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SUVs Toyota Highlander Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair
4692 messages, Last post on Nov 28, 2009 at 3:26 PM
You are in the Toyota Highlander Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
| I just would like say thanks to all who commented on the problem with the nut coming loose behind the knob; I was very fortunate to catch it before the wires broke off. Thanks again! | |
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Just started this past week, my wife tells me that the AC light on the AC switch was blinking. She cycled it and it seemed OK. But this morning it stalled when putting it in drive and the AC was on. I noticed no fan(s) were running and the idle was dead slow (not in high idle to compensate for the AC load. When the engine gets hot enough to call for cooling, both fans kick in at high speed and the engine idle increases and the AC compressor kicks in. Took out my volt-ohm meter and started checking. All fuses are OK, all three fan relays are good. I can bypass the relay contacts with a jumper and the fans turn on but the idle does not. The problem is there is no voltage to operate the relay coils when the AC turned on. With air flow over the AC condenser, the AC will not work until you drive it. Obvious. The check engine light is NOT on. It's either a sensor or the computer is wacked. Anyone have any thoughts or have had this problem?
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My 2004 Highlander has about 55,000 miles. I've just been told that I need all new brake pads and rotors at a dealer cost of about $1,000. The rotors, I was informed, are too rusted to be turned, and so must be replaced. I've had the car in for service and inspection every 5,000 miles, and it went from no problems to this. I've always been careful about getting my brake pads replaced on time, and have never needed replacement rotors (whether it was a Honda, Isuzu, or even my lemon Chrysler). At Midas the mechanic said that this is fairly common now, Rotors are being made to wear out like exhaust systems and typically only last from 40,000 to 60,000 miles. In the past I've driven vehicles over 120,000 miles and never had to replace a rotor. He also said the typical cost is about $425 an axle, although the Highlander rotors are more expensive. I'm wondering what other Highlander (or Toyota) owners experiences have been. If you could reply in the following format: Make: 2004 Highlander Miles (Before Replacing Brakes): 55,000 Costs: $900 I'll try and collect the information and see if my experience is typical. If so, I think it's a shame that automakers have decided to use planned obsolescence in order to boost profits. If Toyota doesn't watch out, they're going to end up in the same shape as US automakers. 
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Replying to: nathanbrand (Jul 09, 2009 12:22 pm) |
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Replying to: nathanbrand (Jul 09, 2009 12:22 pm) Other factors are if you live in hilly or mountainous area, you'll use your brake harder than say in Florida where I live. Also, how hard or fast you drive is another factor. Maybe on your first brake pads were replaced a more aggressive pad material. Most pads today are semi metallic, that means there is metal in the pad material to get the friction up. When you see cars with very bad brake dust, most of it is metal dust sticking to the metal wheels. As a general on the first set of pads, the rotors should be good for at least one cut and the end of life when the second set of pads wear out. A lot of repair shops will also want to replace the brake caliper because the dust boots on them can be deteriorating because of the high heat that builds up especially during hard braking. Also, the brake fluid can also be contaminated because of moisture can be absorbed into the brake fluid and the excessive heat from the pads will transfer to the brake fluid and it can boil if it gets hot enough. With anti lock brake systems, you do not want to push this old fluid back into the brake system when the brake piston is pushed back into the caliper. Therefore, a full brake job, at least for the front wheels, could be a set of pads, two rotors, two calipers, fluid flushed, and labor. You did not mention if the brake quote was for two or four wheels. For two, $900 is very high. A repair shop should be a round $450-$500. Today, dealers will charge over $100-125 an hour for labor, and my mechanic on the corner repair shop charges $85 per hour. check out this site for some good info http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/disc-brake.htm
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Replying to: nathanbrand (Jul 09, 2009 12:22 pm) |
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Replying to: worthflorida (Jul 05, 2009 4:17 pm) Good catch.
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Replying to: nathanbrand (Jul 09, 2009 12:22 pm) My son has an 04 Tacoma and the pads were replaced at 40K miles and the rotors were turned, total cost $200. |
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There are a lot of low quality rotors out there, Dura International is one, the thickness isn't what OEM parts are. The OEM are much more expensive than off market stuff, Call different parts store and get prices on them. ASK what the expected liftetime is. How many times can they be trued etc . See the Detroit News auto section http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=AUTO01 |
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