First noticed on date above, but occurs at least once a week. When slowing down, and brakes are applied, if a bump, pothole, and traction is lost for a split second the brakes stop working and the car surges, coasts, disengage. Firm pressure on brakes is used to compensate for the loss of braking power. As a result stopping distance is increased. This loss of breaking power lasts for 1/2 to 1 second. Perhaps its related to the hybrid regenerating system. Never the less it is very disconcerting to lose brakes, even for a split second

- Ovid, MI, USA

After getting off the highway (not in my town) lights came on my dashboard for the ABS braking and vsc system. There were also additional characters like (!) in a circle. The manual said for all of these contact dealer immediately, which I did. I was told the ABS accumulator needed to be replaced and it was approximately a $3,000 job. I had the repair completed and paid $2,700. (the dealer discounted the job). I am aware that Toyota is aware of this problem and has extended the warranty on that same part in the Camry hybrid. Further the internet is replete with instances of this happening in 2006 and 2007 Highlander hybrid models. Toyota has no credit, extended warranty, or other benefit to Highlander hybrid owners. I called Toyota and have a case number with them (#1412081681). I feel there should be a recall or extension of warranty on this known defective part. Is there any investigation into this issue?

- Punta Gorda, FL, USA

While entering into a driveway at a very slow speed, I stepped on the brake to slow down further. But instead of braking, the car lunged forward. I felt I was not in control of the vehicle. I continued to hit the brakes, but the vehicle continued to go forward. It slammed into the car that was parked in the driveway and caused major damage. It also shoved the car into their garage, split the frame in half and ripped off brick from their home. The surface was slippery with wet leaves and there was a slight incline going up the driveway, but I just had brand new top of the line winter tires put on and I was probably only going 5 mph. It did not make any sense. From reading the forums on line, I believe this is a major defect with the hybrid and Toyota is not doing anything about it. They need to do a recall. Lives are at stake. Thank god no one was hurt, but it could have been fatal.

- Kimberly, WI, USA

I was driving down the road and lost power of my vehicle. Toyota dealership said it was my #6 coil but I have a feeling it was the inverter with everything that happened to it. I googled it and everything that happened was exactly what happened when the inverter goes on the vehicle. I don't really trust them.

- Colchester, VT, USA

I try to start the car and it did not start. All light was on including vsc/hybrid system car was towed to Toyota dealer. They bleed the brake and erased the code. Drive the car for the next 2 days. Car failed to start again all light on vsc/hybrid car was towed to Toyota dealer. Diagnosis is failed inverter ask $8357.82 for repair because the recall is not launched and I call Toyota motors Canada tell me they will not repair recall for usa vehicle. Toyota motors usa will not authorize for repair in Canada of safety defect (Toyota safety recall 13V-396) also refusing to repair in the usa if I bring the car to Toyota car dealer in New York state because recall not launched. The car have been towed to my house.

- Ogdensburg, NY, USA

On Sept 5, 2013, I put my Toyota Highlander hybrid in reverse to straighten it up in a parking space, before I could even breathe, it took off in reverse going over 60 mi. An hour and I had no control over the car. It finally hit a garage from behind and took down the whole side of the garage and the front of the garage. Air bags never deployed. I was not injured except for a sore neck and right shoulder. They are just now pulling the black box from my car. No response from Toyota yet.[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Folsom, CA, USA

While accelerating from a stoplight and driving in a 45mph zone, our 2007 Highlander hybrid began to accelerate on its own. The engine revved as if someone were flooring the gas pedal. Neither my husband nor I knew what was happening. Then we heard a loud thud sound from the back seat and we lost power steering, power brakes, and we started to decelerate. Traffic was averaging 45-50mph around us. Thankfully, my husband was able to safely coast us into the right lane, then into a parking lot, and then into a parking spot. After that we were not able to start the vehicle and we had multiple error messages flash across the instrument panel: "check hybrid system" & "check vehicle stability". we were told by Toyota that our error codes indicated that the inverter "blew up" & needs replacement. They did not mention anything about the recall which I found while researching. We are 13 VIN numbers after the recall for this same issue. We were told the part costs $10,000 before taxes & installation. Toyota won't honor the earlier recall and so I've towed the vehicle home. :(

- Manassas, VA, USA

I was exiting a parking lot onto the street. I suddenly lost power while I was waiting to merge into traffic. My car was in drive but I had my foot on the brake when my car went dead. There were warnings flashing at me from my dashboard. I put my car in park. Turned off the engine and restarted my car but the same thing happened plus I began to roll backwards do to the slight incline in the parking lot exit. I quickly put my car in park again, turned on my hazard lights, and waived the cars behind me to go around. I was able to put my car in reverse and back it up to a safe area in the parking lot. I called the Toyota dealership in charlotte where I purchased the car at and continued having it serviced. They told me to have it towed to the nearest dealership immediately. I called the service department at team Toyota mall of ga to let them know I was bringing it in. After their mechanic determined it was the faulty inverter in the transmission, I was told it would cost me $8,000 to fix it. I still owed $15,000 on the car. I found out about the recall on 2006-2007 Highlander hybrids for the same faulty inverter. The dealership said my car was ineligible for the recall since the VIN was not listed. I called Toyota as advised and opened a case number. I received the worst customer service and constant run around from Toyota. They offered to give me $1,000 towards the repairs or $2,500 for a new or Toyota certified used vehicle. I'm still waiting to find out why my car wasn't included on the list though it met the criteria. I am truly shocked by the dismissive attitude I'm currently getting from Toyota as if they didn't know about the faulty inverter. My car broke down on my way home to North Carolina. Now I'm trapped in Georgia with no way of getting home to my husband and children. I'm still waiting on Toyota's decision about my case, in ga.

- Waxhaw, NC, USA

While driving on the highway, the lights in the vehicle all began flashing to check hybrid system. I was unable to use anything but the brakes as the gas pedal would not even work to decelerate or accelerate. I was able to veer out of traffic to safety. I had one other passenger in the car and we were scared for our lives as the whole car just shut down and could have been involved in a serious accident. Eventually the battery also died and we were stuck on the road at night waiting on a tow truck. We had the car towed to a Toyota dealership and have been working with Toyota and corporate Toyota for the past 6 weeks on a resolution. We were told the inverter needs to be replaced and the cost is $9000. We were also told by the serviceman at Toyota that the car is not worth fixing as it still will not work properly after the part is replaced as it could have lead to transmission problems. This is a faulty part that was recalled in some of their 06 and 07 highlanders but not others. We were not part of the recall. I am without a vehicle and am still waiting for help. This part should be fixed by Toyota completely as it is faulty or Toyota should at least reimburse for what the car was worth before the incident.

- Boynton Beach, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Highlander hybrid. The contact stated that braking at 5 mph, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact was finally able to stop the vehicle by applying extreme pressure to the brake pedal. The vehicle was then taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 41,866 and the current mileage was 41,883. Updated 05/09/12 updated 05/14/12

- Mogadore, OH, USA

I have a 2007 Toyota Highlander hybrid. On 1/26/2009 I was stopped at a light, behind another vehicle, waiting for the light to change. I hadn't been doing anything but sitting there, waiting for the car in front of me to start moving, when my vehicle went forward (lurched) and I rear-ended the car in front of me! I have never done that in my life. My car hit the vehicle - a minivan, in front of me very hard, (felt like 10-15 mph) causing a lot of damage to the rear cargo door. However, because the event was so odd, and happened so fast, (and this happened before Toyota ever recalled anything except the prius), I assumed I must've done something to cause it. So when the police got there, I told them maybe I wasn't paying attention, and maybe I accelerated before the light changed (but even at the time, it didn't make sense to me, because I wasn't first in line at the light, I was waiting, patiently, behind another vehicle). In fact, I don't even remember looking at the light, I was just waiting for the vehicle in front of me to move, as I usually do - did. I went in to my Toyota dealer a few month ago (March 2010) and told them what happened, and the service advisor told me that because my vehicle is a hybrid, sometimes, when you're stopped at a light, it switches from the electric motor to gas, and if you don't have your foot on the brake petal hard enough, it can lurch forward. Please can you look into this further, it was quite scary. I bet allstate and other insurance companies have many claims where a Toyota highlander rear-ends other vehicles, and people assume it's their fault, not assuming the vehicle might have a problem.

- St Louis Park, MN, USA

A month or two after I bought my 2007 Highlander hybrid in March of 2007, I had two incidents where my car accelerated for me. Both times I was on the freeway, traveling at approximately 65 mph. Both times, I felt a surge of power for about 7 - 8 seconds. The two incidents happened maybe a month apart. I told my husband about it at the time and he assured me it was just because I wasn't used to my new car. I know for sure that wasn't the reason. Almost three years later I haven't had any more surges but I do have two small children. I am hyper aware of the fact that there is something wrong with Toyota vehicles and they have yet to figure it out. If we could afford it, we'd get rid of this car immediately and get a new one. But we can't.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Highlander hybrid. The contact stated that she was driving approximately 1 mph, when the vehicle accelerated and crashed into the garage and a bedroom. She then shifted the vehicle into reverse it accelerated in reverse. She depressed the brake pedal to avoid an additional incident, shifted into neutral gear to stop the vehicle from accelerating. There were no injuries and no police report was taken. She called the dealership but no one inspected the vehicle to find out why the failure occurred. She had not spoken with the manufacturer to-date. She had not experienced any more acceleration failures when the complaint was filed. The current mileage was approximately 19,000. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

On October 13, 2009, my 2007 Toyota Highlander hybrid was parked at a small business parking lot, about 40 ft. Away from another parked car. The weather was clear and dry. During the process of putting the car in reverse, with my foot on the brake, (necessary for ignition) my car accelerated on its own at a very high speed, and smashed into the parked car behind me. I had absolutely no control of this car. It damaged the back of the other car so completely that is was undrivable and had to be towed. My car had substantial damage to the rear bumper trunk/hatch back and exhaust system. The estimated damage is $3500-$4500. This is not a floor mat related problem. The highlander has hooks that secure the drivers side floor mats so they do not come in contact with the gas pedal. I am very concerned about the safety of this car. My car had just had its 30K service a week prior to my accident and is very well maintained. I am a very safe and careful driver with an outstanding driver record and I know this was not my fault. This car sped out of control by itself. No one could possibly reverse their car in a small parking lot that quickly. I have contacted Toyota and they had a corporate investigator inspect my car for potential causes. They indicated that no unusual errors were reported on the vehicles computer. I feel Toyota owes me and possibly hundreds of other Toyota owners that have experienced the sudden acceleration problem an explanation and corrective action. This is a very dangerous and real problem.

- Lunenburg, MA, USA