CarComplaints.com Notes: 2008 is the first year of the 2nd generation Highlander, & it may be a model year to avoid as Toyota most likely worked out some production quality issues with the new model.
The 2009 Highlander is the has far fewer complaints.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
12 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
20 / 0
Average Mileage:
68,065 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Air bags the spiral cable went bad causing the air bag light to come on making the airbags inoperable. Took to dealership and cost was $560 to repair with parts and labor. View details.
The airbag light came on approximately in April 2013. The light stays on all the time. I brought it to elk grove Toyota. The inspected the light for $120. This was for inspection only. They said the car needs a airbag spiral cable. They estimated $460 total to replace this wire. The car has not been in an accident. The light came on at 65000-67000 miles. Will Toyota recall this part or reimburse customers. There is another 2008 Toyota Highlander airbag recall but it did not apply to my car. I looked up my VIN. For this recall.
Air bag light illuminated, and continued to stay on over several days. Took the car to the dealer, and the spiral cable was determined to be malfunctioning. Cost of repair was about $500.
While driving, the air bag light came on and stayed on. After taking it to a Toyota dealer, it was diagnosed as a spiral cable assembly malfunction. This issue has been the subject of recall for 2008 Tacoma, Camry and venzas, but not the Highlander. It is a $450 expense. It seems to me if Toyota has recalled the part on other models in the same year, it should consider recalling it for the Highlander. Looking at the recent complaints filed on this website, I see that I am not the only one to experience this issue.
The airbag light came on. I took it into a dealer, and was told the spiral cable needed to be replaced (at a cost of $419 parts and labor) and that it is not covered under any recalls. Upon research, I learned that there is a recall for Tacoma, Camry, and venzas for this exact same problem with the spiral cable. Further, I found numerous claims of the same problem for the 2008 Highlander. I contacted the Toyota customer experience center, and they confirmed that there is no recall and that I would need to retain any documentation for reimbursement under any future recalls for this issue. Obviously I need to have the spiral cable replaced, because I was told by the Toyota dealer that the entire airbag system is inoperable. My hope is that there will be a recall for the Highlander, and that it is already being considered.
- Sandy, UT, USA
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The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the air bag warning light illuminated intermediately. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was advised that the spiral cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Highlander. The contact was driving approximately 55 mph when the air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and an authorized dealer, who both stated that the air bag spiral cable would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
I was driving my 2008 Highlander on November 11, 2012 and the airbag light came on. The following day I went online to see if there was a recall on the Toyota website. There was a recall for the airbag light for the side curtain air bag system. I took my vehicle to my Toyota dealer to have the recall work done on November 14. The airbag light was still on after the recall work. I left them the vehicle so they could do further diagnostics. They said the squib circuit on the spiral cable for the airbag system on the steering column had a short in it. Toyota part number 84306-22010. It was not part of the recall. The dealership told me that if a repair was not done there was a good chance that the airbag system would not work in an accident. The dealership said the airbag light would light up intermittently if I didn't repair it and that they were pretty sure the airbag wouldn't go off on its own. My choice was fix it or park it. I had them do the repair, $276.63 for the spiral cable and $150 for the labor, $443.22 total with sales tax. I have over 122,000 miles on my vehicle and the dealership has been performing the maintenance on the vehicle. I have two other vehicles (not Toyota) and neither has ever had an airbag system problem and each one has over 100,000 miles. The wiring for the airbag system should never go bad. Please have someone look into this problem.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph and applying the brakes to avoid hitting a deer, the brakes seized and the vehicle failed to respond. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed. The contact mentioned that none of the air bags deployed. As a result, the driver and a passenger sustained minor injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact was able to drive the vehicle away from the scene. The failure and current mileage was 70,000. Updated 11/01/12 updated 11/02/12
Air bag warning light comes on intermitently but frequently. Dealer has replaced parts twice but failed to correct the problem. Toyota usa sent a safety recall notice (interim notice) appoximately 10 months ago which seemed to describe the problem but said Toyota was working on the remedy and a second owner notification would be sent when the remedy is available. The notice also said that when the air bag warning light comes on the air bags could deploy inadvertently and that the vehicle should be taken immediately to the dealer. The warning light comes on frequently but when the vehicle is taken to the dealer, he says that he cannot do anything to correct the problem until Toyota issues the final recall. I have contacted Toyota usa who state that they cannot give any date for when they will have a solution to this problem. Please help.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign id number: 11V245000 (air bags) and contacted the manufacturer. The manufacturer advised that the parts were available and to schedule an appointment with the dealer. After contacting the dealer, they informed him that the part was not available and to keep trying back. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the vehicle was stopped when another vehicle crashed into the vehicle while driving approximately 50 mph. None of the air bags deployed during the failure. A police report was filed and the driver was taken to the hospital to treat minor injuries. The vehicle was towed to an insurance lot where the failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was awaiting a response. The failure and current mileages were 63,000.
2008 Toyota Highlander: There is a faulty wiring harness for the airbag deployment. It has been fixed but it occurs again and then have to get it fix again. Due to faulty a wiring harness that could fail and prevent airbag deployment, it is dangerous for me, my kids, or anyone that owns or drives a 2008 Toyota Highlander.
I was involved in an accident in my 2008 Toyota Highlander on Friday 3/4/11. I hit another vehicle while traveling 35mph. My Highlander has significant front end damage but not one of the air bags deployed. I suffered a knee injury, a neck injury, a shoulder injury, and a concussion. I am very upset and concerned that none of the air bags deployed as they should have according to the owner's manual. I am hesitant to have any repairs made to my vehicle until we find out the cause of the defect. Please let me know how to proceed...
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Chandler, AZ, USA