WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ABOVE THE HALF WAY MARK AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF STOPPING AND STARTING IT APPROACHED THE RED BUT NEVER ACTUALLY WENT INTO THE RED ZONE. NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS EVER WENT ON TO ALERT ME TO AN ENGINE PROBLEM. WHEN STOPPED, IT WENT ABOVE THE HALF WAY MARK AND WHEN DRIVING IT WEN…
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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ABOVE THE HALF WAY MARK AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF STOPPING AND STARTING IT APPROACHED THE RED BUT NEVER ACTUALLY WENT INTO THE RED ZONE. NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS EVER WENT ON TO ALERT ME TO AN ENGINE PROBLEM. WHEN STOPPED, IT WENT ABOVE THE HALF WAY MARK AND WHEN DRIVING IT WENT DOWN TO THE HALFWAY MARK. I GOT HOME ( 20 MINUTES LATER), I PARKED THE CAR AND DROVE IT THE NEXT DAY TO THE TOYOTA DEALER ( 8 MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE). IT DID NOT GO ABOVE THE HALFWAY MARK AT THIS TIME.FYI, ALL MAINTENANCE AND CHECK UPS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON TIME AND DONE AT THIS DEALER. THE DEALER CALLED LATER THAT DAY AND INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD AND IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT ELSE MAY BE DAMAGED, IT WOULD COST $550. JUST TO INVESTIGATE INTO TO HEAD CYLINDER AND THE ENGINE. THE $550.WOULD BE APPLIED TO ANY REPAIRS. THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY, THE DEALER CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THE BOLTS OF THE HEAD CYLINDER WERE STRIPPED AND THE THREADS WERE IN THE BLOCK. I WOULD NEED A NEW SHORT BLOCK AT THE COST OF $6,375.00 PLUS TAX. ALL DUE TO THE OVERHEATING INCIDENT, WHICH HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10465975
100,000 miles · Jul 28, 2011
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKE LIGHT BULB BURNS OUT PERIODICALLY
NHTSA ODI #10416132
120,000 miles · Jan 29, 2009
Electrical SystemVisibility
TEMP (HOT/COLD) DIAL ELECTRICAL SHORT. TEMP SETTING CONTINUOUSLY FAILS TO HOLD SET TEMP & BLOWS OPPOSITE OF SETTING. FEAR OF ELECTRICAL FIRE PLUS UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDSHIELD FOR GOOD VISIBILITY. FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR SOME HELP ON THIS ITEM AS AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT ONE DEALERSHIP REPLACED 1,100 LAST YEAR…
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TEMP (HOT/COLD) DIAL ELECTRICAL SHORT. TEMP SETTING CONTINUOUSLY FAILS TO HOLD SET TEMP & BLOWS OPPOSITE OF SETTING. FEAR OF ELECTRICAL FIRE PLUS UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDSHIELD FOR GOOD VISIBILITY. FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR SOME HELP ON THIS ITEM AS AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT ONE DEALERSHIP REPLACED 1,100 LAST YEAR AND HAS REPLACE SEVERAL ALREADY THIS YEAR. I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM EXCEPT THE FAILED SWITCH CAN NOT BE REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED AND THAT PART COST $669.00 PLUS LABOR TO INSTALL. BEING A SINGLE MOM I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY AND TRULY FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DEFROST PROPERLY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10256854
Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2005
Electrical System
DT: 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE VEHICLE DIED WHILE GOING 70 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER PULLED OUT THE FUSES AND STARTED THE VEHICLE. THEN, HE DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAD NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10132280
Mileage unknown · May 5, 2003
Electrical System
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN HEADLINER BETWEEN SUN ROOF AND SUN VISOR. BURN MARK 5-6 INCHES LONG THROUGH HEADLINER. NO FIRE OR FLAMES BUT COULD SMELL STRONG ODOR OF SMOKE. *JB
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEVER MAY CONTACT THE BODY PANEL, CAUSING THE CPL LEVER TO MOVE INTO THE UNLOCK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WITH THE INSIDE WHILE THE OPERATOR BELIEVES THAT THE CPL WAS ACTIVATED. IF THE DOOR WERE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AN OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT AND BE INJURED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIVE FACTORY ALLOY WHEELS (MODEL 6934 AND 6936), WITH FACTORY LLAT, AND WITH PORT INSTALLED WR4, FOUR ALLOY WHEEL UPGRADE PROCESSED AT THE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA PORT AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PROCESSED AT THE PORT, AN ALLOY TIRE/WHEEL UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED. THE UPGRADE INCLUDED 4 ALLOY WHEELS. THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE/ALLOY WHEEL WAS NOT CHANGED. THE SPARE TIRE REQUIRES THE USE OF A DIFFERENT STYLE OF WHEEL NUT TO ATTACH IT TO THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE USING THE WHEEL NUTS PROVIDED FOR THE UPGRADE ALLOY WHEEL, DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL COULD RESULT AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LOOSE WHEEL.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH DIFFERENT STYLE LUG NUTS, A WARNING LABEL FOR THE SPARE RE/ALLOY WHEEL, AND AN OWNER'S MANUAL ADDENDUM.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
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No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2003 Toyota Highlander Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year