to come in and they would order a new set.
I am kind of disappointed that he didn't go through this with me when I picked up the vehicle. Hopefully nothing else was missed.

lmacmil · March 2004

We picked up my wife's new Highlander Ltd two weeks ago today. Not a single day has gone by in which she hasn't said "I love my new car." When she got an Explorer in 1998, it was several weeks before she decided she liked it better than the minivan she had been driving. The ride, the power, and the Homelink garage door opener are her favorite things (plus that glorious new car smell.)

alimin · March 2004

I have an '02 HL with side air bags and found out this winter that the air bag system doesnt like extremely cold weather. (After a cold start, the air bag warning light would come on which meant the system would not respond to an impact). My dealer (and this board) mentioned a TSB on it that covered replacing the air bag electronics under a 36/36,000 warranty. However, mine has over 44,000 miles on it at the time we discovered the defect (this year was the first time we had such really cold weather). At first I agreed to split the over $500 cost with Toyota, which they agreed to, but then thought it really was a design defect, not one from usage and not apparent until the vehicle was subject to extreme cold weather. (The design has been corrected). Toyota, to their credit and my continued loyalty to the brand, agreed and now will cover the entire cost. Just thought that anyone else with the problem might have similar success.

gaembay · March 2004

We picked up our HL last week and ordered new floormats from www.weathertech.com. I first heard about them on this site and purchased them for our 2002 Sienna 2 years ago - they supposedly hold up to 1.5 liters of liquid, great with ice and snow, are heavy duty, and have held up will with our two small children. They are pricey, (about $99 for the first and second rows, $99 for the cargo hold) but I think worth the money, especially compared to the money you just spent on your new car.
PS We LOVE our new Highlander too!

angiepdx · March 2004

I did go to www.weathertech.com and checked them out. Though they look very heavy duty and nice...I live in an area that we really just have rain.. maybe once a year for a day we get snow. So looking more for a plush rug type of floor mat. I did see some at http://www.autoanything.com and wondered if anyone else has purchased their mats off of there? Anyways will keep looking as well.

Thanks for the input!
Angie

landdriver · March 2004

Ordered my cloth floor mats including a cargo mat from www.ggbailey.com and was very impressed with their quality; they're the only aftermarket floor mat company I know of that does serged edging. I also had an issue with the fit of the cargo mat that was handled very professionally via their customer service representative (all companies should have a customer service department that's this attentive!). Only minor issue was that the texture of the cloth did not match the texture of the Highlander carpet exactly, but as you're ordering a mat that's a different color from that of the light gray interior it should be less of an issue; you can order cloth samples from them for $1.00.

angiepdx · March 2004

Will go check out that site for cloth floor mats. Thanks for providing all that information and what a great idea for cloth samples. Really truly appreciate you posting back.

Thank You,
Angie

braganza · March 2004

I recently decided to switch back to 87 octane from 93. The higher octane only gave me a slight increase in power. Very insignificant. The 87 octane gives me about 17+ mpg in the city and inter-state about 23. I have a V6 engine

braganza · March 2004

I have a V6 with the tow hitch option. Not sure if the raditor is larger but it takes about 10 quarts. I used the Toyota Long-life antifreeze and mixed 70% anti-freeze to 30% distilled water. The drain plug for the radiator is somewhere to the right of the middle of the raditor all the way at the bottom. After draining it out, you need to drain the engine block of the antifreeze. To thr right of the oil filter, there is a large size nut with a small nut (10 mm) inside it and a small tap like pipe. Open up the small nut and it releases the fluid from the engine block.

I first drained all the anti-freeze, then used a bottle of flushing agent and filled the radiator with water. Ran the engine for about 20 minutes with the blower fan on high and temperature set to max. Drained this out and then did the same with plain water. Lastley, I filled up the radiator with the 70/30 mixture. You also need to clean out the overflow container and fill it with a new mixture. Since I did not figure out how to remove the overflow container, I sucked out the liquid using a turkey baster.

wwest · March 2004

With the engine block empty the overflow reservoir should have drained automatically. I can't be sure of your particular vehicle but Toyota typically connects the overflow reservoir to the engine block side of the thermostat.

regalluvr2 · March 2004

We picked up our new Bluestone Metallic 04 AWD Highlander Limited this eve.It replaces an under powered 2002 Buick Renedezvous CXL AWD drive that had far too many electrical problems for so few miles.

We test drove a Honda Pilot EXL and the Highlander won hands down.Our closest Toyota dealer also allowed us $4300 more in trade than the nearest Honda dealer.

We are expecting great things out of our new Highlander.We did alot of research on Edmunds and noticed very few major problems with the Highlanders.

braganza · March 2004

The overflow container is to the left of the engine. The pipe connecting to it from the radiator does so at the top of the container. Not usre if the liquid from the container would have gotten drained if I havd left the pipe inside. I usually remove the container and hose it down on the inside.

fvp · March 2004

I have an '03 Bluestone V6 4WD and it's a great every day driver. We have had no problems other than a rattle in the steering column that was fixed by our dealer. Have about 8200 miles on it now and we are also looking forward to many trouble free miles.
We too considered the Honda but ruled it out after driving it because of size, shape and dealer's arrogant salespeople. I enjoyed calling the Honda dealer to inform them that we went in another direction.

varg · March 2004

Own a 04 Bluestone V6 AWD since last November. I am very happy with the vehicle, but there seems to be a black cloud over it. The ways of the road is throwing everything at it.

First, one month after driving it off the lot, drove through road paint (unavoidable), the type of paint they mark the roads with. Ended up taking it to an auto body shop to remove it. HL Paint held out well and life goes on

Second, three weeks ago the wife is rear ended. New muffler, catalytic converter, and bumper cover, to the tune of $2,700. Happy driver was insured and life goes on

Third, a week to the day we picked up the HL from the auto body shop, wife is rear ended again (she was stopped in traffic). This time, much harder (25-30mph) from a Ford Explorer. The wife received moderate whiplash, and impact was dead on bumper to rear bumper. The Ford Explorer could not start and had to be towed! Driver did not speak English or have insurance, so my wife had to use her cell to call the tow truck for the Ford. Wife leaves him in the rain and drives away (ha ha). Although you could not tell the HL was rear ended, the bumper is completely destroyed and pushed up against the spare tire. I am a little concerned of the frame Took the HL in to the body shop (again) for an estimate and they were all impressed how well it handled the impact. They said they will take measurement of the frame when I bring, but they dont see a problem. I will have to use my uninsured motorist insurance, and life goes on

Anyway, the most important part is that the wife is ok and the HL has really held up like a champ. For those who are teetering on the fence and safety is an issue, here you go.

Regards,
Rob

fvp · March 2004

Glad to hear your wife is OK - don't forget, metal [no matter how nice it is] can be replaced.
A big factor in our choosing the HL was it's performance in crash/safety testing. I'm glad to hear it carries through to the real world.
Instead of a black cloud, perhaps you are getting the bad stuff out of the way early.

herzogtum71 · March 2004

I test drove a base FWD Highlander yesterday with 4-cylinder engine. All the ones they are building these days have the "Quick Order Package" -- keyless remote entry, rear privacy glass, roof rack with crossbars, and tonneau cover. Normally I don't like the idea of packages, but in this case I am happy to have everything except perhaps the dark rear glass.

In my opinion the vehicle had plenty of power when pulling out into traffic and when merging on the interstate, so for my purposes it's not underpowered. I thought it drove like a smaller vehicle than it is -- quite maneuverable. Plenty of cargo room and passenger room, both front and back. Gas mileage is comparable to or better than the wagons and small SUV's I was considering. If my wife finds it easy enough to get into and out of (she's 6" or 7" shorter than I am), then I plan to pursue it.

A few questions for Highlander owners:
(1) Is the ivory cloth interior durable, and how easily does it show dirt? The silver model, according to the brochure, is supposed to come with the darker ash interior. But the two silver FWD's on the lot had ivory interior, as does a gold one that is available.
(2) How well does the traction control work on the FWD with 4-banger? I was impressed with the traction control on a FWD Volvo wagon, but I have never driven an SUV with traction control in slippery condiditons.
(3) How useful are the little arm rests on the front seats? The seats were covered with plastic because the vehicle had literally just been delivered to the dealer, so I couldn't put the armrests down.
(4) Has anyone experienced any trouble with the tonneau cover design? The little covers that extend forward from the main tonneau bar hook into little plastic depressions, and the connection didn't seem that sturdy or stable to me.
(5) How accessible is the spare tire? It's farther under the car than it was in the old Honda wagons I had with this design.
(6) Where do drivers put their sunglasses and glasses case while driving? The little pull-down compartment to the left of the steering wheel isn't big enough even for my glasses without the case. Center console didn't seem that convenient. Is there a storage bin I didn't happen to notice?

Thanks in advance for any input on these matters.

fvp · March 2004

As the owner of an '03 HL V6 4WD I can't answer all your questions but I will address a few:
1. I have the ivory cloth interior and it shows no spots or marks after 8 months in service. I find that remarkable considering we have a 3 year old son and a 1 month old daughter.
3. I'd give the armrests a 6 out of 10. They work fine as long as your arm is positioned correctly.
4. The tonneau cover connections work fine. It's a little tricky getting the ones to clip into the back seat, but once they are in they stay secure.
6. On our model ['03 base model] there is a swing down sunglass compartment located on the roof just behind the interior light and sunroof controls. It is very convenient to use.
By the way, the privacy glass is helpful keeping packages away from prying eyes and to reflect hot sunlight during summer months.
Good luck with your purchase - the HL stacks up against anything in it's class.

wwest · March 2004

The Trac system works very well on my 01 AWD RX300, and I would strongly suspect they use the same system.

But if you are an experienced driver on adverse roadbed conditions it should never activate at all. It is my feeling that Trac is more of a "failsafe" for experienced drivers and an absolute necessity for those that never bother to learn the dynamics of the vehicle on slippery roadbeds.

On my 92 LS400, RWD, when a drive tire slipped the Trac system would instantly apply the brakes while simultaneously dethrottling the engine.

Sometime before I purchased a MY2000 GS300, also RWD, they modified the Trac firmware so it immediately applied the brakes but delayed dethrottling the engine for long enough to give an experienced driver time to react by lifting the throttle.

But I noticed that my 01 AWD RX300 is back to the original firmware, instant front braking and engine dethrottling. I suspect the difference is because with FWD (the AWD RX300 is still predominantly FWD) Trac needs to react more quickly overall.

An example...

Without Trac and FWD you may drive quite a long way without knowing the relatively straight roadbed is partially covered with slippery stuff.

With RWD the rear would try to come about on the very first slippery patch.

So with FWD Trac would likely give you EARLY WARNING, that you might not otherwise have, on a slippery roadbed.

You might also want to check and be sure that your cruise control is automatically disabled, as it clearly should, the very INSTANT Trac activates.

Otherwise you should be very careful not to use cruise if you have any reason to suspect adverse roadbed conditions, say OAT at or below 36F.

landdriver · March 2004

Silver Lining:

According to the brochure the Highlander has a steel-reinforced rear bumper that, like varg's, performed very well in a rear-ender relayed by a poster on one of these boards a couple of years ago.

HL Answers:

The silver Highlanders you were looking at may actually have had the "ash" interior as it is as light as the ivory and thus sometimes mistaken for it.

I echo fvp in that the armrests are great, as is the tonneau cover, the latter of which allows the Highlander's cargo area to be treated like a trunk, hiding the contents from passers by.

ohmygosh · March 2004

Can anyone explain exactly what I purchased when I opted for the towing package ?? Bottom line what will it cost to get a tow hitch installed ?? Did the towing package provide any advantage ??

herzogtum71 · March 2004

I saw a copy of the dealer invoice, which said silver exterior with ivory interior. I would prefer ash, but that won't keep me from making the purchase.

The pull-down sunglasses compartment might not be a feature unless the vehicle has a moonroof. I will look for it next week when my wife drives it, though.

Unanserable question: Why do two rear-seat passengers need a total of six cupholders? Two in each door, and two in the pull-down center armrest.

junepug · March 2004

I sure could have used 6 cupholders in the rear seat of my 2003 HL. Last fall we drove from E Kentucky to mid Michigan with my brother-in-law in the back seat. He had a bottle of water and a diet Coke going at the same time. In addition he was using two empty plastic bottles for his "snuff" residue. I found both "snuff" bottles under the seat after we returned home to NC. Quite sickening since I do not smoke or use tobacco in any form.

tidester · March 2004

Why do two rear-seat passengers need a total of six cupholders?

Four of them aren't cupholders at all. Two of them are for holding breadsticks and the other pair are minihoops for backseat basketball competition - keeps the kids occupied! ;-)

tidester, host

shawn · March 2004

ohmygosh,

See messages #1130 and #1132 in Toyota Highlanders Owners:Problems and Solutions.

thoon · March 2004

I recently found the technical service bulletins for my 2003 Highlander. They are covered under warrenty right? Do I just take my car to the dealer? What are the TSB's for the front door opening weather strip (#BO01603) and the electrical system tsb (#EL01203)?

stever · March 2004

Not necessarily Thoon. If you don't have a problem covered by a TSB, the dealer may not perform the TSB procedure.

Here's a link:

You, Your Vehicle and the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB)

Steve, Host

zaphodatl · March 2004

I'm new to this board and am researching the Highlander, among others. I scanned through but apologize if I'm repeating a thread here:

I was wondering if owners would address the pros and cons of each engine, the 4-banger and the V6.

Does the 4 cyl have sufficient oomph? If I buy the 4 cyl, will I be forever lusting for the V6?

And, has either engine changed much since inception (I ask in case I decide to buy used)?

Thanks.

2003tls · March 2004

To summarize past discussions, 4-cylinder works for some people concerned with fuel economy; but most people (including myself) go with the 6-cylinder to adequately move a vehicle of this size and weight. You definitely need the 6-cylinder if you go with the AWD. As for past vehicles, both engines were basically unchanged in past Highlanders, but were revised for 2004. The 4-cylinder gained 5 horsepower (probably not noticeable) but the V6 changed from the 3.0 to a 3.3 liter with 10 more horsepower and a bunch more torque. Definitely noticeable in my opinion. Hope this helps.

sdanders · March 2004

even if you never intend to tow anything. You get a high output alternator, a radiator with about twice the thickness with much better cooling capacity, a heavy duty trans. cooler, and the necessary electrical convertor for lighting the trailer. The only thing you need to purchase is a wiring harness (about $15 from e-trailer by mail) to connect from the convertor box to the trailer hitch, and the hitch itself (which ranges in price, mine was around $130 as I recall)/

oldman · March 2004

I've seen some comments that a few 4cyl awd are out there. One owner said he felt power was adequate even with awd. But surely if you operate on hills, tow, or have loads then the v6 is probably the choice. Resale with 4 cyl might be lower? My '04 HL 3.3V6 is very powerful, tons of torque, but is a gas hog compared to the 3.0

lmacmil · March 2004

What kind of mileage are you getting on your '04 3.3 vs what you got with the 3.0?

gpolt · March 2004

and is your HL 3.3 front wheel drive or all wheel drive?

oldman · March 2004

I can't comment about the 3.0 because the 04 is my first HL, except my 02 fwd Sienna 3.0 got 15-20% better mileage than the HL 3.3 awd. We are getting perhaps 16 in town and 23-24 hwy, about what EPA claims. It may improve in warmer weather, and when fully broken-in. But there is no comparison in the output and torque. The 3.3 is very torquey. The 3.0 had zero torque.

grenedy · March 2004

I have an '03 4cyl FWD. I have been quite satisfied with the 4cyl engine. Average about 23-4 mpg combined city/highway. I also note that the April Auto Edition of Consumer Reports includes the 4cyl FWD HL as one of their "Best Vehicles for $25K or Less".

herzogtum71 · March 2004

I noticed the Highlander in the list of "Best Vehicles for $25K or less," but the price was then shown as something between $25K and $26K.

Anyway, we're getting one for under $23K (factoring in the Toyota rebate) and will pick it up tomorrow if the dealer can get everything done by then. FWD, 4 cyliner, gold/ivory, same Quick Order package as the silver one I drove last week.

ch1133 · March 2004

Now that I have close to 30K on 03 4 banger mileage is 24-25 city/highway with 27-28 on freeway last year(summer time)

That is computed using my GPS (ODO is 6 % off on my car) might be because I changed to 16/245 Geolanders-what a difference.

grapevinetx · March 2004

Ch1133, tell us more about your switch to the Geolanders. I assume that you put them on the stock wheels? Any fitment issues, spacers needed? What aspect ratio? What did you take off and what do you like better about the Geolanders? Cross Terrains seem to be a common upgrade for HL, but I keep hearing that Geolanders offer most of the performance for a better price than the Michelins.

ch1133 · March 2004

grapevinetx: I have stock wheels (steel) and no mods are needed. I dont remember the cost difference betweeen Michells but did not see a need to pay premium for a name. I can only compare to Integrity and find that Geos have better grip, stopping wise and plow through standing rain water with ease which I am surprised about since they are wider then stock Integritys.
Noise: Not as quiet as I like but I do live in Seattle area where highways are gravellike due to demage from studded tires and at 6oMPH they are singing but quiter than Integr. Waiting to see how long Geos will last.

sdanders · March 2004

a long time ago....replaced the Integrity at 18K miles and now have 39.5K miles total, so a little over 20K miles....I had used Yokos on several of my other cars and found them to be good performers, in many cases as good as Michilens, at a much better price (better value). Same goes for these. The Geolanders fit fine without spacers or other modifications on the cast aluminum wheels I have. Mine were about $100 each with road hazard guarantees and lifetime repair and balancing. Worth every penny, as the Integrity would hydroplane until you cr@pped your pants!! don't take unnecessary chances just for a few bucks with the Integrity. enjoy your Highlander and be safe.

oldman · March 2004

I was looking over my tires and the stock wheels (aluminum) really seem to fit tight in the rear wheelwells especially. With jounce, it seems like barely 2 or at most 3cm of clearance against the forward segment of the rear fender liner, at a point just above the rocker panel level. While 235s would look better, the tight clearance, added to snow and ice building along the fender liner could result in damage with a significant jounce. Does anyone have experience with wider tires and snow creating a potential impact by trapping the tire against the fender? Also what effect on your speedo with 235s?

Toyota Highlander

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