2017 Toyota Highlander problems

“Transmission failure after whining noise, taken to Toyota multiple times with no diagnosis. Today was informed the transmission is failing by another mechanic. 193,000 miles.”

“My 2017 Toyota Highlander, VIN [XXX], has just under 85,000 miles. I was notified at the dealership (Stevinson Toyota in Lakewood Colorado) who inspected the vehicle yesterday that the vehicle has developed a timing cover oil leak on the passenger side. After further research I learned this is caused by premature failure of the factory applied FIPG sealant at the timing cover’s T junction. This is well documented as a known, widespread defect in the V6 engine used across multiple Toyota and Lexus models between 2014 and 2019. This failure is not due to wear, neglect, or misuse. It is the result of a documented manufacturing flaw that requires full engine removal and carries an extremely high repair cost — a burden that should not fall on customers when the underlying cause is a defective sealant application at the time of manufacturing of the vehicle. I was quoted $5400. I am deeply concerned that Toyota has not issued a recall for this problem, despite its prevalence and the clear safety risks it presents. This leak is not merely a “durability issue.” It has legitimate and serious safety implications, including: •The potential for engine fire due to oil…”

“March 5th purchased a battery from Autozone Z net Fit Match that caused cascading electrical and life -safety risk while traveling from hewitt, TX to Washington DC for our families spring break trip including 4 minor children. Component: 12-Volt Battery / Electrical System / Power Steering / Service Brakes Summary: Vehicle suffered catastrophic failure of Power Steering and Braking systems while in motion due to the installation of an incompatible lead-acid battery recommended by AutoZone’s 'Z-Net' catalog. Despite Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-TT-0523-19 (Jan 2019) stating this VIN requires an Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB/AGM) for its Stop-Start system, the retailer’s database continues to misidentify standard batteries as compatible. This mismatch causes a voltage drop that disables critical safety modules ('Limp Mode'). I have video evidence of the catalog error. This is a systemic misrepresentation affecting 2017+ Toyota Highlander safety compliance.”

“The engine stalled because the fuel pump is failing. We have found that many 2017 Toyota Highlanders have had the fuel pump recalled for this exact issue, yet our VIN is not included in this recall. We experienced the exact issue the recall was issued for stalling while driving. Issue on July 24, 2027: The engine stalled while driving on the highway at high speed and lost power steering, creating a major safety issue. We had our vehicle towed to a car care center. The car care center identified diagnostic codes related to low pressure fuel system pressure, engine stall history, etc. but cannot reproduce the issue. After checking multiple systems, he believes the issue is a failing fuel pump. Background: Over the past 6 months, we have had problems with the check engine light turning on. On multiple occasions, we have brought the car to get diagnosed and the reading has consistently been fuel pressure codes. Each time we get the car diagnosed, the technician could not reproduce the issues and cleared the codes without resolution.”

“With 22k miles on vehicle, car won’t start due to Brake power low fault. Battery was replaced in attempt to rectify problem with no success, vehicle will need to be towed in for repair.”

“The radar cruise control system on my 2017 Toyota Highlander is not functioning properly and creates a safety hazard. When initially setting the radar cruise control, the system works as expected. I can accelerate to a desired speed, press the “set” control, and the vehicle maintains that speed correctly. The problem occurs when I try to increase the set speed. After setting an initial speed (for example, 45 mph), I accelerate to a higher speed (such as 65 mph) and press the “set” control again to update the cruise setting. Instead of setting the new speed, the system reverts to the previously stored speed. When this happens, the vehicle rapidly decelerates and applies braking to return to the lower speed. This sudden and unexpected braking creates a dangerous situation, especially on highways, as it can put surrounding drivers at risk of a rear-end collision. I have tested this multiple times and experience the same result each time. This issue only occurs when using radar cruise control and does not occur with standard cruise control. note this has been an ongoing issue since the day I purchased my vehicle in January 2017. I notified the dealership about the…”