2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY (NOT IN MY TOWN) LIGHTS CAME ON MY DASHBOARD FOR THE ABS BRAKING AND VSC SYSTEM. THERE WERE ALSO ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS LIKE (!) IN A CIRCLE. THE MANUAL SAID FOR ALL OF THESE CONTACT DEALER IMMEDIATELY, WHICH I DID. I WAS TOLD THE ABS ACCUMULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WAS APPROXIMATELY A $3,000 JOB. I HAD THE REPAIR COMPLETED AND PAID $2,700.00. (THE DEALER DISCOUNTED THE JOB). I AM AWARE THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THAT SAME PART IN THE CAMRY HYBRID. FURTHER THE INTERNET IS REPLETE WITH INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING IN 2006 AND 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID MODELS. TOYOTA HAS NO CREDIT, EXTENDED WARRANTY, OR OTHER BENEFIT TO HIGHLANDER HYBRID OWNERS. I CALLED TOYOTA AND HAVE A CASE NUMBER WITH THEM (#1412081681). I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR EXTENSION OF WARRANTY ON THIS KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART. IS THERE ANY INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE? *TR

WHILE ENTERING INTO A DRIVEWAY AT A VERY SLOW SPEED, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN FURTHER. BUT INSTEAD OF BRAKING, THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD. I FELT I WAS NOT IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I CONTINUED TO HIT THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO FORWARD. IT SLAMMED INTO THE CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE. IT ALSO SHOVED THE CAR INTO THEIR GARAGE, SPLIT THE FRAME IN HALF AND RIPPED OFF BRICK FROM THEIR HOME. THE SURFACE WAS SLIPPERY WITH WET LEAVES AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCLINE GOING UP THE DRIVEWAY, BUT I JUST HAD BRAND NEW TOP OF THE LINE WINTER TIRES PUT ON AND I WAS PROBABLY ONLY GOING 5 MPH. IT DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. FROM READING THE FORUMS ON LINE, I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THE HYBRID AND TOYOTA IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY NEED TO DO A RECALL. LIVES ARE AT STAKE. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. *TR

MY CAR HAD BEEN MAKING A CHIRPING NOISE WHEN I BRAKE SO I TOOK IT TO A BRAKE PLACE AND THEY PUT ON NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS, ABOUT A WEEK LATE ALL THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH CAME ON SAYING EVERYTHING WAS WRONG, I CALLED THE BRAKE PLACE THEY SAID IT WAS JUST A LOOSE CONNECTION. ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A STOP AT A LIGHT APPROXIMATELY A HALF A FOOTBALL FIELD AWAY AND MY BRAKES JUST STOPPED WORKING AND I SLID INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE BRAKE PLACE THEY SAID IT WAS THE HYBRID SYSTEM, FROM WHICH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE RECALL BUT THEN SAID MY PROBLEM IS THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC ACTUATOR, A 2500.00 PART! FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT IS THE SENSOR THAT TELLS YOUR BRAKES TO OPERATE WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL!!! THEN I STARTED RESEARCHING AND IT LOOKS LIKE OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE HYBRID HIGHLANDER IN 2006 AND 2007 MAKES!!! I PUT MY CAR IN MY GARAGE FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS BECAUSE I SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS AND NOW THE BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DEAD! WHEN I DROVE IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THEY FIXED THE RECALL AND TOLD ME THE NEWS ABOUT THE ACTUATOR, IT FELT LIKE I WAS DRIVING ON ICE AND REALLY HAD NO CONTROL OF THE BRAKES AT ALL... I WOULD THINK WITH THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE SEEN ABOUT THIS, THAT THIS WOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE, I MEAN WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND YOUR BRAKES ACTUALLY WORK, YOUR CAR SHOULD STOP!! THIS COULD REALLY END UP HURTING SOMEONE! *TR

I BOUGHT NEW A 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID . THE BRAKES HAVE CONTINUALLY PERFORMED SPONGY AND THE ACCELERATOR WOULD STICK . I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE WITH EXAGGERARTED BRAKING SPACE TO COMPENSATE . MY WIFE HAS HAD THREE SMALL ACCIDENTS ( REAR END DUE SUDDEN STOPS IN URBAN TRAFFIC SETTING . OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE PRESSED DARCARS TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN ROCKVILLE MD FOR ASSISTANCE BUT THEY CLAIMED NO PROBLEM . CALLS TO TOYOTA USA WERE GREETED WITH NO HELP. OUR INSURANCE HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY INCREASED WE HAVE TRIED TO GET THE INSURER, GEICO . TO ASSIST US IN THE DEFECTIVE BRAKING PROBLEM AND STICKY ACCELERATOR. WE ARE NEARING THE 5 YEAR WRITE OFF OF THOSE ACCIDENTS . WE HAVE SIDELINE THE SUV AND HAD TO PERCHASE A ANOTHER TOYOTA ( PRIUS )FOR MY WIFE , A NURSE . WE HAVE NOT HAD PROBLEMS WITH ACCIDENTS AND BRAKING EVER BEFORE . WE SEE THE LEGAL WRANGLING WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND TOYOTA BUT SEE NO RELIEF. WE ARE TWO COMBAT VETERANS OF THE GULF WAR AND IRAQ WAR . WE FEELS ABANDONED . A FRIEND SAID TO FILE THE CLAIM WITH YOUR AGENCY . WE ARE NOT HOPEFUL. SINCERELY LIEUTENANT COLONEL [XXX], US ARMY RETIRED. AND MAJOR[XXX], US ARMY RESERVES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

ON SEPT 5, 2013, I PUT MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID IN REVERSE TO STRAIGHTEN IT UP IN A PARKING SPACE, BEFORE I COULD EVEN BREATHE, IT TOOK OFF IN REVERSE GOING OVER 60 MI. AN HOUR AND I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. IT FINALLY HIT A GARAGE FROM BEHIND AND TOOK DOWN THE WHOLE SIDE OF THE GARAGE AND THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I WAS NOT INJURED EXCEPT FOR A SORE NECK AND RIGHT SHOULDER. THEY ARE JUST NOW PULLING THE BLACK BOX FROM MY CAR. NO RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA YET.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AFTER PARKING ON AN INCLINE, IN COLD WEATHER, WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, THEN STARTING UP THE CAR AND DRIVING SLOWLY, THE REAR TIRES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER TWICE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, AND THEY HAVE COMPLETELY REPLACED ALL THE BRAKE EQUIPMENT AND STILL THE ISSUE CONTINUES. THEY HAVE SUGGESTED THAT I DON'T NEED TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN PARKING THE CAR. *TR