Table 1 shows one common equipment related problems of the 2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Equipment problems |
All doors and hatch do not lock with the key fob or with the power locks on both the passenger and driver side doors.
Door locks on passenger front and rear, driver front and rear, have all been replaced or repaired at least twice due to malfunctions. As of December 2015, the locks are failing again for a third time, creating a safety hazard. Locks don't work. They will either stay locked, failing to open, or now, they will not lock at all. This is an ongoing problem that has never been fixed properly. Keeps recurring.
Keyless fob resulted in car being left on all night in enclosed garage. The design defect in not automatically turning the engine off when the fob leaves the immediate area is well-known. The additional problem in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is that the green power light goes on when you turn off the car, leading the driver to believe that the power is now on, when in fact it is off. The driver then steps on the brake and presses power again, thinking that they are now turning the car off because the power button is no longer green. The hybrid engine is silent when the car starts, so the driver leaves the area with the fob thinking the car is off, when in fact it is on all night in a closed garage, as happened with us.