Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 2

2gr engine family in general used in Toyota and Lexus, may have a manufacturing defect as per google about the 2gr-fe engine subtype yes, the Toyota 2gr-fe engine, a 3. 5l v6 found in many Toyota and Lexus models, is known to have a recurring issue with head gasket leaks, particularly where coolant leaks externally from the engine block due to corrosion around the cylinder head where the coolant port is located; this is considered a common problem with this engine type. Key points about the 2gr head gasket issue: leak location: coolant typically leaks outside of the engine block, visible as stains on the block surface, rather than internally into the combustion chambers. Cause: corrosion around the cylinder head near the coolant port, often exacerbated by road salt and old, acidic coolant. Prevention: regularly changing coolant and occasionally hosing down the engine block, especially if you live in a region with heavy winter road salt. Repair: replacing the head gasket usually requires removing the engine, making it a major repair job. So Toyota should be held liable for repair costs and labor as well as the pain and suffering a consumer has to go through, seeing all the drama of the Toyota.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

We live on a farm so the fact there is rodents is no surprise. However strangest thing is the knock sensor harness has been chewed completely off two times in last two months. . When this happens it causes power loss. With the extra shielding the wire has tells me it gives off a low frequency that would irritate most animals and me at this point since the part is never available. If it actually gives off a frequency, it is absolutely unnecessary and a complete nuisance.

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Engine check light coming on constantly cylinder 3 misfire reported under diagnostics of advance autoparts 500 rte 291, lee's summit, mo 64063 another workshop said no misfire however now it says engine misfire 1, 3, 5, 6 4 cylinders misfiring as per diagnostic on 02/15/2025.

Weather conditions were severe due to a snowstorm, causing ice buildup on the road, low visibility, and slippery pavement. Despite driving cautiously, I lost control of the vehicle, which resulted in going off the road, down an embankment, and crashing into a tree. Immediately after the impact, I called 911 emergency services for assistance. I attempted to exit the vehicle, but the driver’s door was blocked due to the position of the tree. I remained inside the vehicle until a passerby stopped and helped me get out. As a result of the impact, my vehicle sustained significant damage the shocking thing about it all is that the vehicle did not activate the airbags and that is worrying to me because it could have been unfortunate.

I have a faulty transmission that is now widely known. 2021 Highlander with the ua80 transmission. Out of warranty and Toyota wants to provide no help even know this is an ongoing issue with so many owners.

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My 21 Highlander has a wine noise coming from the transmission. There is currently a bulletin out by Toyota t-sb-000821 confirming that the transmission in this model needs to be replaced. I took my car to two separate mechanics who confirmed the noise is coming from transmission. I called Toyota this morning. Spoke with a lady and she told me she cannot locate the bulletin on my VIN number so pretty much there’s nothing they can do to help. I’m having the issue with my car that Toyota is aware about and has put out a bulletin regarding the issue. I think Toyota needs to take care of this. This is not something that should be VIN specific if I’m having the issue then fix it! at least send me to a Toyota dealership for you guys to confirm the issue and fix it!.

Driving to take my son to work. Check engine light came on said check and system. Hard shifting put in manual drive and made it to destination.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Wife was driving and out of nowhere axle to the transfer case broke leaving her stranded in the middle of the road. Seems like transmission had been a common issue in these vehicles around the same year.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

The water pump on my 2016 Toyota Highlander xle disintegrated while I was driving in heavy traffic. The pulley came loose from the water pump shaft. I have the water pump. Our safety was at risk because this happen in heavy traffic and it could have effected my control of the vehicle if it had came off completely. The pulley was wedge between the wheel well and fame. I sent a claim to Toyota and it was rejected due to the vehicle be out of warranty. I'm saying this is a manufacturing defect. No warning before it happen.

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The vehicle pulls/jolts foward as I slow down at a stoplight. At first, I thought this was normal, but over the past year, I've noticed something unusual, possibly with the gear shifting. It has become more noticeable over time. It has happened enough where I almost get into a fender bender with the car in front of me. I started researching this issue and it's a common complaint among other Highlander vehicle owners. . Read more...

My husband took my car from the carport and parked it in the driveway near the water hose to wash the car. When he finished, it would not start. The message “braking power low” , “stop in a safe place”, “ see owner’s manual”showed up. Of course, we could not find anything in the large owner’s manual concerning that! I checked with my VIN to see if mine was included in the recall regarding this same matter, but it was not, just as all other Toyota Highlander 2018 owners who complained were told!!! we will find out tomorrow and pray it won’t be a lot of money. We have a thanksgiving trip planned to see our grandchildren. Today is Sunday and we planned to leave on Tuesday. I shudder to think what could have happened if it suddenly stopped on interstate 20 with all the holiday traffic. My husband was looking to buy a car after the first of the year and was going to buy a Toyota. After this, he has reconsidered. Toyota needs to see all these complaints and how many were not included in the recall!!! something’s not right!.

I was in a school line waiting for my children. I went to hit the gas to move and the car said “maintenance required” and then flashed other warning lights “low power steering fluid and engine light. ” then the car turned off and screens were flashing. I tried to restart the car but the steering column was locked and brake pedal was locked. I checked all fluids and they were full. I had someone jump the car and it turned back on. I figured maybe a bad battery. Had aaa come look at the car and all diagnostic testing was normal. Next day, car does it again in the middle of an intersection.

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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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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.