What 186 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the intermediate steering shaft was making an abnormal knocking noise while turning to the left or the right. Additionally, the driver’s side window failed to roll up or down because it was off track. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11442274

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR STUCK IN DOWN POSITION, AND WILL NOT MOVE UPWARD OUT OF THE WAY, OBSTRUCTING DRIVER'S VIEW. IT CAN BE MOVED TO THE SIDE WINDOW, BUT THEN THE SIDE VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED. I HESITATE TO TRY AND FORCE IT UP, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BREAK AND JUST FLOP AROUND. RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I HAVE LEARNED OF MANY OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILAR-VINTAGE TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE TOYOTA DEALER QUOTED OVER $300 TO REPLACE WITH A NEW PART. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ODI 11190287

THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS (2010 - 2013) SUN VISORS. THE VISOR NO LONGER STAYS IN EITHER THE UPRIGHT OR DOWNWARD POSITION. IT IS EITHER AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE WHEN PLACED IN THE "UP" POSITION OR IS IN A POSITION TO SLIGHTLY OBSCURE VISIBILITY IN THE "DOWN" POSITION. TOYOTA OFFERED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT (LETTER ZF1) HOWEVER I AM NOW PAST THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS A HAZARD IN DRIVING AND WOULD BE HAZARDOUS TO THE DRIVER SHOULD THERE BE AN ACCIDENT - THE VISOR WOULD HIT THE DRIVER IN THE FOREHEAD OR FACE SHOULD THERE BE AN IMPACT.

NHTSA ODI 11183508

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR NO LONGER STAYS UP AND BLOCKS THE DRIVERS VISION WHILE DRIVING. THIS SEEMS TO BE A ON GOING PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA SUN VISORS.

NHTSA ODI 11090434

MY DRIVER SIDE VISOR LOST ALL TENSION. I HAD TO EITHER HOLD IT UP OR TIE IT OUT OF THE WAY. I HAD IT REPLACED AT LOWE TOYOTA IN WARNER ROBINS, GA FOR $199.87. I WOULD NOT EXPECT A VISOR TO TEAR UP EVEN FOR A 2011 MODEL. IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE VISORS AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACING THEM. THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10925378

THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS OFF THE TRACK AND UNABLE TO ROLL UP. PRIOR TO THE WINDOW FALLING OFF THE TRACK, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD MAKE A POPPING NOISE AND WOULD RATTLE WHEN GOING UP OR DOWN. THE ISSUE IS EXACTLY LIKE THE 2010 NHTSA REFERENCE #10037962 AND TSB REFERENCE #T-SB-0010-11.

NHTSA ODI 10852757

DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR IS BROKEN AND STUCK AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, AND WILL NOT STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, OBSTRUCTING VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN ISSUE OF THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, AS THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONCE DOING A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH.

NHTSA ODI 10761805

DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR WON'T STAY CLOSE TO THE CEILING .

NHTSA ODI 10743427

AS I ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE VISOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE MECHANISM BROKE AND IT WOULD NEITHER STAY OR OR DOWN - BLOCKING VISIBILITY. I KNOW A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS WHO OWN HIGHLANDERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP I WENT TO SAID THAT TOYOTA WAS GOING TO DO SOME TYPE OF "EXTENDED WARRANTY" TO COVER THE COST. HOW DO I APPLY FOR THAT?

NHTSA ODI 10733100

THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR IS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION. THIS IS CREATING DIFFICULTY SEEING AND I HAVE HIT MY HEAD ON THE VISOR A FEW TIMES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA EXPECTING IT TO BE COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE COST WAS ROUGHLY $230 FOR THE PART AND AN ADDITIONAL $30 TO INSTALL. CLEARLY WITH THIS CREATING A VISIBILITY HAZARD AND THE SHEER NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THIS SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL. ...UPDATED08/20/15 *BF UPDATED 11/27/15*JS

NHTSA ODI 10725477

THE SUN VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE FAILED AND FLIPPED DOWN, IT HAS SINCE REMAINED IN THE DOWN POSITION AND NO LONGER LOCKS IN PLACE. I AM TALLER THAN MY WIFE SO IT IS A PROBLEM FOR ME WHEN I DRIVE HER CAR. I JUST CHECKED THE FORUMS AND THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN ORDER REPLACEMENT SUN VISORS SINCE THEY SELLOUT VERY QUICKLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10713589

FOR NO REASON AT ALL MY SUNVISOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT STAY UP. IT IS VERY DISTRACTING TRYING TO DRIVE WITH IT HALF WAY DOWN AND OBSTRUCTS MY VISION. I HAVE NOT YET PUT IT IN THE SHOP YET SO DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO FIX IT, BUT IT HAS TO BE FIXED. IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10691756

I HAVE A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR HAS BROKEN FROM ITS INTERNAL GUIDE ON THE VISOR, MAKING IT UNSAFELY AND UNCONTROLLABLY FLIP & FLOP AROUND. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A REPLACEMENT, BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE ARE MORE THAN 200 ON BACKORDER, AND IT COULD TAKE ONE OR MORE MONTHS TO GET A REPLACEMENT. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWS PREVIOUS RECALLS ON TOYOTA SUN VISORS. SO, WITH MORE THAN 200 ALREADY NEEDING REPLACEMENTS ON WHAT SHOULD BE A STRONG PART, IT SUGGESTS A LARGER PROBLEM WORTHY OF YOUR ATTENTION AND A POSSIBLE RECALL. THANKS.

NHTSA ODI 10677145

THE SUN VISOR POPPED WHEN I WAS PULLING IT DOWN TO SHEILD MY EYES AND NOW IT WILL NOT RETURN TO ORIGINAL POSITION. CONCERN AS IT GETS IN MY WAY WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR WHICH I TEND TO HIT MY HEAD ON AND HAVE TO MOVE MY SEAT LOWER IN ORDER TO SEE PROPERLY. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $300 TO FIX. THAT IS RIDICULOUS AS I FEEL THIS IS A FAULTY PART THAT COULD BE A HAZARDOUS SITUATION IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF. RECAL MAY BE IN ORDER TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10672554

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR SPRING BROKE PREVENTING THE VISOR FROM EITHER FOLDING BACK UP OR COMING DOWN COMPLETELY, CAUSING A VISIBILITY PROBLEM AND A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10667014

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR SPRING IS BROKE SO THAT VISOR BLOCKS DRIVER'S VISION CAUSING POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. STAYS IN PARTIALLY DOWN POSITION. CONTACTED DEALER AND TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE. THERE WERE OVER 300 SUN VISORS ON BACK ORDER WITH NO DELIVERY PROMISE DATE AS PRODUCTION OF VISOR HAS BEEN HALTED. THERE ARE NO REPAIRS. INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT 17 OF THE 66 COMPLAINTS IN DATA BASE FOR HIGHLANDER ARE SUN VISOR ISSUES. TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE SAYS NO RECALLS, SERVICE BULLETINS. DEALER WANTS OVER $300 TO REPAIR, IF HE COULD GET A VISOR. THIS CLEARLY A GENERIC ISSUE WITH SAFETY IMPLICATIONS! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10661202

DRIVER-SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAILED TO STAY IN UP POSITION, BLOCKING DRIVER'S VIEW OF ROAD AND CREATING A DISTRACTION. CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS ON 16 AUGUST BUT SERVICE PERSONNEL INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NO VISORS IN STOCK. ORDERED ONE THAT DAY BUT COULD NOT GET THE PART UNTIL MID SEPT. PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE PART BECAUSE THIS WAS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM AND SUPPLIER COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH DEMAND. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10640662

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR SUDDENLY DROPS BLOCKING VIEW ALMOST HITTING A DEER ON THE ROAD. SUN VISOR (NOT USE OFTEN) IS NOW LOOSE AND WILL NOT GO BACK IN PLACE. SUN VISOR NOW BLOCKS VIEW WHICH DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE PROBABILITY OF AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD BE FATAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10639482

2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR NO LONGER STAYS IN PLACE. *SMD

NHTSA ODI 10606298

THE REAR HATCH DOOR SENSOR GOES OFF WHEN THE CAR MAKES A TURN OR IS DRIVEN OVER BUMP. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE DOOR SENSOR SYSTEM MUST BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF MORE THAN $700. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP. COST TO REPLACE, $300. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10605602

DRIVER SIDE VISOR HANGS DOWN AND WILL NOT RETURN TO UP POSITION. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CONCERNS OF THIS TYPE NOTED A ON THIS DATABASE AND THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE SINCE IT OBSTRUCTS DRIVER VISIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10596866

THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP FLOPS AROUND BLOCKING FULL VISION . THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HIGHLANDERS AND SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE ON A PART WITH LIMITED USE AND A VEHICLE THIS NEW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10583680

DRIVER SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP. BLOCKS DRIVERS VISION. APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD FAILURE SINCE 2002. TOYOTA WILL NOT COVER OUT OF WARRANT, WANTS $650 FOR REPLACEMENT PART!! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10565431

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER GO UP ALL THE WAY. IT IS STUCK PARTIALLY UP AND HAS RESISTANCE. IT IS NOW ONLY DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW OF DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED TO BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560778

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER GO UP ALL THE WAY. IT IS STUCK PARTIALLY UP AND HAS RESISTANCE. IT IS NOW ONLY DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW OF DRIVING. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUES AND A RECALL ORDERED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560801