2017 Toyota Highlander

Vehicle stalled while attempting to cross a 4 lane divided road (on or about 9/3/20). Engine sputtered and completely loss power. Vehicle was pushed out of busy traffic by a Sherriff's Officer to a side road. Vehicle was then towed to the dealership. Messages on screen displayed “check AWD system, check BMS system, pre-collision malfunction, EPS failure “. Battery was replaced and codes were cleared and rescanned reporting no problems. On 9/16/2020 vehicle again began sputtering shortly after starting engine and while driving on a busy road. I was able to drive into a nearby parking lot with reduced power. Engine completely stalled and the display panel showed the engine warning light and to see dealer. Vehicle was towed again to the dealership. Technician performed diagnostic health check on vehicle and found that the fuel pump was not sending any fuel to the engine (0 PSI). They tested and checked all wiring and connectors. Inspected wiring and grounds for the fuel pump and ECU. Technician isolated issue coming from fuel pump relay. They replaced relay and rechecked system, test drove vehicle with no further issues noted. On 6/11/2021 vehicle stalled again shortly after start-up while attempting to leave a shopping mall. Vehicle was again sputtering and losing power. I was able to park vehicle in same mall. Messages displayed on panel: “traction control turned off, check engine, reduced engine power, visit your dealer, check AWD system”. Engine then completely stalled. Called for tow service and waited for three hours but tow truck never arrived. Was able to restart engine and drove vehicle to dealer. Dealer replaced fuel pump and assembly after a week of testing. On 6/19/21 after paying dealer for the repairs the vehicle sputtered and stalled once again while attempting to leave the dealer’s parking lot. Same display messages seen as described above. Vehicle now in dealer’s garage awaiting further diagnosis.

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. After the recall repair, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the fault code reader indicated that there was a failure with cylinder 3. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be taken apart to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

When turning on the car the emergency hybrid system states to put in P and take foot off brake. Car will not stop. When in car wash on neutral car would not go into drive and rolled out and was able to find spot but couldn’t turn off and back on. Has occurred multiple times. Multiple Warning lights on dash light up when it occurs.

FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES FAILURE TO START THE ENGINE AND BATTERY APPEARS DRAINED WITH APPROX. 30K MILES. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND EITHER IN MY GARAGE OR PARKED. JUMPER CABLES USED TO START THE CAR DID THE JOB THE FIRST TWO TIMES, THEN A POWERFUL PORTABLE BATTERY JUMPER WAS NEEDED THE NEXT TWO TIMES AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY AAA - TOLD ME THE OE BATTERY FAILED (NOT UNDER WARRANTY, SO IT COST ME OUT OF POCKET. NOW, THE 5TH TIME I AM WAITING FOR AAA AGAIN. THEIR BATTERY IS STILL UNDER FREE REPLACEMENT WARRANTY. THIS IS VERY POOR PERFORMANCE FOR A (I BOUGHT NEW) CAR THAT HAS JUST OVER 35K MILES AND LESS THAN 39 MONTHS OLD. ALSO, SEEING ALL THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND A RECALL FOR THE 2020 SAME MODEL, LEADS ME TO BELIEVE TOYOTA IS NOT AS RELIABLE AS THEY ONCE WERE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V682000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED PASSPORT TOYOTA (5001 AUTH WAY, CAMP SPRINGS, MD 20746, (301)899-6000) AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

ON 3/8/21 I WAS DRIVING MY 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLAND APPROX. 13 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOME. I BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE AS I WAS DRIVING AND THROUGH FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND THE SMOKE TO BE COMING FROM THE CHARGING PORT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MIDDLE ARM REST. THERE IS A FUNCTIONAL CAP ON THIS PORT TO KEEP DEBRIS FROM FALLING INTO IT. I DID NOT SEE ANY DEBRIS IN IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. BUT WHILE CHECKING FOR THE SOURCE OF SMOKE I FELT HEAT COMING FROM THE PORT AND THEN IT MELTED TO THE FLOOR. ONCE THIS HAPPENED I PULLED OVER TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND EXITED.