at 60,000 miles
Buffalo, NY
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
STRONG ODOR OF GAS FUMES WHEN CAR IS PARKED
NHTSA complaint #10763291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2003 Toyota Highlander fuel system problems
10 of the 316 complaints about the 2003 Toyota Highlander are about the fuel system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 67,810 miles.
10
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Fuel System, Gasoline
5
50.0%
Fuel/Propulsion System
3
30.0%
Tank Assembly
1
10.0%
Fuel Gauge System
1
10.0%
Fuel & Propulsion across every Toyota Highlander year
What owners said
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
at 148,500 miles
Bellerose, NY
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
NEEDED TO HAVE A TOTAL ENGINE REBUILD DUE TO FAULTY HEAD BOLTS THAT STRIPPED AND ALLOWED COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE AND BURN. LUCKY-I GUESS-THAT I ACTED QUICKLY SO AS TO AVERT CATALYTIC CONVERTER ISSUES OR SENSORS GETTING DAMAGED BY BURNING COOLANT. I ALSO AVOIDED THE TOTAL LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE AND THE RESULTING DAMAGE &/OR INCONVENIENCE THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAD. STILL, A HUGE INCONVENIENCE AND HUGE $5425.82 COST DUE TO MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT: WEAK METAL THAT COULDN'T WITHSTAND THE TORQUE/PULL ON THEM... PERHAPS THE THREADING PLAYED A PART. I ONLY KNOW THAT 1000S UPON 1000S OF PEOPLE SUFFERED THE SAME ISSUE FROM TOYOTA ON THIS ENGINE IN SEVERAL YEARS/MODELS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THERE SHOULD BE COMPENSATION.
NHTSA complaint #10712214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 85,000 miles
Homosassa, FL
Crash
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CAR ACCELERATED AND CHASED INTO HOUSE IN NOV 20011. CAR ACCELERATED IN PARKING LOT DEC. 2012. NO DAMAGE THIS TIME BUT IN 2011 THERE WAS 14,000 $ DAMAGE TO HOUSE AND CAR. CAR WAS CHECKED OUT AT TOYOTA TWICE ,NO PROBLEM FOUND. WIFE WILL NEVER DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN. SHE IS INFEAR OF HURTING SOMEONE.
NHTSA complaint #10490644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 120,000 miles
Houston, TX
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING (OR THE FIRST IN THAT DAY) THE CAR HAVE STRONG GAS SMELL ..I'M WORRIED OF A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10379245 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 miles
Celina, OH
Crash
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND MOTOR RACED AND VEHICLE TRAVELED BACKWARD AT RAPID RATE OF SPEED AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED IN SPITE OF BRAKING. ATTEMPT TO STOP VEHICLE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED WHEN STRUCK TELEPHONE POLE. PROBLEM WAS ENGINE RACING WHICH COULD NOT BE STOPPED. ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO STICK DOWN OR ACCELERATE WITHOUT FOOT APPLICATION.
NHTSA complaint #10319521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 76,500 miles
Summerfield, FL
Crash
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
)N THE MORNING OF 12-05-09, AS I'M PULLING INTO MY GARAGE, THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD WITH AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN SPEED. BEFORE I COULD BRAKE, THE CAR SLAMMED INTO A STEEL SHELVING UNIT ON THE BACK WALL WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE WALL ( BOTH INTERIOR & EXTERIOR) AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE AUTO. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY TOYOTA SERVICE ON THAT SAME DAY BECAUSE I/WE FELT THAT THIS COULD CONSTITUTE AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. TOTAL COSTS FROM THIS INCIDENT WERE AS FOLLOWS: COVERED BY INSURANCE- $3607.81 (PLUS 703.31 PD. DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER?) AND $916.27 ( 500.00 INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE AND AN ADDITIONAL MECHANICAL CHARGE FOR A FUEL/AIR SENSOR THAT FAILED ON 12-26-09). I HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED "SUDDEN ACCELERATION" WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE NOTIFIED BOTH MY LOCAL DEALER, SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS AND TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS REGARDING THE PROBLEM STATING THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER VEHICLES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THEIR CURRENT RECALL THAT SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED AS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *TR UPDATED 05/03.10 TOYOTA DENIED THE CONSUMER CLAIM, STATING THE VEHICLE EXAMINATION REVEALED NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE ACCELERATION. HOWEVER, THE DEALER THAT PERFORMED THE INSPECTION STATED THE THROTTLE WAS BECAME STUCK DUE TO GUMMY DEPOSITS CASED BY ETHANOL IN THE GASOLINE. UPDATED 08/210/10
NHTSA complaint #10305790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 67,810 miles
Albany, GA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
VEHICLE WHICH WAS OUT OF WARRANTY WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND WAS OBSERVED DURING EARLY MORNING HOURS TO BE LEAKING FUEL FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPORTED THAT THE ROLL-OVER BALL (SAFETY FEATURE IN A ROLL-OVER CRASH) HAD ACTIVATED AND HAD FLOATED TO THE TOP OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK FORCING FUEL INTO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. THE FUEL TANK HAD BEEN FILLED SEVERAL DAYS PREVIOUSLY. DEALER ESTIMATED REPAIRS TO BE $1500 FOR A NEW TANK, CANISTER, AND OTHER PARTS. FORTUNATELY, THE DISTRICT REP FOR TOYOTA INTERVENED AND PAID FOR ALL PARTS AND HALF OF LABOR AT WARRANTY RATES. VEHICLE OWNER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ONLY $248.50.
NHTSA complaint #10251399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 48,948 miles
Longwood, FL
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
REPLACEMENT OF A CHARCOAL CANISTER ON A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. NO ACCIDENTS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART; HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF REPORTS OF HAVING TO REPLACE THIS VERY EXPENSIVE PART. ALSO IF THE PART IS A SAFETY HAZARD (MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE) IT SHOULD NOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER. THE PART IS AN EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE THAT IS SURELY REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS ACTION IS TAKEN BECAUSE I NOTICED, WHILE RESEARCHING CHARCOAL CANISTERS THAT TOYOTAS COME UP FREQUENTLY AS HAVING TO HAVE THIS TYPE REPAIR. AT THIS WRITING I AM UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE PART IS DEFECTIVE AS IT IS THE ORIGINAL PART THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. THIS IS NOT A PRE-OWNED VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10235537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 3,973 miles
Thornwood, NY
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
GAS GAUGE BROKE, 2/12/04, 4/20/04 AND 6/11/04. WHEN YOU PUT GAS IN THE CAR THE NEEDLE WOULD NOT REGISTER. SERVICE CLAIMS THAT THEY KEPT FIXING IT FROM 2/12/04.
NHTSA complaint #10078374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Middle Village, NY
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING. A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AS IF THE VEHICLE HAD RAN OVER SOMETHING LARGE IN THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LIQUID SPRAYING OUT FROM THE VEHICLE, ONCE HE PULLED OVER, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A HOLE WAS IN THE GAS TANK. HOWEVER, ONE MONTH LATER THE SAME LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE GAS TANK HAD A DEEP INDENTATION IN IT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE GAS TANK. *MR *TS
NHTSA complaint #10029632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.