2002 Toyota Highlander

PLEASE INCLUDE AND CONSIDER THIS COMPLAINT IN YOUR UPCOMING MEETING.RE: DESIGN DEFECT  HEATED AIR FROM VENTING SYSTEM TOYOTA HIGHLANDER I AM AN OWNER OF THE 2002 MODEL. THE AIR FROM THE AIR VENTING SYSTEM IS ALWAYS HEATED. RECENTLY, THE LOCAL DEALER CONFIRMED MY FINDINGS. THE AIR EXITING FROM THE VENTING SYSTEM IS UNNECESSARILY HEATED FOR AN ADDED 6 TO 9 DEGREES. THE CABIN IS 6- 9 DEGREES HOTTER THAN THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THEIR EXPLANATION IS THAT THE AIR VENT DUCT PULLS AIR THROUGH NEXT TO THE ENGINE. AND IN THE PROCESS HEATED THE VENTED AIR.I WAS TOLD TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.HOWEVER, I AM PUZZLED BY THIS DESIGN DEFICIENCY. DUE TO THIS DESIGN DEFECT, I AM WASTING AC AND FUEL EFFICIENCY. PLEASE HELP ME LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. F. FUNG SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. *AK

LARGE AMOUNT WATER IN PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE COMPARTMENT, DEALER STATED DUE TO CLOGGED A/C DRAIN. OUR TODDLER DEVELOPED CONGESTION AND ALLERGY SYMPTOMS FOLLOWED BY MILDEW ODOR IN VEHICLE. DEALER CLEANED OUT DRAINS AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAD TO CHANGE CARPETS AND DISINFECT VEHICLE. DUE TO OVERWHELMING DEODORANT SMELL IN VEHICLE CANNOT TELL IF MILDEW STILL PRESENT, BUT WE ARE AFRAID TO PUT THE TODDLER BACK IN VEHICLE. TOYOTA ALSO TRYING TO SAY NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *LA

APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY SUN VISOR RANDOMLY FLOPPING DOWN AS I WAS DRIVING, AND IT WOULD NOT STAY IN POSITION WHEN I TRIED TO USE THE VISOR TO BLOCK THE SUN. THE DEALER DID REPLACE THE VISOR UNDER WARRANTY, BUT ADVISED ME THAT THE PART COST OVER $500 DUE TO THE "HOME LINK" SYSTEM IN THE VISOR. THE VISOR IS ONCE AGAIN STARTING TO BECOME LOOSE, AND WILL NOT STAY IN POSITION UP AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. THIS IS VERY INCONVENIENT BECAUSE I HAVE TO DUCK DOWN TO SEE UNDER THE VISOR AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS TO SEE WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGES. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT IT WILL SOON START RANDOMLY FLOPPING DOWN AS I'M DRIVING AGAIN. ONE WEEK AGO, THE DEALER AGREED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY VISOR AND THIS TIME TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE PART IN THE VISOR, WHICH THEY REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VISOR STAYED IN POSITION FOR ONLY ONE DAY. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE VISOR ON HIGHLANDERS, AND THAT TOYOTA HAD CORRECTED THE PROBLEM WITH THE NEW MODELS BY INSTALLING THE HOME LINK SYSTEM ELSEWHERE IN THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER, HOWEVER, INSISTED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VISOR, AND THAT WAS THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION, THE SERVICE MANAGER FINALLY AGREED TO ORDER A NEW VISOR FOR MY VERHICLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING BATTLE WITH THE DEALERSHIP IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTS SINCE MY VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE PART IS EXPENSIVE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING HIGHLANDER AT SPEED OF 25 PHR OR MORE WITH REAR WINDOWS DOWN AND FRONT WINDOWS UP, AIR ENTERING CABIN SPACE CAUSES HIGH VIBRATIONS THAT MAKE HEARING IMPARED. AND EAR DRUMS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ALL PASSENGERS. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED , I WAS DRIVING WITH MY INFANT SON. I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO EXPERINCE WHAT CAME NEXT ONCE I PARTIALLY LOWERED THE REAR WINDOWS. I WAS WORRIED, I MIGHT HAVE DAMAGED MY INFANTS SONS EAR DRUMS.*AK

BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE, AND VEHICLE CONSUMED EXCESSIVE OIL. DEALERSHIP WANTED TO REPLACE THE VALVE SEAL AND PISTON O-RING S, BUT THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. *AK VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AND CONSUMER WAS ASKED TO USE A RENTAL CAR SINCE VEHICLE'S PARTS FOR REPAIR WHERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME. CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM DEALER THAT VEHICLE WAS READY TOP BE PICKED UP. WHEN CONSUMER PICKED UP THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT VEHICLE IS ONCE AGAIN SMOKING AND EXPERIENCED HESITATION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND REPLACED THE TIMING BELT WHICH CAUSED THE HESITATION. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WITH THE SMOKE COMING OUT AND OCCASIONAL HESITATION STILL EXIST. *LA

DRIVER SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN ANY TILTED POSITION AFTER IT HAS BEEN PULLED DOWN FROM ITS RESTING "OUR OF THE WAY" POSITION IN THE ROOF BRACKET. BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE VISOR TO STAY IN POSITION IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WHILE USING THE VISOR AS IT OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD. THIS CONDITION ADDITIONALLY MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE WHILE DRIVING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN AS THERE IS NO MEANS BY WHICH TO BLOCK THE INCOMING GLARE FROM THE DRIVER'S EYES WHILE THE VISOR IS IN ITS "OUT OF THE WAY" POSITION IN THE ROOF BRACET. THE DEALER HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE REPLACEMENT COST OF THE VISOR IS $580.00. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DESIGN DEFECT OF A SMALL INEXPENSIVE PART CONTAINED WITHIN A VERY EXPENSIVE VISOR.*AK