Automatic Transmission problems of the 2007 Toyota Highlander

My Toyota Highlander 2007 (7 seats) stalls since the day I bought it. I thought it was normal but it is becoming very dangerous since it stalls for a sec or 2 everytime you slow and try to accelerate afterward. It stall mainly at yield sign, when slowly trying to cruise intersections and when you try to pass on highways. I read many story on the internet with the same problem.

My Toyota Highlander limited [2007] has a problem with acceleration. It is not in the current recall. I reported the problem 6/5/08. When I am in cruise control, then brake, then press the cruise control mechanism to return to cruise control, the car sometimes surges ahead at speeds much faster than the set cruise control speed. I do not touch the accelerator pedal at all when this happens. Has happened 10 - 15 times. The car currently has about 19,500 miles. The Toyota dealer went on a test drive with me in June 2008 but the surging did not happen on the test drive. I mentioned it to the dealer again but since it was not happening at the time I brought the car in for service, I was not written up. Has only happened when I use cruise control to resume speed. All instances have been in highway driving at highway speeds. It seems electronic to me. |occurrence is erratic.

Transmission seems to shift at random times. At a stop it will not engage immediately and the Highlander will coast to speed, at other times I touch the accelerator and the car launch off like a race car. When coasting it seems to shift at random times and some times speed up when I want to slow down by hitting brakes. This seems to risk a collision.

I cannot believe Toyota is finally being held to task. In 2007 I sent you a complaint about transmission hesitation problems in the Toyota Highlander. It was so severe, my wife refused to drive it, fearing a collision on highway entry as the car held back and then lurched forward. Despite hundreds of complaints on the internet under transmission hesitation for Toyota, Toyota refused to admit there was a problem and still does! with other problems now coming to light, I hope you will re-look at this issue before someone is killed because of it, since that seems to be the only thing that generates these investigations as are now going on. Please look into this. A simple internet search will show you hundreds of complaints and they are all exactly the same- not likely if the problem isn't real.

2007 Toyota Highlander - uncontrolled transmission surges cause vehicle to move forward unexpectedly. Transmission always shifting down to 5th gear at very slow speeds, pushing car forward unexpectedly when not desired. Taking foot off gas pedal, car maintains speed (like on cruise control). Car will drive and maintain speeds without gas pedal input. Driver must fight to slow vehicle down. Slowing down, coming to a stop sign, car still always wants to shift down into 5th gear, pushing car forward faster just before full stop, risking rear end collision with another vehicle. Fighting with car to slow down. Toyota dealer says car is working as designed.