2002 Toyota Highlander

I NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE PLASTIC INTO INTAKE MANIFOLD IN THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. I BROUGHT IT IN FOR REPAIR AND THE MECHANIC SAID HE NOTICED A LARGE PIECE OF FOAM RUBBER BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE BLOCK AND HEAD.THE LEAK WAS BEHIND THE FOAM PIECE. THE ONLY OPTION TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THIS LEAK WAS TO REMOVE THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH THE MECHANIC DID. AFTER THIS WAS REMOVED, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT COOLANT HAD BEEN LEAKING A MINOR AMOUNT FOR QUITE SOME TIME DUE TO BUILD UP BETWEEN THE CYLINDER HEAD AND BLOCK. THE ONLY OPTION LEFT IS TO REMOVE THE HEAD, WHICH REQUIRES AN EXTENSIVE DISASSEMBLY (R AND R CYLINDER HEAD). AFTER LOOSENING THE BOLTS IN SEQUENCE, HE NOTICED THREE OF THE HEAD BOLTS IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE WERE LOOSE. AFTER HE REMOVED THE HEAD SURE ENOUGH, ONE BOLT CAME OUT WITH ALUMINUM IN THE THREAD THUS INDICATING A STRIPPED BOLT. AND THE OTHER THREE WERE LOOSE. HE SAID THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK, WHICH WILL COST ABOUT $6000 INCLUDING SHIPPING/LABOR. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS AND SO HAD THE HIGHLANDER TOWED BACK TO MY HOME. *TR

1. REGULAR DRIVING CAUSES THE ISSUE WHICH SEEMS TO BE DUE TO POOR PRODUCT DESIGN. 2. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION EVER, AND CONTINUOUSLY BLOCKS MY CLEAR VIEW OF THE ROAD. 3. THE TOYOTA DEALER WAS INFORMED AND THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX THEIR INFERIOR PRODUCT. I HAVE TO PURCHASE A REPLACEMENT SUN VISOR. *TR

I AM FINANCING A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ON 6/25/09 WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR SERVICE ROAD, I HEARD A LARGE THUMP SOUND. I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO MAKE SURE THAT I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING OR BLOW A TIRE. ONCE THAT I SAW THAT EVERYTHING SEEMED OKAY, I PROCEEDED INTO MY VEHICLE AND PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS THE CAR JUST REVVED AND IT STAYED INTO POSITION, I KEPT CHANGING GEARS NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS WRONG AND AS I CHANGED INTO DRIVE AND STEPPED ON THE GAS, MY CAR QUICKLY SHIFTED AND ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME THEN IT STOPPED AGAIN. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS A AUTOMECHANIC SHOP ON THE CORNER, SOMEONE FROM THE SHOP CAME TO WHERE I WAS TO LOOK AT MY CAR. THE MECHANIC DID THE SAME AS I DID, SHIFT GEARS AND THE CAR WOULD JERK SPONTANEOUSLY BACK THEN FORTH BUT WOULD NOT DRIVE. THE MECHANICS PUSHED IT INTO THE GARAGE AND INSPECTED TO FIND THAT MY TRANSMISSION WA GONE AT 68,000 MILES. I HAVE MY CAR CHECKED OFTEN, FLUIDS REPLACED WHEN NEED BE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A TRANSMISSION CAN JUST DIE AT 68,000 MILES. I CALLED TOYOTA BECAUSE I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AT TOYOTA. AND BECAUSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED IN 2008 , THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BUT PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO 3 LOCATIONS TO MAKE SURE I HAD SEVERAL OPINIONS AND THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT RELIABLE TRANSMISSION FOR 2 WEEKS NOW, THEY ARE CURRENTLY REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION FOR 4,000.00. THE CAR WILL NOT BE PAID OFF UNTIL AUGUST 2010. I OFTEN HEARD THAT TOYOTA WAS ONE OF THE BEST CARS THAT ONE CAN PURCHASE THAT'S WHY I WENT WITH A TOYOTA, HOWEVER I FIND THIS TO BE QUITE DISTURBING TO HAVE TO REPLACE A MAJOR PART OF MY VEHICLE IN SUCH A SHORT TIME WITH LOW MILEAGE. MY COMPLAINT THAT I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND SAW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA HIGHLANDER TRANSMISSIONS. THIS MATTER IS SERIOUS AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FROM THE GEARS SLIPPING. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR! *TR

1. PLASTIC TENSION COIL HOLDING UP VISOR FAILED ALL OF THE SUDDEN. 2. PLASTIC TENSION COIL HOLDING UP VISOR FAILED CAUSING THE VISOR TO FALL DOWN OBSTRUCTING MY VISION WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURS ANYTIME I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. 3. I WENT TO TOYOTA TO HAVE IT FIXED AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY SINCE THERE HADN'T BEEN ANY RECALL NOTICES INVOLVING THE DESCRIBED FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2007, THE SUN VISOR IN THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ATTACH TIGHTLY AND COMES DOWN WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND ABOVE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED, BUT THE REPAIR WOULD COST OVER $300. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE DEFECT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 07/01/09 *BF UPDATED 07/06/09. *JB