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.
the ABS pump and actuator on this vehicle have failed. The warning lights on dash indicate ABS, BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL, and (!). Toyota knows that the actuator on over one hundred thousand vehicles has an internal leakage (which can not be seen on visual inspection). I have requested Toyota to repair and replace this manufacturing malady and Toyota has declined any assistance.
Brakes failed at a low rate of speed despite pumping them and pushing the petal all the way to the floor. Several witnesses in the car support this narrative. Vehicle ended up slowly rolling into the car in front of us. Minimal damage to both. Took it in to the dealership and they said the brakes appear fine.
2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid; mileage 97,849. While driving a red BRAKE alert showed up along with an ABS light, traction symbol and an encircled exclamation mark. This malfunction (which I now see is a known safety issue) shut down my regular braking system and I had to use the emergency brake to stop. A message appeared telling me to pull over to a safe spot and contact my dealer. A shrill high pitched sound also went off. How can a faulty designed ABS module that blocks the braking system from working when it fails not be under a safety recall - just an expired Safety Bulletin? I was fortunate to think to use my emergency brake to stop to avoid an accident and injury to myself and/or others. Vehicle was towed to Gates Toyota, South Bend, IN. if you wish to contact them regarding codes & costly repair bill expenses. I have a call in to the Toyota Headquarters Resolution Team and am waiting for them to contact me back on my case.
Similar to what many other complainants have stated, the ABS has apparently failed. There are clunking noises and warning messages to pull over and not drive the vehicle. This is a known issue on these vehicles and Toyota did a very short recall that expired in 2020. The recall required that your vehicle was experiencing the problem at that moment, so everyone who has this issue after 2020 gets a $3k repair bill or an unsafe vehicle.
Going down a hill with my family the suv was traveling at a speed of 65mph when suddenly another vehicle jump into my lane so i tried to brake with a fast push on the brake pedal but not too hard so i would stop the suv completely for the cars that were traveling behind so the suv made a weird noise and the lights on dash from the abs, service brake and other warning lights went on and the most scary thing is that from that moment the suv didnt respond safely to the road it was really hard for me to control it and there times that it didnt braked safely when it required to do so..i havent take the truck to a dealer but am about to do so i have the appointment for 05/06/2023 btw my suv is a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid and the suv hasnt being driven by anybody since then so i hope the authorities take matter on this situations thanks
- Long Beach, CA, USA
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The brake warning light has come on, including the abs, anti skid, and the triangle warning light. The OBD 2 scanner is indicating code C1253. This indicates brake actuator, & or brake booster. This a known problem for Toyota hybrid highlanders from 2008 to 2011. Toyota knows there is a problem, has a posted a customer service bulletin (CZN), but expired 2020. (This doesn't mean the part still can't fail.)The local dealer, and the Toyota home office refuses to step in with any help. If this was a known problem by Toyota, why isn't there a recall" If I'm driving the car and have an accident, from this part failure, is Toyota liable, since this is a known problem" Would appreciate any help, or you could direct me to who could help. Thanks, [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
2008-2010 Toyota Highlander vehicles are at risk for a brake malfunction caused by the ABS system. Toyota issued a TSB in May 2019 but that was only covered IF you had the issue during that specific time period of the issued TSB. The ABS issue seems to be malfunction around 135000-150000 miles and cause a brake failure or lockup. Since the TSB was issued, it voids 3rd party warranty coverage and Toyota will not assist with cost at almost $3000 even though they are aware of the issue.
Why is there no recall for all these hybrid Highlanders with Brake Actuator failures? My 2009 Highlander has just over 70,000 miles. I was driving and this warning showed up on the screen: -??BRAKE (in red) Brake Malfunction-?? and underneath -??Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately, and contact a dealer.-?? -??ABS Check ABS-?? and -??Check Brake System-?? both of which say -??Have your vehicle checked by a Dealer-??. The dashboard also shows warning lights -warning light in yellow with an !), BRAKE in red, and ABS (!), and the anti-skid brake symbol is on - yellow with a car symbol and skid marks. I took it to the dealer in Tucson (Desert Toyota - where I purchased it in 2018) and they diagnosed it: "DTC C1391 FOUND BRAKE ACTUATOR TO LEAK INTERNALLY. RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY AND BOOSTER PUMP (BOOSTER PUMP DUE TO POSSIBLE WEAKENED BY RUNNING MORE SINCE ACUTATOR IS LEAKING INTERNALLY)" The cost for repairing this is $2,945.96. I now see that this is far from unique - and it is a serious safety issue. Why is this not a recall? I see that there have been earlier service programs to deal with this in earlier models and then a couple of years ago, Toyota acknowledged it in later hybrid Highlanders like 2008 and 2009 and periodically addressed it, but this should be a recall issue that has affected thousands of vehicles and persists. Toyota needs to deal with this now. Look at https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/customer-support-program-notification-zkc.1658588/page-2 - Customer Support Program Notification - ZKC and you will see just how common this serious safety problem is.
While driving I heard a clunking noise and warning lights for ABS, slip indicator, brake warning system instructing me to pull over and service vehicle as it was unsafe to drive I took the vehicle to local dealership and they found that the ABS Actuator and Brake pump had failed and needed to be replaced. While researching the issue I found that the manufacturer had issued an extended warranty service bulletin but did not issue a recall. I have included the service bulletin below.
Braking system warning lights came on. Prior to that the vehicle was making several clunking noises from the front and rear mostly when braking. The stopping distance while braking has been reduced to nearly double the distance while much more force is needed to be applied to the brake pedal to get the vehicle to come to a stop.
on 26/Jan/2022 i driving on highway suddendly the front wheel passanger side lock, luckily i quickly get off drive land to emergency land. The Brake Malfuntion light come up, i so scare, do not what happen. But i should do complaint about brake system on this vehicle. Thanks. Vu Dam.
Brake Actuator and Pump Assembly. If I drive the car Toyota has told me it could be catastrophic when the brakes stop while I-??m driving. Yes, Toyota inspected and gave the quote to me. This vehicle had 446,000 others fixed (2008-2010) under a -??warranty-?? instead of a -??recall-??! The car has not stopped yet working, it-??s parked because I don-??t want to die or kill anyone. I can still drive it maybe 20 mph without using any brakes. The closest store to buy food is 16 miles one way! Yes I have on the middle console screen: -??BRAKE (in red) Brake Malfunction-?? which then says underneath that -??Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately, and contact a dealer.-?? -??ABS Check ABS-?? and -??Check Brake System-?? both of which say -??Have your vehicle checked by a Dealer-??. And on the dashboard it shows Lights (warning light in yellow with a !,) BRAKE in red, ABS (!), there-??s actually a circle around the ! between the two ( ). Than the anti-brake symbol is on which is yellow with a car symbol and skidmarks behind it. I have attached the photo of the inspection bill and the text from the Toyota rep of how much it-??s going to cost to repair. I did speak with the service manager, Steve, who told me that the NTSB is who decides if there should be a recall on this type of thing or not. I feel like if there were 446,000 cars fixed this is a huge issue! Mine should be included! I cannot drive the car so therefore I am stranded!
I have owned my 2009 Highlander hybrid since I purchased new from dealer in July 2009. In mid December 2020 I noticed on two separate occasions that with my foot firmly on the brake pedal the vehicle would still be moving a few feet before stopping. No warning lights so I figured no big problem. In January 2021 a warning light flashed on for maybe 5 seconds regarding brake problem. On February 2nd I brought it to my local Toyota dealer to assess. They scanned it and didn't receive any dtc codes. I was advised that my front brake pads were at 4mm and should be replaced soon. I did that. Vehicle drove without incident until June 20th when several warning lights lit up. ABS, tire pressure, brakes and traction. The warning lights stayed on so I brought my Highlander back to my local Toyota dealer. This time I was told that dtc C1391 came up. Abnormal leak in accumulator, replace brake actuator and pump assembly. That would come out to $2901.24. Toyota had issued a customer support program bulletin regarding the brake actuator and brake booster pump assembly. But for some unknown reason, given the dangerous condition a failure would present, that 100% coverage of replacement expired on December 31, 2020. Toyota is not making any exceptions on this matter. It appears that Toyota is putting their reputation as well as dollars and cents ahead of their customers.
Several warning lights illuminated, tire pressure, brakes, ABS, traction, they all stayed on for a few minutes and then went off. The car seemed to be driving normally. This happened a couple times, it was not alarming, the first time the light illuminated was approximately November 12th, the lights stayed off for weeks and it happened again around December 11th, the third time, Jan 14th, I got the vehicle to the dealership. It turned out to be that the brake actuator was leaking and the whole brake system could fail. It seems hazardous and extremely dangerous that the lights did not stay illuminated to reflect the severity of the situation and not a loose fuse or tire pressure issue. I assumed that since the lights went off, there was no issue with the vehicle. It is a very costly part and repair and Toyota is aware that the part has been problematic. They have not notified customers of the issue so to look out for this dangerous issue. They had extended the warranty on the part yet gave no notice that the part was problematic and to be aware of the issue and take it in at once if the light ever comes on. It is a serious issue and it seems that more should be done on Toyota's part to ensure drivers safety. To top it all off the warranty expired December 31st, 2020. I got the vehicle to the dealership Jan 14th 2021. Toyota is making no exceptions to delays warranty coverage caused by the pandemic. It seems like they are putting money ahead of safety on more than one level and ahead of customers.
Faulty brake actuator. This is causing the vehicle calibers to engage without touching the brake pedal..the brake stays stuck causing one of the four tires to drag.this is a very dangerous malfunction and could cause death or bodily injury.
ABS, traction control, brake malfunction light on in dash due to the ABS brake pump and actuator not having enough power and a abnormal leak. The lights stay on for a day or 2 and go off for about the same time first time lights came on I hit pounding water on interstate on my way home from work at around 7pm an lost control of the vehicle. Luckily I didnt hit anything. The traction control, ABS is not working. I have seen where the 2008 models have been recalled for the same issue.
This is for a 2009 Toyota Highlander hybrid limited with about 142000 miles. The vehicle has not been in any accidents and is not abused in any way. All maintenance are up to date with the major timing kit replaced most recently at about 140000. While driving the vehicle on normal roads (sometimes highway, sometime city roads), I get three warnings that pop up at the center screen between the air vents; 1) check ABS, 2) check brake system, and 3) brake malfunction. For the first two warnings, it is followed by "have your vehicle checked by dealer." But, for the third warning, it is accompanied by "stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact dealer." These warnings also correspond to three lights that pop up by the speedometer; 1) vsc, 2) ABS, and 3) brake. The lights stay on for two to three days at a time and then will go away without any reasonable explaination. This happens about every other week. I was unable to bring it to a dealership when the light is on as I live very far away from the dealership. When I call and describe the warnings, I am told that this may be a problem with the actuator and it is common. The dealer estimated the cost to be around $3500. I did a quick search online and find that this is a common problem among same generation Highlanders. I should not have to pay for this and the manufacturer needs to get the vehicle right. I feel unsafe driving this vehicle with the uncertainty of being able to stop safely when necessary. I understand that Toyota had a recall on the brake system for the prius and Camry, but did not include the Highlander. They should have since this is a safety problem that is common with the first and second generation Highlanders. Please get Toyota to take responsibility before an accidents occurs. Brakes are an important safety feature that should not be compromised.
2009 vehicle (manufactured 9/2008) only has 83K miles on it. Croaking sound for week or so and then one morning ABS failure warning on display. Codes are C1241 and C1391. Same problem as others. Needs new ABS pump and actuator. The parts are #44050-48320 and #44070-48020and cost over $3K for parts alone. Very disappointed in Toyota, I thought Toyota quality was better than this.
I was sold over internet by vandergrift Toyota of arlington, tx a falsely advertised 2009 Toyota Highlander, that was delivered to me in san antonio, tx in enclimate weather and while I was in a full body brace, I had told them of weather, and was in down pour when they delivered, I was unable to examine car in my condition and weather till next morning. Car had been wrecked, had silt in rear tail lights, I tried to have dealership fix it, by taking car back to them, I did not hv another car. The conditions of the car were never disclosed, I did not received a buyers guide, only a blank sales contract with my name, car make and model and VIN with price paid. I hv repeatedly tried to resolve matter, dealer has lied repeatedly and billigerent. I have called owners of dealership, berkshire hathaway, they defer to dealer, dealer has done nothing, I have tried to tell people at berkshire hathaway this is something a dealer has dropped on me, who are and represent the berkshire hathaway brand, I told bh, I would persue and seek to expose to authoritative entities, and press, they have done nothing. I have also filed a pending complaint with Texas dmv. I also have according to use title 18 2511 (2)(D), recorded conversations with dlrships used sales mngr, general mngr/partner, and berkshire hathaway, and previous owner who told me when car traded in, dlr sd wold not keep do to miles and age, wd go to wholes auction. I also hv screen shot where dealer continued to advertise car for sale at reduced price 12 days after initial deposit and over a week after wire trnsfer, and 5 days after delivery. Other, problems included components advertised or options not included. Toyota tow pkg, turned out to be uhaul hitch bolted on, no wiring to even coonect to brakes, and no additional radiator/fans/ to aid in hauling /towing, and no stellite radio as advertised. Original ad photos faked
While driving down the expressway with the family (50mph), check engine light and traction control suddenly turn on and flicker on and off randomly. Engine power hesitates. At the stoplight, check engine light continues to turn on, and off randomly, as well as traction control light. Engine appears to be stalling at times, and RPM bounces between 500-900. Acceleration when pressing against gas pedal results in uneven acceleration. Pulled vehicle off to the side, turned engine off, and examined vehicle. Examined vehicle and do not see anything suspicious. Turned vehicle back on, and check engine light with traction control off. Moments later, lights turn back on. Limped vehicle back to residence via local roads. Continued to experience intermittent on/off check engine light and traction control. After arriving at residence, parked vehicle and performed additional examination. Noticed burning smell at rear brake shoes, possibly from traction control holding on to brakes. Will bring car to dealership on 08/05/13 first thing in the morning.
- Santa Clara, CA, USA
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- Fairfield, CA, USA