Traction Control System Problems of Toyota Highlander

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Highlander. While driving various speeds, while depressing the brake pedal, the pedal traveled to the floor. The traction control, check engine, vsc, and brake indicators illuminated. The vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 10v499000 (service brakes), but the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The contact observed brake fluid leaking from the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,489.

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I took my 2004 Toyota Highlander v6 to longo Toyota for brake booster recall in November 2010. They kept my car nearly 7 weeks before repair was completed. A few days after picking up my vehicle, while I was parked dropping off my passenger, most of the control panel lights illuminated (brakes, abs, trac off, vsc, check engine). I reported this to the dealer. They said to bring the car back. I took the car back and diagnostic tests were run and concluded that a code was stored but it was nothing specific that had failed. Brake system was bled. In June 2011, the light cluster ("christmas tree" is how the dealer refers to it) illuminated again while I was attempting to pick up my car from my local Toyota dealer (bob smith Toyota). Again, the car was left. Again it was reported to me that the system had stored a code but no specific component was in failure and the brakes were bled. Approximately, July 20, 2011 and July 23, 2011, the lights illuminated again, only four of them (trac off, vsc, abs, brakes). I contacted the Toyota dealer on Tuesday, July 26 and was forcing the issue on July 29, 2011 and made an appointment for August 1, 2011. On July 31, 2011, the same four lights illuminated while driving and stayed on. I stopped, turned off the engine, restarted the vehicle, and experienced a very spongy, squishy brake pedal. I contacted Toyota motor corporation to further address the concern of my vehicle now being unsafe as a result of their recall. Toyota motor corporation was vague and said that the matter could only be addressed by longo Toyota, the dealer that performed the recall, since the parts warranty would only be with them. In contacting bob smith Toyota, the service advisors swears that the problem can be resolved by them. It appears that performing the recall weakened the integrity of my brake system. As one representative said, "you will not have a catastrophic failure and you will still be able to stop. It will just take longer. ".

When braking our 2006 Toyota Highlander the brakes seem to catch then release, catch and release. This is on dry pavement. The local Toyota dealer service says this is normal operation and is because the battery recharging mechanism is taking over. This may be true but I am of the opinion that there is something wrong. When you apply the brakes and it reacts in the way it does you tend to want to easy up on the brakes because the car lurches a bit but that is the wrong thing to do!.

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The check engine, vsc, trac-off lights appeared on my dashboard of my 2004 Toyota Highlander on or around March 7, 2010. On March 9, I went to my local mechanic whose Toyota diagnostic machine informed them that since this vehicle had under 80,000 miles - it was still covered by my original warranty. I made an appointment with sunrise Toyota, in oakdale, NY where I purchased this Highlander. After showing sunrise Toyota service rep: charles salvato the diagnostic printouts - he refused to address the problem because the previous mechanic inadvertently cleared the warning lights. They wouldn't accept the diagnostic printouts as proof of a problem nor would they agree to check-out or re-run the diagnostic test. After formally complaining, I did hear from a bob johnson at sunrise Toyota who ask me to stop in. When I did stop by, I was told he was at an all day meeting. My distinct feeling is that they are hoping to let the clock run out (let the mileage go over 80,000) so that nothing has to be done. I am asking for NHTSA's assistance with this important safety concern. A concern, I feel,Toyota is still responsible for. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

On December 2, 2009, I took delivery of a new 2010 Toyota Highlander sport model, with a v-6 engine and 2 wheel drive. This vehicle subsequently was identified in the January & February, 2010 recall notices as being one of the vehicles affected by the sticking gas pedal problem. However, preceding the recall notices, on January 15, 2010, I experienced a brake pedal fade while stopped on level flat ground at a red traffic signal. I pressed down on the brake pedal harder to ensure that I did not drift into the rear end of the car stopped in front of me. Upon pressing down harder on the brake pedal, the "hill assist" warning buzzer sounded even though my wheels were not spinning or in danger of spinning. When the traffic signal changed to green a minute or so later, I removed my foot from the brake pedal and lightly depressed the accelerator to start moving forward. I found that I had to apply substantial ( greater than normal) pressure to the accelerator pedal to make the car move forward. This caused great concern because of the possibility of moving forward too quickly from a dead stop and hitting the vehicle in front of me. I took the vehicle to my selling dealer the following day to have the vehicle checked out. I was advised that the car's computer did not show any defaults and that all symptoms were normal. I was further advised to stop pressing on the brake pedal so hard. However, my concern is that whenever the "hill assist" system is engaged (I can engage it at any time at will), there is a distinct possibility that the extra pressure needed to start the car moving forward will cause me to accelerate into the vehicle in front of me. I have reason to believe that this condition is computer related and presents an imminent danger to both myself and other motorists driving a similar equipped Toyota Highlander therefore, I am requesting that an investigation be commenced immediately in light of Toyota's massive recall problems. Thank you.

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Gentlemen: I am writing you this e-mail because there is a problem with my car that is not only irritating, but is potentially dangerous to all who own a full time four-wheel drive Toyota Highlander. My Highlander is a 2003, and although we were promised full time four-wheel drive when we bought it, we found out later to our horror that it is not. When driving down a paved highway, all four wheels are driving. This is a time when four-wheel drive is not needed. However, a few months ago, we drove off the pavement into sand on a picnic trip, but did not worry because the full time four-wheel drive would pull us out. It did not! one of the front wheels began to spin in the sand and the other three immediately stopped driving. We were stuck! the problem is that the differential between the front and rear wheels is not anti-slip, but the standard differential that will stop all wheels from driving when one looses traction. This is hardly full-time four-wheel drive no matter how you define it. We were sold a car we paid for but did not get, and something needs to be done to rectify this situation. Who knows how many customers have been bilked by Toyota with this car, and will get them into trouble thinking they had a car that would pull them out. I would like to start a class action law suit to get our money back or get a free car that is indeed the full time four wheel drive we paid for and deserve.

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