general problems of the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid - part 2

Step on brake pedal, hit a small bump in road, brakes let go for a second and then grab. It's like you hit a patch of ice. This has been happening since I got the car. . Read more...

When applying brakes to slow down for a stop sign or red light, the vehicle will lunge forward or accelerate until the the brake is applied harder/pedal pushed down further. This has been described in other complaints as unintended acceleration when the brake is applied. It also feels as if the brakes are applied and the vehicle begins to slow down, however, once it slows to about 10-15 miles per hour, the car accelerates forwards or the brakes some release themselves even though the brake pedal is continuously held down.

Tl- the contact owns owns 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 45 mph the contact depressed the service brakes when suddenly the all the lights on the contact's instrumental panel illuminated. The brakes came hard and the vehicle failed to stop. Luckily the contact was able to coast the vehicle safely to the shoulder of the road. The contact took his vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The dealer stated the abs modulator valve would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 72,000. Az.

In October 2013 I had a "check vsc system" warning light. Upon taking it to the dealership, they said it was due to the battery and replaced it and the warning light went away. However, over the next few months, we started noticing a "squeaking" sound coming from the area underneath the front of the car when the car was in drive but the brakes were applied. Yesterday, the same "check vsc system" warning popped up, only now it was accompanied by a number of other lights on the dash, including "abs" "brake" the "tire pressure (!)" and one other light on the left side to the upper right of the "ready" text. The dealer has just told me there were two computer codes, one is c1241. They said the previous dealer did not dig deep enough into the issue in October, and that the braking system was not getting enough pressure. The brake actuator needs replacement, the part is $1,800 and with labor and taxes the bill comes to over $2,400. Based on other research I have done today this seems to be a growing issue that many owners are facing.

In November, 2013, the vsc system warning light and several other lights ("abs")came on in the car. A warning noise remains on at all times since then. . . The same sound that comes on if you fail to fasten your seat belt. The dealership tested the system and determined it needs a new brake actuator part which with labor comes to over $2,000. 00. I filed complaints with Toyota and other national groups to no avail. I recently was notified of another Toyota recall and came on this site and discovered an identical incident (NHTSA id number:10562656. ) please investigate this matter and advise of the findings as it apparently is a growing issue and risk experienced and documented by owners.

As I pulled out of the parking lot of a hotel the check vcs system, check hybrid system, check awd system warnings began to illuminate and alternate. The master warning light, slip indicator light, check engine warning light and the electronically controlled brake system warning light were all illuminated as well. The car would drive, however, the power steering and abs were not working. I was able to drive the car to the closest Toyota dealership. I was originally told that the car simply needed a new battery. Once the battery was replaced, I was told that the ecu for the abs system had died and would need to be replaced at the cost of $2000. When I mentioned the recall and the fact that the symptoms were directly in line with the recall notice for the imp I was told that while my VIN fell under the boj recall, the specific serial # of my imp did not. I was also told that this was not the problem my car was having. When I asked whether the serial numbers of the d1m recall were checked I was told this was an "interim recall" and that they were not authorized to do repairs on this one yet so they couldn't check. Research has indicated that an imp failure can cause and ecu failure. Furthermore, an ecu failure would not have caused the system to go into fail safe mode as it did. I have a Toyota case #, but they have told me there is nothing they can do.

Check vsc system came on, then off, it happens a lot took it to a dealer they found nothing now the warning is on all the time, took it to the dealer and now they want $2,600. 00.

I swerved and stopped suddenly when someone pulled out from a side street to avoid a collision. When I tried to restart the car, I couldn't. Everything "seized" up. I just could not move the car. I had to have it towed to the dealership. They investigated and said that the actuator was stuck open and allowing brake fluid to continually enter the wheels, thereby engaging the brakes. In fact, the mechanic could only move the car once he disabled either the brakes or the actuator, he wasn't specific. From reading other customer discussions online, it appears that this part is supposed to have a lifetime warranty. My dealership looked up the general warranty and said that this wouldn't be covered. My car has had regular maintenance. I think a part like this should be covered and it should be recalled.

When running and decelarating when arriving at a stop, I applied a regular pressure on the breakes. At some point in the breaking the system stop breaking and truck keeps running. After few seconds and extra pressur the truck star breaking again. Two months later I have to change both bearings on my truck. As a professionnal electrical engineer, I would say that the hybrid system seems defective and some current is flowing to the ground. This result in bearing discharge. This non-breaking behavior is occuring frequently around 3 to 4 times a week.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid braking system temporarily releases when hitting a bump or uneven road conditions. This problem originally started in winter, when temps were below freezing. It is now happening no matter what the weather conditions are. The vehicle has been back to the Toyota dealer 3 times and each time they say they cannot reproduce the fault, nor do they find any information about it when they search their database. The incident date cited in this complaint is the most recent incident.

When braking moderate to hard, usually going downhill at anywhere from 20 to 40 mph, brakes will occasionally "release", causing vehicle to surge forward, and requiring reapplication of brake pedal, which usually then functions normally. Failure occurs several times a week, but not daily. Has happened ever since purchasing the vehicle used in 2009. Have not reported it to dealer, but keep expecting a recall for this malfunction.

When braking, the vehicle often "slips" for a moment. There is a moment of acceleration when braking at low speeds. It has caused me to bump into the shelves in my garage. It has also caused me to rear-end another veehicle. I was slowing down at some train tracks and rolled into the car ahead of me. The car ahead of me suffered no damage, but my bumper was completely destroyed from the trailer hitch of the other car. The braking is inconsistent and unpredictable. I am just glad no one got hurt.

I was parking on a steep hill and as I stepped on the brake, the vehicle lurched forward approximately 2 feet and hit the side of a fence post and caused damage to my front bumper. Since I bought this vehicle in 2007 I have noticed that often times while driving and then trying to brake on steep hills the vehicle lurches forward. This lurching often causes me to end up in the middle of an intersection or very close to a car in front of me, thus making it a very unsafe situation especially while driving kids. I have reported this problem to my Toyota service dealer several times and each time they deny that there is any issue.

There's an engine surge, slight but still can be felt, when applying the brakes. The surge is intermittent but the surge is felt often. Example: after take off from a stop the next time the brakes are applied there'll be a slight bump, as if the accelerator is stepped on at the same time the brakes are applied. There's no high rev, just a bump.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid braking problems occurred on several occasions. The brakes would momentarily fail while braking at 35 to 40 mph.

I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid that I purchased on April 2010 with a little over 40k miles. I noticed at low speeds and when going over bumps\train tracks a slip in the braking of the SUV for 1 or 2 second or less. This issue is very easy to reproduce. . Just drive it over a bumpy road or train tracks and this braking issue will occur. I've read online this issue had something to do with the regenerative brakes and hydraulic braking systems and the transfer between the two at low speeds. If this is the case I feel that this is a manufacture defect and a safety issue. If I need to stop really fast on a bumpy road and I have a 1 or 2 second delay in stopping I could end up in an accident.

I have an 06 Highlander Hybrid, a have problem with its brakes it losses it grip for 1 second or less on light braking and sometimes it surges before the brakes hold. This happened usually in the morning at cold starts occurring 3-4 times a week. I complained to a Toyota dealership and they told me that it is because of the transition from regenerative to traditional braking. I just felt not safe because it might lead to accident.

We've owned the car for about a year and this problem has happened to my wife and I both while driving. While braking the brake pedal rises against your foot and the vehicle surges forward then as you apply more force the pedal goes down and the vehicle stops suddenly. It happens intermittently and the brake wear and fluid levels have always been fine, it seems to be a problem with the power assist to the brake maybe as the hybrid model engine starts because it seems to happen when braking after coasting so the engine would be off but as the brakes are applied about halfway through the normal stop you feel the brake pedal get hard and then normal again. During the brake pedal hardness the speed of the vehicle increases which reacts in a harder brake pedal pressure but by then the assist is back and the stop is sudden. This could cause both an accident from hitting someone during the loss of brake and from behind because of the sudden stop.

My 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a persistent problem with the brakes. The problem resembles that reported by prius drivers. Specifically when I am riding the brakes, on an downhill, as I approach a stop, etc, if I hit a pothole or a bump in the road the brakes suddenly release and the vehicle feels like it is lurching forward for a moment. It is a frightening sensation of losing control. This problem happens on a daily basis. I live at the top of a steep hill and experience the problem everytime I leave home. It has not caused an accident but I believe it could in an emergency stopping situation.

In our 2006 Highlander Hybrid we have had a repeated feeling that the brakes are giving way. The problem has been present for the 10 months we've owned this vehicle. The condition seems to occur regardless of conditions. I don't notice it after hitting a bump like is reported with other Toyotas. This problem seems to resolve itself within a moment or two of the give way. It definitely is a concern when braking in traffic at a red light or coming down a hill to a stop. There is definitely a greater chance for rear-ending the vehicle in front of us when this occurs. I would estimate that this has happened weekly, if not daily. So far, the problem doesn't seem to be getting worse - it's just something you can count on. I've seen this problem reported on multiple car forums. It's also been described as a lurch, feeling of brief acceleration, give-way, brake gap and others. I haven't read anywhere yet that Toyota has a fix for this problem. Would like info if there is.

My wife owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Like the prius, this car will occasionally experience a momentary pause in its braking sequence as it switches from its regenerative braking system to its hydraulic one. How often does this happen? it is infrequent, occurring approximately once weekly or so. Nevertheless, it is noticeable. To date, we have not had an accident due to this glitch, but I am concerned that, eventually, it might. The pause is very short--a second or less.

I am the owner of a 2006 Highlander Hybrid. I have experienced the same brake conditions as caused the recent recall, specifically, the brakes "skip" when braking at speeds less than 25 mph when they switch from regen to regular braking. This is very dangerous as the car does not continue to slow down at the same rate and I have almost hit the car in front of me several times. This seems to be a very common condition and may be more frequent when hitting a sharp bump, but it happens once or twice a day in all conditions.

I own two 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrids. After hearing about the braking recall issued recently for the prius, we are now both 100% sure that the same problem exists in both of our vehicles. The vehicle will suddenly lunge forward for about a second when braking, especially when the road surface is bumpy. We had previously written it off to our imagination, but the problem definitely exists in the 2006 Highlander Hybrid. Wondering when the recall will be. . .

When I am braking my Toyota Highlander Hybrid '06, there is a 2-5 second surge before the brakes kick in.

Brakes release for a split second. It seems to occur if applying over a rough surface but not 100% certain of this. We've noticed this behavior ever since we purchased the highlander in 2006. Not until hearing of similar issues with the prius did we feel it necessary to report.

Please do not limit your brake investigation to new priuses. We have a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid that has extra brake fading when braking on bumpy surfaces. One particular street is very ruff at the bottom of a hill where we brake to make a right turn, and on this street the brakes always feel like they are "letting go" but if you keep pressing the pedal the vehicle does slow down. We have never had an accident due to this behavior, we have just grown accustomed to this quirk.

My Highlander Hybrid 2006 model has trouble with slippage when I brake. I notice it mainly at low speed, leaving my neighborhood in the morning. It is happening a lot lately, and this could be because of the cold weather we are having in charlotte (based on what I have read in the forums, cold weather could be a factor). This has been happening for a very long time, but I am noticing that this is happening a lot more often lately.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid- a delay when the brakes were pressed in cold conditions and on some bumpy roads.

I have a Toyota Highlander Hybrid and have been experiencing inconsistent brake feel since the time I bought this vehicle. The vehicle just goes forward at times when you apply the brake as if there is no brake, it happens only for a second or 2 but I almost had had a few accidents because of this. I have complained to the dealership and also to Toyota and nothing has been done. The dealership dismisses my claims saying there is nothing wrong and it's the abs and since I cannot recreate it at the dealership its been a tough. It is the exact same issues as mentioned with prius.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Problem with non linear hand off from regenerative braking to regular braking that occurs routinely. I was told that it was nothing to worry about, but now see that Ford has a recall of its hybrids with similar problem. Do other highlander owners have a similar problem? is this at all related to the currently reported 2010 prius braking problems?.

During braking I experienced a "slipping" of the braking system when the car hits rough road or bumps.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid limited 2wd - same symptoms as the just announced prius brake recall. If I am braking and hit a pothole, the brakes relax and I must push much harder to get the same braking force. I have noticed this since my vehicle was new, but have adapted to it. I have not had an accident, but this should be addressed as the fix is likely a software update.

Brake hesitation similar to 2010 Toyota prius.

I have a Toyota Highlander Hybrid purchased Jan 2006. Periodically I experience brake surging as I've read described by prius owners. This is a random event that occurs when first applying the brake. I've reported it several times to my dealer and the reply is "Toyota says there is no problem with the brakes. " the last time was two weeks ago. Since Toyota has a fix for the prius I hope you'll will encourage them to address the Highlander Hybrid problem. By the way, I am an engineer and recognize a problem when I experience it.

I have experienced many instances of loss of braking power, particularly while traveling on an incline, decline, or over an uneven surface. I have complained of this problem since I began driving the vehicle in 2006. When attempting to stop on one of these surfaces, there is a momentary loss of braking power and the SUV seems to lurch forward for an instant before braking power returns and the vehicle stops.