2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid fuel system problems

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND "VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL" AND "HYBRID SYSTEM" DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HUDSON TOYOTA (599 NJ-440, JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INVERTER WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

NHTSA complaint #11173103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING. WE WERE TOLD THIS MORNING THAT WE MUST REPLACE THE FUEL SYSTEM CHARCOAL CANISTER. THIS ITEM IS UNDER RECALL FOR MANY TOYOTA VEHICLES 2006-2015, BUT THEY DID NOT TELL ME THAT IT IS COVERED ON MINE. HE SAID THERE IS A CRACK AND WHEN THEY REPLACE THE CANISTER THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CONTAINMENT VALVE AS WELL. CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM IF MY VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL? MY VEHICLE IS ACTING PERFECTLY FINE.

NHTSA complaint #11100335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE GAS TANK FELL PARTIALLY OFF AND DRAGGED ON THE ROAD. I WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, TURNING RIGHT AT 5 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP/SNAP SOUND AND THEN A TERRIBLE SOUND OF SOMETHING DRAGGING UNDER THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, I COULD PULL OVER AND STOP WITHIN 50 FEET. THE GAS TANK WAS NOT DAMAGED SIGNIFICANTLY (IT PASSED A PRESSURE TEST AT THE DEALERSHIP). THE GAS TANK IS ATTACHED WITH TWO STRAPS, FORE AND AFT. THE RIGHT SIDES OF BOTH STRAPS SNAPPED VERY CLOSE TO WHERE THE STRAPS ARE BOLTED TO THE MAIN BODY IN A PLACE THAT COULD NOT HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN DAMAGED. THE FLAT BED TRUCK DRIVER WHO DELIVERED THE VEHICLE TO BERKELEY TOYOTA NOTED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN ABUSED IN ANY WAY. HE ALSO ARGUED THAT HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGH SPEED, IT COULD HAVE BEEN QUITE DANGEROUS.

NHTSA complaint #11015596 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

RECEIVED TEMPERATURE WARNING FOR HYBRID SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE LOCKED UP AFTER PULLING OVER, MADE VERY LOUD NOISE AND COULD NOT DRIVE. TOWED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER ASSEMBLY FAILED AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR DEFECT IN THIS ASSEMBLY ON MY MODEL YEAR, BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10967245 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, AND THE CHECK HYBRID INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER MALFUNCTIONED. THE HYBRID SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA complaint #10959167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS MADE BETWEEN 2/16/05 AND 7/29/10, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL TWICE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

NHTSA complaint #10716387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE REMEDY WAS INSUFFICIENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE SECOND TIME BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

NHTSA complaint #10690687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #10669387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY ON BOARD ON 680-S BETWEEN WALNUT CREEK AND SAN RAMON. I WAS GOING AROUND 65-70 MPH IN THE FAST LANE WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD POP SOUND FROM THE FRONT AND ALL THE POWER FROM ENGINE DIED DOWN. I HAD TO SWITCH LANES WITH THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON AS THE SPEED KEPT DECREASING WITH NO ACCELERATION. THIS WAS ON A BUSY FREEWAY WITH HIGH SPEEDS. WE WERE LUCKY TO PULL OVER WITHOUT BEING HIT. I PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT COULD ONLY GO ANOTHER 10 FEET TO A SAFER LOCATION. I HAD TO GET MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WAS NO SERVICE AVAILABLE UNTIL TODAY. I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP TELLING ME THAT THE INVERTER IS THE CAUSE OF THIS AND WILL COST OVER $8,000 TO REPLACE. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE INVERTERS OF THE 2006 AND SOME 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS, MINE WAS NOT ON THE LIST. I PURCHASED MY 2007 HIGHLANDER IN OCTOBER 2006. I THINK THE RECALL SHOULD EXTEND TO ALL 2007 HIGHLANDERS AS THERE IS A GROWING NUMBER OF THESE CARS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES THIS YEAR AS WELL AS PREVIOUS YEARS.

NHTSA complaint #10533659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON A BUSY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FREEWAY WHEN I HEAR A POPPING SOUND AND MY CAR DIED. WAS IN THE FAST LANE AND HAD TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. DANGEROUS!!! COULD HAVE GOTTEN IN A ACCIDENT, BUT MADE IT OK. HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. WAS TOLD THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER NEEDED REPLACING. NEVER KNEW THAT TOYOTA WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE INVERTER, AND HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SOME 2007'S, BUT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THEREFORE NOT COVERED. COST TO REPLACE INVERTER $9,000 TO $11,000. WHY WASN'T MY CAR INCLUDED IN THE RECALL!! VERY OBVIOUS THAT THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER TO INCLUDE MINE. MY PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING. PLEASE CONSIDER EXTENDING THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10524510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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. :(

NHTSA complaint #10523860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #10521541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE11005 EXACT SAME SITUATION. THIS ISSUE KILLS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY WITH NO TIME TO PREPARE. I WAS VERY LUCKY AS I WAS JUST ENTERING ONTO THE FREEWAY. I DRIFTED OVER TO THE RIGHT MEDIAN. IF I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OR FAR LEFT LANE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. THERE ARE MORE HIGHLANDERS HYBRIDS IN MY VIN RANGE THAT ARE COMING OF AGE AND SHOULD HAVE THESE DEFECTIVE INVERTER ASSEMBLY PARTS REPLACED ASAP.

NHTSA complaint #10520344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 55 MPH THE CAR, WITHOUT WARNING, DIED. NO POWER, LIGHTS, BRAKES, STEERING, NOTHING WORKED. AT SIDE OF ROAD TRIED TO RESTART. ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, WOULD NOT RESTART, EVERYTHING THEN WENT DEAD. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. IT WAS CLAIMED TO BE A COIL PACK, HOWEVER UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND OUT IT WAS ACTUALLY THE POWER INVERTER THAT CONVERTS 12VDC TO AC TO POWER THE ELECTRIC MOTORS ON THE CAR. WHEN THE INVERTER SHORTED OUT, IT KILLED THE ENTIRE ELECTRIC BATTERY SYSTEM, THE HYBRID BATTERIES AND THE GAS ENGINE BATTERY CAUSING ALL SYSTEMS TO SHUT DOWN. THE CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. TOYOTA KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THEY SOLD ME THE CAR AND DID NOT TELL ME. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF HIGHLANDER HYBRID OWNERS, MOSTLY 2006, 2007 AND SOME 2008. IF THE CAR IS OVER 7 YEAR/100,000 WARRANTY TOYOTA WILL NOT FIX IT. IT COST OWNERS $10,000 TO $15,000 TO FIX. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT WILL, MAY HAVE, KILLED THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. THE PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS OVER 40MPH, WHICH IS USUALLY HIGHWAY DRIVING. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO MY WIFE. ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH IN THE CENTER LANE. CAR DIES WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WAS FORTUNATE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. NO BRAKES AND NO STEERING. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CARS; THEY HAVE A DESIGN FLAW THAT WILL KILL SOMEONE IF IT HASN'T ALREADY.

NHTSA complaint #10479526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INVERTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 107,000.

NHTSA complaint #10471785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID INVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 106,000.

NHTSA complaint #10470879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CHECK VSC WARNING AND POWER STEERING WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,990 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

NHTSA complaint #10457383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

DRIVING ON THE 94 FREEWAY WEST, THE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. CAR SUDDENLY DIED UNEXPECTEDLY. WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE NEARBY EXIT - NEARLY HIT BY NUMEROUS VEHICLES. AT THE EXIT, THE CAR WAS BLOCKING TRAFFIC. PEOPLE HELPED PUSH THE HIGHLANDER TO THE SIDE, WHERE I CALLED AAA. THE HIGHLANDER WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA EL CAJON DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. TOYOTA INFORMED ME THE INVERTER HAD DIED. IT WOULD COST $9600.00 TO REPAIR BECAUSE OUT OF WARRANTY. TOYOTA HEAD OFFICE REFUSES TO HELP. AT 3.5 YEARS OLD, THE REPAIR IS WORTH MORE THAN THE CAR. OTHER HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS FROM 2007 WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR COST $40,000.00 NEW AT PURCHASE IN 2007. IT SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 3.5 YEARS. THE INVERTER PROBLEM COULD HAVE HAD DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.

NHTSA complaint #10425347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 119,500.

NHTSA complaint #10419713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

WHILE ACCELERATING TO APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH FROM A STANDING STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN A ZONE MERGING 2 LANES TO 1, MY 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID (`48,000 MILES ON ODOMETER, I AM ORIGINAL OWNER) EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND TOTAL POWER LOSS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. THEY REPORTED A FAILED INVERTER IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM AND I AM AWAITING THE PART AND REPAIR. FROM MY ONLINE RESEARCH I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 AND EARLY 2007 MODELS AND THAT NHTSA MAY BE INVESTIGATING. ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT ENSUED THIS FAILURE AT SPEED IN A LANE MERGE WAS FRIGHTENING, OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND COULD EASILY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH.

NHTSA complaint #10408965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.