What 133 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota Highlander

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE REAR LIFTGATE, IT OCCASIONALLY FAILED TO OPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE HAD TO BE CLOSED MANUALLY OCCASIONALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHUCK PATTERSON TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 200 EAST AVE, CHICO, CA 95926) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MULTI LIFTGATE CONNECTOR OR THE POWER UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

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SPEEDOMETER NUMBERS ARE NOT VISIBLE TO THE DRIVER. THE NUMBERS INDICATING THE KILOMETER SPEED ARE TOO SMALL AND THE NUMBERS ARE NOT LIGHTED BRIGHTLY ENOUGH TO SEE. THE NUMBERS ARE NOT VISIBLE IN DAYLIGHT OR AT NIGHT. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS CONDITION WHEN I AM DRIVING IN CANADA. THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS NO SOLUTION TO THIS SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. PLEASE NOT THAT I HAVE EXCELLENT EYESIGHT.

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2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE WHEELS LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. THE TRANSMISSION STOPS, PULLS, THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR. A WARNING MESSAGE APPEARS STATING 'CHECK ALL WHEEL DRIVE TRACK OFF'. THE SOLENOID FAILED. *JS

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I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON OUR STREET, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A PRIVATE ROAD, WHILE PREPARING TO TURN AROUND A BEND IN THE ROAD, A 94YR OLD WOMAN WALKED IN FRONT OF MY CAR, WAS STRUCK, AND DIED. AT NO TIME DURING MY TURN DID I SEE THE WOMAN AS SHE STEPPED IN FRONT OF MY CAR. RESEARCH OF THE 2014 HIGHLANDER REVEALED MANY OWNERS HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING ANY OBJECT OR PERSON DUE TO THE BLIND SPOT OF THE LEFT SIDE MIRROR. RESEARCH AT TOYOTA NATION FORUM, REVEALED ALL OWNERS HAD BLIND SPOTS DUE TO THE SIZE AND POSITION OF THE LEFT SIDE MIRROR. MOST WERE RELATED TO DRIVERS 5'2" IN HEIGHT, BUT 6FT DRIVERS ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT THE BLIND SPOT OF THE LEFT SIDE MIRROR. IN FACT, I FOUND ANOTHER DRIVER WHO HIT A PEDESTRIAN, BUT THEIR VICTIM SURVIVED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE REAR GATE, IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE. THE CONTACT MANUALLY HAD TO PUSH IT UP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GATE HAD BEEN MALFUNCTIONING FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS. THE GATE WOULD SOMETIMES OPEN OR NOT OPEN, AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY BECAUSE GET STUCK IN THE PROCESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RONNIE WARD TOYOTA OF RUSTON (1001 NORTH SERVICE RD E, RUSTON, LA 71270), BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

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MY COMPLAINT CONCERNS THE SAFETY OF THE WELLBEING OF MYSELF AND PASSENGERS IN MY VEHICLE. THE REAR AUTOMATUC DOOR LOCK ON MY PASSENGER SIDE OF MY HIGHLANDER WENT OUT FIRST. THEN THE DRIVER DOOR AT ANY GIVEN TIME MAY OR MAY NOT OPEN. NOT EVEN WITH THE KEY. I HAVE TO GO TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CLIMB OVER AND UNLOCK THE DOOR AND GO BACK AROUND TO GET IN. MY CONCERN IS BEING IN A WRECK AND THE DOOR NOT OPENING. NOT BEING ABLE TO GET A CHILD OUT OF THE CARSEAT IN THE BACK BECAUSE THE DOOR WON'T OPEN. YES. IT MAY BE THE ACTUATORS AND I HAVE READ THE EXPENSIVE REVIEWS OF GETTING THOSE FIXED ONLY TO FIND IT HAPPENS AGAIN OVER AND OVER. MY OTHER COMPLAINT IS THE BLUETOOTH PHONE SYSTEM WILL FREEZE UP AND YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR TO UNFREEZE IT. THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN CONTINUOUSLY. I HAVE READ REVIEWS ON THIS ALSO AND TOYOTA IS AWARE OF BOTH OF THESE COMPLAINTS BUT HAVE HAD NO RECALLS TO DATE. PLEASE HELP!

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DOOR ACTUATOR - DRIVER SIDE DOOR DOES NOT ALWAYS LOCK OR UNLOCK WHEN USING THE KEY FOB OR BUTTON ON DOOR.

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REAR LIFT GATE MALFUNCTIONED WHEN TRYING TO LOAD GROCERIES. LONG BEEP AND WOULDN'T WORK. UNABLE TO MAKE IT WORK AGAIN EVEN AFTER RESETTING AND TURNING OFF AND ON VIA BUTTON IN GLOVEBOX. NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY ANYMORE. PAID $1000 FOR TOYOTA AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR. BROUGHT HOME AND IT WORKED FOR A FEW DAYS THEN STARTED DOING THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN.

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POWER REAR LIFTGATE INOPERABLE. POWER REAR LIFT GATE TRAVELS A COUPLE INCHES, EITHER OPENING OR CLOSING, AND FREEZES. NO LONGER RESPONDS WITH THE POWER BUTTON AND HAS TO BE CLOSED MANUALLY. DISENGAGING THE POWER BUTTON AND USING ONLY AS MANUAL OPEN AND CLOSE, THE DOOR IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OPEN OR CLOSE.

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DOOR ACTUATORS FAILED IN ALL 4 DOORS 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE AND JUST AFTER WARRANTY WAS OVER.

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TOYOTA ENTUNE SYSTEM , CONSTANTLY SHUT DOWN AND REBOOT WHILE DRIVING, LOSING BLUETOOTH CONNECTION, RADIO, NAVIGATION

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BLUETOOTH STOPPED WORKING. WHEN MY PHONE WOULD BE PLUGGED IN, THE CAR WILL RANDOMLY DISCONNECT FROM ITSELF FROM THE PHONE. TOUCHSCREEN WOULD ZAP IN AND OUT UNTIL IT WOULD FINALLY SHUT OFF. GOT SUSPENDED FROM WORK FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT START (I HAD NO OTHER TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO WORK). TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH BATTERY. IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING WITH THE SOFTWARE.

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THE POWER LIFT GATE ACTUATORS ONLY WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND CAUSED US TO CLOSE/OPEN BY HAND. THIS OCCURRED WHILE PARKED. THIS EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LEAK IN THE DRIVER SIDE ACTUATOR. A REVIEW OF THE NHTSA WEBSITE SHOWED THAT OF THE 54 COMPLAINTS LISTED 14 CONCERNED THE POWER LIFT GATES. THAT IS ABOUT 25%. I HAD TO HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE BOTH AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT A RECALL. THEY SUGGESTED I CALL TOYOTA DIRECTLY. TOYOTA REP SAID THEY COULD NOT REIMBURSE ME AFTER THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETE. NO SUGGESTION AS TO REPLACING MY CAR WHILE IT WAITED IN SHOP FOR ACTION FROM TOYOTA. HOWEVER TOYOTA DID PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR ($1000) AND STATED THAT IF A RECALL OCCURRED AT A LATER DATE WE COULD REVISIT THE COST OF THE OTHER ACTUATOR. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS RE THIS PROBLEM I HOPE THIS NOTIFICATION MIGHT LEAD TO OTHER DOCUMENTATION OF SIMILAR ISSUES AND MAYBE A RECALL. AT THIS TIME I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD MY COMPLAINT RE THE RADIO/ENTUNE SYSTEM GOING BLACK AND THEN TURNING BACK ON, THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MOST FREQUENT COMPLAINT.

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MY HIGHLANDER HAS HAD A TOTAL OF 14 (INCLUDING THE 4 ORIGINAL) DOOR ACTUATORS IN THE 4 PASSENGER DOORS. THE 1ST FAILED AT ABOUT 13K MILES. I HAVE ABOUT 75K MILES NOW. AS SOON AS (OR SHORTLY AFTER) A FAILED ONE HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE ISSUE TRAVELS TO ANOTHER DOOR. THAT PATTERN HAS CONTINUED TO REACH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ACTUATORS SO FAR. THE 15TH ACTUATOR WILL SOON BE INSTALLED. TOYOTA WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE ONCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, EVEN THOUGH IT ORIGINATED LONG BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRATION. I DON'T BELIEVE THE ACTUATORS ARE ACTUALLY THE PROBLEM, BUT POSSIBLY WHATEVER COMPUTER OR DEVICE IS SENDING THE SIGNAL TO THE DOORS TO LOCK/UNLOCK. IT HAPPENS WITH EITHER THE REMOTE OR THE LOCKING CONTROLS ON THE DOORS ITSELF. I CONSIDER IT A SAFETY AND INCONVENIENCE ISSUE WHEN YOU CANNOT RELY ON THE DOORS TO LOCK OR UNLOCK UPON COMMAND. UPON LEAVING THE CAR, YOU'RE NEVER QUITE SURE IF THE CAR IS SAFELY SECURED. BEING THE PRIMARY DRIVER, I'M NOT CERTAIN IF THE AFFECTED DOOR DU JOUR IS LOCKING UPON PUTTING THE CAR IN DRIVE, WHICH COULD BE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. THE "BAD ACTUATOR" WILL ALSO NOT OPEN FREQUENTLY, WHICH IS A HUGE INCONVENIENCE IF RAIN IS POURING AND YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

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I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE RIGHT ONLY LANE AND SEE THE RED LIGHT ON THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL. IT IS NOT A BUSY STREET. AND THERE IS A CAR IN FRONT OF MINE. I APPLIED BRAKES AND THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE CAR DID NOT STOP AND TRIED BY PUSHING THE BRAKES IN FULL THROTTLE. IT DID NOT WORK AND MY CAR BUMPED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I TOWED MY CAR AND HAD MY CAR INSPECTED AT DEALERSHIP. THE REPORT WAS GREEN AND SO NO ISSUES. AND FILED A CASE WITH TOYOTA TO HAVE THE BLACK BOX REVIEWED. TOYOTA REPORTED NO ISSUES. AT THIS TIME I AM HELPLESS AND HAVE A SERIOUS CONCERN OF RUNNING INTO THE SAME ISSUE PUTTING MY AND OTHERS LIFE AT RISK.

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ONE DAY I FIND A WATER UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT AND UNDER THE PASSENGER SEATTLE AND THE BACK SEAT TOO SO I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT DRAIN CLOGGED DUE TO A LOT OF RAIN AND DEBRIS AND THEY ASK ME TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE A LOT OF CARS PARK THERE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND I TOLD THEM I HAVE A WARRANTY ON THE CAR AND THEY SAID IT DOESN'T MATTER AND THEY DON'T WANT TO FIX IT WITH THE FACTORY WARRANTY AND THAT FLOOD CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR FIRE BECOUSE ALL THE WIRE THERE

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THE REAR TRUNK DOOR OF MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IS NOT FUNCTIONING AS EXPECTED. THE MOTORS THAT POWER THE ACTUATORS OF THE TRUNK DOOR ARE NOT WORKING AND WE HAVE TO MANUALLY OPEN AND CLOSE THE TRUNK DOOR. SOMETIMES WE DO NOT REALIZE IF THE TRUNK IS CLOSED OR NOT WHICH CREATES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. TOYOTA WAS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THE 2008 TO 2013 HIGHLANDER MODELS BUT THE SAME ISSUE STILL PERSISTS IN THE 2014 MODELS ALSO. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AT IRVING, TX AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE MOTOR POWERING THE ACTUATORS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AND TOYOTA COVERS IT AS PART OF WARRANTY. SINCE THE VEHICLE'S FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN THIS YEAR THEY ADVISED ME THAT I WILL HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF REPAIR AND PARTS.

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SPARE TIRE WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED AND UNUSABLE WHEN NEEDED. IT WAS NEVER USED BEFORE. TECHNICIAN CHANGING TIRE SAID IT WAS UNSAFE.

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WHILE DRIVING IN HOUSTON TX. USING THE NAV SYSTEM THE SCREEN WENT BLANK. IN HEAVY TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR ABOUT 5 PM. I ACUTALLY MISSED MY TURN AND HAD TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RE STARTED IT. SCREEN BLANKED OUT AGAIN WHILE PARKED. I HAD TO RESORT TO MY CELL PHONE. I"M NEW TO THE AREA. TOYOTA TELLS ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ITS SOFTWEAR. I FEEL THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS VERY DISTURBING WHILE LOOKING FOR DIRECTIONS AND THE SCREEN GOES BLANK.

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ON CITY STREET DRIVING ABOUT 37 MPH. ADAPTIVE SPEED CONTROL ENGAGED. I APPROACH A CAR GOING THE SAME DIRECTION SLIGHTLY SLOWER, ABOUT 35 MPH. THAT SLOWER CAR IS FOLLOWING ANOTHER CAR ABOUT 2 CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT. MY CAR GENTLY BREAKS TO BRING MY SPEED BACK TO 35 MPH. MY 35 MPH IS BEING MAINTAINED AT A FIXED DISTANCE FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME CHANGES LANE OPENING UP A GAP OF ABOUT 3-4 CAR LENGTHS TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR NOW SPEEDS UP AGGRESSIVELY BECAUSE THERE IS NO CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. INSTEAD OF BREAKING WHEN MY CAR GETS CLOSER TO THE REAR END OF THE CAR NOW THAT I AM APPROACHING, MY CAR CONTINUES AGGRESSIVE ACCELERATION TOWARD THE REAR OF THAT CAR. MY CAR WOULD SURELY SMASH INTO THE REAR OF THAT CAR IF I DON'T BRAKE SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THROUGH THE YEARS ALTHOUGH NOT FREQUENTLY GIVEN THE CONDITIONS NEEDED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAULT. I BELIEVE IT IS REPEATABLE AND SUGGESTIVE OF A SOFTWARE ISSUE. ALL THE HARDWARE ELEMENTS SEEM TO BE WORKING JUST FINE.

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THE DOOR ACTUATORS KEEP GOING OUT. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS THE TWO BACK AND PASSENGER FRONT. I HAD IT FIXED AND LESS THAN A YEAR LATER THE TWO BACK DOORS WENT OUT AGAIN. THE DEALERS SHIP WANTS APPROXIMATELY 400.00 PER DOOR TO CORRECT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY WAS OBSCURED WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR FAILED TO RETRACT. IN ADDITION, THE LIFTGATE AUTOMATIC RELEASE BUTTON WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MILLER TOYOTA (8566 SUDLEY RD, MANASSAS, VA 20110, (866) 352-4910) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.

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WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS A SOUND, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND COULD NOT STOP WHEN PRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE PARKING BRAKE. CRASHED INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S YARD WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THE CAR ROLL OVER. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY TO ME, A PASSERBY, OR NEIGHBOR'S CHILDREN.

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THE BACK HATCH NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU CAN'T ESCAPE OUT THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. CAR IS PARKED WHEN WE TRY TO OPERATE THE HATCH.

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GPS/RADIO OFTEN TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. SCREEN COMPLETELY GOES BLANK AND KEEPS TRYING TO RESET ITSELF. VOICE COMMANDS OFTEN DON'T WORK WHILE DRIVING OR STATIONARY. BLUE TOOTH OFTEN DOESN'T CONNECT WHILE DRIVING OR STATIONARY. TAILGATE OFTEN DOESN'T CLOSE AND TAKES MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET TO WORKING AGAIN WHEN STATIONARY. SPONGY/BROKEN SPRING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR AS I DROVE OVER UNEVEN ROAD. REAR LEFT TAIL LIGHT ALWAYS FOGGY AND CONTAINS MOISTURE EVEN AFTER REPLACING IT. CHIRPING SOUND COMING FROM RIGHT SIDE OF CAR WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON WINDY DAYS. WHEEL AND CAR SHAKING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT SPEED OVER 60 MPH.

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