2002 Toyota Highlander visibility problems

“THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR DOES NOT STAY PROPPED UP IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION. IT DROPS DOWN TO A VERTICAL POSITION DOWNWARDS, WHERE IT BLOCKS THE DRIVER'S VIEW. *TR”

“SUBMISSION FROM CONSTITUENT RE DEFECTIVE VISOR/ SAFETY PROBLEMS 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ( FULL DOCUMENT NOT IMAGED). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO, THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR WOULD NOT REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION, AND APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OVER ROAD BUMPS, THE SUN VISOR WOULD FALL, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S VISION OF THE ROADWAY TO BECOME OBSCURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS APPROXIMATELY 166,000. *TR...UPDATED 05/08/13 *BF”

“THE HEATER WOULD NOT PROVIDE HOT AIR. I PUSHED IN ON THE SWITCH AND THE HEAT WOULD WORK AS LONG AS I HELD THE SWITCH PUSHED IN (NOT DESIGNED TO BE PUSHED - ROTARY SELECTOR). EVENTUALLY, EVEN PRESSING THE SWITCH IN WOULD NOT WORK. I WENT ON LINE AND FOUND A DISCUSSION BLOG THAT DISCUSSED MY EXACT ISSUE. I FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDATION AND PULLED THE FACE COVER OFF, REMOVED THE CONTROL PANEL AND DISCOVERED EXACTLY WHAT HAD BEEN DESCRIBED - A BROKEN SINGLE STRAND WIRE THAT RAN TO THE BACK OF THE SWITCH. I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE REPAIR USING A MULTI-STRAND WIRE AS RECOMMENDED BECAUSE THE DEALER REPAIR OPTION WAS $1,000. THE HEATER APPEARS TO WORK -SLIGHTLY, BUT NOW I HAVE NO AC. I THINK THE CIRCUIT BOARD WAS DAMAGED BY THE SOLDERING IRON HEAT. BECAUSE WE LIVE IN THE SEATTLE AREA, THIS CAUSES ISSUES WITH THE WINDOW DEFOGGER AS WELL AS HAVING NO AC. *TR”

“DRIVER/S SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP. WHILE DRIVING, IT SUDDENLY DROPS OBSCURING MY VISION AND PUTTING THE DRIVER AT EXTREME RISK FOR AN ACCIDENT (IMPAIRED VISION OF THE ROAD). THERE IS NO APPARENT WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SHORT OF REPLACING THE SUN VISOR (ESTIMATED COST OF APPROX. $700 PER BLOGS). THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY MANY OWNERS OF 2002 HIGHLANDERS AS EXEMPLIFIED VIA "COMPLAINT" POSTINGS. *TR”

“THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW & POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. THE SUN VISORS FAIL & DROP DOWN IN FRONT ON YOU, NO LONGER STAYING AT A PROPER ANGLE OR STAYING UP. I CUT ONE OPEN & FOUND THAT THE PIVOTING PIN IS COATED IN PLASTIC & HELD IN PLACE BY A METAL CLIP. OVER TIME THE PLASTIC CRACKS & FALLS OFF THE METAL PIN CAUSING THE LOSS OF THE REQUIRED FRICTION TO HOLD THE VISOR SECURELY IN PLACE. MY 1ST REPAIR WAS TO REFORM THE PIN WITH EPOXY, BUT THE FORCE FROM THE METAL CLIP WAS TOO MUCH AND IT FAILED IN A FEW MONTHS. THE NEXT FIX WAS TO CUT THE VISOR OPEN AGAIN & FORCE THE PART OF THE PIN STILL COVERED IN THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC COATING DEEPER INTO THE METAL CLIP. THAT REPAIR LASTED UNTIL NOW. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE, BUT NOW I CAN NOT REPAIR IT AND NOT DOING SO WOULD BE A DRIVING HAZARD. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING BY NOW. *JS”