2019 Toyota Highlander

VEHICLE IS SLOW TO RESPOND AND/OR HAS INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE WHEN ACCELERATING OR MOVING FROM COMPLETE STOP. THERE IS LAG TIME IN THE VEHICLE'S RESPONSE TO DRIVER ACCELERATION WHICH MAKES IT CHALLENGING TO ENTER (FROM ROADWAY OR DRIVEWAY) ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR MERGE INTO INTERSTATE/FREEWAY TRAFFIC. THE DELAY IN THE RESPONSIVENESS AND INCONSISTENT PERFORMANCE CAUSES DRIVER TO NEED EXTRA TIME AND DISTANCE WHEN ENTERING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THE FRONT END ALSO BECOMES JUMPY AND ENTERS WITH A SKID/PULL FORCE CAUSING THE NEED TO STEER INTO THE VEHICLE AND COURSE-CORRECT. VEHICLE ALSO DOES NOT ACCELERATE WELL OUT OF A RIGHT-HAND TURN ON 90DEG TURNS AND LAGS TO ACCELERATION PAST APEX. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 07/25/2020 WITH 4,278 MILES. TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL FOR LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IN 01/2020 AND ADDED THIS MODEL TO THE RECALL LIST IN 10/2020. AN INTERIM SAFETY RECALL NOTICE STATING THE VEHICLE COULD STALL WHILE DRIVING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH, PARTICULARLY AT HIGH SPEEDS. AS OF 02/15/2021, TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUED A REMEDY TO THIS SAFETY RECALL WHICH HAS BEEN OPEN, IN TOTAL, FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. AS A DRIVER WHO RELIES ON FREEWAY TRAVEL IN ARIZONA, THIS IS DISTURBING AND THE ADDITIONAL ERRATIC PERFORMANCE IN-TOWN DURING NORMAL TRAFFIC IS EQUALLY UNSETTLING. THIS VEHICLE IS STILL BEING USED IN NORMAL CONDITIONS DUE TO THE OWNER BEING IN AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT RECREATIONAL DRIVING IS BEING LIMITED DUE TO THE OPEN AND UNRESOLVED SAFETY RECALL ISSUED BY TOYOTA. I ALSO CONTACTED MY SERVICE WRITER AT TOYOTA BEFORE RECEIVING THE LETTER, SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE TO ASK IF THE ACCELERATION DELAYS AND INCONSISTENCY WERE NORMAL IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE THE DRIVER EXPERIENCE IS SUBPAR TO WHAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED WITH A NEW, LOW-MILE XLE VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SLOW AND ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN A PARKING SPACE, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASHED ALONG WITH A CHIME. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHILE THE VEHICLE PROPELLED FORWARD. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO STOP THE VEHICLE HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A POLE WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED TO STOP. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE. THE LOCAL MILLENNIUM TOYOTA DEALER (257 N FRANKLIN ST, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550) WAS CALLED WHERE IT WAS SUGGESTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AND THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW UP ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THEIR POSSESSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE DEALER BUT NO CALL WAS RECEIVED SO THE CONTACT CALLED AND LEFT A VOICEMAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN CALLED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT PAPER WORK WAS NEEDED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND THAT THE BLACK BOX WAS TO BE INSPECTED WHICH COULD TAKE A WEEK FOR THE RESULTS AND A MONTH FOR A SOLUTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V012000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER THE RECALL REMEDY WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

SEVERE HESITATION WHEN GAS IS APPLIED, ESPECIALLY WHEN CROSSING HEAVY TRAFFIC AND INSTANT POWER/QUICK ACCELERATION NEEDED. ALSO NOTED WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS, AFTER CAR HAS SLOWED DOWN BELOW 5 MPH TO MAKE THE CORNER. GAS IS APPLIED WITH HESITATION. NOTED MORE WHEN CAR IS AT A COMPLETE STAND STILL/MOVING AT SLOW SPEED THEN GAS APPLIED TO MOVE FORWARD. CAR DOES NOT MOVE/REACT INSTANTLY. I NOTICE THIS PROBLEM ON A WEEKLY (AT LEAST) BASIS.