Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 2

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated and disappeared later in the evening. Additionally, the contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, there was a winding sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 54,471.

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My car out of no where once it hit 60k miles (which makes it fall off warranty) I start having transmission problems. It’s a 2021 which is very weird for that to happen. Bought it brand new. I was driving with my kids in the car on the highway and the car decelerates and I freaked out. I see that I’m not the only one that is having this issue and it looks like it’s 2020-2021 models that are having transmission issues and I think this needs to be something to get checked. Automatically after driving the car decelerates and you don’t know where or when it can be the rpm drops. Took it to the dealership they said it’s transmission but a brand new car right when it hits 60k miles then this happens.

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Engine cam tower oil leak due to the manufacturer's inadequate assembly of the engine parts. The mating surfaces were not adequately prepared and/or application of a contaminated sealant did not adhere to the surfaces creating a small oil leak that eventually became larger and finally noticed. The car care nut automotive shop performed this repair and documented in the video: [xxx] the 2018 engine (3. 5l dohc v6 d-4s engine with dual vvt-I direct shift) with 52,500 miles has by now (2024) developed a large oil leak coming from the cam tower seal, and requires replacement. I'm the original owner with the car always being garaged and maintained by the book at the dealer. Toyota of America is refusing any assistance with the defective engine component even though it is under the 60,000 miles powertrain warranty, but past the 60 months warranty period. The leak likely has been there since leaving the factory floor, but was not noticeable until after five years of use. Leaking engine oil on hot components of the engine bay may result in smoke, burning odor, and even fires. This vehicle has a concurrent vehicle safety complaint NHTSA id number: 11611353 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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On 10/21 the vehicle accelerated on its own. At a stoplight behind another automobile, when I only slightly lifted my foot from the brake, the car lurched forward and the auto safety stop system lit up. I never touched the accelerator pedal. I pushed back down on the brake. This was not the first time this happened.

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The 2018 Toyota Highlander has less than 100k miles on it and has been diagnosed with an $11k repair for essentially a new engine! the dealership (coughlin Toyota, heath OH) has said it needs cylinder head assembly for $10,684. 20. The error message we are getting is a "check engine" light "take vehicle to dealership" and the awd/ traction control shuts off. When searching online forums, there are many people experiencing the same problem, apparently a well know issue with Toyota (not just Highlanders). We have only owned this vehicle for a few years and believe this is a manufacturer error that desperately needs investigated. Please.

Was stuck in traffic on a highway for about 25 minutes going 0 miles per hour because of an accident about 5 miles away. Then the traffic started to clear and began driving on the road again. About five minutes later, the vehicle lost full drive abilities and the check engine light came on, traction control light on, brake light was on, abs light was on, stability control warning light on, and then on the info screen the vehicle stated, "hybrid system malfunction stop in a safe place, see owner's manual", screen then showed within 2-seconds, "pre-collision system malfunction visit your dealer", then in about 2 additional seconds later the info screen stated, "check engine visit your dealer", then most every waring light turned on, and there was no power for drive with either hybrid or gasoline engine. The vehicle basically came to a sudden halt in the middle of traffic with steering wheel locked and no control. Had to get police involved and a tow to get off the road. Had vehicle towed to a local Toyota dealership and they do not open until Monday at 9am. This incident occurred on Saturday around 3pm.

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The check engine warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after 45 minutes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and charged a fee for diagnostic testing. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18e107000 (electrical system, visibility); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 193,000.

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The vehicle has erratic acceleration. It will either be extremely slow and jerky or it will jump forward with great speed and force. This is dangerous and may cause an accident. You have no control when it comes to acceleration whether you are leaving a stop light or trying to avoid an accident.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that there was an abnormal winding noise detected while accelerating. The failure increased over time. While her husband was driving at approximately 60 mph attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power. While shifting to park, there was an abnormally loud, high-pitched winding sound detected. The vehicle was slow to shift from first to second gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined the cv joint needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a transmission center, where the transmission was rebuilt and then it was replaced. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

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The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that recently while driving at speeds above 40 mph, there was a whining sound coming from the engine compartment. The cause of the sound was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 51,000.

The 2018 engine (3. 5l dohc v6 d-4s engine with dual vvt-I direct shift) with 52,500 miles has by now (2024) developed a large oil leak coming from the valve cover to cam tower seal, and requires replacement of valve cover assembly and gasket priced at $2173. 51 by a local Toyota dealer. I'm the original owner with the car always being garaged and maintained by the book at the dealer. Toyota of America is refusing any assistance with the defective engine component even though it is under the 60,000 miles powertrain warranty, but past the 60 months warranty period. The leak likely developed prior to the first 60 months of use, but was just now noticeable to the technician. Leaking engine oil on hot components of the engine bay may result in smoke, burning odor, and even fires.

While driving the car at approximately 40 mphs the car suddenly jolted and stopped moving. Luckily no one was behind and I pulled over also noticing check engine light came on. I immediately called Toyota and was able to drive it to them. I spent $140 diagnosis fees for them to say it was ignition coil b. After replacing the coil the light and same problems continued. We took the car to another mechanic, spent $600 diagnosis fees to find out it is the ecm. We then contacted the Toyota dealer asking about previous recalls that were on the ecm for 2018 Toyota Highlanders which is our car. They stated our car based off the VIN has no recalls. How could this recall be for 2018 Toyota Highlanders but not for our 2018 Toyota Highlander with the same issues? our car only has 80,000 miles.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph the vehicle began to loose automotive power and stalled. During the incident several warning messages had activated which included the check engine light and the abs warning. While inspecting the vehicle smoke and fire began to stream from under the engine hood and moments later the frontend of the vehicle became engulfed in flames. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the incident the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. A police report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 96,200.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that there was low compression in cylinder #1. The contact was informed that the engine was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 61,000.

During the multi point inspection, technician inspected the vehicle. He checked the engine, transmission, and cooling system, topping off all fluids. However, the engine was failing inspection as there was oil underneath the vehicle, which was also seen around the engine, due to an oil leak.

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From a stop or slow roll (0-10 mph), significant hesitation is experienced after pushing the gas. The engine will not respond for a few moments and then all of a sudden it will take off in a jerking manner. Note that this is experienced when the engine auto start/stop is deactivated, so it is not from the delay of the engine starting when activated. This hesitation causes a near miss safety situation in many normal driving activities, but the highest risk is when turning left in front of oncoming traffic. I brought the vehicle to a Toyota dealership for the condition, noting Toyota's service bulletin t-sb-0087-23 for this exact issue, but after 3 days and 40 miles of the dealership driving it, they stated that they cannot reproduce the issue. There are no warning signs or lamps, and this issue has been occurring since the vehicle had about 1,000 miles, and the vehicle now has 20,000 miles on it.

The start/stop operating system failed. When the engine cut off while waiting for train to pass, the engine went to turn over and completely stopped the vehile. Although the car would not start, I was unable to cut the car off completely. It would say ignition on. The lights in vehicle were on. Running the ac caused the car to say high power consumption but there was no way to cut vehicle off without removing the battery to reset the vehicle. Caused the car to malfunction while sitting at a complete stop. Also cause the parking break to engage and I was unable to disengage parking break. A message came across saying parking break unavailable. My safety and others were put at risk because had it happened at any other time a crash would have been caused. It caused a roadway to be blocked off which caused confusion and near accidents.

The check engine light came on and I took it into Toyota of downtown dealership where I was receiving periodic maintenance. After 2 days, they said the light was out but they hadn't found the cause. I could either leave if for a few more days or take it and bring it back if the light came on again. This was early August. I chose to take the car & when the check engine warning light came on again, I took it in on Aug 15, 2024 before I left to portland to give them more time. I returned on Monday & couldn't reach them. The next day they informed me that while on a test drive, there was a loud bang, it started smoking and by the time 911 arrived it was on fire. After a 2 month investigation by Toyota's engineering analysis fire inspection, they concluded Toyota was not involved. The dealership has not provided me with the report although I've requested it but they aren't accepting responsibility either although it was in their possession when the fire occurred.

As I was returning to my house and about to pull into our garage I was driving very slowly, riding the brake in fact. I was going less than 1 mph but as I first entered the garage my car engine suddenly roared very loudly and sped inside. I pressed as hard as I could on the brakes and the car skidded towards the left and slammed into the garage wall. I firmly believe that the only thing that kept my car from traveling farther was the garage door frame. Between my braking and then turning off the engine, I came to a stop. There were skid marks on the pavement at the garage entrance from the hard braking and both the driver's door and the passenger door on that side were severely damaged. The car was now angled to the left and not pointed straight into the garage as it should have been. At no time did I press on the accelerator.

While driving my car, the check engine light turned on and my car listed hybrid system malfunction as a flashing indicator. It lost all power in the middle of the road and I was unable to drive and move vehicle. This is the third incident with the same problem since purchasing.

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph in the fast lane, the steering wheel failed to respond as needed while attempting to turn to the left or the right. Additionally, the brakes became inoperable and the vehicle decelerated. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the shoulder, and the vehicle shut off. The contact called roadside assistance and was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the engine. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 17,781.

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Acceleration issues, engine lag, poor response time and bucking when accelerated is pressed. Dangerous to drive not enough power to merge with traffic and hesitates to go at stop lights. Bought as a family SUV and don’t feel safe with them in the car. Rpms jump when at idle. The car struggles to shift gears especially 2nd gear. Does not preform well under normal circumstances not sure how this car would ever be able to tow anything. I feel very mislead by Toyota and its reputation as this vehicle vehicle is lacking safety and performance. Reached out to Toyota about problems and have not received a remedy for the situation. A special campaign was issued but has not helped the problem. Very disappointed with this purchase as I paid over 50k for the vehicle brand new and don’t feel safe in the car as it bucks on acceleration and lacks the power to flow with traffic. This SUV will cause negative impacts if safety measures aren’t started quickly.

Spontaneous vehicle fire: while driving approximately 20-30 miles per hour, with no other symptoms or advance warning signs, a message suddenly appeared on the dashboard saying "engine failure - turn off ignition". The temperature gauge was firmly in the normal range; the car had been inspected a few months prior, and had recently had routine maintenance. There was no indication that anything was amiss before this incident. 30 seconds after the sudden warning message appeared, smoke began pouring from the hood and I immediately pulled over to the side of the road and exited the vehicle with my young daughter. The smoke continued and the entire front section of the vehicle quickly caught ablaze. Police and the fire department arrived on the scene to assist and extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed and determined to be a total loss by insurance. Our safety was put at risk because our vehicle spontaneously caught fire with no early warning signs; if we had been driving on a highway or a road without space to quickly stop the vehicle and safely exit, we would have certainly faced injury or possible death given the speed and ferocity with which the fire erupted. After we contacted Toyota several times, they sent an inspector to look at the vehicle, and reported: "the inspector observed extensive fire damage to the engine compartment and interior of the vehicle. The inspector also observed that there was no oil registered on the dipstick. There were no arc marks on the wiring in the engine compartment when inspected. The inspector did not observe any oil leaks when inspected. The battery hold down bracket was in the proper location. The cause of the fire was undetermined, and there was no evidence from the inspection to indicate that this incident was a result of a vehicle defect. " Toyota has shown a complete lack of curiousity as to determining what could have caused the fire and has only focused on avoiding liability, thereby putting customer safety at risk.

Dear sir/madam, I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding persistent safety issues with my 2011 Toyota Highlander v6 awd. Specifically, I have experienced significant problems related to the engine timing guide, timing chain, transmission system, which pose a risk to both vehicle occupants and other road users. Vehicle information: Toyota Highlander v6 awd, VIN: 5tdbk3eh1bs079259 description of the issue: the transmission in my Highlander has exhibited the following problems: 1) low engine oil pressure, ticking noise: there is low engine pressure, faulty guides timing chains, recurring ticking noise. This noise represents issues from the powertrain area and has raised concerns about potential mechanical flaws1. 2) defective components, slipping transmission: the transmission surges/slips affecting overall control and safety. This issue has been reported by other Highlander owners as well. Cross-referencing other complaints and recalls: 3) they did not go far back, per the NHTSA database, there have been two documented complaints related to transmission issues in the 2011 Toyota Highlander v6 awd, these complaints align with my experience, however they have not sent me the recall notice. In fact, Toyota has faced recalls and technical service bulletins (tsbs) related to transmission problems in various Highlander models: the 8-speed ua80e/ua80f automatic transmission used in the 2020 Highlander received a TSB for shift flare during wide-open throttle acceleration from 40 – 60 mph and during the upshift from 2nd to 3rd gear. Toyota addressed this issue under warranty1. The 6-speed u660f/u760e automatic transmission, used in earlier Highlander models, was generally reliable. However, the introduction of the 8-speed ua80e/ua80f unit caused initial problems1. Request for action: per NHTSA findings please ensure all the models sharing the chassis, model family, part and Toyota transmission oil are included in recall or service campaign.

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While accelerating onto the freeway the vehicle suddenly loses power creating a serious safety issue. A check-engine light comes on but the safefy issue is that the vehicle goes into a power loss mode on the freeway. A truck nearly rear-ended me the first time it happened. Toyota service was unable to duplicate and so said national Toyota advised them to release the vehicle back to me. The same issue happened to my boyfriend and his son - total loss of power while accelerating onto the freeway. Then a mechanic recreated the issue 5 additional times (usually in the dawn hours when traffic was light due to safety concerns). Was unable to find the cause of the issue but a loss of power in a vehicle is as serious a concern as an unwanted acceleration. I am frustrated that Toyota is not taking this seriously.

Bought it used from Lexus fremont with 46, 600 miles on March 2024 but after driving it for just a little bit over 200 miles, there is a leak underneath the engine and when I had it checked here in salinas Toyota they found out that the leak is coming from the timing chain cover of which is a big job and I heard a lot from the owners of this Toyotas with the 2gr v6 engine has this leaking problem.

When 87 octane fuel is put into the vehicle, the 2023 Highlander is sluggish to start and make jump at times as well. After reading other complaints online, the current fix was putting 93 octane in the vehicle to remedy the issue. Putting 93 octane fuel in the vehicle does help although the vehicle jumps around rpm's when going from eco mode to normal. All of these issues pose a risk to the car jumping from a start to cause a rear-end accident. I've complained to the dealer and they've stated everything is normal. Folks online stated their dealerships said Toyota was working on a fix.

Water pump has failed at approx 80,000 miles.

I purchased the car in 2020 with 73k miles on it. It has sporadically had incidents of unintended acceleration. I happens when I slow for a stop sign, red light, or crosswalk. My foot is on the brake when this occurs, the engine then goes into high gear and no amount of pressure on the brake will stop it. I put the car in park and turn the key off. There are no warning lights. It has happened more frequently in 2024. On [xxx], I tried to come to a stop at a crosswalk in Plymouth MA. The ua occurred, putting the folks in the crosswalk and myself in danger. The next day I contacted the dealer and Toyota. The upshot - they said the car is fine, it must be my mats or shoes or something that is not their fault. I've been driving Toyotas for 40 years, I've never had a mat or shoe problem. There is something faulty with the acceleration/braking system. The last occurrence was [xxx] in plympton MA. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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While braked at a red light, my vehicle completely turned off. The engine would not restart, and all electrical panel light indicators did not come back on. I could not even turn on my hazards. The whole car was dead. After about a minute, I was able to restart the vehicle, but it took 5 attempts. I changed my battery two months ago, and just had my car checked by a mechanic and nothing was found to be the problem. No warning lamps or other messages were displayed. About 6 months ago, my car did something similar to this and stalled on the freeway in bumper to bumper traffic. However, this time the electrical panel light indicators came back on. No warning messages displayed. The car restarted after only one try. This is really dangerous to have a vehicle loose all power and completely die out!.

Our car had a major oil leak from the engine oil cooler pipe manifold at the bottom of the engine (front). My research has concluded that this has been a known issue with various Toyota models with the 2gr-fe engine, however Toyota has not issued a recall and the local dealership has never mentioned it during services. The NHTSA has known about this issue, however it appears that little to no action has been taken with the vehicle manufacturer or public. The issue concerns a leak that is waiting to happen on all engines with the original oil cooler pipe as it is designed with rubber pipes that degrade over time and even a pin hole oil leak will cause virtually all the engine oil to drain from the engine onto the pavement below and underside of the vehicle including brake components. It is not a matter of “if” but “when” it will happen, and the consequences can leave people stranded with a damaged engine and undriveable vehicle. Severe injury and deaths can and will result due to the ongoing lack of action by the NHTSA and vehicle manufacturer. As an aside, the cost to repair is in the thousands of dollars, unless the owner is fortunate like myself who was able to replace the oil cooler pipe at my own time and cost with the vehicle out of service and significant clean up required. I still don’t know the long-term effects of our engine being almost drained of oil and because of this may now sell the car which was not in our plan. I have added a photo of the original inadequately designed oil cooler pipe and the replacement version purchased from Toyota. Also, the dealership were not interested in doing anything for us. I demand that the NHTSA takes action which is long overdue. Please take this issue seriously.

The issue started when the car was over 84,000 miles. The engine burns excessive oil. I have to add oil every 2200 miles. When I press on the gas pedal to rev the car, oil come out of the tail pipe. When I went to the dealer that they are aware of the issue but they did not make any recommendations. Online several owner of this model have changed the engine or replaced pistons. I have never gotten the check light on even when no oil is on the dip stick. I have to check the oil every time I fill up my gas tank as a precaution. My concern is that I could be stranded or the car overheat and cause a fire.

While accelerating onto highways, my Toyota Highlander suddenly misfires, causing rough engine and a natural response to decelerate instead of continuing to accelerate. The ignition coil was blamed, I replace and then a week later it happens again while trying to accelerate on the highway. Another replacement and then it happens again a third time. There was a known issue under Toyota’s TSB 0148-19, where engine computers were reprogrammed and all coils replaced. My vehicle model year and engine model but doesn’t show this TSB. I am aware tsbs are not recalls, but the sudden repeat engine misfires, all in a year, while accelerating to highway speeds, is a concern.

2016 Toyota Highlander le model v-6 cylinder. The fuel pump runs after engine has been turned off for several hours, even up to as many as 8 hours. This situation can be heard in a closed in garage, in the completely quiet of night time, and at multiple times during the same time period. It happens intermittently with various levels of gas in the tank. The length of time fuel pump can run can be as little as 10 minutes to over 60 minutes.

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The engine failed and locked up. Maintenance is completed every 3-4 months on schedule. There was no oil or water. Car was towed to a mechanic.

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