Battery problems of the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact was driving 30 mph when the vehicle stalled with the illumination of the check hybrid and vrc system warning lights. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The test result showed a defect in the hybrid battery. The contact did not authorize the dealer to perform any more tests or repairs on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 115,000.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid consumer states that Toyota sold her a vehicle in unsafe condition and writes regarding an engineering defect the consumer stated her son dropped a cup with liquid inside and managed to get into the hybrid's battery that was located beneath the back passenger seat. The vehicle shut off and the check hybrid system and check vsc system lights illuminated.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid power inverter failed causing sudden loss of all power, including brakes, and steering. $9500 replacement cost was negotiated down to $4700 with dealer and Toyota. A number of 2006 Highlander Hybrids have had the same failure, with no ability to use the battery to get the vehicle off the road and out of danger.

I have an 06 Toyota Highlander Hybrid with 64,900 miles on it, we were driving on interstate 5 south on central CA, suddenly vsc and check hybrid system flashed on the instrument panel and the car was totally dead, tried to start it a couple of times but to no avail. The car was towed too a nearest dealership and the problem was the hybrid inverter. 2 days before the incident the car's battery was totally drained, not a single light will turn on. I jump started the car to make run. The inverter was replaced under warranty and it would have caused us $8200 w/o installation to replaced it if it was not covered under warranty. I did some research and found out that a lot of people the same problem with their Highlander Hybrid inverter failure. This can happen anytime again w/o warning and could lead to accidents , and I don't feel safe on driving this car again.

I was backing out of our driveway into the middle of the street & the vehicle died. It couldn't be started & the gearshift could not be moved into any other gear, therefore it remained in reverse. Nothing electrical would work either & the car's interior is fully electric , (windows, door locks, nav, seats, radio ect). The "check engine" message was on. At first we thought it was the battery, as per tow truck driver . The car had to be towed. First towed the car to get a new battery but after installation of the newly purchased battery, the car still was inoperable & had to be towed again to the Toyota dealer. This was an additional out of pocket expense. The dealer replaced the "inverter" & something listed on the receipt as "super long life c".