2003 Toyota Highlander

LTR FM WILLIAM LORBER (CA) CONCERNED ABOUT THE BRAKE PROBLEM ON HIS 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND REQUEST TOYOTA TO REPLACE THEM.*MR CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FELT AS IF THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS FAULTY. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY STATED THE BRAKES WERE "FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED." EVEN THE DEALERS SERVICE PERSONNEL SAID THE SAME THING AFTER HE ALMOST REAR-ENDED A VEHICLE AT 35 MPH WHILE TEST DRIVING THE HIGHLANDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TO TRY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED BUT IT WAS NOT. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IF HE RETURNED AGAIN FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS, HE WOULD BE CHARGED A SERVICE CALL. ONCE AGAIN THE DIAGNOSES WAS "FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED." *PH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE WERE SMALLER AND WITH THE ADDED WEIGHT IT WOULD TAKE LONGER TO STOP *JB

I PICKED UP CAR AT THE DEALER AND THE SAME EVENING ROLLED THE REAR WINDOWS DOWN SLIGHTLY AND THE RESULT WAS A PAINFUL PULSATING PRESSURE THAT ALMOST CAUSED MY WIFE TO GO OFF THE ROAD. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED SINCE 2001 AND TOYOTA HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AT THAT POINT TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FIRST HE EVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA RECOGNIZES THE PHENOMENON AND FAXED ME ARBITRATION PAPERS WHICH I FILED AND WAS DENIED BECAUSE IT IS "A DESIGN ISSUE" NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANT". I WILL NOT DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND WOULD APRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NHTSA IN ORDER TO PREVENT NON-DISCLOSURE OF A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT IS UNSAFE AND HARMFUL TO THE EARS. *AK

BACKING OUT OF GARAGE IN A HIGHLANDER AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY RACED W/O FOOT ON GAS PEDAL, CAUSING CONSUMER TO REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. CONSUMER'S FOOT SLIPPED OFF BRAKE PEDAL AND LANDED ON THE ACCELERATOR RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE HITTING THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. A 2003 CAMRY WAS SUPPLIED AS A RENTAL VEHICLE WHEN THE HIGHLANDER WASTAKEN FOR REPAIR. WHILE USING THE CAMRY, THE CONSUMER WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKE FOR A STOP SIGN AND INADVERTENTLY APPLIED BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONSUMER RAISED HIS FOOT THEN REAPPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL (ONLY) AND WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE ENTERING THE INTERSECTION.

ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALER WE OPENED THE REAR WINDOWS SLIGHTLY. THE RESULT WAS A PULSATING PRESSURE PAINFUL TO THE EARS OF ALL OCCUPANTS. INCREASING SPEED INCREASED THE PAINFUL EFFECT WE LATER LEARNED WAS SOMETHING EXPERIENCED BY ALL HIGHLANDERS FROM 2001. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE "FIRST" HE HEARD OF THIS PHENOMENON. TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS SAID THEY WERE AWARE THIS HAPPENS WHEN YOU OPEN REAR WINDOW(S) IN A HIGHLANDER AND AGREES THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED TO US GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE ANOTHER MODEL INSTEAD. AT THIS POINT THIS CONDITION IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THE DEALER IS GIVING US NO INDICATION THEY ARE GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT HOPE I GIVE UP. TO PURCHASE A CAR FOR $30,000+ AND BE TOLD NOT TO OPEN THE WINDOWS IS ABSURD. IT IS UNFORTUNATE I AM BEING FORCED TO GO TO ARBITRATION WHEN THE CAR HAS SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THE HIGHLANDER IS ON THE NATIONAL LEMON LIST. I HOPE THIS WILL HELP ANYONE CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING. A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AS IF THE VEHICLE HAD RAN OVER SOMETHING LARGE IN THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LIQUID SPRAYING OUT FROM THE VEHICLE, ONCE HE PULLED OVER, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A HOLE WAS IN THE GAS TANK. HOWEVER, ONE MONTH LATER THE SAME LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE GAS TANK HAD A DEEP INDENTATION IN IT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE GAS TANK. *MR *TS *JB