general problems of the 2006 Toyota Highlander

Two problems being reported are severe safety issues, and could result in injury, death, and/or property damage. Problem 1: while driving, the brake pedal suddenly went all the way to the floor, and the car would not stop. To avoid hitting the car in front at a stop sign, I had to turn the wheel, resulting in running through the stop sign and onto the grass and shoulder before the car finally stopped. Multiple dashboard warning lights appeared. After stopping, the brakes momentarily returned but failed again within 2-3 minutes. A loud, high-pitched, piercing whistle sound began, indicating a complete loss of brakes. The car had to be towed 200 miles back home. It is not safe to drive the car without functioning brakes. The obd scan codes are: c1256 (accumulator low pressure), c1391 (abnormal leak of accumulator pressure), and c1256 (accumulator low pressure). Problem 2: when starting the car, the brakes are applied first, and then the car is placed in gear. The car involuntarily and immediately jumps forward or backward and continues to move, even though the brakes are being applied. Having the foot on the brakes has no effect on the car moving! the car should not move at all when the brakes are being applied. To stop the movement, I must quickly pump the brakes repeatedly. This occurs every time the car is placed into gear after starting the engine, causing it to jump forward or backward and continue moving despite brake application. Both problems are severe safety issues, and could result in injury, death, or property damage.

Power brakes stopped working while driving due to bad brake actuator. Vehicle shut down while driving due to power train system.

While driving my vehicle all the lights on my dashboard illuminated. My vehicle lost power and I had to pull over. It died there. I was on belfield Ave and gratz street in philadelphia, PA . I subsequently had it towedback to my residence.

The vehicle will occasionally surge in speed momentarily, mostly noticed when operating below 50 mph. It is more prevalent at lower speeds. We are the original owner. This has been an ongoing situation since the vehicle was new. Hybrid model. It has been inspected by the dealer with no issues found.

I have had axles break while driving after they where replace and they say there is nothing a matter with the front end. And the frame is rusted after a year and it is breaking.

I was driving in my Highlander with my daughters in the back seat when suddenly out of no where all the alert lights came on and there was no power at all - the gas pedal was non functional - I was in the far left lane of a an interstate and fortunately I was able to get off the road and pull the car out of traffic as it rolled to a stop. I waited on the crowded interstate for two hours for a tow. I was told that the Highlander hybrid inverter had failed - the dealer replaced the part that week and the car drives normally now. I was advised that in fact this is a known problem. One month later ironically I received in the mail notice from Toyota that my model of Highlander is being recalled for the inverter replacement that had just caused this extremely unsafe vehicle failure just one month prior.

I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid. It has the four wheel drive "I"system. Any time the vehicle senses slipping in the tires it cuts power to all wheels. I have been stuck in very manageable conditions. Not only do you not get 4 wheel drive to help out of adverse conditions, you get no drive to any wheels and are left stuck. I spoke with Toyota and they said that the vehicle is designed to do this to prevent damage to the hybrid system. There is no information in any of the literature provided when purchasing a vehicle. This vehicle should not be sold to anyone who drives in snow or on any thing other than an improved road. Toyota acknowledged that they have received other complaints regarding this issue but will not correct it, nor inform buyers about it's design. This will undoubtedly strand drivers in adverse conditions they deem manageable.