2003 Toyota Highlander problems

“2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (4 CYL. ENGINE) DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $600. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND IMMEDIATELY FOUND TO STILL HAVE A COOLANT LEAK. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND OWNER ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. DEALERSHIP CHECKED AND ADVISED THAT CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS WERE STRIPPED OUT AND THAT ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $5400. THE ENGINE NEVER LOST ENOUGH COOLANT TO OVERHEAT BUT THE ONLY REPAIR OPTION GIVEN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE RATHER THAN REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET AND REPAIRING THE STRIPPED OUT THREADS TO HEAD BOLTS. SERVICE MANAGER SLIPPED UP BY SAYING THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE BUT WHEN QUESTIONED FURTHER ABOUT THE PROBLEM HE STATED HE ONLY SEES IT "ONCE IN A BLUE MOON". THIS SEEMS TO BE A CONTRADICTION TO ALL THE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. TOYOTA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN MARCH 2, 2011 FOR THE HIGHLANDER, RAV4, CAMRY, AND SOLARA WHICH STATES: THERE MAY BE DAMAGED CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO STATED HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM…”

“Automatically disengage the transmission Stopped the road Icalled my husband Myhusband came and together we got the car to a safe place.Then Icame home with my husband and he called the insurance company and had the car towed. Ifound a place to fix the car and they said the transmission was broken and it cost about 6500 dollars.Icontacted the insurance company said they couldn’t help.The car was towed home and is not available.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.”

“CLARIFICATION FROM PREVIOUS SUBMISSION (10/21/14)....... HEATING SYSTEM BLOWS COLD AIR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE HEAT IS ON. THE SYSTEM WAS CLEANED, WORKED WELL TO A SHORT TIME. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE MECHANIC NOTED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE HEATING CONTROL PANELS OF THE EARLY MODEL TOYOTA'S. SAFETY FACTOR: THIS IS HAZARDOUS IN THE WINTER, AS THE WINDOWS BECOME FOGGY RESULTING IN THE LIMITED VISIBILITY ESPECIALLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. ? ? *TR”

“THIS CAR HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED FROM DAY ONE. LAST YEAR, WE BEGAN NOTICING AN ODD, LOUD DRUMMING SOUND OCCURRING ALONG WITH RESISTANCE TO ACCELERATION IN SLOW SPEED SITUATIONS. THIS INCLUDED PARKING LOTS, STOPPING FOR A LEFT TURN WITHIN AN INTERSECTION, AND EVERY OTHER SITUATION WHERE WE NEEDED TO MANEUVER AT LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND SOMETIMES THE CAR WOULD LURCH WITHIN A TURN. IT BECAME ALARMINGLY SEVERE AND THE PERIODS BETWEEN INCIDENTS BEGAN TO SHORTEN. WHILE STILL INTERMITTENT, WE BEGAN TO BE CONCERNED AND TOOK IT TO THE NY DEALER WHO HAD BEEN SERVICING THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW. WE REPORTED EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN ABOVE, INCLUDING THE COMMENT THAT THE ANTI-SKID LIGHT WOULD COME ON THE DASH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. AFTER CHARGING US OVER $900 FOR FLUID REPLACEMENT AND REATTACHING A VACUUM HOSE, WE WERE TOLD WE HAD NO PROBLEM, THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. IT OCCURRED AGAIN WHEN WE LEFT THE DEALERS LOT. THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF INCREASING DIFFICULTY WE TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER, TO BE TOLD THAT OUR TIRES WERE WORN. WE REPLACED THE TIRES, AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED ON EITHER WET OR DRY…”

“WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A STRIP MALL, ABOUT 10 FEET BEFORE THE PARKING BLOCK THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL HARD TO THE LEFT AND HIT THE BRAKES TO AVOID THE BUILDING. I DID HIT THE AWNING SUPPORTS AND CAUSED THE AWNING TO SAG. WAS ABLE TO FINALLY STOP THE CAR AND GOT OUT SAFELY. THE CAR LATER WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY.”