2002 Toyota Highlander brake problems

SERVICE BRAKES

ENGINE ACCELERATING WHEN BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED.

NHTSA complaint #10609772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE DISCONNECTED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED IN TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WRONG CABLE WAS PLACED IN VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BECAME DEFECTIVE AS A RESULT OF ENGAGING THE BRAKES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA complaint #10605503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

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

NHTSA complaint #10572799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

REAR-RIGHT BREAK LIGHT NOT WORKING. REPLACE BULB AND DID NOT WORK. CHECKED SOCKET AND ALL IS FINE BUT BREAK LIGHT STILL NOT WORKING. I HAVE RESEARCH THIS FOR A WHILE AND NO SOLUTION. THESE SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE A SOLUTION. DEFINITIVELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I ALREADY GOT A TICKET FROM POLICE FOR NOT HAVING THESE LIGHTS IN WORKING CONDITION.

NHTSA complaint #10458694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

THE LEFT BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED EDITION 4 WHEEL DRIVE DO NOT WORK. I CHANGED THE BULBS AND THEY STILL DO NOT WORK. I HAVE RESEARCHED POSSIBLE CAUSES AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THAT IT AROSE SUDDENLY, FOR NO REASON, AND COMPROMISES THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLES ABILITY TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS THAT THE CAR IS BRAKING. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT RECALLED THE CAR FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA complaint #10394356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

PASSENGER SIDE BREAK LIGHT FAILURE ON 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN OTHER DRIVERS CANNOT SEE YOU BREAK PARTICULARLY FROM THE RIGHT ANGLE. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY DRIVERS OF THE SAME MODEL YEAR. SEE THE WEB POSTS AT HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/AUTOS/TOYOTA-HIGHLANDER/T7H7LD934GSQLC6BE I AM CONVINCED IT IS A DEFECT IN THE 2002 MODEL AND AS SUCH SHOULD BE RECALLED. I HAVE BROUGHT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN MANCHESTER NH 5 TIMES REPLACING LAMP SOCKETS AND OTHER ATTEMPTS AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE TO BRING IN AGAIN. THERE SHOULD BE A STANDARD WAY TO FIX IT.

NHTSA complaint #10380328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

LEFT (DRIVER SIDE) FRONT ABS BEGAN ACTIVATING SPONTANEOUSLY AS MY 02 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CAME TO STOP. SERVICE AGENCY FOUND NO CODE. REMOVING FUSE ON ABS SENSOR ELIMINATED 'FALSE ACTIVATION' PROBLEM, BUT DISABLED ABS; REPLACING SENSOR HAD NO EFFECT. DISCOVERED BROKEN SENSOR RING ON REAR AXLE, DUE TO CORROSION. (NECESSARY REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE AXLE) ELIMINATED ABS ACTIVATION ON BRAKING, BUT INDUCED ABS ACTIVATION ON ACCELERATION FROM STOP. REPLACEMENT OF ANOTHER SENSOR (ALSO CONTAMINATED/DAMAGED BY AXLE CORROSION/INFILTRATION) SEEMED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT I NOW EXPERIENCE NOISE/ACTIVATION WHEN REAR WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGES IN WINTER DRIVING. MY ONLINE RESEARCH (AND SERVICE AGENCY) INDICATE THIS IS A RECURRING, GROWING PROBLEM IN HIGHLANDERS AND LEXUSES AND OTHER TOYOTA MODELS SHARING THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES, THAT ARE PRONE TO INFILTRATION CORROSION DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHERN STATES.

NHTSA complaint #10307959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

2002 HIGHLANDER LTD, 48K MILES, WELL MAINTAINED. ABS SYSTEM AWRY, ACTIVATING LEFT FRONT BRAKES AS BRAKES APPLIED, MOST SEVERE AS COMING TO STOP. NO CODE, NO REMEDY WITH REPLACEMENT OF REAR SENSOR. PRESENTLY DRIVING WITH ABS DISABLED, SERVICE PROVIDER SEEKING SOLUTION.

NHTSA complaint #10251616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

IN 30 MPH HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, SEVERAL CARS STOPPED SUDDENLY. I QUICKLY STOMPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT SEEMED LIKE THE WHEELS LOCKED UP, ESPECIALLY THE LEFT FRONT (LIKE SKATING ON ICE AND APPLYING YOUR TOE PICK (BRAKE)). THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. CAME VERY CLOSE TO HITTING THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME AND GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND. THERE IS NO DRIVER CONTROL OF THE BRAKES IN SUDDEN STOPS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE AND IS VERY SCARY.

NHTSA complaint #10143734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.