I have 2012 Highlander Toyota which is supposed to have All Wheel Drive. When I was in North Dakota hunting and drove onto a Section line minimum maintenance road (solid road with a clay base) I did not sink in but was fish tailing on the road, fighting to keep up to the FORD truck ahead of me. When I stopped and let out the other 3 men from the SUV they saw that I only had the front wheels driving. At this point we found that we had more traction backing up and made our way out that way.
I cleaned the clay off of the vehicle and drove it in to the closest dealership in Bismark, N.D. 2 hours later they called and said the transmission is shot. The next day the Toyota Field Technologist Rep came in and looked the vehicle over and said It was my fault because the computer sensors said I was up to 302 degrees in the transmission fluid. He also said there was mud in the transmission. That is BS because I was not submerged in mud or water we never sank down more than 1/2 in the clay. 2 days later I was in the dealership when their Transmission Specialist came back to work and he checked it out with me there. He said my Transmission fluid was not burnt, there was no small debris from be beating it and abusing it from broken and worn seals. There was a large chunk of broken off metal from a gear inside. He and the Service Manager agreed this was not my fault and they knew what those roads were like. The Transmission specialist said that his transmission heats up to 275 degrees when towing a trailer, so 302 degrees did not do this harm. But the biggest thing is that this never would have happened if I had all 4 wheels working! Which I did not and I have 4 witnesses to this fact! I wish I had photos and a movie. Toyota doesn't believe it but I have a 2WD in the mud when they sold me an All WD. There computer Sensors don't tell anything about when I have 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive. This is my 4th Toyota I have bought in 6 years (2 for our boys) but when they won't stand behind their product and just assume that a 58 year old man goes out and beats his vehicle like a kid with a new toy, that chaps my a__ __! Toyota has just lost a loyal customer. The Ford trucks didn't have a bit of problems out on those roads. I think in the future I will buy a vehicle that I need to turn or push a button which says I am in 4 wheel drive instead of believing the manufacturer when he says "yeah, it says all wheel drive on the side of the car" BS
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I have 2012 Highlander Toyota which is supposed to have All Wheel Drive. When I was in North Dakota hunting and drove onto a Section line minimum maintenance road (solid road with a clay base) I did not sink in but was fish tailing on the road, fighting to keep up to the FORD truck ahead of me. When I stopped and let out the other 3 men from the SUV they saw that I only had the front wheels driving. At this point we found that we had more traction backing up and made our way out that way.
I cleaned the clay off of the vehicle and drove it in to the closest dealership in Bismark, N.D. 2 hours later they called and said the transmission is shot. The next day the Toyota Field Technologist Rep came in and looked the vehicle over and said It was my fault because the computer sensors said I was up to 302 degrees in the transmission fluid. He also said there was mud in the transmission. That is BS because I was not submerged in mud or water we never sank down more than 1/2 in the clay. 2 days later I was in the dealership when their Transmission Specialist came back to work and he checked it out with me there. He said my Transmission fluid was not burnt, there was no small debris from be beating it and abusing it from broken and worn seals. There was a large chunk of broken off metal from a gear inside. He and the Service Manager agreed this was not my fault and they knew what those roads were like. The Transmission specialist said that his transmission heats up to 275 degrees when towing a trailer, so 302 degrees did not do this harm. But the biggest thing is that this never would have happened if I had all 4 wheels working! Which I did not and I have 4 witnesses to this fact! I wish I had photos and a movie. Toyota doesn't believe it but I have a 2WD in the mud when they sold me an All WD. There computer Sensors don't tell anything about when I have 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive. This is my 4th Toyota I have bought in 6 years (2 for our boys) but when they won't stand behind their product and just assume that a 58 year old man goes out and beats his vehicle like a kid with a new toy, that chaps my a__ __! Toyota has just lost a loyal customer. The Ford trucks didn't have a bit of problems out on those roads. I think in the future I will buy a vehicle that I need to turn or push a button which says I am in 4 wheel drive instead of believing the manufacturer when he says "yeah, it says all wheel drive on the side of the car" BS
- marknewman, Hudson, WI, US