Coolant Leaking Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 1

Head gasket cracked, leaking coolant into 5th cylinder. The reason for a po305 misfire code on reader. Auto shop removed head gasket and saw that the finish on the engine block was horrible. They called Toyota themselves to file a complaint and have them replace that side of the block. Auto shop doesn't feel comfortable replacing head gasket without Toyota fixing the finish. If the finish is as is, head gasket will eventually crack again. Highlander was bought brand new and only has 73k miles.

See all problems of the 2013 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Oil coolant line bursts which causes immediate loss of all oil. Problem happens while vehicle is in motion, and in this case while in motion on a high trafficked freeway. Fix cost about $1,000 out of pocket. This is a very large leak which covers the ground, engine, and undercarriage. If the oil line ruptures while driving, the low engine oil message and engine oil pressure warnings will illuminate. Continued use after these warnings will result in complete engine failure due to oil starvation. The line is known to be defective, and a revised part has been issued by Toyota but recall has not been issued. Covered under a warranty issued by Toyota but covers under a short time frame.

See all problems of the 2009 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Since the first day of ownership (07/27/2018, this vehicle has the very pungent odor of antifreeze coming from outside the vehicle, driver side. After the engine reaches normal operating temperature. There are no visible signs of coolant leaking, either on the pavement or inside the engine compartment. There is no odor inside the car indicating a leaking heater core. The car is only eight months old and 4800 miles. This vehicle has been taken to the dealership three times with no solution yet.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

We have a vehicle with a 2. 4liter/4 cylinger engine that is loosing oil at a rate of 1qrt per 1000 miles and now there is a coolant leak coming from the gasket seal between the engine block and head. There is no guage that tells you how much oil is missing until it's too late and the engine starts to over heat. Both the oil and coolant is leaking on roads, parking lots and driveways, what we have found is that the bolts that are nearest the leak are stripped, they either stripped in assembly or flailed do to overheating of the block do to the engine block not having sufficient cooling because of a heavy foam pad that restricts air floe around the engine causing the head to flex and leak at the gasket seal based on online complaints there are hundreds, if not thousands of owners with this same problem. Seems that some of these engines are having success by drilling, tapping and inserting new coils into the aluminum block, which may or may not be a permanent solution. It seems that Toyota is aware of the problem and refuses to repair the damage. The most common suggested repair is to replace the motor and we assume that they problem will happen again since they have redesigned the problem. . Replacement is at the owners cost for materials and labor at approx $6,000-$8,000.

See all problems of the 2004 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

August 6, 2015 I was driving northbound on hwy 45. After about 20 minutes on the road my 2009 Toyota Highlander began to smoke, the oil pressure warning light came on and I pulled over to the side of the road. Within a few minutes, black smoke was pouring out from underneath the hood. Within another minute or two the SUV was on fire and soon the front half was completely engulfed in flames. I thought it would explode. Two milwaukee fire department teams arrived and extinguished the fire. Thank god no one was hurt and my children were not in the car. Accident report bmz14xn was filed with milwaukee county. Prior to the fire that totaled the Highlander, an emergency repair was made to the Highlander on November 3, 2014. That night the engine began to make a strange noise and the oil warning light went on. I pulled into the nearest auto repair shop; the tech said if I drove any further the engine would have been severely damaged because there was no oil left. The engine coolant pipe sprung a leak and all of the oil poured out of my car. That was the first time my Highlander lost all of its oil because of a faulty oil coolant pipe- the second time it resulted in an engine fire. In December 2014 I received a letter from Toyota stating they reimburse for repairs related to leaking oil or engine damage. Toyota dealers received technical service bulletin (TSB) #TSB-020-11 indicating the replacement part should be metal; not rubber which is what I had. I mentioned the emergency repair twice when I went in for service to jack safro Toyota. Neither time did a service tech suggest that the oil coolant pipe be checked to make sure it was correctly repaired. I believe this was a major oversight on the part of the service department and that Toyota should recall the oil coolant pipe. The faulty part is on 2007-2010 Highlanders and other Toyota vehicles.

I drove vehicle crown Toyota for a minor service and mentioned that there was dripping of coolant noticed on the garage floor. Requested 'check and advise' on this. After approximately 3. 0 hours, I went to the service desk for information regarding leak. I was taken to the service advisor arthur silva and he told me that they could not repair the leak because that situation is due to the head bolts pulling out of the block. The estimate for such repair was $6,780. 28 plus tax and would involve replacing the short block. He mentioned this problem was known to occur with vehicles having the 2az-fe engines such as the above Highlander and that I could research same. Since I was buying only Toyota cars since 1972 and have owned 4 such cars and one Lexus based on my experience and conclusion that reliability is number one with Toyota. I can only say I was in shock. When I told my wife (this is actually her auto), she was sick for the next three days. A short discussion with aaa. Suggested we look at this web site for complaints, etc. It turns out that this problem has occurred many times before and applies to several models including the rav-4 and Highlander some with much lower mileage but there is no actual recall or letter notice from Toyota. Also, no proposed action by dealerships to resolve the problem. I think that dumping this sudden, major expense problem on owners is very irresponsible- not worthy of Toyota. Compensation regarding the time loss and expense should be offered to owners or dealers should be instructed by Toyota to resolve when found. Please note that this vehicle and all the previous was serviced by Toyota /Lexus dealerships. A positive response would be appreciated.

See all problems of the 2002 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Check engine light went on the morning of February 23, 2015. White smoke emerged from vehicle as I was driving. Then, the vehicle started overheating. Mechanic indicates head gaskets were blown and short block screws stripped and bent, leaking coolant on my 4 cylinder 2003 Highlander. He repaired the same make, model and year the prior year with the same issue. $69,000 for a new engine. $44,00 for a rebuilt one. I have never had any mechanical issues with this car since I purchased it two years old in 2005. Although, I have kept up with the servicing, this type of sudden malfunction is a shocker.

See all problems of the 2003 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Tl-the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph, when she noticed the temperature gauge had increased. In addition, the traction, check engine and vhc warning lights had illuminated. The independent mechanic diagnosed that she had coolant fluid leaking and she needed to purchase an engine kit from Toyota for the repairs. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was aware of the issue. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. Ne.

See all problems of the 2006 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Noticed white smoke coming out of the tailpipe in June. Then I noticed reddish/pink fluid accumulating on garage floor in July. Took it in assuming either a coolant or transmission fluid leak. Toyota told me I needed a new engine because the back headbolts were stripped and the head gasket was blown. All this was determined without removing valve cover and cams, but instead because it's a known issue. Many owners report the same thing on message boards.

Head gasket failed, head bolts stripped, coolant leak, a/c blows hot.

Cylinder head bolts separated from lower engine block causing a major coolant leak (eng:2az-fe) had to replace engine with a remanufactured engine only to have same problem again forcing me to once again replace engine with a remanufactured engine and theirs 22 complaints on car complaints website for same issue, Toyota is refusing responsibility.

I took my 2003 Toyota Highlander to the garage after I noticed that coolant was leaking from the engine block. It had just gone over 100,000 miles and we bought it new. I was told that a head gasket was blown which was due to a defect since the engine didn't overheat. There weren't any issues other than the fluid leaking. I did some research and found that many other Highlander owners have had the same issue (head gasket blown, leaking coolant, and stripped bolts on the block). I called my local Toyota dealership and they said there was nothing they could do. This is very frustrating that they are not taking accountability for a manufacturing defect.

While driving the temperature gauge rose above the read line (hot). Before I was able to get to a parking area it continuously rose and fell, however, it never dropped as low as the middle line on the gauge. After checking the fluids we had to add water. We took the Highlander and were told that it had a coolant leak. From there we took it to a Toyota dealership and were told that the entire engine would need replacing. I claimed that this had to be some sort of factory defect because he explained that the threads were stripped and the bolts were coming out "the head is pulling away from the block". We have always taken great care of our vehicle and this is not something that should happen to any well made vehicle. After doing research online I found that many others have suffered with the exact same issue and nothing was done to help with their situation. Please see the web page below. . Read more...

My 2003 Toyota Highlander ( 2. 4l 4-cylinder) developed a coolant leak on the back side of the engine. My mechanic informed me it had a blown head gasket and that the back three head bolts are completely stripped,allowing coolant to leak onto the engine. After some research on the computer I find this is a very common problem. What will it take to get Toyota to step up and take care of their problem?.

Vehicle was driven normally and parked. While parked, owner noticed small leak under front axle, investigated and leak appeared to be transmission fluid or antifreeze. Owner drove vehicle next day, parked and noticed leak was larger. Owner took vehicle to dealer next morning and was told the head gasket was failing. Dealer said alternatives were to repair head gasket ($3200+), replace engine or buy another vehicle. Owner declined repair and took vehicle to independent mechanic, who confirmed head gasket leak and recommended either sealant ($250) or head gasket repair ($1200). Owner chose sealant. About four days after sealant fix, owner was driving vehicle and stopped at a starbucks drive-through. Minutes into the wait, the vehicles temp gauge began to climb rapidly. Owner revved engine and temp declined. Owner drove vehicle home and inspected engine, discovered coolant had begun to spray from overflow reservoir. Owner let vehicle cool. Next day, owner drove vehicle at modest speed across town, watching the temp gauge. Temp would increase incrementally, then decline, but no overheating appeared. Third day, owner did same, but this time, as owner approached his home, the temp gauge shot to red. Owner parked in driveway, opened hood and found overflow reservoir bubbling, coolant spray and overflow on frame. Prior to these incidents, about one year ago the owner had been told by Toyota dealer that a few engine mounts were cracked and needed replacement, which was done. No other major repairs or issues have existed with vehicle. Vehicle is not 10 years old, its 103,500 miles has been generally light highway and short-distance city driving. Oil and other maintenance has been routinely performed.

The threads in the engine block became striped leaking coolant into the engine/pistons. Recommendation was to replace the engine.

Engine started to leak coolant from the head gasket, and after a couple days was leaking about a gallon a day. At that point I stopped driving the vehicle and took it in to have it looked at. They said it was leaking from the head gasket because the head bolts are striped out. Cost would be around $5000 because it had to be striped down and taken to a machine shop to be fixed. And more then likely it would need a new motor block. I still haven't had the car fixed because I cant afford to spend that kind of money right now. I have done alot of research on this and seems many people are having the same issue with the 2003 Highlander. This for sure is a design defect in the Highlander and Toyota will not acknowledge it and help resolve the problem because there has not been a recall. I wrote several letters to Toyota and that is basically the same answer I got every time.

Vehicle began leaking coolant from the center of the engine. No warning lights or sensors have gone off period. Called Toyota dealership and manufacture line and both told me they have never heard of the problem, which is untrue I found hundreds of individuals with the same issue.

2003 Toyota Highlander 2. 4 l 4-cylinder engine, 108,000 miles, perfect service, until it developed coolant leak on the back side of the top of the engine, adjacent to an insulator pad at the back of the engine block. The back 3 head bolts are completely stripped, allowing coolant to leak onto the engine.

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 25 mph the vehicle began to overheat and coolant began to leak out of the engine. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and was informed the vehicle would need a new engine due to the head gasket not being able to be removed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 160,000. Dt.

Tl-the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that there was coolant was leaking from the fire wall. The contact attempted to contact the dealer to schedule a diagnostic test but the contact could not get a response. The contact then called the manufacturer regarding the failure and the manufacturer advised that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 106,000. Kmj.

The threads in the engine block became striped leaking coolant into the engine/pistons, blowing the head gasket.

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 before and knows how to fix it (and will give a 2 year 24000 mile warranty on the repair). Why does a vehicle defect have to kill someone before it prompts a recall. This is obviously a vehicle defect and is still hazardous to consumers if they are sick, elderly, or left stranded on the side of the road. How many people are killed every year when they are stranded on the side of the road and struck by another motorist. (too many!) come on Toyota, does it take a lawsuit over someone's death for you to correct the problem?.

Coolant leaked from engine onto floor in large amounts. Our mechanic said threads were stripped and head gasket bolts had pulled out. Only solution, new engine or possible rebuild by Toyota dealership. We were under 60,000 mile warranty but over 60 months. Toyota refused to help us. Sadly I've been changing my own oil and didn't keep all receipts for a maintenance record. Lesson learned. Toyota dealership offered new engine for $7,300 or rebuild for $4,600. We had non-Toyota mechanic rebuild threads for $2,300. Car works fine now. Way more money than we expected to spend on a Toyota with under 60,000 miles.

Engine overheated while driving, and vehicle was parked overnight and coolant restored. When taken to local Toyota dealer for repair was informed that bolts holding engine block had failed due to threads inside block being stripped, and coolant was leaking from seal in engine block. Aside from hitting a deer once (minor vehicle damage in which the headlight needed to be replaced), this vehicle has not been in an accident. In reading information on web, this issue has been reported by other Toyota owners.

Vehicle has Toyota 2az-fe (2. 4 l) 4 cylinder engine. Oil & coolant leaking from back of engine. Head bolts on main gasket failed. In searching internet, countless other owners have unfortunately experienced the same failure which is due to an inherent design problem by Toyota. Bolts between gasket and main engine block fail and cannot be repaired or replaced. Have to buy and install a new engine. Called Toyota USA headquarters in torrance, CA. And spoke to them, they said they will do nothing for me. Spoke to dylan and the case number is 1111291430. Believe that a recall should be issued and that Toyota should assume financial responsibility for these failures, which are obviously due to a design and manufacturing problem of Toyota.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph the vehicle started to overheat. She drove onto the emergency lane and waited for the vehicle to cool off. The vehicle was then inspected by a independent mechanic who advised her that the engine bolt was stripped and caused the coolant to leak onto the engine. The mechanic also stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were approximately 111,400.

2003 Toyota Highlander 2. 4l 4-cylinder engine, 108,000 miles, developed coolant leak on the back side of the top of the engine, adjacent to an insulator pad at the back of the engine block. The back 3 head bolts were stripped, allowing coolant to also leak into the engine. The Toyota dealer says that the short block or entire engine must be replaced, with no other option. The head had never been off since original factory manufacture/assembly. Based on the frequency of identical engine failures, faulty assembly and/or design assures eventual failure of the engine.

Some earlier models of Toyota's 2az-fe 4 cylinder engine are susceptible to sudden failure and are dangerous. The engine is widely used in Toyota's popular camry, Highlander, rav4 and scion tc models. Toyota needs to accept responsibility and investigate the engine. On 9/11/2010, 2002 Toyota Highlander's 2az-fe engine failed and left occupants stranded. Event took place immediately after exiting the highway. The vehicle's engine sputtered and ceased to function. The vehicle had about 75,000 miles on it. The vehicle was towed to a Toyota dealership which reported the following: - oil and coolant leaking from the back of the engine head - hydrocarbon in the coolant - oil severely burnt due to overheating the estimate to open up and repair the engine could run anywhere from $2,000 to $7,500 depending on whether the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been regularly maintained according to the manufacturer's schedule with all the records to prove it. Toyota denied request to investigate and defray costs. While engine was opened by a local mechanic it was discovered that two of the head bolts were loose and that the threads in the aluminum engine block for 3 head bolts in the rear were stripped. Repairing the engine involved re-threading the holes in the engine block for all ten head bolts using the time-sert thread repair kit.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Highlander. While driving approximately 65 mph with the air conditioner on she noticed hot air began to flow from the vents. She also noticed that the temperature gauge malfunctioned. The vehicle was driven onto the emergency lane and shut off while she added coolant to the engine. The vehicle was then taken to an authorized dealer where she was informed that there was an engine leak and some of the bolts were loose. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 109,171. The current mileage was 110,000.

Tl-* the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Highlander. While traveling 55 mph, the contact noticed that the temperature gauge was indicating that the vehicle was running hot. After examining the vehicle, the contact discovered coolant leaking from the rear of the cylinder block. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where z taps were installed inside of the engine. The current and failure mileage was 155,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in his garage when he noticed coolant leaking from the engine. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the technician stated that the failure was contributed to a defective engine block. The contact notified the manufacturer who confirmed that the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was unable to provide assistance and informed the contact that there were no related complaints pertaining to the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 118,000. Updated 01/24/11 updated 04/18/11.

My wife's truck began leaking coolant. I was told the head gasket was blown. I paid nearly $1600 for the repairs. A year later, the coolant is leaking. When the head was pulled, the thread stripped out on 3 bolts. I found the same complaint numerous times on this website and on others. At this point, the options are thread inserts that may work or a new engine! at this point, I have been attempting to get help from Toyota. There has been nothing to date.

I have a 2003 Toyota Highlander with only 97,000 miles that keeps "over heating". I have replaced everything under the hood except the engine. This problem started around Nov. 2009. I have read other blogs that have the same complaint and it appears to be the "bolts on the engine are stripped/defected" and allows the coolant to leak out causing overheating. One blog I read stated he had the "blots" replaced and the new bolts are expanding and doing the same thing (over heating) again! I have called several dealers and so far no recall from Toyota to fix this problem, although one dealer said there is a memo from Toyota regarding this problem, but no recall! please help, I am a senior on a fix income and can not afford the cost of a new engine. I hope you can help all of us with this problem. . . . . Thank you.

This pertains to my wife's 2003 Toyota Highlander SUV, 4 cylinder engine. On Friday, August 28, 2009, while driving she noticed the temperature gage on the dashboard was high. She drove the car home and checked the coolant level. It was extremely low. She refilled the coolant and didn't drive the SUV until she went to her appointment on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 with the hawaii Toyota dealer servco's motor imports service & parts center at 609 south street, honolulu, hawaii 96813. They told her the engine had a blown head gasket. We understand this is because the cylinder head bolts are stripped on the back side of the engine. This is what caused the coolant leak in the first place. Servco told us that the sure repair (a whole new engine) would exceed $20,000, and the less sure repair (trying to fix the old engine) would cost $13,000. We picked up the car the next day and took it to priam's automotive service & repair at 2002 pauoa road. They did a quick test and said that the head gasket was indeed blown, and referred us to rod's auto service at 972 kawaiahao street because priam's was not equipped to handle that magnitude of repair. Rod's has advised us that the best solution is replacing the entire engine with a rebuilt engine for $5,000, but this has become a common problem with Toyota Highlanders and locating a rebuilt engine on the mainland will take time. In doing some internet research, I've learned that camrys of the same vintage have also developed similar problems, but it looks like Toyota is refusing to recall the vehicles and fix the design flaw. . Read more...