2002 Toyota Highlander

I NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE PLASTIC INTO INTAKE MANIFOLD IN THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. I BROUGHT IT IN FOR REPAIR AND THE MECHANIC SAID HE NOTICED A LARGE PIECE OF FOAM RUBBER BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE BLOCK AND HEAD.THE LEAK WAS BEHIND THE FOAM PIECE. THE ONLY OPTION TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THIS LEAK WAS TO REMOVE THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH THE MECHANIC DID. AFTER THIS WAS REMOVED, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT COOLANT HAD BEEN LEAKING A MINOR AMOUNT FOR QUITE SOME TIME DUE TO BUILD UP BETWEEN THE CYLINDER HEAD AND BLOCK. THE ONLY OPTION LEFT IS TO REMOVE THE HEAD, WHICH REQUIRES AN EXTENSIVE DISASSEMBLY (R AND R CYLINDER HEAD). AFTER LOOSENING THE BOLTS IN SEQUENCE, HE NOTICED THREE OF THE HEAD BOLTS IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE WERE LOOSE. AFTER HE REMOVED THE HEAD SURE ENOUGH, ONE BOLT CAME OUT WITH ALUMINUM IN THE THREAD THUS INDICATING A STRIPPED BOLT. AND THE OTHER THREE WERE LOOSE. HE SAID THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK, WHICH WILL COST ABOUT $6000 INCLUDING SHIPPING/LABOR. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS AND SO HAD THE HIGHLANDER TOWED BACK TO MY HOME. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SEEMS TO COME ON EVERY 10,000 MILES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 2004, AT ABOUT 43000 MILES, WHEN I FIRST TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER MECHANIC. IT IS NOW 2009, 111000 MILES LATER, AND AGAIN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON QUEUE. ORIGINALLY, THE DEALER MECHANICS TOLD ME THEY HAD CORRECTED IT PRIOR TO MY WARRANTY EXPIRING. WHEN MY WARRANTY EXPIRED, THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO GET AN OVERHAUL ON MY CATALYTIC/EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH WAS QUOTED TO COST ABOUT $5000 TO FIX! I BELIEVE MY CAR WAS WORTH NO MORE THAN $7000 AT THE TIME. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CATALYTIC SYSTEM AND THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE DETECTION SYSTEM. I'VE BEEN SHOWN HOW TO RESET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BY THE TOYOTA DEALER PERSONNEL, I SUSPECT, BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING TO OTHER HIGHLANDER OWNERS. I AM BRINGING THIS ISSUE UP NOW BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED YEARS AGO. I HOPE SOMEONE FROM TOYOTA WILL RECOGNIZE AND FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR

2004, MY HIGHLANDER WAS SERVICED FOR GEL IN THE VALVE SEALS. ON APRIL 2, MY CAR WAS BROUGHT TO LEITH TOYOTA BECAUSE THE CAR MADE A LOUD NOISE AFTER BEING CRANKED AND THE OIL LIGHT WAS ON. AS I DROVE A COUPLE OF MILES, ALL COMPUTER LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR CUT OFF. I WAS TOLD TESTING WAS DONE AND I HAD OIL ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT BEING PUMPED TO THE ENGINE FOR SOME REASON. (I HAVE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES). THE NEXT DAY, I WENT TO CHECK ON THE PROGRESS AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THEY DROVE THE CAR AROUND AND IT NEVER CUT OFF AND HE REALLY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC TO FIND OUT AND 10 MILES AWAY, THE ENGINE BLEW UP. NOW, I HAVE NO CAR TO DRIVE AND I AM A SINGLE MOM THAT HAS TO WORK. I FEEL THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER SHOULD HAVE BEEN HONEST WITH ME REGARDING TOYOTA'S PAST ENGINE DEFECTS AND TO DRIVE MY CAR WOULD BE FATAL. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO CHECK FOR OIL SLUDGE AND REQUESTING THAT MY MECHANIC BE PRESENT WHEN DROPPING THE OIL PAN, THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY AND DID IT WITHOUT CALLING ME FIRST. I HAVE LOST ALL FUTURE TRUST WITH THIS COMPANY AND FELL THAT THEIR"HUSH HUSH RECALL" SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC. *TR

I HAVE OWNED A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4 CYLINDER, 2WD. MY CAR STALLED ON THE ROAD ABOUT TOW WEEKS AGO AND I HAD IT TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR AND CAN PROVIDE SOME PARTIAL PAPER WORK OF MY MAINTENANCE. THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE, AND MY BILL WILL GO OVER $5000.00. IT HAS ONLY 77000 MILES AND NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE CAR (NO ACCIDENTS). I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE OIL SLUDGE LAW SUIT BUT IT COVERS ONLY 6 CYL BUT NOT 4 CYL. COULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME OUT ON THIS ISSUE. THANKS. *JB

SHORTLY AFTER THE SECOND OIL CHANGE, 10000 MILES THE EXHAUST SYSTEM STARTED MAKING NOISE. IT STARTED AS A LOUD SOUND FROM THE MUFFLER AND NOW HAS BECOME A RATTLING SOUND AND LOUD EXHAUST NOISE. THE BANGING/RATTLING SOUND IS WORST DURING LEFT HAND TURNS. DEALER STATED WE DAMAGED THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE BRACKETS NEEDED REPAIR $175. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO SHOW ME ANY PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I NOTICED THE NEW HIGHLANDERS HAVE A DIFFERENT AND SMALLER MUFFLER WHICH DOES NOT BANG INTO ADJACENT PARTS. I WONDER IF I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.*AK